Negative Concord

Level 4

Negative concord lets several negative words express one negative statement. Ordinary finite negative clauses include nu; other environments have their own patterns.

How It Works

Romanian uses negative concord: several negative words can express one negative meaning.

Ordinary finite clauses: Include nu even when the negative subject comes first: Nimeni nu știe. More negative words can join it: Nu spun nimănui niciodată nimic (I never tell anyone anything).

Negative words: nimeni, nimic, nicăieri, niciodată, and determiners niciun/nicio.

Other environments: The rule is not 'nu next to every negative word'. Short answers can stand alone: Nimeni. A negative gerund or fără construction can license a negative word: neștiind nimic, fără să spună nimic.

English comparison: Standard English often uses one negative word plus 'any' forms. Some English varieties also use negative concord, so two negatives do not universally cancel in English.

Niciun or nici un: Write the negative determiner as one word: Nu am niciun bilet. Separate words occur when nici and a numeral/article have distinct functions, for example a numerical contrast. 'Not even one' alone is not a reliable spelling test; nici măcar un makes that emphasis explicit.

Meaning: Positive indefinites under negation can have a specific or contrastive reading. They are not interchangeable with negative words in every context.

Examples (5)

  1. Nu am văzut nimic.

    I didn't see anything.

    Word by Word: Not I-have seen nothing.

    The verb 'am văzut' must be negated with 'nu' because the negative pronoun 'nimic' is used.

  2. Nimeni nu a venit la petrecere.

    Nobody came to the party.

    Word by Word: Nobody not has come to party.

    Even when 'nimeni' (nobody) is the subject at the start of the sentence, the verb still requires 'nu'.

  3. Nu mergem nicăieri în weekend.

    We aren't going anywhere this weekend.

    Word by Word: Not we-go nowhere in weekend.

    The negative adverb 'nicăieri' (nowhere) triggers the use of 'nu' before the verb.

  4. Nu i-am spus nimănui secretul.

    I didn't tell anyone the secret.

    Word by Word: Not to-him-I-have told to-nobody secret-the.

    Here, 'nimănui' is the Dative form of 'nimeni'. The negation 'nu' remains mandatory.

  5. N-am găsit nicio soluție.

    I haven't found any solution.

    Word by Word: Not-I-have found no solution.

    The negative determiner 'nicio' agrees with the feminine noun 'soluție' and requires the verb to be negated.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting 'nu' when a negative pronoun is present.

    Văd nimic.
    Nu văd nimic.

    In an ordinary finite negative clause such as this one, nimic requires verbal nu: Nu văd nimic. Other environments, such as fragments and phrases with fără, have different patterns.

  • Dropping 'nu' when the sentence starts with 'Nimeni'.

    Nimeni știe.
    Nimeni nu știe.

    In this ordinary finite clause, a negative subject also requires verbal nu: Nimeni nu știe. Putting nimeni first does not remove nu.

How It Connects

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

Negative ConcordLevel 4

Learn This First

Learn verbal negation with nu and the negative words nimeni and nimic. In ordinary finite negative clauses they occur together; fragments and phrases with fără have different patterns. Clitic placement follows the verb construction.

Words in This Pattern

nunicinicinimicnimicnimeniniciodatănicăieriniciun