No
No is the most common way to make a sentence negative in Spanish. It is placed before the verb.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| No quiero ir. |
| English Example |
Nunca, Jamás
Nunca and jamás mean never. They are placed after the verb (or after no if it is also used).
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| No voy nunca al cine. |
| English Example |
Nadie
Nadie means nobody or no one. It is typically used as the subject of the sentence and placed after the verb. If the sentence begins with no, nadie remains after the verb.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| No vino nadie. |
| English Example |
Nada
Nada means nothing. It is usually the direct object and placed after the verb. Like nadie, it stays after the verb even if the sentence begins with no.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| No dijo nada. |
| English Example |
Tampoco
Tampoco means neither or not either. It is used to agree with a negative statement and is placed after the verb.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| No me gusta el café. |
| English Example |
Nunca, Nadie, Nada without No
In some cases, nunca, nadie, and nada can appear at the beginning of the sentence to emphasize the negation, and then no is omitted.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Nunca voy allí. |
| English Example |
Summary
- Use no before the verb for simple negation.
- Use nadie (nobody) and nada (nothing) after the verb.
- Use nunca or jamás for never (usually after the verb).
- Use tampoco to mean neither/not either (after the verb).
- You can start a sentence with nunca, nadie, or nada for emphasis and omit no.
- Double negatives (e.g., no... nada, no... nadie) are grammatically correct and common in Spanish.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025