Tips on how to Use “No” and Different Negatives



How do you say “no” in Spanish? It’s truly very straightforward! It is because it’s about the identical as English: no!

However that’s not all it’s essential to find out about no if you wish to advance your Spanish talents. I’ve been studying Spanish for years, and I’ll inform you learn how to use no in addition to extra artistic phrases to make use of.

Tips on how to Use No in Spanish

The best strategy to say “no” in Spanish is simply by saying no. However that’s not all no can do! No is a really helpful phrase in Spanish as a result of it’s a widespread phrase that features because the English “no” and “not.”

So put it merely, no has two makes use of:

  1. No is the other of , which suggests “sure.”

It’s two for one!

Right here’s a dialogue instance showcasing each makes use of:

A: ¿Quieres ir al cine mañana? (“Do you wish to go to the movie show tomorrow?”)
B: No, no tengo tiempo. (“No, I don’t have time.”)

The primary no was just like the English “no.” The second no acted like “don’t.”

(By the best way, if you happen to needed to say B’s sentence within the affirmative, you possibly can say, Sí, tengo tiempo. (“Sure, I’ve time.”))

The wonderful thing about negating verbs in Spanish is that you simply don’t want to fret about whether or not to make use of “don’t,” “don’t,” “doesn’t,” “doesn’t” or every other variations of a serving to verb. You merely add no!

Right here’s me at La Sagrada Familia in Spain. E book early, or no vas a entrar (“you received’t get in”)!

Different Methods to Negate a Sentence in Spanish

In fact, there are extra methods to make a sentence detrimental than simply saying no in Spanish. Right here’s a rundown of different methods to negate a sentence:

“No” and Different Negatives in Spanish
English Spanish Pronunciation Audio
No No /no/
Nothing Nada /ˈna.ða/
Nobody, no person Nadie /ˈna.ðje/
By no means, not ever Nunca, jamás /ˈnun.ka/, /xaˈmas/
No, None, not any Ningún, ninguno, ninguna /ninˈɡun/, /ninˈɡu.no/, /ninˈɡu.na/
Neither, not both Tampoco /tamˈpo.ko/
Neither… nor… Ni… ni… /ni/

Now how will we use these phrases? Listed here are some instance sentences:

No quiero nada. (“I would like nothing.”)
Nadie vino a la fiesta. (“No one got here to the celebration.”)
Nunca he visitado España. (“I’ve by no means visited Spain.”)
Jamás te olvidaré. (“I’ll always remember you.”)
No tengo ningún problema. (“I’ve no downside.”)
No conozco a ninguno de ellos. (“I don’t know any of them.”)
No tengo ninguna thought. (“I do not know.”)
Yo no quiero ir y ella tampoco. (“I don’t wish to go and neither does she.”)
No quiero ni pizza ni pasta. (“I would like neither pizza nor pasta.”)

Be aware that in Spanish, once you use a detrimental phrase from the listing above earlier than the verb, you don’t add no! But when the phrase comes after the verb, it’s essential to additionally embody no. English doesn’t like double negatives, however typically they’re mandatory in Spanish!

Additionally, listed here are a couple of extra issues to bear in mind:

  • Nunca is the commonest strategy to say “by no means.” Jamás is a little more dramatic or poetic.
  • Ningún is used completely earlier than masculine singular nouns.
  • Ninguno is used for masculine nouns, both as a standalone or after the noun has been omitted.
  • Ninguna is the female equal of each ningún and ninguno, used for female nouns.

Different Methods to Specific “No” in Spanish

In fact, like in English, there are a lot of methods to precise the thought of “no” in Spanish! Listed here are some extra artistic and superior methods to boost your Spanish vocabulary:

All to Learn about “No” in Spanish

So there you might have it! You received’t use No entiendo (“I don’t perceive”) about “no” anymore! You now know learn how to flip down affords or concepts in Spanish. Now go on the market and begin rejecting like a Spanish professional (however please do it properly!).

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Kelsey Lechner

Translator, trainer, interpreter

Kelsey is a author, translator, and educator. She is an avid lover of dance, canine, and tea. LinkedIn | Contently

Speaks: English, Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese language, Swahili, Bengali

View all posts by Kelsey Lechner

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