nego

Nego is a term that appears primarily as a verb form in Romance languages, especially Italian and Portuguese, and has limited use as a standalone word outside these languages.

Etymology and meaning

The form nego derives from Latin negare, meaning to deny or refuse. In both Italian and Portuguese, nego expresses denial or refusal in the first-person singular present tense, with corresponding forms in other persons and tenses used to convey negation or rejection.

In Italian

In Italian, nego is the first-person singular present indicative of negare (“to deny”). It is used with direct objects to express denial of statements or accusations. Examples include io nego l’accusa (I deny the accusation). The full present tense forms are: io nego, tu neghi, lui/lei nega, noi neghiamo, voi negate, loro negano. The phrase non nego is common in discourse to emphasize denial.

In Portuguese

In Portuguese, eu nego means “I deny.” It functions similarly to the Italian form, with a full set of conjugations: eu nego, tu negas, ele/ela nega, nós negamos, vós negais, eles/elas negam. The term appears in formal or legal contexts as well as everyday speech.

Other uses

Outside as a verb form, nego may appear as a nickname or shorthand in some cultural contexts, particularly among speakers of Portuguese or Italian. It is not a widely used noun or fixed term beyond its role as a verb conjugation in these languages.

See also

Negation, negare.