Using the negative ningún (a, os, as) = not any

Written by qualified Spanish expert Silvia Piriz BA
Last updated: 2022-12-20
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We use the construction no + verbo + ningún (a, os, as) to say not any.

Read and listen to these examples:

No leiste ningún libro de italiano.You didn't read any Italian books.

Los chicos no entienden ninguna guerra en el mundo.The boys don't understand any war in the world.

La florista no vende ninguna flor amarilla.The florist doesn't sell any yellow flowers.

No tuvimos ningún recado para hacer ayer.We didn't have any errands to do yesterday.

The plurals ningunos and ningunas also exist, but they are quite rare and add an emphatic sense to the negation.

No teníamos ningunas ganas de ir.We didn't have any interest at all in going.

Don't confuse the indefinite adjective ningún with the indefinite pronoun ninguno. Ninguno can never be used with a noun!

No llevaba ningún chicle en el bolsillo. No llevaba ninguno.I didn't have any chewing gum in my pocket. I didn't have any.

See also Adjetivo indefinido

To see a different meaning of "ningún" see also Ningún, ninguna + noun + verb = No [noun] + verb (negation)

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Examples and resources

Los chicos no entienden ninguna guerra en el mundo.The boys don't understand any war in the world.
No leiste ningún libro de italiano.You didn't read any Italian books.
No teníamos ningunas ganas de ir.We didn't have any interest at all in going.
No tuvimos ningún recado para hacer ayer.We didn't have any errands to do yesterday.
No llevaba ningún chicle en el bolsillo. No llevaba ninguno.I didn't have any chewing gum in my pocket. I didn't have any.
La florista no vende ninguna flor amarilla.The florist doesn't sell any yellow flowers.
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