Either, neither, too, so do I, neither do I etc.

Einmalige Narizsse wrote:

Hi! I've got question... I've heard (in the USA): A: I'm hungry B: I'm either Is it correct? Or I have to say "So am I". What about sentence below: A: I don't know why he did it. B: I don't know either/ Neither do I Or, hmm, A:I hate chemistry B: Neither do I /  I hate either/ Me too And the last one: Jews have their own New Year. And I wanna ask Jew: Do you celebrate "our" New Year too/either? maybe in this case I shouldn't use "too" or "either", either (?) (can I say, maybe in this case neither should I use "too" nor "either"). When should I use "too", "either/neither", "so/neither do I" ??? I know, it's pretty easy, but I got lost. Please help. Regards, EN

Hi E N,

Possibly one or the other of us hasn't been listening intently enough,  because I don't remember hearing "either" used in quite the way you describe it.  We say "either one or the other;   I don't like either of those dresses;  Either you change some of your habits, or we're through!  Which one do you want?  Either/Neither one will work!"   

But in the types of phrases you gave as examples, I believe there always has to be a negative  -  but not a double negative. (I believe Spanish, on the other hand can use a double negative and it stays negative.)

I don't like that song. 

I don't either.  (can't use I don't neither)

Neither do I.  (can't use Neither don't I or So don't I.)

We don't use "either" as an affirmative   -   only "so" and "too."

I like that song.

So do I.

I do too.

We don't use "I do either," or "Either do I."

That's the only problem I see.  It's illogical, for sure,  but although "either" is itself positive, it's only used in negative statements.  OR, in choice statements, as I said above.  For example,  "In cases where you have an either and a do together, you either have to change the either to a neither, or you have to change the do to a don't."

In your very first example, I'm hungry, the replies could be, I'm not,  So am I,  I am too.

In your second example, A. and B. are both fine.

In the third example the problem arises because hate is a positive statement, although you may consider it a negative emotion.  If you said, "I don't like chemistry," then we have a negative statement, and we can bring "either" and "neither" into play.  "Neither do I;  I don't either."  But for "I hate chemistry," it has to be, "So do I:  I do to."

Your fourth example is positive, so you can't use "either."

Einmalige Narizsse wrote:

Hi! I've got question... I've heard (in the USA): A: I'm hungry B: I'm either  Is it correct?  No.  It's not natural either.  Or do I have to say "So am I". It would surprise me tremendously if you'd actually heard a native speaker say "I'm either."  Typical responses for "I'm hungry" would be these: B: I am too. B: So am I. B: Me too. If B were not hungry, then the response might be this, for example: B. I'm not. What about sentence below: A: I don't know why he did it. B: I don't know either/ Neither do I  - Both are OK Or, hmm, A:I hate chemistry B: Neither do I /  I hate either/ Me too "Me too" is OK.  You could also say these: So do I. I do too. And the last one: Jews have their own New Year. And I wanna want to ask a Jew: Do you celebrate "our" New Year too/either? Only "too" is OK in your question.  You would be asking whether the person celebrates "our" New Year in addition to "their" New Year. maybe in this case I shouldn't use "too" or "either", either (?) (can I say, maybe in this case neither should I use "too" nor "either"). When should I use "too", "either/neither", "so/neither do I" ??? Use 'either' with a negated verb like this: A. I don't like chemistry. B. I don't either. (I don't like chemistry either.) 'Neither' has a meaning similar to 'not either', so you would use it like this: A. I don't like chemistry. B. Neither do I. In informal, spoken English you might hear these: A. I don't like chemistry. B. Me either./Me neither. => In this case, both responses would mean the same thing. You should generally use 'so' when the verb is not negated (i.e. the sentences are both affirmative): A. I like chemistry. B. So do I. Use 'too' this way: A. I like chemistry. B. I do too.

Einmalige Narizsse wrote:

Well, so if someone says: "I'm hungry" it isn't possible to hear "I'm either" and "Me either", is it? Not possible. by the way, do I have to always make a question instead of sentence "Or I have to say "So am I". " ? Should it always be "or do  I have to say "So am I" ?" Do I have to say "too"? Or do I have to say "either"? <--- You always need to say it like a question, so you don't leave out "do". In some cases it is possible to leave out the auxiliary verb, usually in fast speech: Are you mad? ---> You mad? Have you seen my keys? ---> You seen my keys? It usually happens in sentences where the subject is "you". In my mother tongue, we don't have to make question (honestly, we do that once in a blue moon) because you can say "are you hungry" or "you're hungry" either. it depends on intonation... Yeah, in my language questions and statements are exactly the same, the only difference is intonation. Is your first language German?