Negación

A1 — Estructura de la oración

Negation: no before verb, double negation with nada, nunca, nadie

Can negate sentences and use double negation correctly

Negation: no before verb, double negation with nada, nunca, nadie

Examples

No hablo francés. — I don't speak French.
No lo sé. — I don't know (it).
No quiero nada, gracias. — I don't want anything, thanks.

Estructura de la oraciónA1

Negación

Negation: no before verb, double negation with nada, nunca, nadie

Learning Goal

Can negate sentences and use double negation correctly

Exam Skills:Expresión escritaExpresión oral

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

No hablo francés.

I don't speak French.

No lo sé.

I don't know (it).

No quiero nada, gracias.

I don't want anything, thanks.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

La negación en español es simple: colocar no antes del verbo.

Afirmativo	Negativo
Hablo español.	No hablo español.
Tengo un coche.	No tengo coche.
Me gusta el café.	No me gusta el café.

Doble negación (correcta en español):

No como nada. (I don't eat anything.)
No conozco a nadie. (I don't know anyone.)
No voy nunca. (I never go.)

Posición: No va antes del verbo y de los pronombres: No lo sé. (not *Lo no sé).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Placing 'no' after the verb or after object pronouns. Also avoiding double negation (which is correct in Spanish). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English puts 'don't' or 'not' differently. Spanish 'no' simply goes before the whole verb phrase including pronouns.

No hablo francés.

I don't speak French.

Simply place 'no' before the verb. No auxiliary verb needed (unlike English 'don't').

No lo sé.

I don't know (it).

'No' goes before pronouns AND verb: No lo sé (not *Lo no sé).

No quiero nada, gracias.

I don't want anything, thanks.

Double negative: no + nada. In Spanish this means 'I don't want anything' (not 'I don't want nothing').

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

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Frequently asked questions

When is Negación used?: La negación en español es simple: colocar no antes del verbo.
How is Negación formed?: Posición: No va antes del verbo y de los pronombres: No lo sé. (not *Lo no sé).
What are common mistakes with Negación?: Placing 'no' after the verb or after object pronouns. Also avoiding double negation (which is correct in Spanish). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English puts 'don't' or 'not' differently. Spanish 'no' simply goes before the whole verb phrase including pronouns. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian 'не' before verb is similar to Spanish 'no'. Double negation is natural. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech 'ne-' prefix on verbs is different from standalone 'no'. But double negation transfers well.

Afirmativo

Negativo

Hablo español.

No hablo español.

Tengo un coche.

No tengo coche.

Me gusta el café.

No me gusta el café.

Frequently asked questions

When is Negación used?

La negación en español es simple: colocar no antes del verbo.

How is Negación formed?

Posición: No va antes del verbo y de los pronombres: No lo sé. (not *Lo no sé).

What are common mistakes with Negación?

Placing 'no' after the verb or after object pronouns. Also avoiding double negation (which is correct in Spanish). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English puts 'don't' or 'not' differently. Spanish 'no' simply goes before the whole verb phrase including pronouns. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian 'не' before verb is similar to Spanish 'no'. Double negation is natural. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech 'ne-' prefix on verbs is different from standalone 'no'. But double negation transfers well.