This lesson will focus on negative connecting conjunctions. Just like our positive connecting conjunctions, these words indicate the additive relationship between different parts of a sentence, usually what comes before and after the conjunction:
né = (n)or/(n)either
neppure = (n)either/not even
neanche = (n)either/not even
nemmeno = (n)either/not even
nonché = and also, as well as
Though some of them share the same translation to English, we will elaborate on the contexts in which each of these conjunctions are used.
The conjunctions above, like their positive counterparts, are simple, which means they are formed by one word.
This conjunction also corresponds to the English “(n)either… (n)or” conjunction:
Just like anche, neanche when followed by io can contract with the pronoun and form neanch’io, though this is not required; both forms are grammatically correct.
NB: In addition to playing a role as negative coordinating conjunctions, the conjunctions neanche, neppure and nemmeno are often used to introduce a subordinate concessive clause, lending a negative connotation the main clause in the sentence.
né = (n)or/(n)either
neppure = (n)either/not even
neanche = (n)either/not even
nemmeno = (n)either/not even
nonché = and also, as well as
Though some of them share the same translation to English, we will elaborate on the contexts in which each of these conjunctions are used.
The conjunctions above, like their positive counterparts, are simple, which means they are formed by one word.
Né
The first in our list is né:| Non mi piace sciare né pattinare sul ghiaccio. I don’t like skiing or skating on ice. |
This conjunction also corresponds to the English “(n)either… (n)or” conjunction:
| Daniele non parla né spagnolo né tedesco. Daniele speaks neither Spanish nor German. |
Neppure and Neanche
Neppure and neanche are used to replace anche in negative sentences. These two conjunctions are interchangeable in many cases, though neanche is a bit more common:| La tua amica non è simpatica e neanche/neppure bella. Your friend is not funny, and not even good-looking. Non ho mai rivolto la parola all’attore protagonista e neanche/neppure ho intenzione di farlo. I never spoke to the leading actor and I do not even intend to. |
Just like anche, neanche when followed by io can contract with the pronoun and form neanch’io, though this is not required; both forms are grammatically correct.
Nemmeno
Nemmeno corresponds to the English not even, as follows:| Non solo non gli sorrise, nemmeno lo salutò. Not only did he not smile to him, he did not even greet him. |
NB: In addition to playing a role as negative coordinating conjunctions, the conjunctions neanche, neppure and nemmeno are often used to introduce a subordinate concessive clause, lending a negative connotation the main clause in the sentence.
| Neanche/Neppure/Nemmeno se mi pagassero parteciperei a quella conferenza! Non parteciperei a quella conferenza neanche/neppure/nemmeno se mi pagassero! I wouldn't attend that conference even if they paid me! |
Nonché
Only visually negative is the conjunction nonché, which means: as well as. This conjunction, once typical of bureaucratic jargon, has now been adopted in everyday written Italian, and is often used when listing items to avoid the repetition of the conjunction “e”.| Ho invitato il direttore del museo, il curatore della mostra, alcuni giornalisti, nonché alcuni blogger. I invited the museum’s director, the curator of the exhibition, a few journalists, as well as a number of bloggers. |