A. NUNCA, NADA, NADIE
nunca una vez a veces muchas veces siempre | never once sometimes often always | nada algo cualquier cosa todo | nothing something anything everything | nadie alguien cualquiera todo el mundo | nobody somebody anybody everybody |
• Negative pronouns and adverbs may precede the verb; but if they follow, a negative particle (usually “no”) must precede:
Nadie estudia geología. Nunca salimos. No quiero nada. Aquí no hay nadie. Nadie viene nunca. | Nobody studies geology. We never go out. I want nothing. There is no one here. Nobody ever comes. |
• Negatives do not cancel each other in Spanish:
Nunca mando nada a nadie. No tengo dinero ni trabajo. No queremos nada. | I never send anything to anyone. I do not have money or a job. We want nothing (we don't want anything). |
• Spanish does not usually express "any" or "a" in negative expressions such as:
I don't have any idea(s) - no tengo idea(s) or
I don't need a car - no necesito coche.
I don't have any idea(s) - no tengo idea(s) or
I don't need a car - no necesito coche.
B. NINGÚN, ALGÚN, CUALQUIER
Ningún tema es bueno. No topic is good. | Algunos temas son buenos. Some topics are good. | Cualquier tema es bueno. Any topic is good |
Ninguno/a (none, no) shortens to ningún before a masculine, singular noun. When it follows the verb, a double negative is required:
No hay ningún problema. ¿Tenéis amigos? No tenemos ninguno. Ninguna sociedad es perfecta. | There is no problem. Do you have any friends?We have none. No society is perfect. |
Ninguno/a is never used with plural nouns (with some unimportant exceptions):
No tienen ningún pariente = No tienen parientes. No hay ninguna dificultad = No hay dificultades. | They have no relatives. There are no difficulties. |
Alguno/a (some, any) shortens to algún before a masculine, singular noun, and varies in gender and number according to the noun it refers to: alguno, alguna, algunos, algunas:
¿Hay algún museo en la ciudad? Necesito un taxi. ¿Ve Ud. alguno? Algunas sociedades son muy estrictas. | Is there any museum in the city? I need a taxi. Do you see any? Some societies are very strict. |
Cualquiera (any at all) shortens to cualquier before any noun, and normally occurs in the singular:
Llámenme si hay cualquier problema. Necesito un taxi. ¡Cualquiera! Cualquier sociedad tiene gobierno. | Call me if there are any problems. I need a taxi. Any one at all! Any society has some government. |
C. (N)EITHER, (N)OR
ni ni... ni... tampoco | nor neither ...nor neither, not ...either | o o... o... también | or either ...or also, too |
Ni (nor, not even) often translates into English "or" in negative sentences:
A esta hora no hay taxis ni buses. No queremos estudiar ni dormir. Ni la mejor sociedad es perfecta. | There are no taxis or buses at this time. We don't want to study or sleep. Not even the best society is perfect. |
Ni siquiera is a stronger way to express "not even":
Nunca escribe, ni siquiera para Navidad. | He never writes, not even for Christmas. |
Ni... ni... is the Spanish equivalent for English "neither...nor...". Note the verb in plural when there's more than onesubject, as well as the usual need of a negative word before the verb:
No tengo ni frío ni calor. Ni Juan ni Pedro tienen hambre. | I'm neither cold nor hot. Neither Juan nor Pedro is hungry. |
In negative phrases, English "either...or..." translates into ni: | ||
Está aquí sin familia ni amigos. | He's here without either family or friends. | |
When no negative particles are involved, "either...or" translates into o: | ||
Podemos comer carne o pollo. | We can eat either meat or chicken. | |
To emphasize choices, o...o... may be used: | ||
Tienes que elegir: o trabajas o estudias. | You have to choose: either you work or you study. |
Tampoco (neither, not...either) is used in any negative phrases as the opposite of también (also):
Quiere café y yo también. No quiere café. Yo tampoco. No cantamos esta noche tampoco. El jefe tampoco sabe la respuesta. | She wants some coffee and so do I. She doesn't want any coffee. Neither do I. We are not singing tonight either. The boss does not know the answer either. |