Nefiind

Nefiind is a Romanian negative gerund form of the verb a fi. It literally means “not being” and is used to express a circumstance or condition that accompanies the main clause. The form is formed by adding the negative prefix ne- to the gerund of a fi, fiind, resulting in nefiind.

In practice, nefiind appears most often in formal, literary, or historical texts. It can introduce clauses that explain a reason, condition, or concession for the action in the main clause. It is less common in everyday speech, where speakers typically use alternatives such as a causal clause with deoarece nu, sau alte constructions to convey the same idea.

Examples include:

- Nefiind de acord cu propunerea, a refuzat să participe. (Not being in agreement with the proposal, he refused to participate.)

- Nefiind pregătiți, nu au putut răspunde imediat. (Not being prepared, they could not respond immediately.)

- Nefiind siguri de rezultat, au cerut mai mult timp. (Not being sure of the outcome, they asked for more time.)

Grammatically, nefiind introduces a dependent clause whose action is simultaneous with or prior to the main clause, much like other gerund constructions in Romanian. Its use can give a formal tone and might be considered archaic or literary in contemporary speech. When clarity or immediacy is preferred, writers often replace it with more common conjunctions or subordinate clauses.