Lesson 13A1

Negation

Negating a sentence in Italian is simpler than in English, and double negatives — which English treats as an error — are actually required.

Grammar Comparison

non Goes Right Before the Verb

Italian

Non parlo italiano.

English

I don't speak Italian.

To negate a sentence, place non immediately before the conjugated verb — that's the whole rule. There's no auxiliary verb like English 'do/does' to insert: Non parlo italiano is a complete, natural sentence exactly as written.

Double Negatives Are Correct, Not Sloppy

Italian

Non vedo nessuno.

English

I don't see anyone.

Words like niente (nothing), nessuno (no one), and mai (never) still need non before the verb as well: Non vedo nessuno is literally 'I don't see no one', and it's the only correct way to say 'I don't see anyone'. Where English treats stacked negatives as a mistake, Italian requires them.

Vocabulary

nonnohn

English: not

nienteNYEHN-teh

English: nothing

nessunonehs-SOO-noh

English: no one / nobody

maimy

English: never

né...néneh...neh

English: neither...nor

non...ancoranohn ahn-KOH-rah

English: not yet

non c'ènohn cheh

English: there isn't

non honohn oh

English: I don't have

non lo sonohn loh soh

English: I don't know it

non importanohn eem-POR-tah

English: it doesn't matter

non possonohn POHS-soh

English: I can't

non voglionohn VOH-lyoh

English: I don't want

Italian	Pronunciation	English
non	nohn	not
niente	NYEHN-teh	nothing
nessuno	nehs-SOO-noh	no one / nobody
mai	my	never
né...né	neh...neh	neither...nor
non...ancora	nohn ahn-KOH-rah	not yet
non c'è	nohn cheh	there isn't
non ho	nohn oh	I don't have
non lo so	nohn loh soh	I don't know it
non importa	nohn eem-POR-tah	it doesn't matter
non posso	nohn POHS-soh	I can't
non voglio	nohn VOH-lyoh	I don't want

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