Romanian uses nici to add a negative item and nici...nici to coordinate two or more excluded items. In both patterns, the negative verb normally keeps nu: Nu vreau nici cafea, nici ceai. (I want neither coffee nor tea.)
What does a single nici add?
A single nici adds another person, thing, time, or action to an already negative meaning. Depending on the context, translate it as either, also not, or not even. In an ordinary finite clause, nici does not replace the negative particle nu.
| What nici adds | Romanian | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| another subject | Nu vine nici Ana. | Ana is not coming either. |
| another object | Nu vreau nici cafea. | I do not want coffee either / not even coffee. |
| another time or place | Nu lucrează nici duminica. | They do not work on Sundays either. |
| an emphasized action | Nici nu m-a sunat. | They did not even call me. |
The placement of nici tracks the item it adds: put it directly before that item, as in nici Ana or nici cafea. When the added meaning is the whole verb phrase, use nici nu before the finite verb: Nici nu m-a sunat. For the basic position of nu, see Romanian negation with nu.
How is nici different from nici...nici?
Use one nici when you add one more negative element to an existing clause. Use the paired pattern nici X, nici Y when both coordinated elements are excluded. Romanian nici...nici corresponds to neither...nor or not...either.
| Pattern | Romanian | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Single additive nici | Nu citesc nici seara. | I do not read in the evening either. |
| Paired words | Nu cumpăr nici mere, nici pere. | I buy neither apples nor pears. |
| Paired phrases | Nu merg nici la Brașov, nici la Sibiu. | I am going neither to Brașov nor to Sibiu. |
| Paired clauses | Nici nu plouă, nici nu ninge. | It is neither raining nor snowing. |
The two coordinated parts should have the same grammatical role: two subjects, two objects, two place phrases, or two clauses. In these examples, commas separate the two members in writing. When both alternatives are excluded, the second nici is required.
Where does nu go in nici...nici clauses?
In a complete coordinated-clause pattern, place nici before each clause's negative marker and place nu directly before that clause's finite verb: Nici Ana nu citește, nici Vlad nu scrie. (Ana does not read, and Vlad does not write either.)
| Construction | Position of nu | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Two words or phrases | Once before the shared finite verb | Nu beau nici apă, nici suc. (I drink neither water nor juice.) |
| Two subjects with one shared predicate | Once after the subject pair and before the shared finite verb | Nici Maria, nici Elena nu răspund. (Neither Maria nor Elena is answering.) |
| Two full clauses | Before each finite verb | Nici nu sun, nici nu trimit mesaj. (I neither call nor send a message.) |
| Two full clauses in a compound tense | Before each finite auxiliary | Nici nu am sunat, nici nu am scris. (I neither called nor wrote.) |
The repeated nu does not create two separate English-style negatives. The clause has one negative interpretation, while nici marks the excluded member or members. Compare Nici nu citesc, nici nu scriu (I neither read nor write) with the single-addition pattern Nu citesc nici romane (I do not read novels either). Romanian negative concord explains the wider system.
How do elliptical nici...nici, nici măcar, and niciun differ?
Elliptical nici...nici can omit a recoverable verb. The phrase nici măcar intensifies one negative item. One-word niciun/nicio is a determiner rather than a coordination pattern.
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Elliptical nici...nici | Omit a recoverable verb in a short reply | Nici cafea, nici ceai! (Neither coffee nor tea!) |
| nici măcar | Intensify one negative item; not the paired coordination pattern | Nu am nici măcar un minut. (I do not even have a minute.) |
| One-word niciun/nicio | Determine a singular noun; not a coordination pattern | Nu am niciun bilet. (I have no ticket.) |
To make the elliptical answer a complete sentence, keep the negative verb: Nu beau nici cafea, nici ceai. The separate sequence nici un/nici o is used when un/o keeps an independent numeral or article meaning, as in N-am nici un bilet, nici două. (I have neither one ticket nor two.) Current DOOM3 supports this distinction.
Complete the neutral sentence meaning “I do not want coffee either”: Nu vreau ___ cafea.
- nu
- nici
- sau
- fără
Single nici adds coffee to an already negative clause. The negative particle nu is already before vreau; nici does not replace it.
Choose the complete Romanian sentence meaning “I neither read nor write.”
- Nici citesc, nici scriu.
- Nu citesc nici scriu.
- Nici nu citesc, nici nu scriu.
- Nici nu citesc, sau nu scriu.
Two full clauses use the paired pattern nici...nici, and each finite verb keeps its own nu: Nici nu citesc, nici nu scriu.
Which sentence coordinates two direct-object nouns under one negative verb?
- Nu cumpăr nici pâine, nici brânză.
- Nici cumpăr nu pâine, nu brânză.
- Nu cumpăr nici pâine sau brânză.
- Nu cumpăr pâine, nu nici brânză.
The two nouns are parallel direct objects under one negative verb. One nu can govern the pair, and nici introduces each excluded object: Nu cumpăr nici pâine, nici brânză.
Which sentence uses nici to emphasize an entire negative action?
- Nu m-a sunat nici colegul.
- Nu nici m-a sunat.
- Nici m-a sunat nu.
- Nici nu m-a sunat.
When nici scopes over the verb phrase, it comes before nu and the finite verb. Nici nu m-a sunat means that the person did not even call.
Which sentence uses the current one-word negative determiner, rather than coordinated nici?
- Nu am niciun bilet.
- Nu am nici un bilet, nici două.
- Nu am nici bilet, nici două.
- Nici nu am bilet, nici două.
Niciun bilet is the one-word determiner meaning no ticket. The separate nici un in the second option has numeral meaning in a contrast with nici două; it is a different boundary.