къде ли не
Every Possible Place and Way
Къде ли не ходихме! (We went everywhere imaginable!) A question word + ли не means every possible, even though it contains не.
How It Works
1. The pattern. Question word + ли + не + verb:
- къде ли не: everywhere imaginable
- какво ли не: all sorts of things
- кой ли не: all kinds of people, everyone
- как ли не: in every possible way
- с кого ли не, за какво ли не: prepositions come first
2. Word order. Ли and не stay right after the question word, in that order, and the verb follows: Какво ли не опитах!
3. Inside a sentence. The phrase can also work like a noun or adverb: Тя е работила какво ли не. (She has done all kinds of jobs.) Търсих го къде ли не. (I looked for it everywhere.)
4. Do not confuse it with wondering questions. Къде ли е? (I wonder where it is), without не, is a wondering question (see ли в риторични въпроси). Къде ли не is an exclamation.
5. The opposite. To say "nowhere", "nothing" or "nobody", use никой/нищо/никъде + не: Никъде не ходихме.
Examples (6)
- Къде ли не ходихме!
We went everywhere imaginable!
- Какво ли не опитах!
I tried absolutely everything!
- Кой ли не дойде на сватбата!
Everyone you can think of came to the wedding!
- Как ли не се опитвах да го убедя!
I tried every possible way to convince him!
- Какво ли не съм виждал през живота си!
I've seen all sorts of things in my life!
Often used with the perfect.
- Тя е работила какво ли не: сервитьорка, шофьорка, учителка.
She has done all kinds of jobs: waitress, driver, teacher.
Here какво ли не works like an object.
Common Mistakes
Using къде ли не to mean "nowhere".
Бяхме уморени и къде ли не ходихме.Бяхме уморени и никъде не ходихме.Къде ли не means "everywhere", despite the не. For "nowhere", use никъде не.
Putting ли after не.
Какво не ли опитах!Какво ли не опитах!The order is fixed: question word, then ли, then не, then the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Къде ли не follows wondering questions.
Related Patterns
- лиYes-No Questions with Ли
The same particle ли in its basic question use.
Level 1 - някакъв/никакъв/всякакъвSome Kind, No Kind and All Kinds
Всякакъв (all kinds of) is a neutral way to say something similar.
Level 3 - колко/какъв in ExclamationsExclamations with Колко and Какъв
Other exclamations built on question words.
Level 3 - кой да еAny at All with Кой Да Е
Another pattern built on a question word: кой да е means "any at all".
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice къде ли не in Bubblegum
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