Introduction
This article explains how to use negative sentences with the word No before verbs in beginner-level Spanish. You will learn the basic rule, see practical examples, learn useful vocabulary, and avoid common mistakes. Every example uses standard Latin American Spanish that beginners can use in everyday conversations, on signs, and in simple messages.
- Basic rule: placing No before verbs
- Negative sentences with pronouns and infinitives
- Negative commands and requests
- Common negative words used with No
- Practical beginner phrases with No
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Quick vocabulary list for negatives
- Short practice dialogue for beginners
- Beginner tips for quick improvement
- Conclusion
Basic rule: placing No before verbs
To make a simple negative sentence in Spanish, place No directly before the conjugated verb. This is the most common and natural way to say that something is not happening or someone does not do something. English speakers can think of it as the equivalent of adding the word not before a verb.
Simple present tense examples
No quiero café.
No quiero café. — I do not want coffee.
No hablo inglés.
No hablo inglés. — I do not speak English.
No tengo dinero.
No tengo dinero. — I do not have money.
Other tenses with No
Place No before the conjugated verb in other tenses too. The position stays the same even if the verb changes form.
No fui al mercado ayer.
No fui al mercado ayer. — I did not go to the market yesterday.
No voy a comer ahora.
No voy a comer ahora. — I am not going to eat now.
No he visto esa película.
No he visto esa película. — I have not seen that movie.
Negative sentences with pronouns and infinitives
When a sentence has a conjugated verb plus an infinitive or a gerund, No still goes before the conjugated verb. Pronouns are placed according to normal rules: attached to infinitives and gerunds, before conjugated verbs.
Infinitive examples
No quiero comer.
No quiero comer. — I do not want to eat.
No puedo ayudar ahora.
No puedo ayudar ahora. — I cannot help now.
No vamos a salir.
No vamos a salir. — We are not going to go out.
Gerund examples
No estoy hablando.
No estoy hablando. — I am not speaking.
No sigo esperando.
No sigo esperando. — I am not waiting anymore.
Negative commands and requests
For negative commands, place No before the verb. In formal and informal commands, the placement of pronouns follows the command rules: pronouns are attached to affirmative commands but go before negative commands.
Informal commands
No hables ahora.
No hables ahora. — Do not talk now.
No comas eso.
No comas eso. — Do not eat that.
Formal commands
No entre, por favor.
No entre, por favor. — Please do not enter.
No toque la ventana.
No toque la ventana. — Do not touch the window.
Common negative words used with No
Some words often appear with No to add detail or to create stronger negatives. The most common are nadie, nunca, jamás, nada, ninguno/ninguna, and tampoco. Note that when these words appear with No, they follow typical Spanish placement rules.
Nadie and nadie examples
No hay nadie en la oficina.
No hay nadie en la oficina. — There is nobody in the office.
No conozco a nadie aquí.
No conozco a nadie aquí. — I do not know anyone here.
Nunca and jamás examples
No llego nunca tarde.
No llego nunca tarde. — I never arrive late.
No voy jamás a ese lugar.
No voy jamás a ese lugar. — I will never go to that place.
Nada examples
No hay nada en la mesa.
No hay nada en la mesa. — There is nothing on the table.
No entiendo nada.
No entiendo nada. — I do not understand anything.
Ninguno/ninguna examples
No tengo ninguno.
No tengo ninguno. — I do not have any.
No veo ninguna opción.
No veo ninguna opción. — I do not see any option.
Tampoco examples
No me gusta el café y tampoco me gusta el té.
No me gusta el café y tampoco me gusta el té. — I do not like coffee and I do not like tea either.
No puedo ir y tampoco tengo tiempo.
No puedo ir y tampoco tengo tiempo. — I cannot go and I do not have time either.
Practical beginner phrases with No
Below are short realistic phrases beginners might use in everyday interactions: restaurants, directions, schedules, forms, and messages.
No tengo reserva.
No tengo reserva. — I do not have a reservation.
No deseo factura, gracias.
No deseo factura, gracias. — I do not want a receipt, thank you.
No está disponible hoy.
No está disponible hoy. — It is not available today.
No puedo cambiar la cita.
No puedo cambiar la cita. — I cannot change the appointment.
No aceptan tarjetas aquí.
No aceptan tarjetas aquí. — They do not accept cards here.
No hay lugar para estacionar.
No hay lugar para estacionar. — There is no parking space.
No entiendo la pregunta.
No entiendo la pregunta. — I do not understand the question.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Beginners often make predictable errors with negatives. Here are common mistakes and clear fixes.
Mistake: placing No after the verb. Fix: always put No before the conjugated verb.
Incorrect: Hablo no español. Correct: No hablo español. — I do not speak Spanish.
Mistake: doubling negatives incorrectly with certain words. Note: Spanish often uses double negatives correctly, such as No + nadie, No + nada, which is different from English.
Incorrect in English sense: I do not know nobody. Correct Spanish: No conozco a nadie.
Mistake: placing pronouns wrongly in negative commands. Fix: pronouns go before the verb with negative commands.
Incorrect: Nodímelo. Correct: No me digas. — Do not tell me.
Quick vocabulary list for negatives
No — not; no
No — first appearance formatted as required
Nadie — nobody, no one
Nunca — never
Jamás — never, ever (stronger than nunca)
Nada — nothing
Ninguno / Ninguna — none, not any
Tampoco — neither, either
Short practice dialogue for beginners
Use this simple dialogue to practice saying negatives in a real context: a bus ticket office.
Empleado: ¿Tiene tarjeta de estudiante?
Cliente: No, no tengo tarjeta de estudiante.
Empleado: ¿Desea un boleto sencillo o de ida y vuelta?
Cliente: No, solo un sencillo.
Empleado: No hay más boletos para la hora 10:00.
Cliente: Está bien. No importa.
Beginner tips for quick improvement
Focus on placing No before the conjugated verb in every sentence. Read simple signs, menus, and messages aloud and turn affirmative sentences into negative ones to build muscle memory.
Practice with short cards: write an affirmative sentence on one side and the negative version with No on the other.
When you hear negative sentences in audio lessons, pause and repeat the sentence, paying attention to the position of No.
Conclusion
Using No before verbs is the basic and consistent way to form negative sentences in Spanish. With the examples, vocabulary, tips, and common corrections here, beginners can confidently make negative statements in everyday situations, from ordering food to saying you do not understand. Keep practicing short, realistic phrases to internalize the rule and speak more naturally.
