Inklingo

How to Say "nobody" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “nobody” is “nadie” — use 'nadie' when you mean 'no person' or 'not anyone' in a general sense, referring to the absence of people.

English → Spanish

nadie

NAH-dyehˈna.ðje

pronounA1
Use 'nadie' when you mean 'no person' or 'not anyone' in a general sense, referring to the absence of people.
An empty park bench on a sunny day, with no people around, symbolizing 'nobody'.

Examples

No hay nadie en la casa.

There is nobody in the house.

Nadie sabe la respuesta.

No one knows the answer.

No quiero hablar con nadie.

I don't want to talk to anyone.

The Spanish Double Negative

In Spanish, it's correct to say 'No... nadie'. It might feel strange, but think of it as adding extra emphasis. 'No vino nadie' is the right way to say 'Nobody came'.

Starting a Sentence with 'Nadie'

If 'nadie' starts the sentence, you don't need to use 'no'. For example, 'Nadie vino' means 'Nobody came' and is just as correct as 'No vino nadie'.

Always Acts Singular

Even though 'nadie' means zero people, the verb that follows it is always in the 'he/she' form. For example, 'Nadie sabe' (Nobody knows), not 'Nadie saben'.

The 'Personal a'

When 'nobody' is the one receiving an action, you need to put 'a' in front of 'nadie'. For example, 'No vi a nadie' (I didn't see anyone).

Forgetting the 'no'

Mistake: “Vino nadie a la fiesta.”

Correction: No vino nadie a la fiesta. When 'nadie' comes after the verb, you almost always need 'no' before the verb.

Using 'Nadie' for Things

Mistake: “En la caja no hay nadie.”

Correction: En la caja no hay nada. Use 'nadie' only for people. For things, use 'nada' (nothing).

Forgetting the 'personal a'

Mistake: “No conozco nadie aquí.”

Correction: No conozco a nadie aquí. When 'nobody' is receiving the action from the verb (like 'knowing' them), you need to add the 'a'.

piojo

pee-OH-hoˈpjo.xo

nounB2informal, derogatory
Use 'piojo' informally to call someone insignificant, unimportant, or a 'nobody' in a derogatory way.
A very small, tiny puppy standing next to a large, oversized red ball to show its small size.

Examples

¡Vete de aquí, piojo!

Get out of here, you little squirt!

No era más que un piojo cuando lo conocí.

He was nothing but a little nobody when I met him.

Ese piojo se cree el dueño del mundo.

That little runt thinks he owns the world.

Figurative Gender

When used for a person, it's almost always 'un piojo' (masculine), even if the person is female, though 'pioja' is sometimes heard in very slang-heavy Latin American speech.

Tone Sensitivity

Mistake: “Using 'piojo' with a boss.”

Correction: This is very informal and can be insulting; only use it with friends or people you are looking down upon.

Confusing 'nadie' with 'piojo'

Learners often mistakenly use 'piojo' when they simply mean 'no person.' Remember that 'nadie' is the standard translation for 'nobody' in the sense of 'no one exists,' while 'piojo' is a slang term for an insignificant person.

Related Translations

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