How to Say "no" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “no” is “no” — use this 'no' to directly answer a question negatively or to negate a verb..
no
/no//ˈno/
Examples
¿Quieres café? —No, gracias.
Do you want coffee? —No, thank you.
Yo no soy de España.
I am not from Spain.
Ella no habla inglés.
She doesn't speak English.
Recibí un no rotundo como respuesta.
I received a firm no as an answer.
Placement is Key
In Spanish, 'no' almost always goes directly before the verb. Think of it as guarding the action word. For example: 'Yo no como carne' (I don't eat meat).
Double Negatives are Good!
Unlike English, Spanish often uses double negatives. It's correct to say 'No veo nada' (literally 'I don't see nothing'). Using 'no' with words like 'nada' (nothing) or 'nadie' (nobody) makes the sentence stronger, not incorrect.
Always Masculine
When you use 'no' as a thing (a noun), it's always masculine. So you'll say 'el no' (the no) or 'un no' (a no).
Putting 'no' After the Verb
Mistake: “Yo soy no alto.”
Correction: Yo no soy alto. (I am not tall.) Remember, 'no' needs to come right before the action word ('soy' in this case).
ningún
Examples
No tengo ningún problema.
I have no problem.
ninguno
/neen-GOO-no//ninˈɡuno/
Examples
No tengo ningún problema.
I don't have any problem.
Ninguna persona vino a la fiesta.
No person came to the party.
No hay ninguna razón para estar triste.
There is no reason to be sad.
The "Double Negative" Rule
In Spanish, it's correct and often required to use 'no' before the verb and 'ninguno' after it. Think of it as reinforcing the 'no'. For example: 'No tengo ningún libro' means 'I don't have any book'.
Meet 'Ningún'
When 'ninguno' comes right before a masculine noun (a word like 'chico' or 'libro'), it shortens to 'ningún'. Example: 'ningún amigo' (no friend), not 'ninguno amigo'.
Meet 'Ninguna'
When talking about feminine nouns (words like 'chica' or 'casa'), use 'ninguna'. It never shortens. Example: 'ninguna casa' (no house).
Forgetting the 'no'
Mistake: “Tengo ningún problema.”
Correction: NO tengo ningún problema. In Spanish, if you use a negative word like 'ninguno' after the verb, you almost always need to put 'no' before the verb too.
Using 'ninguno' for 'ningún'
Mistake: “No hay ninguno coche aquí.”
Correction: No hay ningún coche aquí. Before a masculine noun, 'ninguno' always shortens to 'ningún'.
Using the Plural Form
Mistake: “No tengo ningunos amigos.”
Correction: No tengo ningún amigo. 'Ninguno' is almost always used with a singular noun, even when English might use a plural. It's like saying 'not one single friend'.
cero
SEH-roh[ˈseɾo]
Examples
Tenemos cero tolerancia al fraude.
We have zero tolerance for fraud.
El proyecto tiene un riesgo cero.
The project has zero risk.
Necesitas tener cero miedo para hacer esto.
You need to have zero fear to do this.
Always Singular
When 'cero' describes a noun (like 'tolerancia' or 'riesgo'), it always stays singular and doesn't change gender, acting like an invariable adjective.
Using 'Ningún'
Mistake: “Tenemos ningún riesgo.”
Correction: Tenemos cero riesgo.
no
Examples
Recibí un no rotundo como respuesta.
I received a firm no as an answer.
Adjective vs. Adverb 'No'
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