Strong Negation (üldse, sugugi)
Strong Negation
Ma ei ole väsinud means I'm not tired. Ma ei ole üldse väsinud means I'm not tired at all. The extra word makes the no stronger.
How It Works
A plain negative says no. Add one of these words to make it stronger, like English at all or not a bit:
- üldse: the most common. Ta ei tulnud üldse. (He didn't come at all.)
- sugugi: a little more careful. See pole sugugi lihtne. (It's not easy at all.)
- põrmugi: the most emphatic, often in writing. Ma ei karda põrmugi. (I'm not a bit afraid.)
These words usually come after the negative verb: ei ole üldse, pole sugugi, ei karda põrmugi.
As a short answer, add mitte:
- Kas sa oled vihane? – Üldse mitte. (Are you angry? – Not at all.)
- Kas see oli halb? – Sugugi mitte. (Was it bad? – Not at all.)
Pole sugugi halb often means quite good, like English not bad at all.
sugugi and põrmugi need a negative in the sentence. üldse can also appear in a question, where it means at all or even: Kas sa üldse kuulad mind? (Are you even listening to me?)
Other words work the same way: üldsegi, kaugeltki (far from) and the everyday ühtigi.
Examples (6)
- Ma ei ole üldse väsinud.
I'm not tired at all.
Word by Word: I not am at-all tired
- See pole sugugi lihtne.
It's not easy at all.
- Ma ei karda põrmugi.
I'm not a bit afraid.
- Film polnud sugugi halb.
The film wasn't bad at all.
This often means the film was actually quite good.
- Kas sa oled vihane? – Ei, üldse mitte.
Are you angry? – No, not at all.
- Kas sa üldse kuulad mind?
Are you even listening to me?
In a question, üldse means at all or even.
Common Mistakes
Using sugugi in a positive sentence.
See ülesanne on sugugi lihtne.See ülesanne on täitsa lihtne.Intended meaning: this task is quite easy. sugugi only strengthens a negative, so it needs ei or pole. For quite in a positive sentence, use täitsa or üsna.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These words strengthen negation.
Related Patterns
- Negation with ei
These words strengthen a sentence negated with ei.
Level 1 - keegi ei / mitte midagiNobody and Nothing
Another way to strengthen a negative: mitte midagi (nothing at all).
Level 2 - ammugiLet Alone (Ammugi)
ammugi adds a second, even less likely thing after a negative.
Level 5 - ükskiNot a Single One (Ükski)
ükski (not a single one) is another strong negative word.
Level 3 - -gi/-kiToo and Even (-gi/-ki)
sugugi and põrmugi end in the emphatic -gi.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Strong Negation (üldse, sugugi) in Bubblegum
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