The basic rule
To make an Italian sentence negative, put non directly in front of the conjugated verb. Nothing else changes.
Unlike English, there is no auxiliary do or does and no change in word order. Where English says I do not speak, Italian just puts non in front of the verb.
Non parlo tedesco.
I don't speak German.
Non ho fame.
I'm not hungry.
Non capisco la domanda.
I don't understand the question.
Non è vero!
That's not true!
Where non goes
A spoken subject stands before non, never between non and the verb.
Marco non lavora oggi.
Marco doesn't work today.
Io non bevo caffè.
I don't drink coffee.
If a little word like mi, ti or lo comes before the verb, it stays between non and the verb. The non goes right at the front.
Non lo so.
I don't know.
Non ti capisco.
I don't understand you.
