Negative Words in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Master the complete Spanish negative words: no, nunca, tampoco, nadie, nada, ninguno
• Understand the “double negative” rule that’s required in Spanish
• Learn proper word order and placement for negative expressions
• Practice forming negative sentences in different contexts
• Master the nuances between different negative words and their usage

Express Negation Like a Native Speaker

Negative words are essential for saying what isn’t, what doesn’t happen, or who isn’t there. Spanish has a unique approach to negation that often uses “double negatives,” which are not only correct but required! Mastering these will help you express limitations, denials, and absences accurately.

The Complete Negative Words List

Table: Essential Negative Words and Their Uses

Spanish	English	Usage	Example Sentence
No	No, not	Most common negative	No quiero café.
Nunca	Never	For time negation	Nunca voy al cine.
Jamás	Never ever	Stronger than nunca	Jamás lo haré.
Nadie	Nobody, no one	For people negation	Nadie vino a la fiesta.
Nada	Nothing	For things/actions negation	Nada es imposible.
Ninguno/Ninguna	None, no	For quantity negation	Ningún libro es interesante.
Tampoco	Neither, either	Agreement with negation	Yo tampoco voy.
Ni…ni	Neither…nor	Excluding multiple options	Ni estudio ni trabajo.

💡 Grammar Tip: In Spanish, unlike English, using multiple negative words in one sentence is grammatically correct and often required! “No veo a nadie” (I don’t see nobody) is perfect Spanish.

The Double Negative Rule

Spanish requires double (or multiple) negatives when “no” is used with other negative words:

English (Single Negative):	Spanish (Double Negative Required):
I don’t see anybody.	No veo a nadie.
She doesn’t ever study.	Ella no estudia nunca.
We don’t want anything.	No queremos nada.
They don’t have any books.	No tienen ningún libro.

Word Order and Placement

“No” before verb, other negative after:	Other negative before verb, no “no”:
No como nunca carne.	Nunca como carne.
No veo a nadie.	Nadie me ve.
No quiero nada.	Nada me importa.
No tengo ningún dinero.	Ningún problema es difícil.

Ninguno/Ninguna Agreement

Ninguno changes to match the noun it describes:

Masculine	Feminine	Example (Masculine)	Example (Feminine)
ningún (singular)	ninguna (singular)	ningún libro	ninguna casa
ningunos (plural)	ningunas (plural)	ningunos libros	ningunas casas

🔍 Grammar Focus: Before masculine singular nouns, “ninguno” shortens to “ningún.” Use “ninguno” when the noun is omitted: “¿Tienes libros?” “No, no tengo ninguno.”

Ni…ni Constructions

Use “ni…ni” to exclude multiple options:

Structure	Example	Translation
Ni + [option 1] + ni + [option 2]	Ni estudio ni trabajo.	I neither study nor work.
No + verb + ni + [option 1] + ni + [option 2]	No como ni carne ni pescado.	I eat neither meat nor fish.
Ni + negative word	Ni nadie vino.	Not even anybody came.

Putting It All Together: Real Conversations

Conversation 1: Making Plans
Ana: ¿Quieres ir al cine?
Carlos: No puedo. No tengo nada de dinero.
Ana: ¿Nunca tienes dinero?
Carlos: Casi nunca. Y nadie me presta.
Ana: Yo tampoco tengo mucho. Ni tú ni yo tenemos suerte.

Translation:
Ana: Do you want to go to the movies?
Carlos: I can’t. I don’t have any money.
Ana: You never have money?
Carlos: Almost never. And nobody lends me any.
Ana: I don’t have much either. Neither you nor I are lucky.

Conversation 2: Office Discussion
Jefe: ¿Alguien terminó el proyecto?
Empleado: No, nadie lo terminó. Ningún equipo tuvo tiempo.
Jefe: ¿Nada está completo?
Empleado: Ni el informe ni los datos están listos.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using single negatives: “Veo nadie” (wrong) → “No veo a nadie” (correct)
2. Wrong word order: “Nadie no vino” (wrong) → “No vino nadie” (correct)
3. Forgetting “a” with people: “No veo nadie” (wrong) → “No veo a nadie” (correct)
4. Misusing “ninguno”: “Ninguno libro” (wrong) → “Ningún libro” (correct)
5. Translating “either” literally: Use “tampoco” for agreement with negatives

Quick Reference Chart

Situation	Structure	Example
Basic negation	No + verb	No hablo.
People negation	No + verb + a + nadie	No veo a nadie.
Thing negation	No + verb + nada	No quiero nada.
Time negation	No + verb + nunca	No voy nunca.
Quantity negation	No + verb + ningún/ninguna	No tengo ningún dinero.
Agreement	Yo tampoco	“No voy” “Yo tampoco“
Exclusion	Ni + option + ni + option	Ni estudio ni trabajo.

Practice Exercise: Make These Sentences Negative

Make these sentences negative:

1. Veo a alguien. → ______ veo a ______.
2. Siempre estudio. → ______ estudio ______.
3. Tengo algún dinero. → ______ tengo ______ dinero.
4. Alguien vino. → ______ vino ______.

Answers:

1. No veo a nadie.
2. No estudio nunca. (or Nunca estudio)
3. No tengo ningún dinero.
4. No vino nadie. (or Nadie vino)

📚 Build on your knowledge: Review Indefinite Words in Spanish

Ready to Master Negation?

Think you’ve mastered negative words? Test your ability to form correct negative sentences in Spanish!

Take Our Negative Words Quiz ►

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