Negation: simply no

The negation goes before the verb and changes nothing else: No entenc, No hi ha aigua. For example: “No parlo català” — I do not speak Catalan. A rule from the Catalan course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

The negation goes before the verb and changes nothing else: No entenc, No hi ha aigua.

Double negation here is the norm, not a mistake: No sé res — I know nothing, just like the colloquial English "I don't know nothing" — but in Catalan it is the only correct way.

By example

  • No parlo català
    I do not speak Catalan
  • No és lluny
    It is not far
  • No hi ha ningú
    There is nobody

How the rule settles in your head

A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.

Frequently asked

Negation: how does it work in Catalan?

The negation goes before the verb and changes nothing else: No entenc, No hi ha aigua.

What does it look like in an example sentence Catalan?

“No parlo català” — I do not speak Catalan. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

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Test the rule on examplesPractice