non

Definition & meaning

Non means “not.” It negates a verb or another part of a sentence:

• Non parlo italiano. — I do not speak Italian.
• È non fumatore. — He is a non-smoker.

In some constructions, it does not translate directly as “not”:

• Non appena arriva, partiamo. — As soon as they arrive, we leave.

Grammar & Word origin

Non is an invariable adverb, usually placed immediately before the verb. With compound tenses, it comes before the auxiliary: non ho visto means “I did not see.”

In standard Italian, a negative word after the verb usually accompanies non, as in non vedo nessuno (“I don’t see anyone”).

It comes from Latin nōn, meaning “not.”

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no exact all-purpose synonym or antonym for non.

• mai ↗ means “never,” rather than simply “not.”
• no ↗ means “no” and generally stands alone as an answer, unlike non, which modifies another word or phrase.
• sì ↗ means “yes” and can contrast with no, though it is not a direct grammatical antonym of non.

Common phrases & collocations

• non c’è ↗ — “there isn’t” or “there’s no.”
• non importa ↗ — “it doesn’t matter.”
• non solo… ma anche ↗ — “not only… but also.”
• non appena ↗ — “as soon as.”