Negation
Negation
Last lesson, we’ve learned the Bengali verb conjugation in the present tense and the Bengali equivalent to the English verb “to be”. Today we want to have a look at how to negate sentences, i.e. to say that a sentence is not true.
Verb Negation
In Bengali, there are three ways to negate sentences:
- The zero-verb copula is negated with ন-, which conjugates into forms like নই (1st person), নও (2nd person formal), নন (2nd person polite), and নয় (3rd person).
| Person (Singular) | Person (Plural) | ন- |
|---|---|---|
| আমি | আমরা | নই (noi) |
| তুই | তোরা | |
| তুমি | তোমরা | নও (no) |
| এ, ও, সে | এরা, ওরা, তারা | নয় (noy) |
| আপনি, ইনি, উনি, তিনি | আপনারা, এঁরা, ওঁরা, তাঁরা | নন (non) |
- Sentences which use the verb আছ-, are negated with নেই. This negator does not require conjugation, i.e. it always stays the same.
- For all other verbs, negation is achieved using the particle না. It is placed after the verb or at the end of the sentence. It is applied in nearly all tenses. Exceptions to this rule will be discussed later throughout this course.
Example Sentences
Zero-verb Copula
আমি ছাত্র নই। – Ami chhatro noi
(I am not a student. )
সে আমার বন্ধু নয়। – Se amar bondhu noy.
(He/She is not my friend.)
আছ-
ঘরে কেউ নেই। – Ghore keu nei
(There is no one in the house. )
টেবিলে বই নেই। – Tebile boi nei
(There is no book on the table.)
Other Verbs
আমি খাই না। – Ami khai na
(I do not eat. )
সে কাজ করে না। – Se kaj kore na
(He/She does not work.)