Negation

Question 1

To make a sentence negative, place the word “no” before the verb.

Ella no habla inglés.

Answer 1

She doesn’t speak English.

Question 2

To make a sentence negative, place the word “no” before the verb.

Él no es profesor.

Answer 2

He is not a professor.

Question 3

When the answer to a question is negative, two negative words are needed

¿Habla Ud. español?

Answer 3

Do you speak Spanish? (question)

Question 4

When the answer to a question is negative, two negative words are needed

No. No hablo español.

Answer 4

No. I don’t speak Spanish. (answer)

Question 5

When the answer to a question is negative, two negative words are needed

¿ Está Gerardo en la clase?

Answer 5

Is Gerardo in the class? (question)

Question 6

When the answer to a question is negative, two negative words are needed

No. Gerardo no está en la clase.

Answer 6

No. Gerardo is not in the class. (answer)

Question 7

When the answer to a question is negative, two negative words are needed

¿Siempre estudias?

Answer 7

Do you always study? (question)

Question 8

When the answer to a question is negative, two negative words are needed

No, nunca estudio.

Answer 8

No, I never study. (answer)

Question 9

algo

Answer 9

something

Question 10

nada

Answer 10

nothing

Question 11

alguien

Answer 11

somebody

Question 12

nadie

Answer 12

nobody

Question 13

algún (-o, -a, -os, -as)

Answer 13

some, something

Question 14

ningún (-o, -a, -os, -as)

Answer 14

no, none

Question 15

siempre

Answer 15

always

Question 16

nunca

Answer 16

never

Question 17

jamás

Answer 17

never, ever

Question 18

también

Answer 18

also

Question 19

tampoco

Answer 19

neither, not either

Question 20

o . . . o

Answer 20

either . . . or

Question 21

ni . . . ni

Answer 21

neither . . . nor

Question 22

The negative words can be used alone, preceding the verb.

Nadie habla.

Answer 22

Nobody speaks.

Question 23

The negative words can be used alone, preceding the verb.

Él nunca come.

Answer 23

He never eats.

Question 24

The negative words can be used alone, preceding the verb.

Alfredo tampoco baila.

Answer 24

Alfredo doesn’t dance either.

Question 25

The negative words can also be used with the word no, following the verb

No habla nadie.

Note that unlike English, double negatives are acceptable in Spanish.

Answer 25

Nobody speaks.

Question 26

The negative words can also be used with the word no, following the verb

Él no come nunca.

Note that unlike English, double negatives are acceptable in Spanish.

Answer 26

He never eats.

Question 27

The negative words can also be used with the word no, following the verb

Alfredo no baila tampoco .

Note that unlike English, double negatives are acceptable in Spanish.

Answer 27

Alfredo doesn’t dance either.

Question 28

Sometimes, three negative words occur in the same sentence.

No compro nada nunca.

Answer 28

I never buy anything.

Question 29

Sometimes, three negative words occur in the same sentence.

Él no compra nada tampoco.

Answer 29

He doesn’t buy anything either.

Question 30

You can even have four negative words in the same sentence.

Yo no veo nunca a nadie tampoco.

Answer 30

I never see anybody either.

Question 31

Spanish does not normally mix negative and affirmative words.

María no necesita nada.

Answer 31

Maria doesn’t need nothing.

Question 32

Alguno and ninguno drop the -o before a masculine singular noun.

¿Tienes algún libro?

Answer 32

No, no tengo ningún libro.

Question 33

Ninguno(-a) is generally used in the singular.

¿Tienes algunas revistas?

Answer 33

No, no tengo ninguna.

Question 34

Ninguno(-a) is generally used in the singular.

¿Tienes algunos libros?

Answer 34

No, no tengo ninguno.

Question 35

Ningunas is used when the noun it modifies is normally used in plural

Ningunas vacaciones a Alaska son completas sin una excursión a Mt. McKinley.

In this example “ningunas” is used

because “vacaciones” is normally used in plural form.

Answer 35

No vacation to Alaska is complete without a trip to Mt. McKinley.