tampocovsni siquiera
/tahm-POH-koh/
/nee see-KYEH-rah/
💡 Quick Rule
Tampoco = me too, for negatives ('me neither'). Ni siquiera = not even.
Think: Tampoco is the opposite of 'también' (also). Ni siquiera emphasizes a surprising 'no'.
- In English, 'tampoco' can be translated as 'either' in negative sentences, like 'I don't like it either'.
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | tampoco | ni siquiera | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responding to a 'no' | —No vi la película. —Yo tampoco. | Ni siquiera sabía que estaba en el cine. | Tampoco agrees with the negative ('Me neither'). Ni siquiera introduces a new, more extreme negative fact ('I didn't even know'). |
| Describing a bad day | No dormí bien, y tampoco desayuné. | Ni siquiera tuve tiempo para tomar un café. | Tampoco adds another negative event to a list. Ni siquiera emphasizes the failure to do one basic, expected thing. |
| Talking about a party | No habló con Ana, y tampoco con Luis. | Ni siquiera me saludó cuando llegó. | Tampoco lists multiple people he didn't talk to. Ni siquiera highlights the most basic social courtesy that was ignored. |
✅ When to Use "tampoco" / ni siquiera
tampoco
Neither / not either. Used to agree with a negative statement or add another negative item.
/tahm-POH-koh/
Agreeing with a negative statement
—No tengo ganas de salir. —Yo tampoco.
—I don't feel like going out. —Me neither.
Adding another negative item to a list
No me gusta la cebolla, y el ajo tampoco.
I don't like onion, and I don't like garlic either.
As a single-word negative answer
¿No vas a la fiesta? —Tampoco.
You're not going to the party? —Nope, I'm not.
ni siquiera
Not even. Used to emphasize that something didn't happen, especially when it was the minimum expectation.
/nee see-KYEH-rah/
Emphasizing a surprising lack of action
Estaba tan cansado que ni siquiera cené.
I was so tired that I didn't even have dinner.
Showing a minimum expectation was not met
Llegó tarde y ni siquiera se disculpó.
He arrived late and didn't even apologize.
Highlighting a very small quantity (or lack thereof)
No tengo ni siquiera un dólar.
I don't even have one dollar.
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "tampoco":
No estudió para el examen y tampoco hizo la tarea.
He didn't study for the exam, and he didn't do the homework either.
With "ni siquiera":
Ni siquiera abrió el libro en todo el mes.
He didn't even open the book all month.
The Difference: Tampoco lists two separate negative actions. Ni siquiera emphasizes one single, surprisingly basic action that was not performed, making the situation seem worse.
With "tampoco":
No me llamó y tampoco me escribió un mensaje.
He didn't call me, and he didn't write me a message either.
With "ni siquiera":
Ni siquiera me respondió el mensaje que le envié.
He didn't even reply to the message I sent him.
The Difference: Tampoco lists two things your friend failed to initiate. Ni siquiera emphasizes their failure to do the bare minimum: reply to you.
🎨 Visual Comparison
Split-screen showing tampoco (agreeing 'no') vs ni siquiera (emphasizing 'no').
'Tampoco' is a shared 'no'. 'Ni siquiera' is an emphasized, often disappointing, 'no'.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
A: No quiero ir. B: Yo ni siquiera.
A: No quiero ir. B: Yo tampoco.
To agree with someone's negative statement ('I don't want to go'), you must use 'tampoco' (me neither). 'Ni siquiera' doesn't work for agreement.
No me llamó tampoco para mi cumpleaños.
No me llamó ni siquiera para mi cumpleaños.
Calling on your birthday is a minimum expectation. Use 'ni siquiera' (not even) to emphasize that this basic thing didn't happen.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
🏷️ Key Words
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Tampoco vs Ni Siquiera
Question 1 of 3
Your friend says, 'No me gusta el café.' How do you say 'Me neither'?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'no' and 'tampoco' in the same sentence?
Yes, it's very common. You can place 'tampoco' after the verb, which requires a 'no' before it. For example, 'Yo no voy tampoco' means the same as 'Yo tampoco voy' (I'm not going either).
What's the difference between 'ni' and 'ni siquiera'?
'Ni' means 'nor' and is used to connect items in a negative list (No quiero ni pizza ni pasta - I want neither pizza nor pasta). 'Ni siquiera' means 'not even' and is used for emphasis, to show that a very basic expectation was not met.