The Italian “NE”

What does the Italian “NE” mean? Can I omit it?

In Italian it has several different meanings. The “NE” is absolutely necessary  and I cannot omit it!

First of all, as you probably know, “NE”  is a pronoun and we used it with quantities (“some”, “any”, “a little” or a number and can also mean “of that or of them”). Careful:  we use it to avoid repeating the name that we have already mentioned therefore you cannot leave it.

E.g.

• Avete degli amici italiani? = Have you got any Italian friends?

No, non ne abbiamo =  No, we haven’t (of them).   Ne replaces “some friends”

• Vorrei un bottiglia d’acqua … ne ha una più piccola? =  I’d like a bottle of water, do you have a smaller one (of it)?   Ne replaces “one/a bottle”
• Luca ha un cane = Luca has a dog

Io ne ho due = I have two of them.   Ne replaces “two dogs”

• Le forchette non bastano, dammene delle altre = There aren’t enough forks, give me some more (of them).  Ne replaces “more forks”
• Vorrei del prosciutto crudo = I’d like some prosciutto

Mi dispiace, non ce n’è più = I’m sorry, there isn’t any left (of it).

• Ho una nuova macchina = I’ve a new car

Ne vorrei una anch’io! = I’d like a new one too (a/one car)

–  Beside “NE” takes  the place of the prepositions “DI” or of  sentence  introduced by “di” = “of”  (even though mostly  it takes the place of “di questo” = “about it”):

• Che ne pensi di Paolo? =  What do you think about Paolo?   (“NE” in this case is what you probably call a redundancy, but in Italian it is absolutely necessary!)
• Ne ho abbastanza di Paolo! =  I’ve had enough of Paolo!
• Ne sono felice = I’m happy about it

– In addition to this, “NE” is used  in some idiomatic phrases.  Here I would like to give you some examples:

• NE vale la pena!  = Be worth it!  (Here the subject is not mentioned and the “ne” refers to it).
• Ho speso molto, ma NE è valsa la pena = I spent a lot, but it was worth it
• Non NE posso più! = I can’t stand it (any longer)
• Chi se NE frega / importa! = Who cares! (verbo pronominale)

– NE and Pronominal verbs (special verbs conjugated with one or two different pronoun particles):

Last but not least “NE” often is used in several verbs named “PRONOMINAL VERBS” where the “NE” can mean “about it,” “any,” “some,” or “from there.”

One of the most useful “pronominal verbs” using “NE” is “ANDARSENE” ( –> andare + SI + NE) in which the reflexive pronoun “SI”  is used to emphasize the concept; “NE” here is an adverb and means “from there.”  It means to go away:

• Vattene! = Go away!
• Ciao, me ne vado = Bye, I’m going away
• Devo andarmene/Me ne devo andare! = I have to get out (of here)!

This pattern can be applied to other verbs,  frequent are:

IMPORTARSENE (–> importare + si + ne) = To not care about

• Non me ne importa = I don’t care (about it).
• Non me ne importa niente = I don’t care at all

FREGARSENE (–> fregare + si + ne)

Fregarsene is very common but unpolite or colloquial, (to be avoided in formal situations)

Fregarsene means  to not give a damn ; not to care about

•  Me ne frego! = I don’t give a damn!