# 35. How Negatives Work

> Source: [A Complete Guide To Every Fundamental In Spanish (The Conclusion)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YHDZSHCt1DE&t=9567s)

Spanish negation centers on the word **no** placed before the verb. Unlike English, Spanish freely allows — and often requires — **double or triple negatives**. When a negative word (nada, nadie, nunca, ningún, tampoco) comes after the verb, **no** must precede the verb.

## Key Rules
- Place **no** directly before the conjugated verb: *Yo no hablo francés.*
- Double-negative rule: if a negative word (nada, nadie, nunca, ningún, tampoco, ni…ni) follows the verb, you must keep **no** in front of the verb.
- A negative word placed before the verb does **not** need *no*: *Nadie come* = *No come nadie*.
- Use the **personal a** with *alguien* and *nadie* when they are direct objects: *¿Viste a alguien?* / *No vi a nadie.*
- *Algún / ningún* drop the **-o** before a singular masculine noun (algún libro), but show full forms otherwise (alguno, alguna, algunos, algunas; ninguno, ninguna).
- *Ninguno/a* is rarely used in the plural in modern Spanish (singular is standard).

## Conjugation / Pattern Tables

### Indefinite ↔ negative pairs
| Indefinite | Meaning | Negative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| algo | something | nada | nothing |
| alguien | someone | nadie | no one |
| algún / alguno/a(s) | any / some | ningún / ninguno/a | not any / none |
| siempre | always | nunca (jamás) | never |
| también | also | tampoco | neither |
| o…o | either…or | ni…ni | neither…nor |

## Examples
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo no hablo francés. | I do not speak French. |
| Él no habla italiano. | He does not speak Italian. |
| No, yo no puedo venir hoy. | No, I can't come today. |
| No, yo no fui a la tienda. | No, I didn't go to the store. |
| Nadie come. | Nobody eats. |
| Ella nunca corre. | She never runs. |
| Yo no como nada. | I don't eat anything. (lit. I don't eat nothing.) |
| Yo no veo nada. | I don't see anything. |
| Tú nunca comes nada. | You never eat anything. |
| Él no sabe nada. | He doesn't know anything. |
| ¿Viste a alguien? — No, no vi a nadie. | Did you see anyone? — No, I didn't see anyone. |
| ¿Tienes algún libro aquí? — No, no tengo ningún libro aquí. | Do you have any book here? — No, I don't have any book here. |
| ¿Conoces alguna tienda por aquí? — No, no conozco ninguna. | Do you know any store around here? — No, I don't know any. |
| Yo tampoco. | Me neither. |
| No quiero ni café ni té. | I want neither coffee nor tea. |

## Notes & Gotchas
- Spanish double negatives are **mandatory**, not optional, when a negative word follows the verb.
- Triple negatives are perfectly valid: *No vi a nadie nunca.*
- Use **jamás** for emphatic "never" — even stronger than *nunca*.
- *Ningunos / ningunas* exists but is uncommon; native speakers prefer the singular: *No tengo ningún libro* rather than *ningunos libros*.
- *Alguien* / *nadie* are invariable (no gender, no number).