11.2.3

Just the 'Nada' Bit

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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 to make a sentence negative in Spanish. 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.
  • 'No' comes after verbs of belief, hope and desire.
    • Creo que no.
      • I don't think so.
  • '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.
  • Occasionally 'nada' is used without 'no', but this is a very formal style.
    • Nada justifica el terrorismo.
      • Nothing justifies terrorism.
'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.
Jump to other topics
1

The Basics

2

Everyday Activities

3

Personal & Social Life

4

The World Around Us

5

The World of Work

6

The International World

7

Listening

7.1

Time Expressions - Listening

7.2

The Human Body & Health - Listening

7.3

Food & Drink - Listening

7.4

Travel & Transport - Listening

7.5

Self, Family & Friends - Listening

7.6

In the Home - Listening

7.7

Colours - Listening

7.8

Clothes & Accesories - Listening

7.9

Leisure Time - Listening

7.10

People & Places - Listening

7.11

The Environment - Listening

7.12

Communications & Technology - Listening

7.13

The Built Environment - Listening

7.14

Measurements - Listening

7.15

Materials - Listening

7.16

The World of Work - Listening

7.17

Culture, Customs, Faith & Celebrations

8

Common Tenses

8.1

Present Tense

8.2

Preterite Tense

8.3

Imperfect Tense

8.4

Preterite vs Imperfect Tenses

8.5

Future Tense

9

Important Verbs

10

Advanced Tenses

10.1

Future

10.2

Conditional

10.3

Continuous Tenses

10.4

Perfect Tense

10.5

Passive

10.6

Present Subjunctive

10.7

Imperfect Subjunctive

10.8

Imperative

11

Extra Grammar

11.1

Articles

11.2

Negatives

11.3

Nouns

11.4

Asking Questions

11.5

Adjectives

11.6

Adverbs

11.7

Conjunctions

11.8

Pronouns

11.9

Prepositions

11.10

Verbs

11.11

Comparisons & Superlative

11.12

Numbers, Expressions of Quantity, Dates & Times

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