Spanish Grammar - Affirmatives And Negatives

Beginning Spanish: A basic course in the Spanish language


 
As in other languages, Spanish has several affirmative and negative words and phrases, several of which are included in the table below.
 

Spanish affirmatives and negatives

alguien
someone, somebody

alguno (-a, -os, -as)
some one, some

algo
something

siempre
always

a veces
sometimes, at times

también
also

o ... o
either ... or
nadie
no one, nobody

ninguno (a)
none, not one, not any

nada
nothing, not anything

nunca
never, not ever

jamás
never

tampoco
neither, not either

ni ... ni
neither ... nor


Note: To express a negative in the Spanish language, the verb is either preceded by the word no followed by the longer negative word, or it is preceded by the longer negative word alone.

Note: Ninguno has no plural form. When used before a masculine singular noun, alguno and ninguno become algún and ningún.


Examples:

    Nadie vio la película.
    No one saw the movie.

    No vi a nadie en el teatro.
    I didn't see anyone in the theater.

    No trabajo nunca los domingos.
    I never work on Sundays.

    ¡No digas nada a nadie!
    Don't say anything to anyone!

    Nadie dice nada.
    Nobody is saying anything.

    Hay alguien en la casa.
    There is someone in the house.

    Hay algo muy interesante en la mesa.
    There is something very interesting on the table.

    Tengo algunos libros nuevos.
    I have some new books.

    No tenemos tiempo.
    We don't have time.

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