nikdo

Nikdo is a Czech indefinite pronoun meaning "nobody" or "no one." It is used to refer to an unspecified person in negative contexts and commonly functions as the subject of a sentence or as the object of a negated clause.

Etymology and related forms: Nikdo is formed from the negative element ni- (a historical negation) together with kdo (who). It is related to other negative expressions in Czech such as nic (nothing), nikde (nowhere), and nikdy (never). The word is a staple of everyday Czech and contrasts with positive forms like kdokoliv (anyone) or kdokoliv (whoever).

Usage notes: In standard Czech, nikdo appears with negated verbs: for example, "Nikdo nepřijde" (Nobody will come / No one is coming). It can be broadened with modifiers for emphasis, such as "nikdo vůbec" (absolutely nobody) or used in phrases like "nikdo z nás" (none of us). While it commonly acts as the subject, it can also function in other syntactic positions depending on the sentence structure.

Examples:

- Nikdo mě neviděl. (Nobody saw me.)

- Z nás nikdo neunikl. (None of us escaped.)

- Nikdo z café zákazníků nepřinesl objednávku. (Nobody of the café customers brought the order.)

See also: related negative forms such as nikde, nikdy, and comparative pronouns like kdokoliv, kdokoliv for contrasts in meaning and usage.

This article provides a concise overview of nikdo as a fundamental Czech pronoun used to denote the absence of any person in negated contexts.