How to Say “No” in Latvian

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nē
The English word "no" is translated into Latvian as nē.
The particle nē is used to express negation or disagreement. It is the direct opposite of the Latvian word jā, which means "yes".
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)

Related words

Not any (det): neviens.

A negating expression (noun): nav, ne.

How does it change in a sentence?

As a particle used for disagreement, nē is an indeclinable word. It does not change its form based on gender, number or case.

Did you know?

  • In Latvian, nē can be used as a conversational filler to keep a listener engaged, functioning more like 'really?' or 'is that so?' than a refusal.
  • The Latvian nē shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'not' and the Latin 'ne', making it part of a massive Indo-European family of negation.
  • The word nē is a linguistic sibling to the Russian не and the Polish nie, showing how negation sounds similar across many Slavic and Baltic languages.

Examples in context

  • Nē, tas nemaz tā nav.
    No, that's not the case at all.
    This sentence shows how to use nē to negate a statement.
    Tatoeba #13688575 by GemMonkey, translation #10702097 by felidad
  • Nē, es tevi nesaprotu.
    No, I don't understand you.
    This sentence demonstrates using nē to express a lack of understanding.
    Tatoeba #12952682 by GemMonkey, translation #880491 by Miktsoanit
  • Ak nē, tikai ne atkal!
    Oh no, not again!
    This sentence illustrates an emotional use of nē.
    Tatoeba #13688796 by GemMonkey, translation #1553095 by marcelostockle
  • Diemžēl tā nestrādās.
    Unfortunately, that won't work.
  • Atvainojiet, bet esmu spiests atteikties.
    I'm sorry, but I have to decline.
  • Nē, šoreiz nepaspēšu.
    No, I won't manage this time.
  • Atvaino, bet man to nav vēlēšanās darīt.
    Sorry, but I don't feel like doing that.
  • 30 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Zane asks Māris if he wants to go for a walk.

  1. Zane

    Māri, vai tu vēlies iet pastaigāties?
    Māris, do you want to go for a walk?
  2. Māris

    Nē, es esmu ļoti noguris.
    No, I am very tired.
  3. Zane

    Vai tu tiešām neiesi?
    Are you really not going?
  4. Māris

    Nē, šodien palieku mājās.
    No, I am staying home today.

Sources

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Lillian Sherry
Lillian SherryHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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