nej

nej is a word meaning "no" used as an interjection in several Scandinavian languages. In Danish and Swedish, nej is the standard negation word used in everyday speech and writing. In Norwegian, the corresponding form is nei; nej appears mainly in dialects, historical texts, or in stylistic or emphatic contexts.

As a negation, nej functions to refuse, deny, or reject propositions. It can stand alone as a simple reply or be combined with polite phrases, such as nej tack in Danish and Swedish, meaning "no, thank you." As an exclamation, Nej can express disbelief, hesitation, or strong disagreement, for example when reacting to an unfavourable answer or surprising news.

Pronunciation and spelling are uniform across Danish and Swedish in written form, with regional variation in actual speech. The word is found across modern Danish and Swedish literature, media, and everyday dialogue, as well as in older or regional texts where spellings or pronunciations diverge from the modern standard.

See also: nein (German), nay (archaic English), nei (Norwegian), nej (Danish and Swedish).