ni
“ni” means “nor” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
📝 In Action
No me gusta el café ni el té.
A1I don't like coffee or tea.
Mi hermano no come carne ni pescado.
A2My brother eats neither meat nor fish.
No tengo ni idea de qué estás hablando.
B1I don't have even a clue what you're talking about.
Ni su mejor amigo lo sabía.
B1Not even his best friend knew it.
📝 In Action
—Cuidado, el plato está caliente. —¡Tranquilo! ¡Ni que fuera tonto!
B2—Be careful, the plate is hot. —Relax! As if I were a fool!
Quiere que le compre un coche. ¡Ni que yo fuera millonario!
B2He wants me to buy him a car. As if I were a millionaire!
—Ponte un abrigo. —¡Pero si hace sol! ¡Ni que estuviéramos en el Polo Norte!
C1—Put on a coat. —But it's sunny! It's not as if we're at the North Pole!
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ni
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly means 'I don't have even one dollar'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word `nec`, which meant 'and not' or 'nor'. It's a direct descendant for connecting negative ideas.
First recorded: Before the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Spanish speakers say 'No... ni...'? Isn't that a double negative?
Great question! In English, double negatives are usually a mistake, but in Spanish, they are often required. When you start a sentence with 'No', you need to continue using other negative words like 'ni', 'nada', or 'nunca'. Think of it as the 'no' at the beginning setting the whole sentence to 'negative mode'.
What's the difference between 'o' and 'ni'?
It's simple: 'o' is for choices ('or'), and 'ni' is for rejections ('nor'). Use 'o' when you're talking about options: '¿Quieres té o café?' (Do you want tea or coffee?). Use 'ni' when you're rejecting options: 'No quiero ni té ni café.' (I don't want tea or coffee).
Can I list more than two things with 'ni'?
Absolutely! You can list as many things as you want. Just put 'ni' before each one. 'No me gusta ni el lunes, ni la lluvia, ni el tráfico.' (I don't like Mondays, nor the rain, nor the traffic.)