Learn Romanian: El nu are absolut nicio scuză.

El nu are absolut nicio scuză.

He has absolutely no excuse.

Breakdown of El nu are absolut nicio scuză.

absolutely (completely) / absolute

Questions & Answers about El nu are absolut nicio scuză.

Why is it nicio here instead of niciun?

Nicio is the feminine singular form meaning no or not any. It must agree with the noun it modifies, which in this case is the feminine noun scuză. If the noun were masculine or neuter, you would use niciun.

Why do we use both nu and nicio? Doesn't that create a double negative?

Yes, and double negation is mandatory in Romanian! Whenever you use a negative adjective like nicio, the verb must also be made negative with nu. Even though it translates literally as he doesn't have no excuse, it is the only grammatically correct way to say he has no excuse.

Why is absolut placed directly before nicio?

Adverbs like absolut often sit right in front of the word they are emphasizing. Placing it directly before nicio strengthens the negation, perfectly mirroring the English structure absolutely no.

Is nicio always written as a single word?

Yes, when it acts as an adjective meaning no or not any before a noun, it is always written as one word. You will only see it written as two words, nici o, when a speaker specifically means neither one, such as when counting or contrasting.