18.1.1
Negation
Just the 'Nada' Bit
Just the 'Nada' Bit
Putting 'no' before a verb makes the phrase negative. 'No hablo inglés' means I don't speak English. 'Nada' is added on to create the meaning of 'nothing' or 'anything'.
'No'
'No'
- Adding 'no' is the most simple way that we can turn a Spanish sentence into a negative. The 'no' will usually come before the verb.
- Me gustan las verduras → No me gustan las verduras.
- I like vegetables → I do not like vegetables.
- Me gustan las verduras → No me gustan las verduras.
- 'No' comes after verbs of belief, hope and desire.
- Creo que no.
- I don't think so.
- Creo que no.
- 'Que no' is used in short answers when there is no need to repeat a previous statement.
'No'
'No'
- No hago ejercicio.
- I don't do exercise.
- No como carne.
- I don't eat meat.
- No bebemos alcohol.
- We don't drink alcohol.
'No' + 'nada'
'No' + 'nada'
- 'Nada' is used with 'no', in a double negation.
- 'No' comes before the verb and 'nada' comes after.
- No queremos hacer nada.
- We don't want to do anything.
- No queremos hacer nada.
- Occasionally 'nada' is used without 'no', but this is a very formal style.
- Nada justifica el terrorismo.
- Nothing justifies terrorism.
- Nada justifica el terrorismo.
'No' + 'nada'
'No' + 'nada'
- No haces nada
- You do nothing.
- No tenemos nada que comer.
- We don't have anything to eat.
- No te gusta nada.
- You like nothing.
Negatives
Negatives
We can describe when something is not there in lots of different ways:
Nadie - no one, nobody
Nadie - no one, nobody
- 'Nadie' is used with 'no', 'nadie' comes after the verb.
- No hay nadie en casa.
- There is no one at home.
- No hay nadie en casa.
- "Nadie' takes an impersonal 'a' when it is the object of the sentence.
- No veo a nadie.
- I cannot see anyone.
- No veo a nadie.
- 'Nadie' can occasionally start a sentence as well, this is the only time it is used without 'no'.
- Nadie quiere salir cuando hace frío.
- Nobody wants to go outside when it is cold.
- Nadie quiere salir cuando hace frío.
Tampoco - neither
Tampoco - neither
- 'Tampoco' can be used by itself before the verb.
- Yo tampoco sé nadar.
- I can't swim either.
- Yo tampoco sé nadar.
- 'Tampoco' can be used after the verb if 'no' comes before the verb.
- María no se gusta correr tampoco.
- Maria doesn't like to run either.
- María no se gusta correr tampoco.
Nunca - never
Nunca - never
- 'Nunca' is used in a double negative construction as well as on its own.
- No he ido nunca al cine.
- I have never been to the cinema.
- Nunca me olvidaré de Argentina.
- I will never forget Argentina.
- No he ido nunca al cine.
- 'Nunca' can also be used with other negatives.
- Nunca he visto a nadie tan alto.
- I have never seen anyone so tall.
- Nunca he visto a nadie tan alto.
Jamás - never
Jamás - never
- 'Jamás' is a close synonym to 'nunca'. It is used less frequently and it is more formal. It has the same uses.
- Jamás quiero volver a Bélgica.
- I never want to return to Belgium.
- Jamás quiero volver a Bélgica.
- 'Jamás' is also used with 'nunca' to form the expression 'nunca jamás', meaning 'never ever'.
- Nunca jamás volveré a Birmingham.
- I will never return to Birmingham.
- Nunca jamás volveré a Birmingham.
Negatives 2
Negatives 2
In Spanish there are different words to express the negative action. The position of them varies. They can be used on their own or in a double negative construction.
Ningún, ninguno/a/os/as - none, not one
Ningún, ninguno/a/os/as - none, not one
- 'Ningún, ninguno' can be used as an adjective.
- No existe ningún problema. (there is no problem).
- 'Ningún, ninguno' can be used as a pronoun and it refers to objects or people.
- It agrees with the gender and person with the nouns that it replace.
- Ninguna de las dos opciones tuvo éxito. (None of the two options were succesful).
Ni...ni - neither...nor
Ni...ni - neither...nor
- 'Ni...ni' can be used in a double negative construction with 'no' or by itself.
- It 'ni' is before the verb then 'no' is usually not needed in modern Spanish.
- Ella no quiere ni agua ni café. (She doesn't want neither water nor coffee).
- E.g. Ni más ni menos. (No more no less).
- 'Ni' is also used with 'siquiera' to mean 'not even'.
- E.g. Ni siquiera tengo un trabajo. (I don't even have a job).
Sino - but rather
Sino - but rather
- 'Sino' is always used in the second part of a negative statement, to correct the previous statement.
- No me gustan las películas de terror sino las películas de comedía. (I don't like horror films but rather comedies).
- When two verbs are conjugated, you must use 'sino que'.
- No juego al fútbol sino que juego al rugby. (I don't play football, but rather I play rugby).
- When 'no sólo' is used, you must use 'sino también'.
- Mi amiga no sólo es simpática sino también guapa. (My friend is not only nice but also beautiful).
Ya no - no longer
Ya no - no longer
- 'Ya no' is used before the verb and it is used by itself.
- Ya no vivimos juntos.
- We no longer live together.
- Ya no vivimos juntos.
1Los valores tradicionales y modernos
1.1Los cambios en la familia
1.2Actitudes hacia el matrimonio/el divorcio
2El ciberespacio
2.1La influencia de internet
2.2Las redes sociales: beneficios y peligros
3La igualdad de los sexos
3.1La mujer en el mercado laboral
3.2El machismo y el feminismo
4La inmigración
4.1Los beneficios y los aspectos negativos
4.2La inmigración en el mundo hispánico
5El racismo
5.1Las actitudes racistas y xenófobas
5.2Las medidas contra el racismo
6La convivencia
6.1La convivencia de culturas
6.2La educación
7La influencia de los ídolos
7.1Cantantes y músicos
7.2Estrellas de televisión y cine
8La identidad regional en España
8.1Tradiciones y costumbres
8.2La gastronomía
9El patrimonio cultural
9.1Sitios turísticos y civilizaciones prehispánicas
9.2Arte y arquitectura
10El Laberinto del Fauno
10.1Temas
10.2Marco histórico
10.3Personajes
11Nouns
11.1Singular & Plural Forms
11.3Affective Suffixes
12Articles
12.1Definite & Indefinite
12.2El with Feminine Nouns
12.3Lo + Adjective
13Adjectives
13.1Agreement
13.2Position
13.3Apocopation
13.4Comparative & Superlative
13.5Use of Adjectives as Nouns
13.6Demonstrative
13.7Indefinite
13.8Possessive
13.9Interrogative & Exclamative
13.10Relative
14Numerals & Quantifiers
14.1Cardinal
14.2Ordinal
14.3Agreement
14.4Expressions of Time and Date
14.5Quantifiers
15Pronouns
15.1Subject
15.2Object: Direct & Indirect
15.3Reflexive
15.4Unstressed & Stressed Forms
15.5Position & Order
15.6Relative
15.7Demonstrative
15.8Indefinite
15.9Possessive
15.10Interrogative
16Verbs
16.1Regular Conjugations
16.2Regular & Irregular Verbs
16.3Agreement of Verb & Subject
16.4Use of Hay Que in All Tenses
16.5Present Tense
16.6Preterite Tense
16.6.1Irregular IR Verbs - Decir, Venir & Ir
16.6.2Irregular ER Verbs 2
16.6.3Irregular AR Verbs
16.6.4Regular IR Verbs
16.6.5Irregular AR Verbs 2
16.6.6Irregular IR Verbs 3
16.6.7Regular ER Verbs
16.6.8Irregular ER Verbs
16.6.9Irregular IR Verbs - Preterite
16.6.10Regular AR Verbs
16.6.11Irregular ER Verbs - Ver & Tener
16.7Imperfect Tense
16.8Future Tense
16.9Conditional Tense
16.10Perfect Tense
16.11Future Perfect Tense
16.12Conditional Perfect Tense
16.13Pluperfect Tense
16.14Infinitive, Gerund & Past Participle
16.15Verbal Paraphrases
16.16Use of the Subjunctive
16.17Commands
16.18Conditional Sentences
16.19After Conjunctions of Time
16.20After Para Que, Sin Que
16.21In Relative Clauses
16.22After Other Subordinating Conjunctions
16.23With Verbs of Wishing & Commanding
16.24Sequence of Tense in Indirect Speech
16.25Voice
16.26Use of the Reflexives as a Passive
16.27Use of the Reflexive to Express an Impersonal
16.28Use of Ser + Past Participle
16.29Use of Estar + Past Participle
16.30'Nuance' Reflexive Verbs
16.31Modes of Address
16.32Constructions with Verbs
16.33Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
17Prepositions & Conjunctions
17.1All Prepositions
17.2'Personal' a
17.3Discrimination of Por and Para
17.4Coordinating Conjunctions
17.5Subordinating Conjunctions
17.6Use of Que to Introduce a Clause
18Negation, Questions & Commands
18.1Negation
19Word Order, Other Constructions & Discourse Marker
19.1Subject Following Verb
19.2Focalisation
19.3Time Expressions with Hace/Hacía
19.4Cleft Sentences
19.5Comparative Constructions
19.6Indirect Speech
19.7Discourse Markers
Jump to other topics
1Los valores tradicionales y modernos
1.1Los cambios en la familia
1.2Actitudes hacia el matrimonio/el divorcio
2El ciberespacio
2.1La influencia de internet
2.2Las redes sociales: beneficios y peligros
3La igualdad de los sexos
3.1La mujer en el mercado laboral
3.2El machismo y el feminismo
4La inmigración
4.1Los beneficios y los aspectos negativos
4.2La inmigración en el mundo hispánico
5El racismo
5.1Las actitudes racistas y xenófobas
5.2Las medidas contra el racismo
6La convivencia
6.1La convivencia de culturas
6.2La educación
7La influencia de los ídolos
7.1Cantantes y músicos
7.2Estrellas de televisión y cine
8La identidad regional en España
8.1Tradiciones y costumbres
8.2La gastronomía
9El patrimonio cultural
9.1Sitios turísticos y civilizaciones prehispánicas
9.2Arte y arquitectura
10El Laberinto del Fauno
10.1Temas
10.2Marco histórico
10.3Personajes
11Nouns
11.1Singular & Plural Forms
11.3Affective Suffixes
12Articles
12.1Definite & Indefinite
12.2El with Feminine Nouns
12.3Lo + Adjective
13Adjectives
13.1Agreement
13.2Position
13.3Apocopation
13.4Comparative & Superlative
13.5Use of Adjectives as Nouns
13.6Demonstrative
13.7Indefinite
13.8Possessive
13.9Interrogative & Exclamative
13.10Relative
14Numerals & Quantifiers
14.1Cardinal
14.2Ordinal
14.3Agreement
14.4Expressions of Time and Date
14.5Quantifiers
15Pronouns
15.1Subject
15.2Object: Direct & Indirect
15.3Reflexive
15.4Unstressed & Stressed Forms
15.5Position & Order
15.6Relative
15.7Demonstrative
15.8Indefinite
15.9Possessive
15.10Interrogative
16Verbs
16.1Regular Conjugations
16.2Regular & Irregular Verbs
16.3Agreement of Verb & Subject
16.4Use of Hay Que in All Tenses
16.5Present Tense
16.6Preterite Tense
16.6.1Irregular IR Verbs - Decir, Venir & Ir
16.6.2Irregular ER Verbs 2
16.6.3Irregular AR Verbs
16.6.4Regular IR Verbs
16.6.5Irregular AR Verbs 2
16.6.6Irregular IR Verbs 3
16.6.7Regular ER Verbs
16.6.8Irregular ER Verbs
16.6.9Irregular IR Verbs - Preterite
16.6.10Regular AR Verbs
16.6.11Irregular ER Verbs - Ver & Tener
16.7Imperfect Tense
16.8Future Tense
16.9Conditional Tense
16.10Perfect Tense
16.11Future Perfect Tense
16.12Conditional Perfect Tense
16.13Pluperfect Tense
16.14Infinitive, Gerund & Past Participle
16.15Verbal Paraphrases
16.16Use of the Subjunctive
16.17Commands
16.18Conditional Sentences
16.19After Conjunctions of Time
16.20After Para Que, Sin Que
16.21In Relative Clauses
16.22After Other Subordinating Conjunctions
16.23With Verbs of Wishing & Commanding
16.24Sequence of Tense in Indirect Speech
16.25Voice
16.26Use of the Reflexives as a Passive
16.27Use of the Reflexive to Express an Impersonal
16.28Use of Ser + Past Participle
16.29Use of Estar + Past Participle
16.30'Nuance' Reflexive Verbs
16.31Modes of Address
16.32Constructions with Verbs
16.33Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
17Prepositions & Conjunctions
17.1All Prepositions
17.2'Personal' a
17.3Discrimination of Por and Para
17.4Coordinating Conjunctions
17.5Subordinating Conjunctions
17.6Use of Que to Introduce a Clause
18Negation, Questions & Commands
18.1Negation
19Word Order, Other Constructions & Discourse Marker
19.1Subject Following Verb
19.2Focalisation
19.3Time Expressions with Hace/Hacía
19.4Cleft Sentences
19.5Comparative Constructions
19.6Indirect Speech
19.7Discourse Markers
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered