neither of us

USAGE SUMMARY

"neither of us" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to refer to two people or things when you want to say that neither of the two has something, does something, or is a certain way. For example: Neither of us had seen the movie before.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Neither of us laughed.

The New York Times - Books

Neither of us could hide.

The New York Times - Magazine

Neither of us could recall.

The New York Times

Neither of us mentioned it.

The New York Times - Travel

"Neither of us can know".

The New Yorker

Neither of us blamed him.

The New Yorker

Neither of us speaks Spanish.

The New York Times

Neither of us spoke Arabic.

The New Yorker

Neither of us wanted to.

The Guardian - Travel

Neither of us had teeth.

The New Yorker

Neither of us speaks.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "neither of us", ensure that the verb agrees with a singular pronoun if the context requires emphasizing each individual's action separately. For example, "Neither of us is going" emphasizes individual decisions.

Common error

Avoid using a plural verb with "neither of us" when the context requires a singular verb to emphasize individual actions. For example, instead of saying "Neither of us are going", say "Neither of us is going" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "neither of us" functions as a pronoun phrase, acting as the subject of a sentence or clause. It indicates that a statement is not true for either of the two people being referred to. This aligns with Ludwig's examples which show how it's used to express a shared lack of something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "neither of us" is a pronoun phrase that is used to indicate that a particular statement applies to neither of two individuals. As Ludwig's AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used. It's a common and versatile phrase found frequently in the News & Media, Wiki, and Formal & Business contexts. It is essential to ensure correct verb agreement when using this phrase. While it is used in several contexts, this structure is most commonly seen in News and Media. Overall, it’s a highly useful and grammatically sound element of the English language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Neither one of us

Adds emphasis by specifying "one" before "of us".

We didn't either

Simplifies the sentence structure while maintaining the core meaning.

None of us two

Replaces "neither" with "none" to emphasize the absence of something among the two people.

Not one of us

Emphasizes the individual absence of something in each person.

Not a single one of us

Strongly emphasizes that no one in the group has the specified attribute.

Both of us didn't

Uses a more direct, though slightly less formal, way of expressing the same meaning.

We both are not

A more literal and slightly less idiomatic expression of the same concept.

We both didn't

Similar to "both of us didn't" but even more direct and informal.

Us two, not

Reorders the phrase for emphasis or a more casual tone.

It wasn't us

Focuses on denying responsibility or involvement for both individuals.

FAQs

How to use "neither of us" in a sentence?

Use "neither of us" to indicate that something is not true for both you and another person. For example, "Neither of us saw the movie" means that neither you nor the other person watched the movie.

What can I say instead of "neither of us"?

You can use alternatives like "none of us two", "not one of us", or "we didn't either" depending on the context and the level of formality you want to convey.

Which is correct, "neither of us is" or "neither of us are"?

While "neither of us is" is generally considered more grammatically correct because it treats "neither" as singular, "neither of us are" is also acceptable in informal contexts, especially in American English. It's safer to use "neither of us is" in formal writing.

What's the difference between "neither of us" and "none of us"?

"Neither of us" refers specifically to two people, while "none of us" refers to three or more people. For example, if you and one other person didn't like the food, you'd say "neither of us liked it". If you and two other people didn't like it, you'd say "none of us liked it".