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Spanish grammar lessons › Level A1 › Negative Words & Constructions

nada, nadie, nunca: the double negative

No … nada, no … nadie, no … nunca, or the negative word first

Part of the free A1 Spanish course. Press the speaker next to an example to hear it.

Three key negative words

You already make a sentence negative with no before the verb (No before the verb). Spanish has other negative words too:

NegativeMeaningPositive opposite
nadanothing, not anythingalgo (something)
nadienobody, not anyonealguien (somebody)
nuncanever, not eversiempre (always)
ni … nineither … noro … o (either … or)

The double negative is correct

In English, "I don't have nothing" is considered wrong. In Spanish it is the normal, correct way to speak. When the negative word comes after the verb, you also need no before the verb:

  • No tengo nada.I don't have anything.
  • No hay nadie en casa.There's nobody at home.
  • No bebo café nunca.I never drink coffee.

Or put the negative word first

If nadie or nunca comes before the verb, you drop no. Never use both in front of the verb.

  • Nadie habla inglés aquí.Nobody speaks English here.
  • Nunca bebo café.I never drink coffee.
  • Mi hermano nunca estudia los domingos.My brother never studies on Sundays.

So there are two patterns: no + verb + negative word, or negative word + verb.

Nadie and alguien are people: personal a

When nadie or alguien is the object of the verb (the person who receives the action), put the personal a in front (The personal a: Veo a María):

  • No veo a nadie.I don't see anyone.

Questions use the positive words

In a normal question, use algo, alguien or siempre. In a short answer, the negative word can stand alone (¿Quién viene? Nadie.):

  • ¿Quieres algo?Do you want something?
  • No quiero nada, gracias.I don't want anything, thanks.
  • ¿Hay alguien en la clase?Is there anyone in the classroom?

Neither … nor

  • No como ni carne ni pescado.I eat neither meat nor fish.

Ningún and ninguna (no, not any) come in Something and nothing: algo, alguien, algún and their negatives. Tampoco (not either) is the next lesson: también and tampoco; a mí también / a mí tampoco.

Common mistakes

  • Tengo nada. → No tengo nada. After the verb, a negative word needs no in front of the verb.
  • Nadie no viene. → Nadie viene. If the negative word comes first, there is no no.
  • No tengo algo. → No tengo nada. In a negative sentence, algo becomes nada (and alguien becomes nadie).
  • No veo nadie. → No veo a nadie. Nadie as an object takes the personal a.
  • Nunca no como carne. → Nunca como carne or No como carne nunca.

Practice

  1. No compro _____.
    I'm not buying anything.
    Show the answer

    nada

  2. _____ trabaja los domingos en esta oficina.
    Nobody works on Sundays in this office.
    Options: Nadie · No nadie · Nada
    Show the answer

    Nadie — With nadie before the verb, no extra no is used.

  3. Mi abuela _____ ve la tele.
    My grandmother never watches TV.
    Options: nunca · no nunca · nada
    Show the answer

    nunca — Nunca before the verb replaces no.

  4. No conozco a _____ en esta ciudad.
    I don't know anyone in this city.
    Show the answer

    nadie — Not anyone in a negative sentence is nadie, with the personal a.

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.
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