Questions & Answers about Nigde ne vidim torbu.
Why are there two negative words here: nigde and ne? Isn’t that a double negative?
Yes, from an English point of view it looks like a double negative, but in Serbian this is normal and required. Serbian uses negative concord, which means multiple negative elements appear together in the same sentence.
So:
- nigde = nowhere
- ne vidim = I do not see
Together: Nigde ne vidim torbu.
You generally cannot say Nigde vidim torbu without ne. The verb must also be negated.
What exactly does nigde mean?
Nigde means nowhere.
It is built from the same family as words like:
- gde = where
- negde = somewhere
- svugde / svuda = everywhere
- nigde = nowhere
In negative sentences, nigde often corresponds to English nowhere or anywhere depending on how the English sentence is phrased.
So although English might say I can’t see the bag anywhere, Serbian naturally says Nowhere I don’t see the bag, using negative concord.
Why is it torbu and not torba?