nè
In Slovenian, the word for 'no' is nè.
nè is used as a particle to express disagreement or negation.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Which one should you use?
While nè is the particle used to say 'no', other forms exist for different grammatical roles. Use ne when you want to negate a verb, and use ni to express that something 'is not' or 'there is no'. The word nobèn can be used as a determiner meaning 'not any'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To negate a verb, use ne followed by the verb, such as ne vidim (I don't see). The form ni serves as the third-person singular negative form of the verb 'to be', often translated as 'is not' or 'there is no'.
Did you know?
- In some Slovenian regions, people may shake their head from side to side to say da 'yes' and nod up and down to say nè 'no'.
- In Slovenian, it is common to use a 'double negative' in a sentence, such as nič ne vem which literally translates to 'nothing not I know' to mean 'I don't know anything'.
- Slovenians sometimes use the word nè as a tag question at the end of a sentence, similar to how English speakers use 'right?' or 'isn't it?'
Examples in context
- Ne, hvala.No, thank you.
- Oprostite, ampak ne morem.Excuse me, but I can't.
- Na žalost ne.Unfortunately, no.
- Hvala, vendar se mi ta trenutek ne da.Thank you, but I can't at the moment.
- Prepričan(a) sem, da vam ne morem pomagati.I'm sure I can't help you.
- Oprostite, ampak se mi trenutno ne da vključiti v ta projekt.Excuse me, but I can't currently engage in this project.
- Nè, trenutno nimam časa.No, I don't have time right now.
Example conversation
Maja asks Luka if he is hungry.
- MajaAli si lačen, Luka?Are you hungry, Luka?
- LukaNè, ravno sem jedel.No, I just ate.
- MajaŽeliš morda še malo vode?Do you perhaps want some water?
- LukaNe, hvala, Maja.No, thank you, Maja.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
