Negating with 'Nathi'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'nathi' (નથી) to express that something does not exist or is not happening right now.
- Use 'nathi' for states of being: 'Hu khush nathi' (I am not happy).
- Use 'nathi' for present continuous negation: 'Te jami nathi rahyo' (He is not eating).
- Place 'nathi' after the main verb or state adjective.
Meanings
The particle 'nathi' is the primary way to negate existence, possession, or present continuous actions in Gujarati.
Non-existence
To say something is not present or owned.
“Mari pase pen nathi.”
“Tya koi nathi.”
Present continuous negation
To say an action is not currently happening.
“Te avto nathi.”
“Hu jami nathi.”
Negating States and Actions
| Affirmative | Negative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hu chu | Hu nathi | I am / I am not |
| Te che | Te nathi | He/She is / He/She is not |
| Avu chu | Avto nathi | I am coming / I am not coming |
| Javu che | Jato nathi | Going / Not going |
| Pase che | Pase nathi | Have / Do not have |
| Khush che | Khush nathi | Is happy / Is not happy |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + Verb + che | Te jami che |
| Negative | Subject + Verb + nathi | Te jami nathi |
| Question | Su + Subject + Verb + che? | Su te jami che? |
| Negative Q | Su + Subject + Verb + nathi? | Su te jami nathi? |
| Possession | Subject + pase + Object + che | Mari pase car che |
| Neg. Possession | Subject + pase + Object + nathi | Mari pase car nathi |
Formalitätsspektrum
Mari pase dhan nathi. (Financial situation)
Mari pase paisa nathi. (Financial situation)
Mari pase paisa nathi. (Financial situation)
Paisa nathi. (Financial situation)
The Nathi Universe
States
- Khush Happy
Possession
- Paisa Money
Actions
- Javu Going
Examples by Level
Mari pase pen nathi.
I do not have a pen.
Aa maru ghar nathi.
This is not my house.
Te khush nathi.
He is not happy.
Atyare time nathi.
There is no time right now.
Hu avto nathi.
I am not coming.
Te jami rahyo nathi.
He is not eating.
Ame jata nathi.
We are not going.
Te kam karto nathi.
He is not doing the work.
Mane khabar nathi ke te kyare avshe.
I don't know when he will come.
Aa vastu market ma malti nathi.
This item is not available in the market.
Tane shu lagtu nathi?
Don't you feel so?
Te mane bolavto nathi.
He does not call me.
Te evu nathi ke hu avva mangu nathi.
It is not that I don't want to come.
Aa niyam mujab te chali shakto nathi.
According to this rule, he cannot walk.
Te mane samjavi rahyo nathi.
He is not explaining it to me.
Aa prashna no koi javab nathi.
There is no answer to this question.
Te kadi pan satya bolto nathi.
He never speaks the truth.
Aa vichar mane yogya lagto nathi.
This thought does not seem appropriate to me.
Te koi pan sanjog ma manva taiyar nathi.
He is not ready to agree under any circumstances.
Aa ghatna no koi sakshi nathi.
There is no witness to this incident.
Te kavi ni rachna ma koi khami nathi.
There is no flaw in the poet's composition.
Aa samajik badlav ni koi asar nathi.
There is no impact of this social change.
Te potani bhul svikarva ma samarth nathi.
He is not capable of accepting his mistake.
Aa parampara no koi ant nathi.
There is no end to this tradition.
Easily Confused
Learners use them interchangeably.
Learners keep 'che' in negative sentences.
Na is a simple 'no', nathi is a full negative verb.
Häufige Fehler
Hu khush che nathi
Hu khush nathi
Mari pase pen nahi
Mari pase pen nathi
Te nathi jami
Te jami nathi
Nathi hu khush
Hu khush nathi
Te avto nahi
Te avto nathi
Ame jata che nahi
Ame jata nathi
Te nathi rahyo jami
Te jami rahyo nathi
Mane khabar nahi
Mane khabar nathi
Te bolto nahi
Te bolto nathi
Koi nathi che
Koi nathi
Te kadi bolto nahi
Te kadi bolto nathi
Aa nathi yogya
Aa yogya nathi
Te nathi shakto
Te shakto nathi
Sentence Patterns
Mari pase ___ nathi.
Te ___ nathi.
Hu ___ nathi.
Aa ___ nathi.
Real World Usage
Aa dish nathi.
Hu avto nathi.
Hu taiyar nathi.
Bus nathi.
Aa sachu nathi.
Size nathi.
Drop the 'che'
Don't confuse with 'nahi'
Practice with objects
Listen to native speakers
Smart Tips
Just replace 'che' with 'nathi'.
Use the continuous participle + nathi.
Add 'nathi' at the end of the possession phrase.
If it's present tense, 'nathi' is almost always correct.
Aussprache
Nathi
The 'th' is aspirated. It sounds like the 'th' in 'thin'.
Statement
Hu khush nathi ↘
Falling intonation for a simple negative statement.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Nathi is like a 'No-thing' button. If you want to say 'no thing' or 'not', press the Nathi button.
Visual Association
Imagine a big red 'X' appearing over an object whenever you say 'nathi'.
Rhyme
When you want to say it's not, just add nathi to the spot.
Story
Ravi wanted a cake. He looked in the box. 'Cake nathi!' he cried. He looked in the fridge. 'Milk nathi!' he sighed. He was not happy.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look around your room and say 5 things you do not have using 'Mari pase [item] nathi'.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In Surat, people often use 'nathi' with a specific melodic lilt.
They might use 'nathi' more emphatically.
Used consistently in media and education.
Derived from Sanskrit 'na asti' (not exists).
Conversation Starters
Tari pase pen che?
Te avto che?
Tane aa movie gamyo?
Tari pase time che?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Hu khush ___.
Mari pase pen che. -> ?
Find and fix the mistake:
Te avto che nathi.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I am not eating.
Answer starts with: Hu ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Avshe? B: Na, te ___.
Use: Mari, nathi, pase, paisa.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesHu khush ___.
Mari pase pen che. -> ?
Find and fix the mistake:
Te avto che nathi.
nathi / hu / khush
I am not eating.
Che -> ?
A: Avshe? B: Na, te ___.
Use: Mari, nathi, pase, paisa.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Mostly for present tense states and continuous actions. For past, we use different forms.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
Nahi is for commands or general 'no'.
No, it almost always comes after the verb or adjective.
Negate the main verb.
Yes, 'nathi' is invariant.
Mane khabar nathi.
Keeping 'che' in the sentence.
In Other Languages
No es / No hay
Word order is the main difference.
Ne... pas
Gujarati is much simpler.
ist nicht
German has more complex conjugation.
de wa nai
Japanese negation is at the very end of the sentence.
laysa
Arabic 'laysa' conjugates for gender/number.
bu shi / mei you
Gujarati is more universal.
