ни за что́
ni za štó
The Russian phrase for 'no way' is ни за что́ (ni za štó).
The phrase is used to express a strong, absolute refusal or disbelief.
Meaning: absolutely not (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ни за что́ means 'not for anything'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to express a conditional statement, such as 'I would never do [X]', you add the particle бы to the phrase to form ни за что́ бы не.
How do you pronounce it?
ni za štó
Did you know?
- If you are actually negotiating a price or a deal, saying ни за что́ might be interpreted as 'for nothing', implying you want the item for free, rather than a refusal.
- The word за in this phrase functions as a preposition of exchange. It implies that there is no price or reward in existence that could convince the speaker to agree.
- Using ни за что́ in a formal business context can be perceived as unexpectedly aggressive or rude, as it leaves zero room for negotiation.
Examples in context
- А: Хочешь прыгнуть на батуте с горы? Б: Ни за что́ на свете!A: Want to jump on a trampoline from a mountain? B: No way on earth!
- Ни за что́ я не пойду туда.Ni za chto ya ne poydu tuda.No way am I going there.
- Ни за что́ он не признается.Ni za chto on ne priznaetsya.There is no way he will admit it.
Example conversation
Anastasia asks Sergey to lend her a lot of money.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСергей, одолжи мне крупную сумму денег.Sergey, odolzhi mne krupnuyu summu deneg.Sergey, lend me a large sum of money.
- Сергей SergeyНи за что́, это слишком опасно.Ni za chto, eto slishkom opasno.No way, that is too dangerous.
- Анастасия AnastasiaПочему ты так строг ко мне?Pochemu ty tak strog ko mne?Why are you being so strict with me?
- Сергей SergeyЯ просто не могу так рисковать.Ya prosto ne mogu tak riskovat'.I just cannot take that risk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no way” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
