Double Negatives

Double Negatives

In Bulgarian, a double negative is not a mistake and does not cancel out. Words like никой (nobody), нищо (nothing), никъде (nowhere) and никога (never) need не or няма in the same sentence.

  • "Не видях никого." (I didn't see anybody.) Literally "I didn't see nobody."
  • "Никой не дойде." (Nobody came.)
  • "Не искам нищо." (I don't want anything.)
  • "Никога не пуша." (I never smoke.)
  • "Няма никой." (There is nobody here.)

You can stack several of them, which is still correct: "Никой никога не ми казва нищо." (Nobody ever tells me anything.)