Questions & Answers about लिफ्ट नहीं है, लेकिन सीढ़ियाँ साफ हैं।
Why is नहीं placed before है in लिफ्ट नहीं है?
In Hindi, negation usually comes before the verb. So:
- लिफ्ट है = There is a lift.
- लिफ्ट नहीं है = There is no lift / The lift is not there.
This is very common with forms of होना (to be):
- पानी है = There is water.
- पानी नहीं है = There is no water.
So नहीं is simply negating है.
Why does the sentence use है in the first part but हैं in the second part?
Because the subjects are different:
- लिफ्ट is being treated as singular, so Hindi uses है.
- सीढ़ियाँ means stairs, which is plural, so Hindi uses हैं.
So:
- लिफ्ट नहीं है = The lift is not there.
- सीढ़ियाँ साफ हैं = The stairs are clean.
A quick comparison:
- कमरा साफ है = The room is clean.
- कमरे साफ हैं = The rooms are clean.
Why is सीढ़ियाँ plural? In English, stairs can sometimes feel like one thing.