hoegenaamd nie/geensins
By No Means: Hoegenaamd Nie and Geensins
Hoegenaamd nie and geensins mean not at all, by no means: Dit is geensins die geval nie. (That is by no means the case.)
How It Works
1. Hoegenaamd + a negative word. Hoegenaamd means in any way at all. It goes directly before a negative word and makes it much stronger, like English at all or whatsoever:
- Dit is hoegenaamd nie maklik nie. (It is not easy at all.)
- Ek het hoegenaamd geen idee nie. (I have no idea whatsoever.)
- Daar is hoegenaamd niks fout met die motor nie. (There is nothing at all wrong with the car.)
With geen you can also put hoegenaamd after the noun: Ek het geen idee hoegenaamd nie. Hoegenaamd is not negative by itself, so to say not at all it needs a negative word. In a question it means at all: Is dit hoegenaamd moontlik? (Is it possible at all?)
2. Geensins. Geensins means by no means, in no way. It is itself a negative word, so it takes the place of the first nie:
- Dit is geensins die geval nie. (That is by no means the case.)
- Hierdie probleem is geensins nuut nie. (This problem is by no means new.)
3. The closing nie stays. Both follow the normal rules of double negation: the second nie closes the part of the sentence that is negated. Hoegenaamd nie and geensins stand where the first nie would stand (see nie placement).
4. Register. Hoegenaamd nie is common in careful speech and in writing. Geensins sounds formal and is mostly written. In relaxed speech, glad nie is the everyday way to say not at all.
Examples (6)
- Dit is hoegenaamd nie maklik nie.
It is not easy at all.
Word by Word: It is at-all not easy not.
- Dit is geensins die geval nie.
That is by no means the case.
Word by Word: It is by-no-means the case not.
- Ek het hoegenaamd geen idee nie.
I have no idea whatsoever.
Word by Word: I have at-all no idea not.
- Daar is hoegenaamd niks fout met die motor nie.
There is nothing at all wrong with the car.
Word by Word: There is at-all nothing wrong with the car not.
- Hierdie probleem is geensins nuut nie.
This problem is by no means new.
Word by Word: This problem is by-no-means new not.
- Ek het hom hoegenaamd nie gesien nie.
I didn't see him at all.
Word by Word: I have him at-all not seen not.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the closing nie after geensins.
Dit is geensins die geval.Dit is geensins die geval nie.Geensins works like the first nie, so the sentence still needs the closing nie.
Adding a first nie next to geensins.
Dit is geensins nie die geval nie.Dit is geensins die geval nie.Geensins is already the first negative word. Only the closing nie is added.
Using hoegenaamd without a negative word (intended meaning: I don't agree at all).
Ek stem hoegenaamd saam.Ek stem hoegenaamd nie saam nie.Hoegenaamd does not make a sentence negative by itself. To say not at all, add nie, geen or niks.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These strong negatives build on glad nie.
Related Patterns
- nie ... nieDouble Negation
Hoegenaamd nie and geensins still follow the double negation pattern.
Level 1 - geenNo, Not Any: Geen
Hoegenaamd often strengthens geen: hoegenaamd geen idee.
Level 2 - Where the First nie Goes
Hoegenaamd nie and geensins stand where the first nie would go.
Level 3 - iets/niksSomething and Nothing
Hoegenaamd niks means nothing at all.
Level 2 - Formal Written Afrikaans
Geensins belongs mainly to formal writing.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice hoegenaamd nie/geensins in Bubblegum
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