Hindi grammar · Beginner · Lesson 11
Hindi Questions and Negation: Kya, Nahin and Question Words
Ask Hindi yes/no and information questions, and place नहीं in simple negative statements.
Updated October 10, 2026 · Free lesson and exercises
Ask a yes/no question with kya
A common way to turn a statement into a yes/no question is to place क्या at the beginning and keep the usual sentence order: क्या आप तैयार हैं? Intonation can also make a statement into a question. क्या in this position marks the question rather than naming a missing object.
Use a question word for missing information
कहाँ asks where, कब asks when, कौन asks who, and क्या can ask what. आप क्या पढ़ रहे हैं? means what are you reading? Here क्या fills the object position, so it has a different role from the opening क्या in a yes/no question.
Put nahin near the predicate
नहीं negates ordinary statements: मैं तैयार नहीं हूँ means I am not ready. With a habitual verb, it normally comes before the participle: मैं चाय नहीं पीती हूँ. In some negative habitual sentences speakers omit the final auxiliary; retaining it is a clear beginner pattern. Negative commands use मत or न in their own constructions.
Question and negative patterns
| Purpose | Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/no question | क्या आप तैयार हैं? (kya aap taiyaar hain?) | Are you ready? |
| Where question | आप कहाँ हैं? (aap kahaan hain?) | Where are you? |
| What question | आप क्या पढ़ रहे हैं? (aap kya padh rahe hain?) | What are you reading? |
| Negative identity/state | मैं तैयार नहीं हूँ। (main taiyaar nahin hoon.) | I am not ready. |
| Negative habit | मैं चाय नहीं पीती हूँ। (main chaay nahin peeti hoon.) | I do not drink tea, female speaker |
The examples address a male listener in पढ़ रहे हैं; use पढ़ रही हैं for a respectful female listener.
See the pattern in a sentence
क्या आप हिंदी बोलते हैं?kya aap hindi bolte hain?
Do you speak Hindi?
Opening क्या marks a yes/no question to a male addressee.
आप कहाँ रहते हैं?aap kahaan rahte hain?
Where do you live?
कहाँ asks for a place; the verb stays at the end.
मैं चाय नहीं पीती हूँ।main chaay nahin peeti hoon.
I do not drink tea.
नहीं precedes the habitual participle for this female speaker.
Common mistakes to notice
To fix: आप हैं कहाँ?
Use: आप कहाँ हैं?
The first order may be marked or conversational; the corrected version is the neutral beginner question.
To fix: मैं नहीं तैयार हूँ।
Use: मैं तैयार नहीं हूँ।
For this simple state description, place नहीं just before हूँ.
Try it yourself
Say or write an answer before opening the explanation.
1. Turn आप तैयार हैं into a yes/no question.
Show answer and explanation
क्या आप तैयार हैं?kya aap taiyaar hain?
Place क्या at the start.
2. Ask where a person is respectfully.
Show answer and explanation
आप कहाँ हैं?aap kahaan hain?
कहाँ fills the place slot.
3. Say I am not ready.
Show answer and explanation
मैं तैयार नहीं हूँ।main taiyaar nahin hoon.
Put नहीं before the copula.
Use it in a conversation
Ask a partner where they are, whether they speak Hindi, and what they are reading. Answer one question with a negative sentence.
Read the examples aloud, then try your own sentences. In ChatPal, practice a real scenario and get personalized feedback on what you say.
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Questions about this pattern
Does kya always mean what?
No. क्या can mark a yes/no question at the beginning or mean what when it asks for missing information.
Where does nahin go?
In the simple patterns here, नहीं appears near the predicate: तैयार नहीं हूँ or चाय नहीं पीती हूँ. More complex sentences may use different placement for emphasis.
Can I use nahin for do not commands?
Negative commands commonly use मत or न, such as मत जाइए, please do not go. Learn them separately from negative statements.
Keep building your sentences
Words to practice with
References and corrections
Original explanations and practice examples for beginners. References help check the grammar; this page covers the patterns shown rather than every exception.