недей

Bulgarian

Etymology

Fused imperative of не (ne, “negating particle”) +‎ де́я (déja, “to do”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [nɛˈdɛj]

Verb

неде́й • (nedéj)

1. second-person singular imperative of не де́я (ne déja)

Usage notes

Used to give prohibitive orders to a single addressee. Two interchangable constructions are possible:

• недей + да + finite verb in 2p. sg. present tense:

Неде́й да гово́риш глу́пости! ― Nedéj da govóriš glúposti! ― Don't speak nonsense! (literally, “Don't speak fooleries!”) Неде́й да се разсе́йваш! ― Nedéj da se razséjvaš! ― Don't stray away!

• недей + truncated infinitive stem (without the old *-ti ending):

Неде́й ла! ― Nedéj la! ― Don't bark! Неде́й го би! ― Nedéj go bi! ― Don't beat him!

Interjection

неде́й • (nedéj)

1. don't [do that]! (addressed to a single person)

References

• “недей”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “недей”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010