Language/Latin/Grammar/Negation

Latin Grammar - Negation

Hi Latin learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be diving into negation in Latin grammar. We will explore how negation is expressed in Latin, and provide examples to help you understand this important grammar concept. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of negation in Latin and be able to apply what you have learned in your own Latin studies. Let's begin!

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Definite Articles in Latin, Indefinite Articles in Latin, Latin Nouns & Adjectives.

Negating Verbs

In Latin, negation is often expressed by the negative word "non." This is placed directly before a verb to create the negative form. Here is an example:

Latin	Pronunciation	English
Non amo.	Nohn ah-moh	I do not love.

In this example, "non" is placed directly before the verb "amo," which means "love." Together, they form the negative statement, "non amo," which means "I do not love."

Negating Adjectives

In addition to verbs, adjectives can also be negated using the word "non." Here is an example:

Latin	Pronunciation	English
Non sum miser.	Nohn soom me-sir	I am not miserable.

In this example, the adjective "miser" means "miserable." By placing the word "non" before the adjective, the sentence becomes negative and means "I am not miserable."

Negating Nouns

Nouns in Latin can also be negated using the word "nullus," which means "none." Here is an example:

Latin	Pronunciation	English
Nullus homo est perfectus.	Nool-loos ho-moh est pair-fect-oos	No human is perfect.

In this example, "nullus" is placed before the noun "homo," which means "human." Together, they form the negative statement, "nullus homo est perfectus," which means "No human is perfect."

Double Negatives

In Latin, double negatives are sometimes used for emphasis, although they are not necessary to convey a negative meaning. Here is an example:

Latin	Pronunciation	English
Non nemo est hic.	Nohn nem-o est hick	Someone is here.

In this example, "non" and "nemo" both serve to express negation, although only one is necessary. The sentence can be translated as "Someone is here," without the use of the second negative.

Examples in Context

To help you understand negation in context, here is a dialogue with pronunciation and English translation:

• Person 1: Non vis cenare mecum? ([Do] you not want to dine with me?)
• Person 2: Minime. Non es amabilis. (No. You are not friendly.)

In this dialogue, the word "non" is used to express negation in each sentence. Person 1 uses "non" to create a negative question, and Person 2 uses "non" to describe Person 1's behavior as unfriendly.

Now that you have a better understanding of negation in Latin, practice using it in your own Latin studies. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them to native speakers on Polyglot Club!

Sources

• Latin Negation
• Latin 309 - Imperative Mood

Other Lessons

• Latin alphabet
• Conditional Tense
• Plurals
• How to Use Be
• Adjectives
• Past Tense
• Prepositions
• How to Use Have
• Indefinite Articles in Latin
• Latin Declensions