mai
never
adverb MAH-ee Common
Origin: From Latin magis (more) via Vulgar Latin.
Also means
ever
Usage Note
Mai means 'never' when paired with non: non mangio mai carne = I never eat meat. Without non, it means 'ever': hai mai visto questo film? = have you ever seen this film? This double function is a classic false-friend trap for English speakers who expect 'never' to always require a negative marker.
Examples
"Non ho mai visitato Venezia."
Natural Translation
I have never visited Venice.
Literal Translation
Not I-have never visited Venice.
Related Words
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