Spelling of не

Level 4Sounds Like pravopis na ne

Write не apart from verbs: не знам, не мога. Join it to a word when together they make a new word with the opposite meaning: неудобен (uncomfortable), неуспех (failure).

How It Works

1. With verbs: always separate. Negating a verb is ordinary negation, even though не is pronounced together with the verb. See negation with не.

  • не знам (I don't know), не мога (I can't), не искам (I don't want)
  • Other words can even come between them: не го знам (I don't know him).

2. New words with the opposite meaning: joined. When не turns a noun, adjective or adverb into its opposite, write one word:

  • удобен → неудобен (uncomfortable), успех → неуспех (failure), добре → недобре (poorly)
  • щастие → нещастие (misfortune), верен → неверен (untrue)

3. Words that exist only with не: joined. ненавиждам (hate), негодувам (be indignant), немотия (poverty). These verbs can be negated too: Не ненавиждам никого. (I don't hate anyone.)

4. Separate again when не contrasts or limits.

  • In a contrast with а: Той е не глупав, а мързелив. (He is not stupid but lazy.) See не ..., а.
  • Before words of degree: не много ясна (not very clear).
  • Before pronouns and numbers: не всички (not everyone), не аз (not me).

5. Participles. A participle used like an adjective is joined: неспазили условието (who did not meet the condition), невъзпитан (rude). When it is part of a verb form, не goes with the verb and is separate: Никой не знаел за това.

Tip: verbs that exist only with не-, such as ненавиждам, are listed in the dictionary. If не + a verb is not listed there as one word, write two words: не знам, не съответства.

Examples (6)

  1. Не знам къде е.

    I don't know where it is.

    With a verb, не is a separate word.

  2. Този стол е неудобен.

    This chair is uncomfortable.

    Неудобен is a new word with the opposite meaning.

  3. Неуспехът не го спря.

    The failure didn't stop him.

    Неуспехът is one word; не before спря is separate.

  4. Не мога да дойда днес.

    I can't come today.

  5. Той е не глупав, а мързелив.

    He is not stupid but lazy.

    In a contrast with а, не stays separate.

  6. Не всички дойдоха на срещата.

    Not everyone came to the meeting.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing не together with a verb.

    Незнам къде е.
    Не знам къде е.

    Не is pronounced together with the verb, but a negated verb is always written as two words.

  • Writing a new opposite adjective as two words.

    Този стол е не удобен.
    Този стол е неудобен.

    When не creates a new adjective with the opposite meaning, it is joined to it.

  • Splitting a verb that does not exist without не.

    Не навиждам лъжите.
    Ненавиждам лъжите.

    Навиждам is not a word. Ненавиждам (hate) exists only with не, so it is written as one word.

How It Connects

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Spelling of неLevel 4

Learn This First

Spelling of не follows negation.

Words in This Pattern

не-не знам