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не

/[nʲɪ] | [ˈnʲe]/
Russianparticleprefixintj

Definitions

  1. 1.
    not, no, -n't, without
    • Он не зна́ет

      On ne znájet — He does not know.

    • не долете́в до це́ли

      ne doletév do céli — without having reached the target

    • он не ге́ний

      on ne génij — he is no genius

  2. 2.
    Idiomatic negative usage
    • (мне) не по себе́

      (mne) ne po sebé — (I) feel sick; (I) feel uncomfortable

    • не раз

      ne raz — more than once (literary: not once); time and again; repeatedly; many a time

    • Я ви́дел вас не раз.

      Ja vídel vas ne raz. — I have seen you often.

  3. 3.
    perhaps not, whether ... or not
    • Сча́стье не сча́стье, но что́-то похо́жее.

      Sčástʹje ne sčástʹje, no štó-to poxóžeje. — Perhaps not happiness, but something very much like it.

    • Хо́чешь не хо́чешь, а придётся сде́лать.

      Xóčešʹ ne xóčešʹ, a pridjótsja sdélatʹ. — like it or not, you’ll have to do it.

  4. 4.
    will never (implying impossibility to do something)
    • Ему́ э́того не сде́лать.

      Jemú étovo ne sdélatʹ. — He will never do it.

  5. 5.
    (usually not translated, gives affirmative meaning for expression, especially in exclamations)
  6. 6.
    colloquialno (used to show disagreement or negation)
    • Помо́жешь мне? Не, да́же и не ду́май.

      Pomóžešʹ mne? Ne, dáže i ne dúmaj. — Will you help me? No, don't even think about it.

Synonyms & related words

Synonyms
Related words (2)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ne, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ne, from Proto-Indo-European *né. Cognates include Lithuanian ne, Old English ne, German nicht, nie, Gothic 𐌽𐌹 (ni), Irish ní, Latin ne, Sanskrit न (ná).

Forms

  • neromanization

Nearby Russian words

Browse the Russian dictionary →