Affirmative and Negative

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Grammar & Sentence Structure · Affirmative & Negative
Affirmative & Negative Sentences
करण र अकरण (Karan & Akaran)
Intermediate Grammar Lesson  ·  nepalisansar.com — Grammar Learning
Nepali affirmative and negative sentences lesson

In Nepali, there are two types of sentences: Karan (करण) and Akaran (अकरण). Karan sentences express positive or affirmative meanings, while Akaran sentences express negative meanings. Understanding how to convert between these sentence types is essential for building complete communication skills in Nepali.

Key Concept: To make a sentence negative in Nepali, you add “न” (na) to the verb, not to adjectives or other parts of the sentence. This is a common mistake that changes the meaning incorrectly.
Activity 1 — Basic Concepts
Karan (Affirmative) vs Akaran (Negative)

Understanding the difference between affirmative and negative sentences is fundamental to Nepali grammar:

करण (Karan) — Affirmative Sentence
A Karan sentence expresses a positive or affirmative meaning. The action or state is confirmed as true.
Example 1:
Rama ate rice.
रामले भात खायो।
Ramle bhat khayo.
Example 2:
The bag is beautiful.
मेरो झोला राम्रो छ।
Mero jhola ramro chha.
अकरण (Akaran) — Negative Sentence
An Akaran sentence expresses a negative meaning. The action or state is denied or negated.
Example 1:
Rama did not eat rice.
रामले भात खाएन।
Ramle bhat khayena.
Example 2:
The bag is not beautiful.
मेरो झोला राम्रो छैन।
Mero jhola ramro chhaina.
Activity 2 — The Critical Rule
Where to Add “न” (Na)

The most important rule in making negative sentences: Add “न” to the verb, NOT to adjectives or other words!

Common Mistake with Adjectives
❌ INCORRECT:
Mero jhola naramro chha.
मेरो झोला नराम्रो छ।
❌ Wrong meaning: “My bag is un-beautiful” (doesn’t make sense)
✓ CORRECT:
Mero jhola ramro chhaina.
मेरो झोला राम्रो छैन।
✓ Correct: Add “न” to the verb “छ” → “छैन” (is not)
Correct Pattern with Action Verbs
❌ INCORRECT:
He didn’t eat (just removing the verb)
उसले खाएन। (Incomplete, awkward)
✓ CORRECT:
He did not eat rice.
उसले भात खाएन।
✓ Add “न” to verb: “खायो” → “खाएन” (ate → did not eat)
⚠️ Remember
Add “न” only to the VERB, not to adjectives, nouns, or other parts of the sentence. The “न” changes the verb form to express negation.
Activity 3 — Common Verb Patterns
Adding “न” at Different Positions

The “न” can be added at the beginning, middle, or end of the verb depending on the verb form. Here are common patterns:

१. Present Tense (छ)
Affirmative
छ
(is/are)
Negative
छैन
(is not/are not)
यो सिमल छ।
This is good.
यो सिमल छैन।
This is not good.
२. Past Tense (खायो)
Affirmative
खायो
(ate)
Negative
खाएन
(did not eat)
उसले भात खायो।
He ate rice.
उसले भात खाएन।
He did not eat rice.
३. Future Tense (खान्छ)
Affirmative
खान्छ
(eats/will eat)
Negative
खाँदैन
(does not eat)
म भात खान्छु।
I eat rice.
म भात खाँदैन।
I do not eat rice.
Activity 4 — Practice Questions
Convert & Understand

Practice converting affirmative sentences to negative and understanding the difference:

1

Convert to negative: “मेरो किताब राम्रो छ।” (My book is good.) Where should you add “न”?

2

What is wrong with this sentence: “यो गर्म नराम्रो छ।” How would you correct it?

3

Convert to negative: “उसले पानी पिउँछ।” (He drinks water.) What is the negative form?

4

Explain why adding “न” to an adjective is wrong. Give an example of correct and incorrect usage.

5

Create three sentences: one Karan (affirmative) and convert them to Akaran (negative) correctly.

6

What is the rule for where to add “न” in different verb tenses? Provide examples for past, present, and future.

Summary
Key Takeaways

Master affirmative and negative sentence construction and you’ll be able to express complete thoughts and opinions in Nepali with confidence!

Two Sentence Types
Karan & Akaran

Karan (करण) sentences are affirmative and express positive meaning, while Akaran (अकरण) sentences are negative and express the opposite meaning.

The Golden Rule
Add “न” to Verbs Only

Always add “न” to the VERB, never to adjectives or other parts of speech. This is the most critical rule for making negative sentences correctly.

Flexible Patterns
Different Tenses

The position of “न” varies depending on tense (छ→छैन, खायो→खाएन, खान्छ→खाँदैन), but the principle of adding to verbs remains constant.

Evolation Learning · Nepali Language Curriculum · Intermediate Grammar — Affirmative & Negative Sentences

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