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Lesson 9: How to Say “No” in Spanish – Negation and Negative Sentences

🎯 Goal

Learn how to form negative sentences in Spanish using "no" and common negative words like nada, nadie, nunca, tampoco, and ninguno. Understand how double negatives work in Spanish.

🧠 Why You Need This

Being able to say what isn’t true, what you don’t want, or what doesn’t exist is just as important as saying what is. This lesson teaches you how to express denial, absence, and disagreement — all essential in real conversation.

🧠 Why You Need This

Being able to say what isn’t true, what you don’t want, and what doesn’t exist is just as important as saying what is. This is where negation comes in.

In Spanish, negative sentences are structured differently than in English — but the rules are simple once you know them.

🧱 1. Basic Negation with “No”

The most basic way to make a sentence negative is to put “no” before the verb.

🔁 Formula:

No + [verb]

Positive Negative
Yo hablo español. – I speak Spanish. Yo no hablo español. – I don’t speak Spanish.
Ella trabaja aquí. – She works here. Ella no trabaja aquí. – She doesn’t work here.

🧠 Note: No means “no” or “not” depending on context.

🔄 2. Where to Put “No”

“No” always comes before the conjugated verb, even if there's a subject or extra detail.

Examples:

  • Tú no tienes dinero. – You don’t have money.

  • Nosotros no vamos hoy. – We’re not going today.

  • Ellos no están en casa. – They’re not at home.

❗ 3. Double Negatives Are OK (and Required!)

In English, double negatives are a no-no ❌
But in Spanish, they’re not only okay — they’re normal and required.

Common negative words:

Spanish English
nada nothing
nadie nobody
nunca never
tampoco neither / not either
ningún / ninguno none / not any

To use them, you still include "no" before the verb if the negative word comes after it.

✅ Examples of double negatives:

  • No tengo nada. – I don’t have anything.

  • No hay nadie aquí. – There’s no one here.

  • No estudio nunca. – I never study.

  • No me gusta tampoco. – I don’t like it either.

🧠 But if the negative word comes first, you don’t need “no” again:

  • Nadie está aquí. – No one is here.

  • Nunca estudio. – I never study.

🔥 4. Negation + Ser and Estar

You can negate any verb, including ser and estar:

  • No soy doctor. – I’m not a doctor.

  • No estoy cansado. – I’m not tired.

  • Ella no está aquí. – She’s not here.

🧱 5. Most Useful Negative Phrases to Memorize

Spanish English
No lo sé. I don’t know.
No entiendo. I don’t understand.
No tengo tiempo. I don’t have time.
No quiero eso. I don’t want that.
No pasa nada. It’s okay / No problem.
No importa. It doesn’t matter.
No me gusta. I don’t like it.

📝 Practice Time

✏️ Part A: Turn these positive sentences into negatives

  1. Yo tengo un libro.

  2. Ella está feliz.

  3. Nosotros vamos al cine.

  4. Tú hablas francés.

  5. Ellos comen carne.

✏️ Part B: Translate the negative sentence into Spanish

  1. I don’t study Spanish.

  2. We don’t have any money.

  3. He doesn’t like to dance.

  4. They are not home.

  5. I never go.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ❌ Forgetting “no” before the verb (don’t say “Yo hablo no español”)

  • ❌ Thinking double negatives are incorrect

  • ❌ Mixing “ninguno” with “no” incorrectly — say “No tengo ningún libro,” not “Tengo no ningún libro”

🎯 Final Tip:

Negative words like nada, nadie, and nunca are some of the most commonly used in daily conversation. Start by memorizing “No + [verb]”, and then layer on more complex negatives as you grow.

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