не + съм
Negating Съм
Put не before the form of съм: Не съм уморен. (I am not tired.) Той не е тук. (He is not here.)
How It Works
Here are the present forms of съм with не:
- аз не съм (I am not), ти не си (you are not), той/тя/то не е (he/she/it is not)
- ние не сме (we are not), вие не сте (you are not), те не са (they are not)
Word order. The forms of съм are unstressed short words. Without не, they cannot open a sentence: you say Уморен съм or Аз съм уморен. With не, the pair не съм can stand first, because не comes before it: Не съм уморен.
Short answers. — Уморен ли си? — Не, не съм. (Are you tired? No, I'm not.)
A subject pronoun is often left out, because the form of съм already shows the person. See leaving out subject pronouns.
Не е or няма? Не е says that something is not a certain way or not in a place: Той не е тук. (He is not here.) To say that something does not exist or is not available, use няма: Няма хляб. (There is no bread.)
Examples (6)
- Не съм уморен.
I am not tired.
Word by Word: Not I-am tired.
- Той не е тук.
He is not here.
Word by Word: He not is here.
- Не сме студенти.
We are not students.
Word by Word: Not we-are students.
- — Ти ли си Иван? — Не, не съм.
Are you Ivan? — No, I'm not.
Word by Word: You question-particle are Ivan? — No, not I-am.
- Това не е моята чанта.
This is not my bag.
Word by Word: This not is my-the bag.
- Те не са вкъщи.
They are not at home.
Word by Word: They not are at-home.
Common Mistakes
Putting не after the form of съм.
Аз съм не уморен.Аз не съм уморен.Не goes before the verb, and съм is the verb here: не съм.
Using не е to say that something does not exist.
В магазина не е хляб.В магазина няма хляб.To say there is no bread, Bulgarian uses няма. Не е describes what something is or where it is.
Starting a positive sentence with a form of съм.
Съм уморен.Уморен съм.Without не, съм cannot open a sentence. Start with another word, or add не for the negative: Не съм уморен.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Negating съм applies не to the verb съм.
Related Patterns
- има/нямаThere Is and There Is Not
Няма, not не е, says that something does not exist.
Level 1 - лиYes-No Questions with Ли
Used in the questions that не съм often answers.
Level 1 - Leaving Out Subject Pronouns
Why аз is often left out in Не съм уморен.
Level 1 - Placement of Short Pronouns
The forms of съм are unstressed short words, placed much like short pronouns.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice не + съм in Bubblegum
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