никто vs ничто
nikto vs nichto — nobody vs nothing
Register: neutral
What it really means
Никто means no person, while ничто means no thing or nothing. Both normally require a negative verb in Russian negative concord.
Ничто can sound elevated in set phrases such as Ничто не вечно (“Nothing is eternal”).
Examples in natural speech
Никто не пришёл.
Nobody came.
Я никого не знаю.
I know nobody.
Ничто не изменилось.
Nothing changed.
Я ничего не слышу.
I hear nothing.
Никто ничего не сказал.
Nobody said anything.
Common mistakes
Do not use никто for objects or ничто for people. Do not omit не with a finite verb: никто не знает.
Memory tip
Кто is a person; что is a thing—ни- makes each negative.
Frequently asked questions
What is “nothing” in an object case?
Ничего.
Why is не also present?
Russian uses negative concord.
Can both appear together?
Yes: никто ничего не видел.
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