Language/Assamese/Grammar/Negation

Assamese Grammar - Negation

Hi Assamese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Assamese grammar. Negation is an important aspect of any language, and by learning how to use it, you will be able to express more complex ideas in Assamese. We will also include cultural information and interesting facts along the way. So, let's get started!

Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Future Tense, Conditional Mood, Possession & Questions.

Basics of Negation

In Assamese, there are two ways to negate a sentence:

1. By using the word "নহয়" (nahoy) before the main verb of the sentence.

2. By using the negative particle "না" (na) after the main verb of the sentence.

Let's take a look at some examples:

Assamese	English Translation
সে পুস্তক পঢ়ে	He reads a book.
সে পুস্তক নহয় পঢ়ে	He does not read a book.
সে পুস্তক পঢ়ে না	He does not read a book.

In the first example, the sentence is affirmative. In the second and third examples, the same sentence is negated using different methods. As you can see, both methods are correct and depend on personal preference.

Let's take another example to understand this better:

Assamese	English Translation
তুমি শিক্ষক হ'ব	You will become a teacher.
তুমি শিক্ষক হ’ব না	You will not become a teacher.
তুমি শিক্ষক নহয় হ'ব	You will not become a teacher.

Again, all the variations are correct and convey the same meaning.

Using Negative Pronouns

In addition to the methods mentioned above, Assamese also has some negative pronouns that are used for negation in certain sentences. The following table lists the different negative pronouns:

Assamese	English Translation
নিকিঞ্চা	None
কেনেকোৱা	Nobody
কেতেকোৱা	Nothing

These negative pronouns are used with the auxiliary verb "হৈছে" (hoishe) to form negative sentences. For example:

Assamese	English Translation
নিকিঞ্চা মানুহ	Nobody is there.
কেনেকোৱা আতা খাই নাই	Nobody is eating rice.
কেতেকোৱা জানে নাই	Nothing is known.

As you can see, the negative pronouns are used with the auxiliary verb "হৈছে" to form negative sentences.

Double Negation

Double negation is a common phenomenon in many languages, including Assamese. In Assamese, double negation is used for emphasis or to reinforce the negative meaning. For example:

Assamese	English Translation
তেওঁ খেতে নেই না	He does not eat.

Here, the double negation is used to emphasize that he really does not eat.

Cultural Information

Assam is known for its rich culture and heritage. It has a diverse population with a long history of trade and cultural exchange. Assamese is the official language of the state of Assam and is spoken by millions of people.

One interesting fact about Assamese is that it has a unique writing system called "Assamese script". The script is similar to the scripts used for other Indian languages but has its own unique features. It has 11 vowels and 35 consonants, and is written from left to right.

Assam is also famous for its tea. The state is one of the largest producers of tea in India and produces some of the finest tea in the world. The tea industry is a major contributor to the state's economy.

Dialogue

To help you understand how to use negation in Assamese in context, here is a dialogue between two people:

• Person 1: আইনা কেনে নাথাকিছে? (Aina kene nathakixe?) (Why is Aina not here?)
• Person 2: উই ছেতে নয়। (Ui chete naoy.) (She did not want to come.)

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have learned about negation in Assamese grammar. Remember to use the word "নহয়" (nahoy) or the negative particle "না" (na) to negate sentences. You can also use negative pronouns with the auxiliary verb "হৈছে" (hoishe) to form negative sentences. Finally, don't forget about double negation for emphasis.

To improve your Assamese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Assamese language - Wikipedia
• NEGATION IN ASSAMESE LANGUAGE
• (PDF) Negation in Assamese: Syntactic and Semantic Analysis ...

Finished this lesson? Check out these related lessons: Assamese Resources (2023), Say Hello and Greetings in Assamese, Plurals & Adjectives.

Other Lessons

• Pronouns
• Plurals
• Adverbs
• Adjectives
• Conditional Mood
• Questions
• Prepositions
• How to Use Be
• How to Use Have