How to Say "No" in Czech - How To Say Guide

[ˈnɛ]

The Czech word for "no" is ne.

ne is used as a particle to express disagreement or to answer a question with a negative response.

Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)

Which one should you use?

When used specifically as a particle to answer a question or show disagreement, the correct word is ne.

When used as a negation particle for verbs, the prefix ne- is attached directly to the verb stem.

In Czech, it is common to answer a negative question with ano (yes) to mean 'no, that is correct'. For example, if asked 'You are not coming?', saying ano confirms the negative state.
Czech uses a 'double negative' construction that is grammatically correct. Saying Já nic nevím literally means 'I nothing don't know', which is the standard way to say 'I don't know anything'.
The Czech ne is a direct cognate of the English 'no', both originating from the same Proto-Indo-European root *né.

Na to nebyl čas.
There was no time for that.
This sentence shows how ne is used in a negative construction regarding time.
Tatoeba #5874493 by lovermann, translation #8417283 by Ergulis
Ne, tak to není.
No, it's not like that.
This sentence demonstrates using ne to express disagreement.
Tatoeba #9284275 by Ergulis, translation #7743549 by Hybrid
Už se to neděje.
That's no longer happening.
This sentence shows how ne functions within a verb to indicate a lack of an action.
Tatoeba #9798666 by Ergulis, translation #9798660 by CK
Ne, děkuji. Už jsem plný.
No, thank you. I'm already full.
Omlouvám se, ale je mi to nyní nemožné. Mám plné ruce práce.
I'm sorry, but it's currently impossible for me. I have my hands full.
990 more sentences on Tatoeba

Jana asks Jan if he is hungry.

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏