nimeni / nimic / nicăieri

Negative Pronouns

Level 4

Nimeni, nimic and nicăieri combine with nu in ordinary negative clauses. Other negative environments, such as fără să, have their own pattern.

How It Works

Nimeni means nobody, nimic nothing, and nicăieri nowhere.

Ordinary negative clauses: Use verbal nu with these words: Nimeni nu a venit, Nu văd nimic, Nu merg nicăieri. Together they express one negative meaning.

Case and objects: Personal direct objects use pe nimeni; genitive/dative uses nimănui: Nu am dat cartea nimănui. Bare negative pronouns do not simply follow the doubling rule for stressed personal pronouns.

Scope of the nu rule: A short answer can stand alone: Cine a venit? — Nimeni. Other negative environments work differently: fără să spună nimic (without saying anything) and neștiind nimic (knowing nothing). They do not require an additional nu.

Several negative words: Nimeni nu spune nimic still expresses one negative statement. Compare positive indefinite cineva/ceva when the intended meaning is someone/something rather than nobody/nothing.

Examples (5)

  1. Nu am văzut pe nimeni la magazin.

    I didn't see anyone at the store.

    Word by Word: Not I-have seen PE nobody at store.

    Note the use of 'nu' with 'nimeni' and the mandatory 'pe' marker for a person.

  2. Nimeni nu a venit la petrecere.

    Nobody came to the party.

    Word by Word: Nobody not has come to party.

    Even when 'nimeni' starts the sentence, the verb must still be negated with 'nu'.

  3. Nu am cumpărat nimic de la piață.

    I didn't buy anything from the market.

    Word by Word: Not I-have bought nothing from at market.

    'Nimic' is used here to mean 'nothing/anything' in a negative sentence.

  4. Nimănui nu-i place ploaia.

    Nobody likes the rain.

    Word by Word: To-nobody not-to-him likes rain-the.

    This uses the Dative form 'nimănui' and demonstrates clitic doubling with '-i'.

  5. Nu găsesc cheile nicăieri.

    I can't find the keys anywhere.

    Word by Word: Not I-find keys-the nowhere.

    'Nicăieri' functions like the pronouns, requiring the verb to be negated.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the verbal negation 'nu'.

    Nimeni a venit.
    Nimeni nu a venit.

    In English, 'Nobody came' is correct, but in Romanian, you must say 'Nobody NOT came'. The 'nu' is mandatory.

How It Connects

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

nimeni / nimic / nicăieriLevel 4Negative Pronouns

Learn This First

Learn nu with negative pronouns in ordinary finite negative clauses. Short answers, fără constructions and negative gerunds have their own patterns.

Words in This Pattern

nimeninimicnicăieri