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Russian grammar - Simple negation

Simple negation

Negation (making a negative statement with 'not') in Russian is straightforward:

-- Simply place the negative particle не before the word you want to negate.

не- can also be attached to words as a prefix to invert the meaning - like 'un' in English.

Examples:
Я не учитель.
I am not a/the teacher.
Она не Ольга.
She is not Olga.
Это не кошка, это собака.
It's not a cat, it's a dog.

кошка means 'female cat'

собака means 'dog'

Это не профессор.
This is not the professor.
Он не ребёнок.
He is not a child.

ребёнок means 'child'

Она не актриса.
She is not an actress.
Я ещё не там.
I am not there yet.

ещё means 'yet' or 'still'.

Они не всегда здесь.
They are not always here.

всегда means 'always'.

Мы не дома.
We are not at home.
Это непонятно.
That is incomprehensible.

не (un) + понятно (clear) ⇒ непонятно

непонятно means 'incomprehensible' or 'not understandable'

Это неверно.
That is incorrect.

не (un) + верно (true) ⇒ неверно

неверно means 'untrue' or 'incorrect'