nulla
/ˈnul.la/
The Italian phrase nulla means "nothing."
The phrase can be used to mean "nothing." Additionally, the expression di nulla is a standard, polite way to say "you're welcome" when responding to grazie.
Which one should you use?
While both nulla and niente mean "nothing", niente is more common in everyday spoken Italian, whereas nulla is slightly more formal or literary.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a pronoun, nulla does not change its form based on gender or number.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈnul.la/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says grazie, you can respond with di nulla to politely mean "you're welcome."
Did you know?
- In Italian legal terminology, nulla osta is a formal document or declaration stating that there is 'nothing' standing in the way of a specific action.
- If you are responding to a thank you with di nulla, you are literally telling the person that the favor was 'of nothing', implying it required zero effort.
- The word nulla shares the same root as the English word 'null', both originating from the Latin 'nullus' meaning 'none'.
Examples in context
- Nel frigo non c'è nulla da mangiare.There is nothing to eat in the fridge.
- Non c'è nulla di più importante della famiglia.There is nothing more important than family.
- Non ho visto nulla.I saw nothing.
- Non è successo nulla di male.Nothing bad happened.
- Non ho visto nulla in quel posto.I saw nothing in that place.
- Per me non è nulla.It is nothing to me.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are walking in a park after a small misunderstanding.
- LorenzoScusa se sono stato in ritardo.Sorry that I was late.
- ChiaraNon preoccuparti, non è nulla.Don't worry, it's nothing.
- LorenzoSei molto gentile, grazie.You are very kind, thank you.
- ChiaraDi nulla, Lorenzo.You're welcome, Lorenzo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nulla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nulla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
