Nobody, Nothing: κανένας and τίποτα
κανένας (formal κανείς) and τίποτα are the negative pair, and they behave in a way that surprises English speakers twice over. First, NEGATIVE CONCORD: the word does not carry the negation by itself - the verb still needs δεν. «Δεν ήρθε κανένας» is “nobody came”, literally “didn't come nobody”, and «Δεν ξέρω τίποτα» is “I know nothing”. Dropping the δεν is wrong, not merely emphatic. Second, the SAME words mean “any” in a question or a conditional, where nothing is being negated at all: «Βλέπεις κανέναν;» is “do you see anybody?” and «Θέλεις τίποτα;» is “do you want anything?”. So κανένας is “nobody” beside δεν and “anybody” without it. On the forms: κανένας declines for gender and case (κανένας / καμιά / κανένα, genitive κανενός / καμιάς) but has NO PLURAL - “no one” is singular by definition - and its accusative keeps a final -ν when it stands alone as a pronoun (Δεν βλέπω κανέναν). τίποτα is completely INDECLINABLE, one shape for every job; τίποτε is the same word in a more formal register.
The rule
κανένας (formal κανείς) and τίποτα surprise English speakers twice over. First, negative concord: the word does not carry the negation by itself - the verb still needs δεν. «Δεν ήρθε κανένας» is “nobody came”, literally “didn't come nobody”, and «Δεν ξέρω τίποτα» is “I know nothing”. Dropping the δεν is wrong, not merely emphatic. Second, the same words mean “any” in a question or a conditional, where nothing is being negated at all: «Βλέπεις κανέναν;» is “do you see anybody?”. So κανένας is “nobody” beside δεν and “anybody” without it. On the forms: it declines for gender and case (κανένας / καμιά / κανένα, genitive κανενός / καμιάς) but has no plural - “no one” is singular by definition - and its masculine accusative keeps a final -ν when it stands alone as a pronoun, κανέναν. τίποτα is fully indeclinable; τίποτε is the same word in a more formal register.
Paradigm
| Case | Form |
|---|---|
| Nominative | κανένας† |
| Accusative | κανέναν† |
| Genitive | κανενός |
| Vocative | κανένας† |
- The formal counterpart κανείς is the same cell in a higher register.
- The final -ν is kept when the word stands alone as a pronoun and before a vowel or π/μπ/τ/ντ/κ/γκ; κανένα otherwise.
- This pronoun has no vocative; the cell is set equal to the nominative so the table renders no hole.
| Case | Form |
|---|---|
| Nominative | καμιά† |
| Accusative | καμιά† |
| Genitive | καμιάς† |
| Vocative | καμιά† |
- The paroxytone καμία is the more emphatic / more formal variant.
- Also καμία, and καμιάν/καμίαν before a vowel or a stop.
- Also the more emphatic καμίας.
- This pronoun has no vocative; the cell is set equal to the nominative so the table renders no hole.
| Case | Form |
|---|---|
| Nominative | κανένα† |
| Accusative | κανένα |
| Genitive | κανενός |
| Vocative | κανένα† |
- The shortened κάνα is colloquial and only used before a noun.
- This pronoun has no vocative; the cell is set equal to the nominative so the table renders no hole.