Basic Negation with 'Ne'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To make a verb negative in Croatian, simply place the particle 'ne' directly before the conjugated verb.
- Place 'ne' before the verb: 'Ja ne radim' (I do not work).
- The particle 'ne' is always written as a separate word.
- In questions, 'ne' still precedes the verb: 'Ne radiš li?' (Are you not working?).
Meanings
The particle 'ne' is used to negate verbs, indicating that an action is not happening or a state is not true.
General Negation
Negating a standard verb action.
“On ne spava.”
“Mi ne jedemo.”
Negation of 'Raditi' (to work)
| Person | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Ja | radim | ne radim |
| Ti | radiš | ne radiš |
| On/Ona | radi | ne radi |
| Mi | radimo | ne radimo |
| Vi | radite | ne radite |
| Oni/One | rade | ne rade |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Verb | Radim (I work) |
| Negative | ne + Verb | Ne radim (I don't work) |
| Question | ne + Verb + li | Ne radiš li? (Aren't you working?) |
| Short Answer | Ne + Verb | Ne radim (I don't) |
| Past Tense | ne + auxiliary + verb | Ne sam radio (I didn't work) |
| Future Tense | ne + ću + verb | Ne ću raditi (I won't work) |
Spectre de formalité
Ne znam. (General)
Ne znam. (General)
Ne znam. (General)
Pojma nemam. (General)
The Negation Particle
Function
- Negation Not
Position
- Pre-verbal Before verb
Examples by Level
Ja ne radim.
I do not work.
On ne jede.
He does not eat.
Mi ne spavamo.
We are not sleeping.
Vi ne čitate.
You are not reading.
Ne razumijem.
I do not understand.
Ne znam gdje je.
I do not know where it is.
Ne želim ići.
I do not want to go.
Ne vidim te.
I do not see you.
Ne mogu vjerovati.
I cannot believe it.
Ne smiješ to raditi.
You must not do that.
Ne trebamo pomoć.
We do not need help.
Ne sjećam se toga.
I do not remember that.
Ne bih to učinio.
I would not do that.
Ne čini se važnim.
It does not seem important.
Ne slažem se s tobom.
I do not agree with you.
Ne očekujemo probleme.
We do not expect problems.
Ne preostaje nam ništa drugo.
Nothing else remains for us.
Ne bih se usudio tvrditi.
I would not dare to claim.
Ne dopuštam takvo ponašanje.
I do not allow such behavior.
Ne prestaje padati kiša.
The rain does not stop falling.
Ne mogavši naći izlaz, stao je.
Unable to find an exit, he stopped.
Ne htijući nikoga uvrijediti, šutio je.
Not wanting to offend anyone, he remained silent.
Ne bi li bilo bolje pitati?
Wouldn't it be better to ask?
Ne znade se što će biti.
It is not known what will happen.
Easily Confused
Learners confuse the particle 'ne' with the pronoun 'ništa'.
Learners use 'ne' when they should use 'nema' (there is not).
Learners use 'ne' + 'ću' instead of the merged 'neću'.
Erreurs courantes
neradim
ne radim
Ja ne do radim
Ja ne radim
Ne radim ne
Ne radim
Ne ja radim
Ja ne radim
Ne sam radio
Nisam radio
Ne ću raditi
Neću raditi
Ne radim ništa ne
Ne radim ništa
Ne bih ne učinio
Ne bih učinio
Ne mogu da ne radim
Ne mogu ne raditi
Ne čini se ne važnim
Ne čini se važnim
Ne htijući ne raditi
Ne htijući raditi
Ne bi li ne pitao
Ne bi li pitao
Ne znade se ne što
Ne znade se što
Sentence Patterns
Ja ___ ___.
On ___ ___.
Mi ___ ___ danas.
Vi ___ ___ to.
Real World Usage
Ne želim luk.
Ne mogu sad.
Ne razumijem.
Ne znam put.
Ne sviđa mi se.
Ne želim dostavu.
Keep it simple
No 'do'
Listen for it
Be direct
Smart Tips
Just say 'Ne' + the verb.
You can drop the pronoun 'Ja'.
Keep 'ne' before the verb.
Negate the modal verb.
Prononciation
Stress
The particle 'ne' is usually unstressed, but it can take stress if it's the focus of the sentence.
Declarative
Ja ne radim. ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'NE' as 'NO' with an E. It stands right in front of the verb like a guard.
Visual Association
Imagine a big, friendly 'NE' sign standing in front of a verb character, blocking them from doing the action.
Rhyme
When you want to say no, put 'ne' before the verb, and away you go!
Story
Ivan wanted to eat, but he was not hungry. He said 'Ne jedem' (I don't eat). His friend asked 'Ne piješ?' (Don't you drink?). Ivan said 'Ne pijem' (I don't drink).
Word Web
Défi
Write 5 sentences about things you do not do today (e.g., I don't run, I don't swim).
Notes culturelles
Croatians are direct with 'ne'. It is not considered rude to say 'ne' when refusing an offer.
In some coastal dialects, the negation might be slightly shortened or emphasized differently.
Standard usage is very common in Slavonia.
The particle 'ne' is of Proto-Slavic origin, related to the Indo-European negation root.
Conversation Starters
Radiš li danas?
Znaš li gdje je muzej?
Želiš li kavu?
Možeš li mi pomoći?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Ja ___ radim.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ja neradim.
On radi.
ne / radim / ja
Is 'ne' attached to the verb?
Radiš li? - ___.
Ti čitaš.
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesJa ___ radim.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Ja neradim.
On radi.
ne / radim / ja
Is 'ne' attached to the verb?
Radiš li? - ___.
Ti čitaš.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, 'ne' is specifically for verbs. For nouns, use 'nije' or other structures.
No, it is always a separate word.
Place 'ne' before the verb you want to negate.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
No, Croatian does not use 'do' as an auxiliary.
Say 'Ne znam'.
Yes, e.g., 'Ne radiš li?'
Yes, 'ne' is the Croatian word for 'no'.
In Other Languages
no
Spanish 'no' is used for both verbs and general negation.
ne... pas
French requires two words.
nicht
Placement is different.
nai
Croatian uses a particle.
la
Arabic has different particles for different tenses.
bù
Chinese has no conjugation.
