Double negation with нико, ништа, никад, нигде
Ten minutes of the grammar lesson's own second rule: whenever нико, ништа, никад or нигде appears in a sentence, the verb still carries its own не (or the fused нисам/нема) - dropping it is wrong, however many negative words the sentence already has. Build three sentences that keep both negatives together, then pick and fill your way through the pattern before hearing the grammar lesson's own double-negation example said aloud.
The part of the grammar page this lesson drills — read it here, then use it.
Negative pronouns and adverbs require double negation
Serbian has a full set of negative pronouns and adverbs (see the table below). Whenever one appears in a sentence, the verb still needs its own не (or the fused нисам/нема) - dropping it is wrong even though the sentence already has a negative word.
Нико не зна literally reads "Nobody doesn't know," but means simply "Nobody knows." This double marking is required, not optional, however many negative words the sentence has: Никад никог нигде не видим. (I never see anyone anywhere.) stacks three negatives plus не, and that's entirely normal, correct Serbian.
| Word | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| niko | nobody | Niko ne zna. |
| ništa | nothing | Nemam ništa. |
| nikad(a) | never | Nikad ne kasnim. |
| nigde | nowhere | On nije nigde. |
| nijedan/nijedna/nijedno | not a single one | Nijedan student ne dolazi. |