Alguien vs Nadie
Alguien for 'someone' in positive sentences. Nadie for 'no one' in negative ones.
alguien
Someone, somebody, anyone
AHL-gyennadie
No one, nobody, not anyone
NAH-dyehQuick Rule
Alguien for 'someone' in positive sentences. Nadie for 'no one' in negative ones.
Think: Alguien = Anyone? Nadie = Nobody.
- Spanish uses double negatives. It's correct to say 'No vino nadie' (Literally 'No came nobody').
Comparison Table
| Context | alguien | nadie | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| At the door | Alguien está en la puerta. | No hay nadie en la puerta. | Use 'alguien' to state a presence and 'nadie' (with 'no') to state an absence. |
| Asking a question | ¿Vino alguien a la oficina? | No, no vino nadie. | 'Alguien' is used in questions. 'Nadie' is used in the negative response, creating a double negative. |
| Sentence structure | Alguien tiene que limpiar esto. | Nadie quiere limpiar esto. | Both can start a sentence. 'Alguien' makes the sentence positive, 'Nadie' makes it negative on its own. |
| Referring to knowledge | Alguien sabe la verdad. | Nadie sabe la verdad. | A direct positive ('someone knows') vs. a direct negative ('no one knows'). |
When to Use "alguien / nadie"
alguien
Someone, somebody, anyone
AHL-gyen
Stating someone exists or did something
Alguien ha dejado la luz encendida.
Someone has left the light on.
Asking if a person is present or available
¿Hay alguien que hable inglés?
Is there anyone who speaks English?
Referring to an unspecified person
Creo que le gustas a alguien.
I think someone likes you.
nadie
No one, nobody, not anyone
NAH-dyeh
Stating no one exists or did something (before the verb)
Nadie me llamó.
Nobody called me.
Stating no one exists (after the verb with 'no')
No conozco a nadie aquí.
I don't know anyone here.
Answering a question negatively
¿Quién quiere postre? —Nadie, gracias.
Who wants dessert? —Nobody, thanks.
Contrast Examples
With "alguien":
Creo que hay alguien en el jardín.
I think there is someone in the garden.
With "nadie":
Estoy seguro de que no hay nadie en el jardín.
I'm sure there is no one in the garden.
The Difference: 'Alguien' introduces the possibility of a person being there. 'Nadie' (with 'no') confirms the absence of any person.
With "alguien":
Alguien llamó mientras no estabas.
Someone called while you were out.
With "nadie":
Nadie llamó mientras no estabas.
Nobody called while you were out.
The Difference: These are direct opposites. 'Alguien' confirms an event happened with an unknown person, while 'nadie' confirms the event did not happen at all.
Common Mistakes
No vi a alguien en la tienda.
No vi a nadie en la tienda.
In a negative sentence ('No vi...'), you must use 'nadie' to mean 'not anyone'. 'Alguien' can only be used in positive contexts.
Nadie no me dijo nada.
Nadie me dijo nada.
When 'nadie' comes before the verb, it's already negative, so you don't need to add 'no'. This is a common triple-negative mistake.
Hay nadie en la casa.
No hay nadie en la casa.
If 'nadie' comes after the verb, you must put 'no' before the verb to create the correct double negative structure.
Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Alguien vs Nadie
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct?
Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
Key Words
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you say 'No... nadie'? Isn't that a double negative?
Yes, it is! Unlike in English where double negatives are incorrect, in Spanish they are required. If you put 'nadie' after the verb, you MUST put 'no' before the verb. For example, 'No vino nadie' (Nobody came) is perfectly correct.
Can I ever use 'alguien' in a negative sentence?
Almost never. 'Alguien' is for positive and interrogative (question) sentences. If your sentence starts with 'no', you will almost always use 'nadie' instead of 'alguien'.
What's the difference between 'nadie' and 'ninguno'?
'Nadie' is only for people ('nobody'). 'Ninguno' (or 'ningún' before a noun) is for things or people in a specific group ('none', 'not one'). For example, 'Nadie vino' (Nobody came) vs. 'Ningún estudiante vino' (Not one student came).