Breakdown of Nessuno deve subire questo danno.
Questions & Answers about Nessuno deve subire questo danno.
Why is nessuno used here, and what part of speech is it?
Why is the verb deve singular?
Because nessuno is grammatically singular in Italian.
Even though nessuno refers to zero people, Italian treats it like a singular subject, so the verb is singular too:
- Nessuno deve... = correct
- Nessuno devono... = incorrect
This is similar to English no one is, not no one are.
Why is there no non in this sentence?
Because nessuno already carries the negative idea when it is placed before the verb.
So:
- Nessuno deve subire questo danno. = correct
When nessuno comes before the verb as the subject, you do not add non.
Compare this with cases where a negative word comes after the verb, where Italian often does use non:
- Non vedo nessuno. = I see nobody.
So the short answer is: nessuno before the verb does the negative job by itself.
Why is it deve subire and not a conjugated form like subisce?
Because dovere is a modal verb, and modal verbs in Italian are followed by the infinitive of the main verb.
So:
- deve = must
- subire = suffer / undergo
Together: deve subire = must suffer / must undergo
This works like:
- voglio andare = I want to go
- posso parlare = I can speak
- devo studiare = I must study
So after deve, you use subire, not subisce.
What exactly does subire mean here?
Subire often means to suffer, to undergo, or to be subjected to something, usually something negative.
In this sentence, it suggests experiencing harm in a passive or unwilling way.
Common examples:
- subire un torto = to suffer an injustice
- subire un danno = to suffer damage / undergo harm
- subire violenza = to suffer violence
So subire is stronger and more formal than simply avere or ricevere.
Why is it questo danno and not questi danni or questa danno?
Because danno is a masculine singular noun.
So the demonstrative has to match it:
- questo danno = this damage / this harm
- questi danni = these damages / these harms
- questa would be for a feminine singular noun, so it cannot go with danno
Agreement is very important in Italian:
- masculine singular: questo
- feminine singular: questa
- masculine plural: questi
- feminine plural: queste
What does danno mean exactly? Is it the same as English damage?
It is similar, but not always identical in usage.
Danno can mean:
- damage
- harm
- injury
- loss
Depending on context, questo danno could mean physical damage, financial damage, emotional harm, or general injury.
English damage is often uncountable, but Italian danno is often used as a countable noun:
- un danno = a damage / a harm / a loss
In natural English, this is often translated more smoothly as harm or loss rather than a damage.
So learners should not expect a perfect one-to-one match with English damage.
Can nessuno ever become nessun?
Is the word order especially important here?
The word order is normal and clear:
So it follows a straightforward pattern:
subject + modal verb + infinitive + object
Italian can change word order for emphasis, but the given version is the most neutral and natural.
For example, a more emphatic alternative could be:
- Questo danno non deve subirlo nessuno.
That version puts more focus on questo danno, but it is structurally more advanced.
What tense is deve?
Deve is the third-person singular present indicative of dovere.
So it can mean:
- must
- has to
- sometimes should, depending on context
In this sentence, it expresses obligation or principle in the present:
Even though it is present tense, it often has a general meaning, like a rule or moral statement.
Could I translate nessuno as both nobody and no one?
Is this sentence formal or informal?
It is fairly neutral and can sound somewhat formal because of the words subire and danno.
It does not contain any informal wording. It would fit well in:
- a serious conversation
- a speech
- a legal or social context
- a written statement
A more everyday sentence might use different wording depending on the exact situation, but this one is completely natural Italian.
Could nessuno refer to men only, since it ends in -o?
No. Here nessuno means no one in a general sense, not specifically males.
Although it has a masculine-looking form, Italian often uses the masculine as the default grammatical form when referring to people in general.
So in this sentence, nessuno can refer to:
- men
- women
- any person at all
It is not limited to male people.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning ItalianMaster Italian — from Nessuno deve subire questo danno to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions