nie ... nie Across Clauses
Double Negation Across Clauses
Ek dink nie dat dit waar is nie. (I don't think that's true.) The closing nie waits until the dat clause is finished.
How It Works
1. Clauses that complete the verb. After verbs such as weet, dink, sê and sien, the dat, of or question-word clause is part of the message. The closing nie goes after it:
- Ek weet nie of hy kom nie. (I don't know whether he's coming.)
- Ek dink nie dat dit waar is nie. (I don't think that it's true.)
- Sy het nie gesê wanneer sy terugkom nie. (She didn't say when she's coming back.)
2. One nie can close two clauses. When the second clause is negative too, only one nie comes at the end: Ek het nie geweet dat hy nie sou kom nie. (I didn't know that he wouldn't come.)
3. Om ... te phrases. The closing nie also waits until an om ... te phrase is finished: Dit is nie maklik om Afrikaans te leer nie. (It isn't easy to learn Afrikaans.)
4. En, maar and want. These join two main clauses. Each clause closes its own negation, so the nie comes before the conjunction: Hy kan nie kom nie, want hy is siek. (He can't come because he's sick.) Ek het nie gebel nie, maar ek het 'n boodskap gestuur. (I didn't phone, but I sent a message.)
5. Omdat. Normally the negation closes before the omdat clause, which then gives the reason: Hy kom vandag nie, omdat hy siek is. (He isn't coming today because he's sick.) If the closing nie comes after the omdat clause, it denies the reason instead: Hy kom nie omdat hy wil nie, maar omdat hy moet. (He is coming, not because he wants to, but because he has to.) See want or omdat.
Tip: The basic rule is in double negation, and where the first nie goes is in where the first nie goes. Indirect questions are covered in indirect questions.
Examples (6)
- Ek weet nie of hy kom nie.
I don't know whether he's coming.
Word by Word: I know not whether he comes not.
- Ek dink nie dat dit waar is nie.
I don't think that it's true.
Word by Word: I think not that it true is not.
- Sy het nie gesê wanneer sy terugkom nie.
She didn't say when she's coming back.
Word by Word: She has not said when she back-comes not.
- Ek het nie geweet dat hy nie sou kom nie.
I didn't know that he wouldn't come.
Word by Word: I have not known that he not would come not.
Both clauses are negative, but one nie at the end closes them both.
- Dit is nie maklik om Afrikaans te leer nie.
It isn't easy to learn Afrikaans.
Word by Word: It is not easy for Afrikaans to learn not.
- Hy kan nie kom nie, want hy is siek.
He can't come because he's sick.
Word by Word: He can not come not, because he is sick.
Want joins two main clauses, so the first one closes its own nie.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the closing nie after the dat clause.
Ek dink nie dat dit waar is.Ek dink nie dat dit waar is nie.The first nie is not the last word of the sentence, so a closing nie is needed after the whole dat clause.
Putting two nie side by side at the end.
Ek het nie geweet dat hy nie sou kom nie nie.Ek het nie geweet dat hy nie sou kom nie.Two nie never stand next to each other. One closing nie serves both clauses.
Moving the closing nie past a want clause.
Hy kan nie kom want hy is siek nie.Hy kan nie kom nie, want hy is siek.Want starts a new main clause, so the first clause must close its own nie before want.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A negative can include its content complement, while an ordinary reason clause usually follows the closing nie.
Related Patterns
- nie ... nieDouble Negation
The basic double negation rule.
Level 1 - Indirect Questions
Of and question-word clauses, which the closing nie follows.
Level 3 - datThat (Conjunction)
Dat clauses, after which the closing nie comes last.
Level 2 - want / omdatWant or Omdat?
Want and omdat treat the closing nie differently.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice nie ... nie Across Clauses in Bubblegum
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