ない

Contents

JapaneseEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Old Japanese. The adjectivizing suffix appears to derive ultimately from ancient copula or stative verb ぬ ‎(nu).

SuffixEdit

ない ‎(romaji -nai)

1. used to form derivative -i adjectives from other terms: having that quality, having that state; very much that quality or state

   切 (せつ)ない、幼 (いと)けない、ぎこちない

   setsunai, itokenai, gikochinai

   very moving, really young of manner, having clumsiness

Derived termsEdit

Derived terms

危 (あぶ)ない ‎(abunai): dangerous 幼 (いと)けない ‎(itokenai), 稚 (いとけな)い ‎(itokenai): young; immature, childish ぎこちない ‎(gikochinai): clumsy, awkward 切 (せつ)ない ‎(setsunai): very moving, especially in a sad or poignant way; painful in an emotional way; hard to breathe, especially from strong emotions はしたない ‎(hashitanai): low, vulgar, rude

Etymology 2Edit

From the attributive form of the Early Middle Japanese adjective nashi: /naki/ > /nai/, with the medial /-k-/ falling out.

AdjectiveEdit

ない ‎(-i inflection, romaji nai)

1. not, there is no, lack

   スプーンが無 (な)い。

   Supūn ga nai.

   There is no spoon.

Usage notesEdit

In public speech and written language, irregular expressions ありません ‎(arimasen) and ありませんでした ‎(arimasendeshita) (past) are recommended instead of ないです and なかったです.

Alternative formsEdit

• 無い

InflectionEdit

Inflection of "ない"

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	なかろ	nakaro
Continuative (連用形)	なく	naku
Terminal (終止形)	ない	nai
Attributive (連体形)	ない	nai
Hypothetical (仮定形)	なけれ	nakere
Imperative (命令形)	なかれ	nakare
Key constructions
Informal negative	なくない	naku nai
Informal past	なかった	nakatta
Informal negative past	なくなかった	naku nakatta
Formal	ないです	nai desu
Formal negative	なくないです	naku nai desu
Formal past	なかったです	nakatta desu
Formal negative past	なくなかったです	naku nakatta desu
Conjunctive	なくて	nakute
Conditional	なければ	nakereba
Provisional	なかったら	nakattara
Volitional	なかろう	nakarō
Adverbial	なく	naku
Degree	なさ	nasa

Etymology 3Edit

First appears in texts from the late Muromachi period as an eastern-dialect term. Sometimes described as related to ancient eastern-dialect negative ending なふ ‎(nafu), but there is a sizable gap of time between the apparent disappearance of nafu and the emergence of nai.

That said, both nafu and nai probably derive ultimately from ancient copula or stative verb ぬ ‎(nu), with the negative sense originating from the 未然形 ‎(mizenkei, “irrealis or incomplete form”) of the verb stem, to which these endings attach.

The nai ending conjugates as a regular -i adjective just like the adjective nai in modern Japanese, but the ending conjugation is originally different from the adjective. In the Edo period, the ending conjugated irregularly, including nanda instead of modern nakatta (past), and naikereba instead of modern nakereba (conditional).

SuffixEdit

ない ‎(romaji -nai)

1. (auxiliary) not, don't

   学校 (がっこう)に行 (い)かない。

   Gakkō ni ikanai.

   I don't go to school.

Usage notesEdit

Generally, ません ‎(masen) and ませんでした ‎(masendeshita) (past) are recommended for formal negative endings instead of ないです and なかったです.

SynonymsEdit

• (rare, archaic) ぬ ‎(nu)
• (very casual, also archaic, also dialectal) ん ‎(n)
• (Kansai) へん ‎(hen)

InflectionEdit

Inflection of "ない"

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	なかろ	nakaro
Continuative (連用形)	なく	naku
Terminal (終止形)	ない	nai
Attributive (連体形)	ない	nai
Hypothetical (仮定形)	なけれ	nakere
Imperative (命令形)	なかれ	nakare
Key constructions
Informal negative	なくない	naku nai
Informal past	なかった	nakatta
Informal negative past	なくなかった	naku nakatta
Formal	ないです	nai desu
Formal negative	なくないです	naku nai desu
Formal past	なかったです	nakatta desu
Formal negative past	なくなかったです	naku nakatta desu
Conjunctive	なくて	nakute
Conditional	なければ	nakereba
Provisional	なかったら	nakattara
Volitional	なかろう	nakarō
Adverbial	なく	naku
Degree	なさ	nasa

ReferencesEdit