262 Unit 18: Равнопра�вие
Не�кого, не�чего
These words originate from нет кого and нет чего meaning ‘there is
no one’ and ‘there is nothing’: Не�кого приглаша�ть ‘There is no one to
invite’; Не�чего де�лать ‘There is nothing to do’.
Note how the dative is used with these words: Нам не�кого
приглаша�ть ‘There is no one for us to invite/We have no one to invite’;
Ему� не�чего де�лать ‘There is nothing for him to do/He has nothing to do’.
Не�кого and не�чего are used in this way in all cases apart
from the nominative: Ему� не�чем интереcова�ться ‘There is noth-
ing for him to be interested in’ (не�чем is instrumental because of
интересова�ться). Вам не�кому писа�ть ‘There is no one for you to
write to/You have no one to write to’ (не�кому is dative after писа�ть
‘write to’).
If не�кого and не�чего are used with a preposition, it comes between
the не and the rest of the word: Им не� о чём говори�ть ‘There is noth-
ing for them to talk about/They have nothing to talk about’; Ей не� с кем
говори�ть ‘There is no one for her to talk to/She has no one to talk to’;
Ему� не� на что наде�яться ‘There is nothing for him to rely on/Het has
nothing to rely on’.
Note that the form не�что is only used with prepositions taking the
accusative. At other times, e.g. for the direct object of a verb, не�чего is
used as the accusative: Ему� не�чего де�лать ‘There is nothing for him
to do/He has nothing to do’.
Unlike никто�, ничто� etc., не�кого, не�чего etc., are not used with
a negative verb.
Contrast: Они� ни о чём не говоря�т ‘They are not talking about
anything’ with Им не� о чём говори�ть ‘There is nothing for them to
talk about/They have nothing to talk about’; Она� ни с кем не говори�т
‘She does not talk to anyone’ with Ей не� с кем говори�ть ‘There is no
one for her to talk to/She has no one to talk to’ Вы никому� не пи�шете
‘You do not write to anyone’ with Вам не�кому писа�ть ‘There is no
one for you to write to/You have no one to write to’; Мы никого� не
приглаша�ем ‘We do not invite anyone’ with Нам не�кого приглаша�ть
‘There is no one for us to invite/We have no one to invite’.
To use не�кого, не�чего etc., in the past tense, add бы�ло, and in
the future tense, add бу�дет: Вам не�кому бу�дет писа�ть ‘There will
be no one for you to to write to/You will have no one to write to’; Нам
не�кого бы�ло приглаша�ть ‘There was no one for us to invite/We had
no one to invite’.