ni ... ni ...
Neither ... nor
The pattern ni ... ni ... is used to link two or more items in a negative sentence, indicating that the negation applies to all of them. It is the Filipino equivalent of 'neither ... nor'.
How It Works
The conjunction ni ... ni ... is a powerful tool for emphasis in Filipino. While it functions similarly to the English 'neither... nor,' it has specific syntactic requirements:
- Mandatory Negation: Unlike the English 'neither,' which is inherently negative, the Filipino ni must be paired with a negative particle such as hindi, wala, or huwag.
- Placement: It can appear before the main clause for emphasis (Ni kape ni tsaa, hindi siya uminom) or after the negative predicate (Hindi siya uminom ni kape ni tsaa).
- Personal Names: When used with names, you must still include the personal markers. For example, 'neither Juan nor Maria' becomes ni si Juan ni si Maria.
- Single Use and 'Man': When used alone, ni translates to 'not even.' In formal or highly emphatic speech, it is frequently paired with the particle man or man lang (e.g., Ni hindi man lang siya lumingon - 'He didn't even look back'). This strengthens the negation by suggesting that even the smallest expected action did not occur.
This pattern is common in literature and formal speech but is less frequent in casual 'Taglish' conversations where speakers might use at combined with rin.
Examples (6)
- Ni si Pedro ni si Juan ay hindi nakapasa sa pagsusulit.
Neither Pedro nor Juan passed the exam.
Word by Word: Neither [marker] Pedro nor [marker] Juan [linker] not passed in-the exam.
This shows the emphatic fronted position. Note that 'si' is required before the names.
- Wala siyang dalang pera ni ID.
He has neither money nor an ID with him.
Word by Word: None he-has brought money nor ID.
Here, 'ni' links two nouns following the negative word 'wala'.
- Ni hindi niya ako tinignan ni binati.
He neither looked at me nor greeted me.
Word by Word: Neither not by-him I was-looked-at nor greeted.
This example shows 'ni' linking two different actions (verbs) under a single negation.
- Huwag kang uminom ni alak ni kape bago matulog.
Don't drink either alcohol or coffee before sleeping.
Word by Word: Don't you drink nor alcohol nor coffee before sleep.
The pattern is used here with 'huwag' to issue a negative command covering two items.
- Ni hindi man lang siya tumawag para magpasalamat.
He didn't even call to say thank you.
Word by Word: Even not even just he called in-order-to say-thanks.
This demonstrates the use of 'ni' paired with 'man lang' to emphasize that even a basic action was not performed.
- Ni isang salita ay wala siyang sinabi.
He didn't say even a single word.
Word by Word: Even one word [linker] none he-has said.
This demonstrates the use of a single 'ni' to mean 'not even'.
Common Mistakes
Omitting the negative particle (hindi/wala).
Ni kape ni tsaa gusto ko.Ni kape ni tsaa, hindi ko gusto.In Filipino, 'ni' does not make the sentence negative on its own; you must include a negative word like 'hindi'.
Dropping personal markers when using names.
Ni Juan ni Maria ay hindi dumating.Ni si Juan ni si Maria ay hindi dumating.The conjunction 'ni' is separate from the personal marker 'si'. You must keep 'si' to indicate the names are the focus of the sentence.
Confusing the conjunction 'ni' with the possessive marker 'ni'.
Ang libro ni Maria ni Juan.Ang libro nina Maria at Juan.The possessive marker 'ni' (e.g., 'libro ni Maria') is different from the conjunction 'ni'. To show possession by two people, use 'nina'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The 'ni ... ni ...' pattern is a specialized way to coordinate multiple items within a negative context. To use it, you must first understand how to form basic negative sentences using 'wala' (for absence) or 'hindi' (for general negation), as 'ni' functions as a negative counterpart to the standard conjunction 'at' (and).
- walaThere Is None or Does Not Have
The pattern 'ni ... ni ...' is used to coordinate alternatives specifically within negative clauses, most commonly those introduced by 'wala' (there is none).
Level 1 - hindiGeneral Negation
General negation is the functional foundation for using 'ni' to express 'neither/nor' in Filipino sentences.
Level 1 - atAnd
Understanding basic coordination (and) is necessary before learning the specialized negative coordination used in 'neither/nor' constructions.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- si / ni / kayPersonal Name Markers
Essential for correctly marking personal names when they are used as the items being coordinated by 'ni'.
Foundations - maging ... man o ...Whether ... or ...
A related coordinating structure meaning 'whether ... or ...', which can sometimes overlap in negative contexts.
Level 5 - ni-Ni- Before Certain Initials
A morphological prefix that looks identical to the conjunction but is actually a verb aspect marker.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice ni ... ni ... in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Filipino lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
