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Spanish · Grammar · A1 to B1

Negation in Spanish: no, nunca, nada, and why no veo nada is correct

Two places for a negative word · pick one
Before the verb · no “no”
NuncanevercomoI-eatcarne.meat
NOON-kah KOH-moh KAR-neh
After the verb · “no” before the verb
NonotcomoI-eatcarnemeatnunca.never
noh KOH-moh KAR-neh NOON-kah
Both mean: “I never eat meat.” Why: Nunca before the verb is enough. Put it after, and no must go in front of the verb.

Short answer: put no directly before the verb: No hablo alemán. If there are object pronouns, no goes before them: No lo sé. Spanish happily uses two negatives together. A negative word like nunca or nada can go before the verb on its own (Nunca como carne), or after the verb, and then no must come before the verb (No como carne nunca). No veo nada, literally “I don’t see nothing”, is standard, correct Spanish.

Where no goes

No lo sé, no me gusta, no te preocupes

No sits right before the verb, with only object pronouns allowed between them. In compound tenses it goes before haber: No he comido.

  1. 1Straight before the verb.
    NonothabloI-speakalemán.German
    noh AH-bloh ah-leh-MAN · “I don’t speak German.”
  2. 2Before object pronouns.
    Nonotloitsé.I-know
    noh loh SEH · “I don’t know.”
  3. 3Before gustar-type pronouns.
    Nonotmeto-megusta.pleases
    noh meh GOOS-tah · “I don’t like it.”
  4. 4Before haber in compound tenses.
    NonotheI-havecomido.eaten
    noh eh koh-MEE-doh · “I haven’t eaten.”
  5. 5Before a negative command.
    Nonotteyourselfpreocupes.worry
    noh teh preh-oh-KOO-pes · “Don’t worry.”
Positive and negative pairs

Algo / nada, alguien / nadie, siempre / nunca

Every negative word has a positive partner. Questions and statements use the positive one; the negative one replaces it with no.

PositiveNegativeExample
algosomethingnadanothingNo quiero nada.no = not · quiero = I-want · nada = nothingnoh KYEH-roh NAH-dah“I don’t want anything.”
alguiensomebodynadienobodyNo conozco a nadie.no = not · conozco = I-know · a = (person marker) · nadie = nobodynoh koh-NOTH-koh ah NAH-dyeh“I don’t know anybody.”
siemprealwaysnuncaneverNo llama nunca.no = not · llama = he-calls · nunca = nevernoh YAH-mah NOON-kah“He never calls.”
tambiénalsotampoconeitherA mí tampoco.a = to · mí = me · tampoco = neitherah MEE tam-POH-koh“Me neither.”
alguno, algúnsomeninguno, ningúnnone, noNo tengo ningún problema.no = not · tengo = I-have · ningún = not-one · problema = problemnoh TEN-goh neen-GOON proh-BLEH-mah“I have no problem at all.”
o… oeither… orni… nineither… norNo bebo ni café ni té.no = not · bebo = I-drink · ni = nor · café = coffee · ni = nor · té = teanoh BEH-boh nee kah-FEH nee TEH“I drink neither coffee nor tea.”
Answering negative questions

¿No vienes? — Sí, sí voy

Spanish has no special word like German doch or French si. Answer the fact: sí if it is true, no if it isn’t, and repeat the verb to be clear.

¿No vienes?Sí.
Sí,yessíyesvoy.I-go
see, see BOY · “Yes, I am coming.”
¿No vienes?No.
No,nononotvoy.I-go
noh, noh BOY · “No, I’m not coming.”
¿No te gusta?Claro que sí.
¡Claroof-courseque sí!that yes
KLAH-roh keh SEE · “Of course I do!”
Saying no with feeling

Para nada, ni hablar, qué va

Keep going

Related guides

Questions →¿No vienes? and other questions. ¿Qué?Object pronouns →No lo sé, no se lo digas. lo, la, leCommands →No + subjunctive for “don’t”. no te preocupesPhrases →Everyday ways to agree and refuse. ¡Qué va!