ninguna

/neen-GOO-nah/

no

A high-angle view of a large, decorative woven basket sitting completely empty on a rustic wooden kitchen counter, emphasizing the absence of any contents.

As an adjective, ninguna means 'no' or 'not any,' emphasizing the complete absence of a feminine singular noun, such as 'no reason' (ninguna razón).

ninguna(Adjective)

fA1

before a noun, e.g., 'no reason'

not any

e.g., 'I don't have any idea'

Also:

none of the

e.g., 'none of the options'

📝 In Action

No tengo ninguna hermana.

I don't have any sisters.

Ninguna persona puede entrar sin permiso.

No person can enter without permission.

No me diste ninguna razón para quedarme.

You didn't give me any reason to stay.

Word Connections

Antonyms

alguna (some, any)

Common Collocations

de ninguna manera – no way, by no means
en ninguna parte – nowhere

💡 Grammar Points

Always Used with Singular Nouns

Even when English uses a plural ('any ideas'), Spanish uses the singular form: 'ninguna idea'. Think of it as saying 'not even one idea'.

Feminine Nouns Only

Ninguna is the partner for feminine nouns like casa (house) or persona (person). For masculine nouns, you'll use its counterpart, ningún.

Double Negatives are a Must

In Spanish, it's correct to use 'no' before the verb and 'ninguna' before the noun. 'No tengo ninguna idea' is the right way to say 'I don't have any idea'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using it with Plural Nouns

Mistake: "No tengo ningunas preguntas."

Correction: No tengo ninguna pregunta. To say 'not any', Spanish defaults to the singular to emphasize 'not even one'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Making Strong Statements

Starting a sentence with Ninguna is a powerful way to make a strong negative statement. For example, 'Ninguna persona lo sabe' means 'No person knows it'.

A close-up of an open, empty hand positioned above three distinct, brightly colored decorative ribbons laid out neatly on a table, signifying that none of the options were chosen.

Used as a pronoun, ninguna means 'none,' referring back to feminine items that have been presented, indicating zero quantity or choice (e.g., 'none of the ribbons').

ninguna(Pronoun)

fA2

none

as in 'none of them'

Also:

not one

emphasizing zero quantity

📝 In Action

¿Cuántas camisetas te gustan? - Ninguna.

How many t-shirts do you like? - None.

De todas las opciones, ninguna me convence.

Of all the options, none of them convince me.

Buscaba una solución, pero no encontré ninguna.

I was looking for a solution, but I didn't find one.

Word Connections

Antonyms

alguna (some, one)

💡 Grammar Points

Stands on Its Own

When used as a pronoun, ninguna replaces a feminine noun you just talked about. This helps you avoid repeating the noun. '¿Viste alguna película buena?' 'No, no vi ninguna.'

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting Gender Agreement

Mistake: "Me gustan las manzanas rojas, pero de las verdes no quiero ninguno."

Correction: Me gustan las manzanas rojas, pero de las verdes no quiero ninguna. Since 'manzanas' (apples) is feminine, the word that replaces it must also be feminine.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Perfect One-Word Answer

Ninguna is a quick and perfect one-word answer to a 'how many?' question (¿cuántas...?) when the answer is zero for a feminine noun.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ninguna

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence is correct? You are talking about 'las llaves' (the keys).

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ninguno(none, not one (masculine)) - pronoun/adjective

ningún(no, not any (masculine)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I say 'No tengo ninguna pregunta' instead of 'ningunas preguntas'?

It's a key difference from English! In Spanish, when you negate something with 'ninguno/a', you almost always use the singular form. It's like saying 'I don't have even one single question'. This rule applies even when the English translation would be plural ('any questions').

What's the difference between 'ninguna' and 'ningún'?

`Ninguna` is used for feminine nouns (e.g., 'ninguna casa'). `Ningún` is used for masculine nouns (e.g., 'ningún problema'). You have to match the word to the gender of the noun it's describing.

Can 'ninguna' ever be plural ('ningunas')?

It's extremely rare, but yes. You would only use 'ningunas' with nouns that are always plural and don't have a singular form, like 'gafas' (glasses) or 'tijeras' (scissors). For example, 'No tengo ningunas ganas de salir' (I have no desire to go out). However, as a learner, it's safest to stick to the singular 'ninguna' 99.9% of the time.