Learning how to form negative sentences is an essential part of mastering any language. In Bosnian, as in many other languages, negation involves specific rules and structures that can seem daunting at first. However, with a clear understanding and some practice, you can master this aspect of Bosnian grammar. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide on forming negative sentences in Bosnian, complete with examples to illustrate each point.
Basic Structure of Negative Sentences in Bosnian
In Bosnian, the word “ne” is used to negate sentences. It is typically placed before the verb. This rule is quite straightforward, but it’s important to understand how it interacts with different types of verbs and sentence structures.
For example:
– Positive: “Ja volim Bosnu.” (I love Bosnia.)
– Negative: “Ja ne volim Bosnu.” (I do not love Bosnia.)
As you can see, the word “ne” is placed directly before the verb “volim” (love) to form the negative sentence. This basic structure applies to most verbs in Bosnian.
Negating Different Types of Verbs
1. Negating Present Tense Verbs
In the present tense, negation is straightforward. Simply place “ne” before the verb.
Examples:
– Positive: “Ona jede.” (She eats.)
– Negative: “Ona ne jede.” (She does not eat.)
– Positive: “Mi radimo.” (We work.)
– Negative: “Mi ne radimo.” (We do not work.)
2. Negating Past Tense Verbs
Negating past tense verbs follows the same principle: place “ne” before the auxiliary verb “sam/smo/si/su” or before the main verb if there is no auxiliary verb.
Examples:
– Positive: “Ja sam učio.” (I studied.)
– Negative: “Ja nisam učio.” (I did not study.)
– Positive: “Oni su dolazili.” (They came.)
– Negative: “Oni nisu dolazili.” (They did not come.)
Note that “ne” combines with the auxiliary verb “sam” to form “nisam,” “smo” to form “nismo,” “si” to form “nisi,” and “su” to form “nisu.”
3. Negating Future Tense Verbs
In the future tense, negation involves placing “ne” before the auxiliary verb “ću/ćeš/će/ćemo/ćete/će.”
Examples:
– Positive: “Ja ću učiti.” (I will study.)
– Negative: “Ja neću učiti.” (I will not study.)
– Positive: “Ona će govoriti.” (She will speak.)
– Negative: “Ona neće govoriti.” (She will not speak.)
Notice how “ne” combines with “ću” to form “neću,” “ćeš” to form “nećeš,” “će” to form “neće,” etc.
Negating Modal Verbs
Modal verbs in Bosnian, such as “moći” (can), “htjeti” (want), and “morati” (must), also follow the general rule of placing “ne” before the verb.
Examples:
– Positive: “Ja mogu.” (I can.)
– Negative: “Ja ne mogu.” (I cannot.)
– Positive: “On hoće.” (He wants.)
– Negative: “On neće.” (He does not want.)
– Positive: “Mi moramo.” (We must.)
– Negative: “Mi ne moramo.” (We do not have to.)
Negating Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs in Bosnian require a slight modification in negation. In reflexive constructions, the reflexive pronoun “se” remains attached to the verb, and “ne” is placed before the entire verb phrase.
Examples:
– Positive: “Ja se umivam.” (I wash myself.)
– Negative: “Ja se ne umivam.” (I do not wash myself.)
– Positive: “Ona se smije.” (She is laughing.)
– Negative: “Ona se ne smije.” (She is not laughing.)
Negating Imperatives
Imperative sentences are commands or requests. To negate an imperative in Bosnian, place “ne” before the verb.
Examples:
– Positive: “Jedi!” (Eat!)
– Negative: “Ne jedi!” (Do not eat!)
– Positive: “Govori!” (Speak!)
– Negative: “Ne govori!” (Do not speak!)
Special Cases and Exceptions
1. Contracted Forms
In spoken Bosnian, it’s common to contract “ne” with certain verbs. For example, “neću” (I will not), “ne možeš” (you cannot), and “ne znam” (I do not know). These contractions are informal but widely understood.
Examples:
– Positive: “Ja ću doći.” (I will come.)
– Negative: “Ja neću doći.” (I will not come.)
– Positive: “Ti možeš.” (You can.)
– Negative: “Ti ne možeš.” (You cannot.)
– Positive: “Ja znam.” (I know.)
– Negative: “Ja ne znam.” (I do not know.)
2. Double Negation
In Bosnian, double negation is often used for emphasis. This means that both the verb and another element in the sentence are negated.
Examples:
– “Niko ne zna.” (No one knows.)
– “Ništa ne razumijem.” (I do not understand anything.)
– “Nigdje ne idem.” (I am not going anywhere.)
In these sentences, “niko” (no one), “ništa” (nothing), and “nigdje” (nowhere) are already negative, but the verb is also negated with “ne.”
3. Negation in Questions
Negation in questions follows the same rules as in statements. Simply place “ne” before the verb.
Examples:
– Positive: “Da li ti voliš kafu?” (Do you like coffee?)
– Negative: “Da li ti ne voliš kafu?” (Do you not like coffee?)
– Positive: “Da li oni dolaze?” (Are they coming?)
– Negative: “Da li oni ne dolaze?” (Are they not coming?)
Practice Makes Perfect
Learning to form negative sentences in Bosnian might seem complex at first, but with practice, it becomes second nature. Here are some practice exercises to help reinforce what you’ve learned:
1. Convert the following positive sentences into negative sentences:
– “Ona pije vodu.” (She drinks water.)
– “Mi učimo Bosanski jezik.” (We are learning Bosnian language.)
– “On voli čitati knjige.” (He loves reading books.)
– “Ja idem u školu.” (I am going to school.)
– “Oni rade u kancelariji.” (They work in the office.)
2. Convert the following past tense sentences into negative sentences:
– “Ja sam bio u Sarajevu.” (I was in Sarajevo.)
– “Oni su igrali fudbal.” (They played football.)
– “Mi smo večerali.” (We had dinner.)
– “Ona je gledala film.” (She watched a movie.)
– “Ti si kupio novu knjigu.” (You bought a new book.)
3. Convert the following future tense sentences into negative sentences:
– “Ja ću putovati.” (I will travel.)
– “Ona će učiti.” (She will study.)
– “Mi ćemo posjetiti prijatelje.” (We will visit friends.)
– “Oni će igrati košarku.” (They will play basketball.)
– “Ti ćeš kuhati večeru.” (You will cook dinner.)
4. Practice negating modal verbs:
– “On može plivati.” (He can swim.)
– “Ja hoću ići.” (I want to go.)
– “Mi moramo raditi.” (We must work.)
– “Ti možeš voziti.” (You can drive.)
– “Oni hoće jesti.” (They want to eat.)
Conclusion
Understanding how to form negative sentences in Bosnian is crucial for effective communication. By mastering the use of “ne” and becoming familiar with the rules and exceptions, you’ll be well on your way to fluency. Remember to practice regularly and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. Whether you’re negating present, past, or future tense verbs, or dealing with reflexive and modal verbs, the structure remains consistent and logical.
Keep practicing, and don’t hesitate to seek out additional resources or native speakers to help you along your language learning journey. Sretno! (Good luck!)
