никогда́
nikogdá
The English word "never" is translated into Russian as никогда́ (nikogdá).
The primary way to say "never" is using никогда́. There are also idiomatic and colloquial ways to express this concept depending on whether you are talking about a lack of experience or using a more casual tone.
Meaning: at no time (adv)
Which one should you use?
While никогда́ is the standard translation, the colloquial expression в жизни can also be used to mean "never". To express that you have absolutely no experience in a particular field, you would use the informal idiom ни в зуб ногой.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using никогда́ in a negative sentence, you must pair it with the particle не before the verb. This creates the standard никогда не construction used to express "never" in a statement.
How do you pronounce it?
nikogdá
Did you know?
- A Russian speaker might draw out the vowels in никогда́ to signal sarcasm or extreme disbelief, changing it from a fact to an emotional reaction.
- The word никогда́ contains the root когда́, which means 'when'. The prefix ни- acts as a negator to turn 'when' into 'no time'.
- Russian uses 'double negatives' as a standard grammatical requirement. To say 'I never smoked', you must use both никогда́ and the negative particle не.
Examples in context
- Я никогда не был в России.I have never been to Russia.
- Он ни разу не опоздал на работу.He has never been late for work.
- Я в жизни не видел такого шоу!I have never seen such a show in my life!
- Он в этой области ни в зуб ногой.He has no experience in this field.
- Я никогда не был в Париже.I have never been to Paris.
Example conversation
Sergey and Ekaterina are talking about their travel preferences.
- Сергей SergeyТы хочешь поехать в горы?Ty khochesh poyekhat v gory?Do you want to go to the mountains?
- Екатерина EkaterinaНет, я никогда́ не любила холод.Net, ya nikogdá ne lyubila kholod.No, I have never liked the cold.
- Сергей SergeyНо там очень красиво!No tam ochen krasivo!But it is very beautiful there!
- Екатерина EkaterinaДля меня это не важно.Dlya menya eto ne vazhno.That is not important to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “never” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
