NEGATION – ОТРИЦАНИЕ

 

In English, you can form a negative statement from an affirmative one:

1.By using the auxiliary verb to do:

You write a letter.

You don’t write a letter.

He studies Bulgarian.

He doesn’t study Bulgarian.

Or

2.By adding the particle not:

I am happy.

I am not happy.

She has lots of friends.

She hasn’t got any friends.
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In Bulgarian, to form a negative statement from an affirmative one it is necessary to put the negative particle “не” between the subject pronoun (or the noun) and the verb.

Ти пишеш писмо. You write a letter.
Ти не пишеш писмо. You don’t write a letter.
   
Той учи български. He studies Bulgarian.
Той не учи български. He doesn’t study Bulgarian.
   
Аз съм щастлив. I am happy.
Аз не съм щастлив. I am not happy.
   
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When the answer to a question is negative, the word "no" usually appears twice.


Искаш ли бира?

Do you want a beer?

Не, не искам.

I don’t.

Well, this example is not very realistic :-), but shows the scheme of forming the negative sentence in Bulgarian.
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Here’s a list of some affirmative words and their negative counterparts:

нещо something, anything нищо nothing
някого somebody, anybody никого nobody, anybody
някой somebody, anybody никой nobody, anybody
някога sometimes никога never

Examples:

Знаеш ли нещо за Мария?

Do you know anything about Maria?

Не, не зная нищо.

I don’t know anything.

The difference between някой and някого (respectively никой and никого) is that някой and никой are used when they stand for a subject in the sentence. Някого and никого are used when they stand for a complement in the sentence.

For example:

Някой е оставил съобщение на телефонния секретар.

Somebody has left a message on the answering machine.

Някой (somebody) does the action, so it is the subject of the sentence.

Никой не те е търсил докато беше навън.

Nobody has asked for you while you were out.

Никой (nobody) does the action, so it is the subject of the sentence.

Ти познаваш ли някого в Англия?

Do you know anybody in England.

Ти (you) does the action, so it is the subject of the sentence. Някого (anybody) is a direct complement.

Не, не познавам никого .

I don’t know anybody.

Аз (I) does the action, so it is the subject of the sentence. Никого (anybody) is a direct complement.
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Attention: In English the double negatives are not acceptable.

You don’t say:

I don’t see nobody.

but

I don’t see anybody.

In Bulgarian it is correct to say:

Не виждам никого.

I don't see anybody.

Никога не съм бил в Япония.

I have never been in Japan.

 

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