niente
/ˈnjɛn.te/
The English word 'nothing' can be translated into Italian as niente, nulla or nessuna cosa.
Meaning: not any thing (pron)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| niente | /ˈnjɛn.te/ /ˈɲɛn.te/ (regional) |
|
| nulla | /ˈnul.la/ | |
| nessuna cosa | feminine |
All these forms are used to express the concept of not any thing.
Which one should you use?
niente is the most common and slightly more informal way to say nothing compared to nulla. nessuna cosa is a multi-word way to say nothing, literally meaning 'no thing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use niente or nulla as the object of a negative sentence, you must use the double negative structure with non. Additionally, nessuna cosa is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
niente is pronounced /ˈnjɛn.te/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The Italian expression di niente is used to say 'you are welcome', effectively telling the other person that the favor they are thanking you for was 'nothing'.
- The word niente is actually a linguistic fossil that may have originally meant 'no person' or 'no one' instead of 'no thing'.
- Italian has a specific word for 'the void' or 'nothingness' called il nulla, which is used in philosophical contexts to describe the state of non-existence.
Examples in context
- È buono a nulla.He is good for nothing.This sentence uses nulla.Tatoeba #2942353 by Guybrush88, translation #294292 by CM
- Io non so nulla.I know nothing.Tatoeba #4204663 by Guybrush88, translation #2872179 by Amastan
- Io non ho nulla.I have nothing.Tatoeba #4480920 by Guybrush88, translation #1349222 by sacredceltic
- 2537 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are checking the pantry.
- ChiaraLorenzo, hai comprato qualcosa per la cena?Lorenzo, did you buy anything for dinner?
- LorenzoNo, non ho trovato niente al supermercato.No, I didn't find anything at the supermarket.
- ChiaraChe peccato, non abbiamo niente da mangiare!What a pity, we have nothing to eat!
- LorenzoOrdiniamo una pizza, allora.Let's order a pizza, then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nothing” translations and entries niente, nulla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cosa, niente, nulla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
