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Casualadverb

mica

not really, not at all (emphatic negation)

Literal Translation

"crumb (archaic)"

Formal Equivalent

non... affatto, non... per niente

Examples in Context

"Non è mica stupido, sa quello che fa."

"He's not stupid at all, he knows what he's doing."

"Mica vorrai uscire con questo tempo?"

"You don't actually want to go out in this weather, do you?"

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Cultural Note

'Mica' reinforces a negation, adding emphasis. It can also be used in questions to express surprise or seek confirmation. It is a distinctly Italian construction with no direct English equivalent — learning to use it naturally marks a significant step in fluency.

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