nikdo / nic + Negated Verb

Negative Pronouns with Verb Negation

Level 2

Czech uses mandatory double negation (negative concord). If a sentence has a negative pronoun (like nikdo or nic) or a negative adverb (like nikdy or nikde), the verb must have the negative prefix ne-.

How It Works

This pattern is highly frequent and strictly mandatory in all registers of Czech. It is crucial to distinguish between negative pronouns and indefinite pronouns when negating a sentence. Notice the pattern between indefinite (ně-) and negative (ni-) words:

  • někdo (someone) → nikdo (nobody)
  • něco (something) → nic (nothing)
  • někdy (sometime) → nikdy (never)
  • někde (somewhere) → nikde (nowhere - static location)
  • někam (to somewhere) → nikam (to nowhere - motion/direction)

Compare these two sentences:

  • Někdo nepřišel. = Someone didn't come. (A specific person was absent, but others may have attended.)
  • Nikdo nepřišel. = Nobody came. (The room is empty.)

When answering a question with a single word, the negative pronoun stands alone without a verb (e.g., answering Co vidíš? with just Nic.). However, the moment a verb is added, the double-negation rule strictly applies (e.g., Nic nevidím.). An exception occurs when nikdo functions as a noun meaning "a nobody" (e.g., Jsem nikdo. = I am a nobody). Additionally, prepositional phrases like k ničemu or na nic function idiomatically as predicative adjectives meaning "useless" and take a positive verb (e.g., To je k ničemu. = That is useless).

Importantly, nikdo and nic change forms depending on the case, just like other pronouns. You will encounter forms like nikoho, nikomu, or ničeho. For example, because the verb vidět requires the accusative case, you must say Nikoho nevidím (I see nobody), not Nikdo nevidím. When using prepositions with negative pronouns, Czech keeps the negative word intact and places the preposition before it (unlike some other Slavic languages that split the word). For example, you say s nikým (with nobody), not ni s kým, and for nic, you use forms like k ničemu (to nothing / useless) or o ničem (about nothing).

Other important negative words:

  • žádný (no / none / not any): This is the direct negative counterpart to nějaký (some/any kind) and jeden (one). Even though it doesn't start with ni-, it follows the exact same rule and requires a negated verb. Because it functions as an adjective, it must decline to match the gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies (e.g., žádný problém, žádná kniha, žádné auto). Example: Nemám žádný problém. (I have no problem.)
  • ani (not even) and ani..., ani... (neither... nor...): These conjunctions also require a negated verb. Example: Nemám ani čas, ani peníze. (I have neither time nor money.)

When dealing with negative pronouns and adverbs (ni- words) combined with a negated verb, multiple negatives strictly equal one negative meaning. A sentence like Nikdy nikomu nic neřeknu (I will never tell anyone anything) contains four negative words but expresses a single negative idea. However, the logic of "two negatives make a positive" does apply in Czech when a negated verb is combined with a negated infinitive or adjective (e.g., Nemohu nesouhlasit = I cannot disagree / I agree). For basic verb negation rules, see verb negation with ne-.

Examples (5)

  1. Nikdo nic neřekl.

    Nobody said anything.

    Word by Word: Nobody nothing not-said.

    This sentence uses two negative pronouns (nikdo, nic) and a negated past tense verb. They combine to form a single negative statement.

  2. Nic tam nevidím.

    I don't see anything there.

    Word by Word: Nothing there I-not-see.

    The negative pronoun 'nic' requires the main verb 'vidět' to take the 'ne-' prefix.

  3. Nikdy není nervózní.

    She is never nervous.

    Word by Word: Never she-is-not nervous.

    The negative adverb 'nikdy' pairs with 'není', which is the irregular negative form of the verb 'být' (to be) in the 3rd person singular.

  4. Nikdo nebude mluvit.

    Nobody will speak.

    Word by Word: Nobody not-will speak.

    In the imperfective future tense, the negative prefix attaches to the auxiliary verb 'být' (nebude), not the infinitive.

  5. Nic jsem neviděl.

    I didn't see anything.

    Word by Word: Nothing I-am not-saw.

    In the past tense, the negative prefix attaches to the main verb (the l-participle 'neviděl'), while the auxiliary verb 'jsem' remains positive.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the verb positive when using a negative pronoun.

    Nikdo přišel.
    Nikdo nepřišel.

    Speakers of Germanic languages often try to apply 'single negation' rules. In Czech, you cannot use a positive verb with a negative pronoun; the verb must always be negated.

  • Using a positive indefinite pronoun with a negative verb to mean 'nothing' or 'nobody'.

    Different MeaningNevidím něco.
    Nevidím nic.

    'Nevidím něco' means 'I don't see something' (referring to a specific thing you are missing). To say 'I don't see anything' in general, you must use the negative pronoun 'nic'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

nikdo / nic + Negated VerbLevel 2Negative Pronouns with Verb Negation

Learn This First

To learn negative pronouns in Czech, you must first understand how to negate verbs using the 'ne-' prefix, as Czech uses double negation (a negative pronoun must be accompanied by a negative verb). Additionally, familiarity with the basic pronouns 'kdo' and 'co' is essential since 'nikdo' and 'nic' are their negative counterparts.

Words in This Pattern

nikdonic