не
ne/ne/Cyrillic
The English word 'no' is translated into Serbian as не or ne.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| не | ne | /ne/ | Cyrillic |
| ne | /ne/ | Latin |
The word is used as a particle to express disagreement or negation. While it can serve as a standalone response meaning 'no', its primary grammatical role is to negate verbs and adjectives, functioning much like the English word 'not'.
Which one should you use?
The form не is the Cyrillic script version, while ne is the Latin script version.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a particle, не is used as a prefix to negate verbs, meaning 'not'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is /ne/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes attempt to use ne to mean 'no' in ways that require a verb. In Serbian, as a negation particle, it must be paired with a verb to negate an action, such as ne znam for 'I don't know'.
Did you know?
- In Serbia, a single slight upward flick of the head or a subtle chin lift can signal ne without the speaker saying a word.
- Serbian allows for a double negative, where ne is used alongside words like niko 'nobody' or ništa 'nothing' to reinforce the negation.
- In certain regional dialects or informal speech, Serbs may use ma ne to mean 'no way' or 'stop joking', regardless of whether the statement is actually false.
Examples in context
- I da, i ne.Yes and no.This sentence shows how to use the particle to express both 'yes' and 'no'.Tatoeba #5944927 by dzoja, translation #51133 by shanghainese
- Ne, ne radi to.No, don't do that.This sentence demonstrates using the particle to give a negative command.Tatoeba #4243441 by Lebad, translation #4226969 by monahxo
- Него шта да не!Hell no!This sentence shows a forceful use of the Cyrillic form не.Tatoeba #8851417 by Lebad, translation #5131003 by honestlang
- Hoćeš li ići u grad večeras?Will you go to the city tonight?
- Izvinite, ali večeras ne mogu.I'm sorry, but I can't tonight.
- Možeš li mi pomoći s ovim zadatkom?Can you help me with this task?
- Nažalost, trenutno sam preopterećen obavezama.Unfortunately, I am currently overwhelmed with tasks.
- Hoćeš li probati ovaj kolač?Will you try this cake?
- Ne, hvala. Nisam baš ljubitelj čokolade.No, thank you. I'm not really a fan of chocolate.
- 225 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marija and Marko are talking in a kitchen about a plan.
- MarijaМарко, хоћеш ли да идемо у биоскоп?Marko, do you want to go to the cinema?
- MarkoНе, данас не могу.No, I cannot today.
- MarijaЗашто не можеш?Why can't you?
- MarkoНемам времена за то.I don't have time for that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries не, ne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
