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Questions & Answers about Nema više nade.
Why is the word for hope nade instead of the dictionary form nada?
When you use nema to say that something doesn't exist ("there is no..."), the thing that is missing must be in the genitive case. The basic word for hope is nada, and its genitive form is nade.
I learned that nema means "he/she doesn't have". Why does it translate to "there is no" here?
Nema is the "he/she/it" form of the verb nemati (to not have). However, it is also used as a fixed, impersonal phrase meaning "there is no" or "there are not". You can usually tell the difference from context, and when it means "there is no", the thing that doesn't exist is always in the genitive case.
Wait, isn't nade the plural form, meaning "hopes"?
It looks exactly the same, but no! For regular feminine words ending in -a like nada, the genitive singular form happens to be identical to the plural form. Because the rule for nema requires the genitive case, we know this is the singular genitive form meaning "of hope".
How exactly does više work in this negative sentence?
The word više generally means "more". When placed directly after a negative verb like nema, the phrase nema više creates the common expression "there is no more" or "there isn't any more". It usually sits right after the verb it modifies.