Nem… Nem… in Portuguese: Say “Neither… Nor…” Clearly
Nem… nem… links two alternatives that do not apply, from foods you avoid to places you do not know.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Nem means neither or nor in a paired construction. Use it before each item you exclude: não tomo nem café nem chá (I drink neither coffee nor tea).
Link two excluded nouns
Keep the two items in the same role in the sentence. Parallel examples are easier to follow and make clear what the speaker excludes.
Hoje não tenho nem tempo nem energia.
Today I have neither time nor energy.
Ela não come nem carne nem peixe.
She eats neither meat nor fish.
Use the pair with actions or places
Nem… nem… can connect two actions or destinations. Keep verb forms parallel when possible: não quero sair nem ficar em casa (I don’t want to go out or stay home).
Brazilian speakers also use nem to mean not even in other patterns. The paired meaning comes from the repeated construction and alternatives it connects.
A gente não visitou nem o museu nem o mercado.
We visited neither the museum nor the market.
Ele não ligou nem mandou mensagem.
He neither called nor sent a message.
Notice where the negative appears
A sentence can begin with não and then use nem for each alternative. In another construction, nem itself carries negative force, as in nem eu (me neither). Learn the whole pattern instead of adding negative words mechanically.
A short nem eu is a natural reply to a negative statement: ‘Não gosto de acordar cedo.’ ‘Nem eu.’
Não conheço nem o bairro nem a estação.
I know neither the neighborhood nor the station.
— Não vi o final. — Nem eu.
— I didn’t see the ending. — Me neither.
Put it into practice
Repeat nem before the alternatives you exclude. Keep items parallel and learn nem eu as a natural short reply.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Today I have neither time nor energy”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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