How to Say 'Not' in Bengali: Na, Nei and Noy

English uses "not", "don't" and "no" for most negation. Bengali splits the job across a few short words, each with a clear role.

না (na) with verbs

In the present tense, place না after the verb:

• আমি যাই না — ami jai na — I don't go.
• সে খায় না — she khay na — He/she doesn't eat.
• আপনি জানেন না — apni janen na — You don't know (formal).

Past tense: -নি (-ni)

In the simple past, the negative is a suffix on the verb:

• আমি যাইনি — ami jaini — I didn't go.
• তারা খায়নি — tara khayni — They didn't eat.
• তুমি দেখনি? — tumi dekhoni? — Didn't you see?

This form also expresses "have not yet", as in আমি এখনও খাইনি (ami ekhono khaini), "I haven't eaten yet".

Future tense

Use না after the future verb: আমি যাব না (ami jabo na), "I will not go".

Commands

For negative commands, use না or না with the polite imperative:

• যেও না (jeo na) — Don't go.
• করবেন না (korben na) — Please don't do it (formal).
• ভুলো না (bhulo na) — Don't forget.

নেই (nei): "there isn't"

The opposite of আছে (ache, there is) is নেই (nei, there is not):

• আমার সময় নেই — amar shomoy nei — I have no time.
• ঘরে কেউ নেই — ghore keu nei — There is nobody in the room.
• টাকা নেই — taka nei — There is no money.

নয় (noy): "is not"

To say something is not something, use নয়:

• এটা বই নয় — eta boi noy — This is not a book.
• সে ডাক্তার নয় — she daktar noy — He/she is not a doctor.

Negative words

• কেউ না (keu na) — nobody
• কিছু না (kichhu na) — nothing
• কখনও না (kokhono na) — never
• কোথাও না (kothao na) — nowhere

Emphasis

You can add আর না (ar na, "no more") or মোটেই না (motei na, "not at all") for emphasis.

Common mistakes

• Placing না before the verb as in English.
• Using নয় where নেই is needed, or vice versa.
• Forgetting the past-tense -নি ending.

Practice

1. Turn ten positive sentences into negatives.
2. Contrast আছে and নেই in simple sentences about your home.
3. Practise negative commands with different politeness levels.
4. Look up the verbs to check their past stems.

Look up verbs and negatives with English Bangla Dictionary →