No problem Vs not problem

Question

? Why do we say "no problem" instead of "not problem"? Please explain it.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

HasibrahmanWhy do we say "no problem" instead of "not problem"?

Well, we do say "not a problem". "No problem" is short for "It is no problem". This is a special use of "no". Look up "no", the adjective, in any dictionary.

CalifJim · Answer

Hasibrahman ? Why do we say "no problem" instead of "not problem"? Please explain it.

"no" works like "a" for singular countable nouns. It can substitute for "a" to create a negation.

There is a problem. / There is no problem.

It's an alternate way of saying these:

There is a problem. / There is not a problem.

So if you use "no", you don't use "a", and if you use "not", you have to use "a".

However, this usage is a bit quirky, and it doesn't always work for every possible countable noun in every context. For example, when 'not a' occurs before an adjective, we don't substitute 'no'. We would say "That's not a good idea", and not "That's no good idea".

The following pairs of sentences are near equivalents, but note that "no" is much more emphatic than "not a", and it represents stronger feelings on the part of the speaker.

The hospital says it can't hold Johnson because he's not a threat to the public.
The hospital says it can't hold Johnson because he's no threat to the public.

Shuttering the government is not a strategy for cutting the budget down to size.
Shuttering the government is no strategy for cutting the budget down to size.

I'm not a fan of Bronski, but I think he's been unfairly treated in the US media.
I'm no fan of Bronski, but I think he's been unfairly treated in the US media.

CJ

No problem Vs not problem

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions