non importa
The English phrase 'never mind' can be translated into Italian as non importa.
Non importa is used to tell someone not to be concerned about something or someone, or about doing something. It is often used to dismiss a problem or a mistake.
Meaning: do not be concerned (about someone or something, or about doing something) (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the negation non (not) and the third-person singular form of the verb importare (to matter or to be important).
Which one should you use?
While non importa is a common way to say 'never mind', it is more literally translated as 'it doesn't matter'. When someone apologizes to you, you can also use non fa niente to mean 'it's nothing' or 'it doesn't matter'.
Did you know?
- In a very informal setting, Italians might simply shrug and say vabbè, which is a contraction of va bene used to dismiss a topic or say 'whatever'.
- While non importa means 'it doesn't matter', the verb importare is also used to describe the physical act of bringing goods into a country, which is where the English word 'import' comes from.
- If you want to say 'never mind' in the sense of 'forget I mentioned it', Italians often use the phrase lascia stare, which literally tells the other person to 'leave [the matter] alone'.
Examples in context
- Non importa.Never mind.Tatoeba #4551 by Guybrush88, translation #20392 by Objectivesea
- Scusi, ho sporcato la sua camicia. Non fa niente.Sorry, I stained your shirt. Never mind.
- Non importa, possiamo farlo domani.Never mind, we can do it tomorrow.
- Non importa se sei in ritardo.It doesn't matter if you are late.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro is apologizing to Martina for forgetting a small item.
- MartinaAlessandro, hai dimenticato le chiavi di casa?Alessandro, did you forget the house keys?
- AlessandroSì, scusa tanto, Martina.Yes, I am so sorry, Martina.
- MartinaNon importa, le trovo subito.Never mind, I'll find them right away.
- AlessandroGrazie mille, sei molto gentile.Thank you so much, you are very kind.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
