Indefinite and negative words in Spanish (Palabras indefinidas y negativas en español) can be pronouns, adjectives or adverbs. These words may refer to people or entities.
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Indefinite and Negative Words in Spanish
También / Tampoco
Palabras Interrogativas (Question Words)
All Spanish Grammar Lessons
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Indefinite Words in Spanish Table
| Spanish Indefinite Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Algo | Somewhat/ Something |
| Alguien | Anyone/ Anybody/ Someone/ Somebody |
| Algún/ Alguna(s)/ Alguno(s) | Some/ Somebody |
| O… o… | Either… or… |
| Sí | Yes |
| Siempre | Always |
| También | Also |
Negative Words and Expressions in Spanish
| Negative Words and Expressions | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ahora no | Not now/ Not right now |
| De ninguna manera | No way/ Certainly not |
| Ningún / Ninguna(s) / Ninguno(s) | No/ None |
| Ni… ni… | Neither… nor… |
| Ni siquiera | Not even |
| No | No |
| No importa | It does not matter |
| Nunca / Jamás | Never |
| Todavía no | Not yet |
| Tampoco | Neither |
| Ya no | No more/ no longer |
How to Use Indefinite and Negative Words in Spanish
- Nadie (nobody, no one) and Alguien (someone) only refer to people.
Examples:
Nadie vino a mi cumpleaños.
No one came to my birthday.
Nadie está en casa.
Nobody is at home.
Alguien está hablando por teléfono.
Someone is on the phone.
- Algún, alguna, alguno, algunos, algunas (some /somebody) and ningún, ninguna, ninguno, ningunas, ninguno (no /none) may refer to people or things.
Examples:
Algún día viajaremos a España.
Some day we will travel to Spain.
Algunos estudiantes no participaron en la graduación.
Some students did not participate in graduation.
Algunas sillas están manchadas.
Some chairs are stained.
Ningún maestro está de acuerdo con la decisión.
No teacher agrees with the decision.
Ninguna de mis primas come pescado.
None of my cousins eat fish.
- Nada (nothing) and Algo (anything/ something) only refer to ideas or things.
Examples:
Nada será lo mismo.
Nothing will be the same.
¿Vas a comer algo?
Are you going to eat something?
- The negative adverb no is used before the object pronoun or the conjugated verb.
Examples:
No comen pollo.
They don’t eat chicken.
No los quisieron invitar.
They did not want to invite them.
- Jamás, nunca, nada, nadie y ninguno are used in questions when a negative response is expecting.
Example:
¿Conoces a nadie que juegue al fútbol mejor que Pedro?
Do you know someone who plays soccer better than Pedro?
- In Spanish sometimes two or more negative words can be used in a sentence.
Note: If a negative word precedes the verb, a negative word must also follow the verb.
Examples:
Jamás viene nadie a tiempo.
No one ever comes on time.
No compré ni la fruta ni la carne.
I did not buy neither the fruit nor the meat.
