If you are unsure whether to write neither or nither, the correct spelling is neither. Nither is a misspelling and is not the standard form used in English.
This confusion is understandable because neither has two common pronunciations, and neither pronunciation makes the spelling especially obvious to someone learning English.
The word also appears in several useful grammatical patterns, including neither…nor, neither of, and the conversational expression me neither.
In this guide, we will look at the correct spelling, meaning, pronunciation, British and American English usage, the difference between neither and either, common grammar mistakes, and practical examples.
Whether you are writing an email, school assignment, business report, or casual message, you will know exactly when and how to use neither.
Quick Answer
The correct spelling is neither.
Nither is an incorrect spelling in standard English.
Correct
- Neither answer is correct.
- Neither restaurant is open.
- She likes neither tea nor coffee.
Incorrect
- ❌ Nither answer is correct.
- ❌ I chose nither option.
A useful way to remember the spelling is to connect neither with either. Both words contain the letter sequence ei.
What Does Neither Mean?
Neither means not one and not the other of two people or things.
It is used when two possibilities are being considered and both are excluded.
For example:
Neither answer is correct.
This means that answer A is not correct and answer B is not correct.
Another example:
Neither restaurant is open.
This tells us that both restaurants are closed.
The word can work as a determiner, pronoun, or adverb, depending on how it is used.
Neither as a Determiner
It can come directly before a singular noun:
Neither candidate received enough votes.
Neither option suits my budget.
Neither as a Pronoun
It can stand on its own:
Which shirt do you prefer?
Neither.
Neither as an Adverb
It can also be used to agree with a negative statement:
“I don’t enjoy horror movies.”
“Me neither.”
These different uses are why understanding the word’s grammar is just as useful as learning its spelling.
What Does Nither Mean?
If you searched for “nither means”, the important point is simple: nither is not the standard spelling of the English word neither.
In ordinary modern English, you should not use nither when you mean “not one or the other.”
For example:
❌ Nither option is available.
✅ Neither option is available.
The mistake usually comes from pronunciation, typing quickly, or remembering the sound without remembering the written form.
Other misspellings, such as niether, can happen for a similar reason. The standard spelling remains neither.
Why Do People Spell Neither as Nither?
English spelling does not always match pronunciation perfectly, and neither is a good example.
The word is commonly pronounced in two ways:
- NEE-thər
- NY-thər
Because the first part can sound different from how it looks, learners sometimes write the word according to the sound they hear.
There is also a natural connection with either, which can create spelling uncertainty. Someone who remembers the pronunciation but not the spelling may type nither without realizing that the standard form contains ei.
Fast typing is another simple reason. When someone is writing quickly, nither can appear as an accidental typo rather than a genuine belief that it is a different English word.
Neither vs Either: What’s the Difference?
Neither and either are closely related, but they express opposite ideas when talking about two choices.
| Word | Basic meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Either | One or the other of two | You can choose either option. |
| Neither | Not one and not the other | Neither option is suitable. |
Consider this example:
You can take either bus.
This means bus A or bus B is acceptable.
Now compare:
You can take neither bus.
This means bus A is not acceptable and bus B is not acceptable.
The same relationship appears in common paired structures:
- either…or
- neither…nor
Understanding this difference makes it much easier to use both words naturally.
How Do You Pronounce Neither?
Neither has two widely accepted pronunciations:
NEE-thər
NY-thər
Neither pronunciation changes the spelling. You should still write neither regardless of how you say it.
Neither Pronunciation in British English
In British English, both NEE-thər and NY-thər can be heard.
The exact pronunciation may vary according to region, accent, and individual preference. Therefore, hearing someone pronounce the word differently does not mean that one spelling is correct and the other is wrong.
Neither Pronunciation in American English
American English also uses both pronunciations.
For an English learner, the most important point is not choosing one pronunciation but remembering the spelling:
neither
The pronunciation can vary; the written form does not.
How to Use Neither…Nor Correctly
One of the most common grammatical patterns is neither…nor.
The structure connects two negative alternatives:
Neither + option A + nor + option B
For example:
Neither John nor Sarah attended the meeting.
This means John did not attend and Sarah did not attend.
More examples include:
- Neither the manager nor the assistant was available.
- She speaks neither French nor Spanish.
- Neither the blue shirt nor the black one fits me.
- Neither explanation seems convincing.
Neither…Nor vs Neither…Or
The standard paired structure is:
neither…nor
Not:
❌ neither…or
For example:
❌ Neither James or David came to the party.
✅ Neither James nor David came to the party.
Remembering the pair either…or and neither…nor can help prevent this mistake.
Neither of: Grammar Rules and Examples
Neither of is used when referring to two people or things.
Examples:
Neither of us was ready.
Neither of them knows the answer.
Neither of the restaurants is open.
Neither of these options works for me.
In formal English, neither of + plural noun/pronoun is commonly followed by a singular verb because neither refers to each of the two individually.
For example:
Neither of the answers is correct.
In everyday English, plural agreement can also be heard, especially when the speaker is thinking about the two people or things as a group. The exact agreement can therefore depend on the construction and style.
For formal writing, especially academic or professional work, keeping the construction clear is the safest approach.
Common Grammar Mistakes With Neither
Spelling is only one possible problem. Several grammar mistakes occur with neither.
Mistake 1: Writing Nither
❌ I like nither choice.
✅ I like neither choice.
Mistake 2: Writing Niether
❌ Niether answer is acceptable.
✅ Neither answer is acceptable.
The letters are reversed in niether, making it another common spelling error.
Mistake 3: Using Neither…Or
❌ Neither Tom or Mike called.
✅ Neither Tom nor Mike called.
Use nor with neither in the standard correlative construction.
Mistake 4: Confusing Neither With Either
❌ I don’t want either of the two options.
This can have a different grammatical interpretation depending on context.
When you specifically mean that both choices are excluded, a clear construction is:
I want neither option.
Mistake 5: Confusing Neither With Nether
Nether is a real English word, but it has a different meaning. It can refer to something lower or beneath.
So:
- neither = not one or the other
- nether = lower or beneath
They should not be treated as spelling variants.
Mistake 6: Creating a Double Negative
Avoid unnecessarily combining neither with another negative expression.
For example:
❌ I don’t like neither option.
A clearer standard construction is:
✅ I like neither option.
Or:
✅ I don’t like either option.
Neither or Nither: Comparison Table
| Feature | Neither | Nither |
|---|---|---|
| Correct spelling | Yes | No |
| Standard English | Yes | No |
| Standard dictionary word for this meaning | Yes | No |
| Used in grammar | Yes | No |
| Used in professional writing | Yes | No |
| Meaning | Not one or the other | No standard meaning as the intended word |
| Example | Neither option works. | ❌ Nither option works. |
The choice is straightforward: use neither.
Neither in Everyday English
The word is common in both formal and informal communication.
Conversations
“Which movie should we watch?”
“Neither. I’m too tired.”
Emails
Neither document has been approved yet.
Business Writing
Neither proposal meets the company’s requirements.
Academic Writing
Neither study provides sufficient evidence for the claim.
Social Media
Neither outfit works for this event.
These examples show that neither is not limited to formal writing. It is a normal part of everyday English.
What Does “Me Neither” Mean?
Me neither is an informal way of agreeing with a negative statement.
For example:
“I don’t like crowded places.”
“Me neither.”
The second speaker means:
“I don’t like crowded places either.”
This expression is especially common in conversation.
Another example:
“I haven’t seen that movie.”
“Me neither.”
It is natural in casual speech, while more formal writing may use neither do I, neither have I, or another complete grammatical construction depending on the sentence.
Neither, Either, Nor, and Or Explained
These four words are closely connected, but they do different jobs.
| Structure | Main function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| either…or | Presents two alternatives | Choose either tea or coffee. |
| neither…nor | Excludes both alternatives | Choose neither tea nor coffee. |
| either | Refers to one of two possibilities | Either answer could work. |
| neither | Refers to neither of two possibilities | Neither answer works. |
| nor | Introduces another negative alternative | He doesn’t call, nor does he text. |
A simple memory trick is:
Either → one of two
Neither → not one of two
And for paired structures:
Either…or
Neither…nor
British English vs American English
There is no British-versus-American spelling difference here.
| Feature | British English | American English |
|---|---|---|
| Correct spelling | Neither | Neither |
| Incorrect spelling | Nither | Nither |
| Pronunciation | NEE-thər / NY-thər | NEE-thər / NY-thər |
| Standard usage | Neither | Neither |
Whether you are writing for a British, American, Canadian, Australian, or international audience, the standard spelling is neither.
The main variation you may notice is pronunciation, not spelling.
Neither or Nither in Modern English Usage
Neither is an established English word used across many forms of communication, from everyday conversation to professional and academic writing.
The spelling nither is best understood as a spelling error. It may appear in search queries, informal posts, messages, or typing mistakes, but that does not make it an accepted alternative spelling.
If you are writing something that other people will read, such as an email, article, assignment, report, résumé, or business document, use neither.
When in doubt, remember the connection between either and neither:
either → neither
The first letters change, but the ei sequence remains.
FAQs
1. Is it neither or nither?
The correct spelling is neither. Nither is a misspelling and should not be used in standard English.
2. Is nither a real word?
Nither is not the standard English word intended when someone means “not one or the other.” Use neither instead.
3. What does neither mean?
Neither means not one and not the other of two people or things.
4. What does nither mean?
In standard English, nither has no ordinary meaning as an alternative spelling of neither. It is generally a spelling mistake.
5. How do you spell neither?
It is spelled N-E-I-T-H-E-R: neither.
6. How do you pronounce neither?
Neither has two common pronunciations: NEE-thər and NY-thər.
7. Is neither pronounced NEE-ther or NY-ther?
Both pronunciations are used in English. Regional accent and personal preference can influence which one a speaker chooses.
8. What is the difference between neither and either?
Either generally refers to one of two possibilities, while neither excludes both.
For example: “Either answer is acceptable” versus “Neither answer is acceptable.”
9. Does neither always go with nor?
When neither is used in the correlative structure, its standard partner is nor, as in neither…nor. However, neither can also be used independently.
10. What does “me neither” mean?
Me neither is an informal expression used to agree with a negative statement. It means that the speaker also does not have or do something.
Conclusion
If you are choosing between neither or nither, there is one clear answer: neither is the correct spelling. Nither is a misspelling and should not be used in standard English.
The confusion usually comes from pronunciation, fast typing, or uncertainty about the ei spelling pattern. Remember that both NEE-thər and NY-thər are common pronunciations, but the written form remains neither.
It is also useful to remember the related grammar patterns. Neither can describe two excluded choices, while either generally presents one of two possibilities. When the words are paired, use neither…nor and either…or.
Whether you are writing an email, completing an assignment, preparing a report, or having a casual conversation, choosing neither will keep your spelling accurate and your meaning clear.
