Affirmative and Negative Words

Use affirmative or a negative word when you want to talk about and indefinite or negative situation.

Affirmative Wordsalgo/something alguien/someone alguno, -a/ someone, some siempre/ alwaysalguna vez/ ever también/ alsotodavía, aún/ stillya/ already o/ or o…o/ either…or

Negative Wordsnada/ nothing nadie/ no oneninguno, -a/ no one, none nunca/ never jamás/ nevertampoco/ neither ya no/ no longertodavía no/ not yet ni/ nor ni…ni/ neither…nor

Write the sentences below, paying attention to the boldfaced words

Conoces algún chico uruguayo?

(Do you know any Uruguayan boys?)

No conozco a ningún chico uruguayo.

(I do not know any Uruguayan boys)

Explanation: Alguno(a) and ninguano(a) match the gender of a the noun they replace or modify. They have different forms when used before masculine singular nouns: alguno beomes algún and ninguno becomes ningún.

No quiero nada No me gusta ninguna computadora

I do not want anything I do not like any computers

Explanation: A double negative is required in Spanish when no precedes the verb.

Yo nunca uso cámara digital.

I never use a digital camera

Nadie quiere navegar por Internet

No one wants to surf the Web.

Explanation: If the negative word comes before the verb, there is no

need to use no