Negative Polarity Items

Level 5

Negative Polarity Items (NPIs) are Danish words like nogensinde, længere, heller, and nogen that only appear in 'non-positive' contexts such as negative sentences, questions, or 'if' clauses.

How It Works

Danish NPIs add specific nuances to negation. The most common items include:

  • nogensinde (ever): Used in questions and negatives to mean 'at any time.'
  • længere (anymore): Indicates a temporal limit.
  • endnu (yet): Used with ikke to show something hasn't happened yet.
  • overhovedet (at all): An intensifier for negation.
  • heller (either): The negative version of også.
  • nogen/noget (any): The negative/question version of 'some'.

Word Order: Placement relative to ikke is specific. Intensifiers like overhovedet and slet, as well as heller, typically come before 'ikke' (e.g., 'Jeg ved det heller ikke'). Temporal NPIs like længere typically come after 'ikke' (e.g., 'ikke længere'). Note that endnu can appear after 'ikke' in speech, but in formal writing, it frequently precedes it ('endnu ikke').

Triggers: NPIs are licensed in:
1. Negation: Using ikke.
2. Questions: 'Har du nogensinde...?'
3. Conditionals: Using hvis (if).
4. Superlatives: 'Den bedste film, jeg nogensinde har set.'
5. Adversative Predicates: Verbs like 'tvivle' (to doubt) often trigger NPIs.
6. Prepositions: Using uden (without), e.g., 'uden nogen penge'.

Examples (6)

  1. Jeg kan overhovedet ikke svømme.

    I cannot swim at all.

    Word by Word: I can at-all not swim.

    'Overhovedet' intensifies the negation and typically precedes 'ikke'.

  2. Har du nogensinde været i Skagen?

    Have you ever been to Skagen?

    Word by Word: Have you ever been in Skagen?

    'Nogensinde' is licensed here by the question format.

  3. Han er ikke kommet endnu.

    He hasn't come yet.

    Word by Word: He is not come yet.

    'Endnu' follows the negation 'ikke' to mean 'yet'.

  4. Jeg arbejder ikke længere i banken.

    I don't work at the bank anymore.

    Word by Word: I work not longer in the-bank.

    'Længere' follows 'ikke' to indicate the temporal limit 'anymore'.

  5. Jeg har ikke nogen penge.

    I don't have any money.

    Word by Word: I have not any money.

    'Nogen' acts as an NPI meaning 'any' in negative sentences.

  6. Jeg kan heller ikke lide kaffe.

    I don't like coffee either.

    Word by Word: I can either not like coffee.

    'Heller' is the negative counterpart to 'også' (also/too).

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'nogensinde' in a positive statement.

    Jeg har nogensinde set den film.
    Jeg har set den film før.

    'Nogensinde' requires a negative or a question. In a positive statement, use 'før' (before) or 'allerede' (already).

  • Placing 'overhovedet' after 'ikke'.

    Jeg forstår ikke overhovedet.
    Jeg forstår overhovedet ikke.

    Intensifying NPIs like 'overhovedet' and 'slet' usually come before the negation 'ikke'.

  • Using 'også' in a negative sentence instead of 'heller'.

    Jeg kommer ikke også.
    Jeg kommer heller ikke.

    In Danish, you must use 'heller ikke' to say 'not either' or 'neither'.

How It Connects

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

Negative Polarity ItemsLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand negative polarity items (NPIs), you first need to be comfortable with basic negation using 'ikke' and how to form questions, as these are the environments where NPIs like 'nogensinde' (ever) and 'længere' (anymore) occur. Familiarity with 'endnu' (yet) is also helpful as it is one of the most common NPIs in Danish.

Words in This Pattern

nogensindelængereendnuoverhovedethellernogen