Negative Adverbs

Italian negative adverbs
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Avverbi negativi

Negative adverbs turn affirmative statements and questions into negative statements and questions. The most common English negative adverb is the word "not," and the Italian equivalent is non. To make a statement or question negative, just put non in front of the verb.

Per esempio…

Elena non è qui.   Elena isn’t here.
Non voglio lavorare.   I don’t want to work.
Non hai fame?   Aren’t you hungry?

Italian negative adverbs

The negation can be emphasized or modified with an additional negative adverb, which goes after the verb.

non … affatto   not at all
Non gli piace affatto la scuola.   He doesn’t like school at all.
non … ancora   not yet
Non ho ancora mangiato.   I haven’t eaten yet.
non … da nessuna parte   nowhere, not anywhere
Non andiamo da nessuna parte.   We’re not going anywhere.
non … mai   never
Non sono mai in ritardo.   They’re never late.
non … neanche   not even, not either
Non ho neanche una macchina.   I don’t even have a car, I don’t have a car either.
non … nemmeno   not even, not either
Non vuole nemmeno imparare.   He doesn’t even want to learn, He doesn’t want to learn either.
non … neppure   not even, not either
Non bevi neppure il tè?   You don’t even drink tea?, You don’t drink tea either?
non … per niente   not at all
Non è per niente importante.   It’s not important at all.
non … più   not any more
Non mangia più pesce.   She doesn’t eat fish any more.
non sempre   not always
Non hai sempre ragione.   You’re not always right.

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Italian negation

Laura K Lawless
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