Not Even: ne ... quidem

Level 5

Ne, then the word you stress, then quidem.

How It Works

Quidem is never the first word. It follows the word it stresses, so a group such as in somnis sits inside the frame as a whole.

The frame can sit late in the sentence, too: hoc ne Marcus quidem scit.

Do not add non. Without ne, quidem means indeed or at least: hoc quidem verum est (this, at least, is true).

Ne Marcus quidem hoc scit.
Not even Marcus knows this.
Marcus is the stressed word, between ne and quidem.
Ne unum quidem verbum dixit.
He did not say even one word.
The frame holds unum, and verbum follows quidem. The verb dixit has no other negative.
Ne in somnis quidem eum vidi.
I have not seen him even in my dreams.
A whole group, in somnis, sits inside the frame.
Ne pueri quidem in ecclesia loquuntur.
Not even the boys talk in church.
Pueri is the stressed word.
Ne hoc quidem tibi dabo.
I will not give you even this.
Ne hoc quidem is the object of dabo.

Putting quidem right after ne.
Ne quidem Marcus hoc scit.
Ne Marcus quidem hoc scit.
In classical Latin the stressed word goes between ne and quidem, so quidem does not follow ne directly.
Using non for not even.
Non Marcus hoc scit.
Ne Marcus quidem hoc scit.
Non Marcus hoc scit is good Latin, but it means It is not Marcus who knows this. For not even Marcus, frame him with ne ... quidem.

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

Not Even: ne ... quidemLevel 5

Ne ... quidem is a negative pair.

nequidem

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