Negative Pronouns: nimic, nimeni, niciun — Romanian Grammar

Romanian has dedicated negative words for "nothing", "nobody" and "no/none":

- nothing
- nobody / no one
(masculine) / (feminine) - no / not any

The Verb Still Needs 'nu'

This is the rule that surprises English speakers: a negative pronoun does not replace . The verb keeps its , so the sentence carries two negatives. This double negation is correct and obligatory:

Nu vreau nimic.
I don't want anything. (literally: I don't want nothing)
Nu e nimeni acasă.
There is nobody home.
Nu am nicio problemă.
I don't have any problem.

'niciun / nicio' Agree

Because sit in front of a noun, they pick the form that matches its gender, exactly like the indefinite article they are built from:

niciun copil
no child
nicio carte
no book

Without a noun, as a word on its own, they become (masculine / neuter) and (feminine) - "none, not a single one":

Nu am niciunul.
I don't have a single one.

The Positive Counterparts

In a sentence that is not negative, Romanian uses a different set of words - (something), (someone):

Vrei ceva?
Do you want something?
E cineva acasă?
Is someone home?

You switch to / (with the doubled negative) when the answer turns negative.

With People, Keep 'pe'

When is the object of the verb, it still takes the personal object marker :

Nu văd pe nimeni.
I don't see anybody.

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