nobody / not anybody
Always with nu on the verb. Covers both English "nobody" and "not anybody".
Nu e nimeni acasă.
Nobody is home.
Nu cunosc pe nimeni.
I don't know anybody.
#152 · Pronoun
nimeni
In Romanian, nimeni means “nobody / not anybody”. It’s the #152 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Meaning & Use
Nimeni is "nobody" — the person half of the pair whose thing half is nimic. Rank 152, invariable except for the genitive-dative nimănui. Like every negative word in Romanian it keeps the nu on the verb, and as a direct object it takes pe: Nu văd pe nimeni, "I do not see anybody".
neutralnobody (as a bare answer)
Answering a question with the single word needs no verb, so no nu appears.
— Cine a sunat? — Nimeni.
— Who called? — Nobody.
nobody's (nimănui)
The genitive-dative form, for "to nobody" and "nobody’s".
Nu am spus nimănui.
I didn't tell anybody.
a nobody (as an insult)
With an article it becomes a noun, exactly as in English.
Nu e un nimeni.
He's not a nobody.
Forms you’ll actually hear
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top form cover about 100% of everyday use — learn these first.
nimeni100%
Forms & Contrasts
- Subtype
- negative
| Subject / after a preposition | nimeni | Nu e nimeni. Cu nimeni. |
|---|---|---|
| Direct object | pe nimeni | Nu văd pe nimeni — the pe is obligatory. |
| Genitive-dative | nimănui | Nu am spus nimănui. Also "nobody’s". |
| Positive counterpart | cineva | Used where there is no negation. |
vs. nimic
nimeni is people, nimic is things. Both force nu onto the verb.
Nu văd pe nimeni. / Nu văd nimic.
I see nobody. / I see nothing.
vs. cineva
cineva is the positive "somebody" and takes no nu. Under a negation it must become nimeni.
A venit cineva. / Nu a venit nimeni.
Somebody came. / Nobody came.
vs. niciun / nicio
nimeni stands alone; niciun and nicio go in front of a noun and agree with it.
Nu e nimeni. / Nu e niciun om.
There is nobody. / There is not a single person.
Examples
Nu e nimeni aici.
There is nobody here.
nimeni - The double negative in its plainest form. Both nu and nimeni are required.
Nu am văzut pe nimeni.
I didn't see anybody.
pe nimeni - As a direct object it takes pe, exactly like cine and cineva. Leaving it out is the commonest error here.
Nimeni nu știe.
Nobody knows.
nimeni - When it is the subject and comes first, the verb still carries nu. Fronting does not remove the requirement.
Nu spune nimănui!
Don't tell anybody!
nimănui - The dative nimănui. The negative imperative uses the infinitive form spune, and no clitic doubling is needed.
Nu vorbesc cu nimeni despre asta.
I don't talk to anybody about that.
nimeni - After a preposition no pe is needed — cu already does that job.
Two rules travel together with this word. The verb keeps nu, and as a direct object nimeni takes pe. Nu cunosc pe nimeni is correct; both *Cunosc pe nimeni and *Nu cunosc nimeni are wrong, each for a different reason.