Negative Pronouns and Mandatory Double Negation
To create negative pronouns in Croatian, add the prefix ni- to basic question words. Tko (who) becomes nitko (nobody), and što (what) becomes ništa (nothing).
The most important rule when using these words is mandatory double negation. In Croatian, if you use a negative pronoun, the verb in the sentence must also be negative (typically by adding ne before it). You literally say "nobody doesn't speak" instead of "nobody speaks".
| Nobody is speaking, and this silence is suspicious. | Nitko ne govori, a ova tišina je sumnjiva. |
| This drawer is empty, I see nothing inside. | Ova ladica je prazna, unutra ništa ne vidim. |
You can even stack multiple negative words in the same sentence. As long as the main verb is negative, you can use as many negative pronouns as you need!
| Nobody here hears anything. | Ovdje nitko ništa ne čuje. |
Negative Adjectives: "Nikakav"
When you want to express "no kind of" or "not any" to describe a noun, use nikakav. Because it behaves like an adjective, its ending changes to match the gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies. The double negation rule always applies.
| I do not see any suspicious wardrobe here. | Ovdje ne vidim nikakav sumnjiv ormar. |
| This is no drawer, this is a box. | Ovo nije nikakva ladica, ovo je kutija. |
Negative Adverbs: "Nigdje"
Just like pronouns and adjectives, adverbs of location can be made negative. The word for "where" (gdje) becomes "nowhere" (nigdje). Keep following the double negation rule whenever you use it to talk about empty locations or hidden secrets!
| We cannot hide this gift anywhere. | Ovaj poklon ne možemo nigdje sakriti. |
| There is no silence anywhere, nobody is sleeping. | Nigdje nema tišine, nitko ne spava. |
