'нет' and the Genitive of Absence

01

нет (net) as the Answer "No"

• У тебя́ нет рабо́ты? Нет.

  U tebyá net rabóty? Net.U tebjá net rabóty? Net.

  Don't you have a job? No.

• Он то́же спит. А она́ нет.

  On tózhe spit. A oná net.On tóže spit. A oná net.

  He is asleep too. But she isn't.

02

There Is No

Нет (Net) replaces есть (yest'jestʹ), and the noun after it changes from the nominative to the genitive. The sentence has no grammatical subject.

• Есть пробле́ма. (Yest' probléma.Jestʹ probléma.) - There is a problem.
• Нет пробле́мы. (Net problémy.) - There is no problem.

• У меня́ нет де́нег.

  U menyá net déneg.U menjá net déneg.

  I have no money.

• У меня́ нет друзе́й.

  U menyá net druzéy.U menjá net druzéj.

  I have no friends.

• Пробле́м нет.

  Problém net.

  There are no problems.

03

Past and Future

In the past нет (net) becomes не бы́ло (ne býlo), and in the future не бу́дет (ne búdet). These never change for gender or number, because there is no subject to agree with.

• Вчера́ не бы́ло дождя́.

  Vcherá ne býlo dozhdyá.Včerá ne býlo doždjá.

  There was no rain yesterday.

• За́втра не бу́дет уро́ка.

  Závtra ne búdet uróka.

  There will be no lesson tomorrow.

04

Negated Verbs and the Genitive

A negated verb often takes its object in the genitive too, especially when the object is something general or an amount. With a definite thing, the accusative is common.

• Я совсе́м не пью пи́ва.

  Ya sovsém ne p'yu píva.Ja sovsém ne pʹju píva.

  I don't drink beer at all.

• Ду́маю, еды́ не оста́лось.

  Dúmayu, yedý ne ostálos'.Dúmaju, jedý ne ostálosʹ.

  I think there's no food left.

• Они́ э́того не ви́дят.

  Oní étogo ne vídyat.Oní étogo ne vídjat.

  They don't see this.

05

Not a Single One

Ни (Ni) adds not a single, and the noun is in the genitive.

• Я не зна́ю ни одно́й пе́сни.

  Ya ne znáyu ni odnóy pésni.Ja ne znáju ni odnój pésni.

  I don't know a single song.