To make any Italian sentence negative, place non directly before the conjugated verb — never anywhere else. Non parlo russo. (I don't speak Russian.) Non capisco. (I don't understand.) Non ho fame. (I'm not hungry.) This rule applies to all tenses and verb types.
| Italian | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| non | not | Non mangio carne. (I don't eat meat.) |
| non...mai | never | Non vado mai al cinema. (I never go to the cinema.) |
| non...niente / nulla | nothing / not anything | Non vedo niente. (I don't see anything.) |
| non...nessuno | nobody / no one | Non viene nessuno. (Nobody is coming.) |
| non...ancora | not yet | Non ho ancora mangiato. (I haven't eaten yet.) |
| non...più | no longer / not anymore | Non abito più a Roma. (I no longer live in Rome.) |
Unlike English, Italian requires double negatives — and they are grammatically correct. 'Non vedo niente' literally means 'I don't see nothing', but in Italian this is the only correct way to say 'I don't see anything'. Using 'Non vedo qualcosa' would mean 'I don't see something specific', which is a different meaning. Always pair non with the negative word: non + mai, non + niente, non + nessuno, etc.
Non ALWAYS goes directly before the verb — this is fixed and cannot move. However, nessuno, niente, and mai can start a sentence as the subject without non: Nessuno parla. (Nobody speaks.) Niente è impossibile. (Nothing is impossible.) Mai dire mai. (Never say never.) In these cases the negative word is the subject, so non is not needed.
10 exercises · 0 completed
Basic Negation — non + verb
10 questions
Basic Negation — Placement of non
10 questions
Basic Negation — Translation Practice
10 questions
Basic Negation — Spot the Error
10 questions
Basic Negation — Context Sentences
10 questions
Negating Avere and Essere
10 questions
Turning Positive Sentences Negative
10 questions
Basic Negation — Comprehension
10 questions
Basic Negation — Fill in the Blank
10 questions
Basic Negation — Group 1 Review
10 questions
10 exercises · 0 completed
Negation — non + niente (nothing)
10 questions
Negation — non + nessuno (nobody)
10 questions
Niente vs Nessuno — Choose the Right Word
10 questions
Double Negatives — The Italian Rule
10 questions
Niente & Nessuno — Translation Practice
10 questions
Nessuno Before Nouns — nessun / nessuna
10 questions
Niente & Nessuno — Spot the Error
10 questions
Niente & Nessuno — Mixed Review
10 questions
Niente & Nessuno — Fill in the Blank
10 questions
Niente & Nessuno — Group 2 Review
10 questions
10 exercises · 0 completed
Negation — non + mai (never)
10 questions
Negation — non + ancora (not yet)
10 questions
Negation — non + più (no longer / not anymore)
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Choose the Right Word
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Translation Practice
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Comprehension
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Spot the Error
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Context Sentences
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Fill in the Blank
10 questions
Mai, Ancora & Più — Group 3 Review
10 questions
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Double Negatives — Italian vs English
10 questions
Double Negatives — All Negative Words
10 questions
Correct Negative Structures — Choose the Right Form
10 questions
Double Negatives — Translation Practice
10 questions
Double Negatives — Spot the Error
10 questions
Niente & Nessuno as Subjects
10 questions
Double Negatives — Comprehension
10 questions
Negation — Tricky Cases and Common Mistakes
10 questions
Double Negatives — Real-Life Contexts
10 questions
Double Negatives — Group 4 Review
10 questions
10 exercises · 0 completed
Mixed Negation — Practice 1
10 questions
Mixed Negation — Practice 2
10 questions
Mixed Negation — Comprehension
10 questions
Mixed Negation Sentences
10 questions
Negation — English to Italian Translation
10 questions
Negation — Spot the Error
10 questions
Negation with Modal Verbs
10 questions
Negative Questions and Replies
10 questions
Comprehensive Negation Review
10 questions
Negation — Final Challenge
10 questions