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Indefinite words

In lesson negation, we covered how to make negative sentences in Spanish and went through the essential negative words, such as nada, nadie, nunca, jamás, tampoco, ninguno.

Each of these negative words has corresponding affirmative versions. In this lesson, we will concentrate on those positive words.

Let us go through them as first.

nada: nothing -- algo: something, anything

nadie: nobody -- alguien: somebody, anybody

nunca: never -- siempre: always

jamás: never -- siempre: always

ningun: none --- algun: some, any    

ni . . . ni: neither . . . nor --- o . . . o: either . . . or

tampoco: neither -- también: also, too

Let us see their uses in example sentences.

algo

In Spanish, as we saw last time in lesson about negation in Spanish, if a negative sentence is to be used with nada, you need to place “no” before the verb. Hence, a sentence like “I don’t need anything” is in Spanish

  • no necesito nada

Trying to use “anything”, i.e. “algo” is wrong in this sentence. You should not mix the negative words with affirmative words in a negative sentence in Spanish.

Typical examples

 “algo” can be used in questions as well. In that case, you can translate it as “anything” most of the time.

  • ¿Deseas algo más? Do you want something else?
  • ¿hay algo para mí? Is there anything for me? 

alguien

¿Ves a alguien? Do you see anyone?

ningun- algun

Their uses can be confusing and therefore they require further explanations. They have four versions each. Because they need to agree with the gender and the number:

Masculine

Feminine

Singular

 

ninguno

ninguna

alguno

alguna

Plural

 

ningunos

ningunas

algunos

algunas

  • ¿Quieres alguno más? (Do you want something?)

In the sentence above, an indefinite singular “thing” is referred; therefore “alguno” is used. In such cases, the masculine form is used.  

If “alguno” is used with a masculine and singular noun, you need to drop the “–o”, on the other hand.

  • ¿Tienes algun bolígrafo? (Do you have any pen?)

In the above sentence, algun is used. Because bolígrafo is masculine and it is singular.

This holds for ningun(o) as well. In case it is used with a masculine and singular noun, yıu need to drop the “–o”.

  • No, no tengo ningún bolígrafo. (No, I don’t have any pen)   

 The plural forms algunos/-as are generally used if they refer to nouns which are always plural.

  • ¿Tienes algunas tijeras?  (Do you have any scissors?)

You should use algunas, because this time you refer to something which is feminine and “tiejeras” is always used in plural form.

tampoco – tambien

Two other words tambien and tampoco are used very frequently as well. These mean also/too and neither respectively.

For example;

  • Soy estudiante, ¿y a tú? (I’m a student and you?)
  • Yo tambien (me too)

Let us have a look at their uses with gustar.

  • Me gusta bailar ¿y a ti? (I like dancing, and you?)
  • a mí tambien (me too)

In case, you don’t like dancing, you can say

  • a mí no.

You should not use “a mí tampoco” here. It’s used only if the first person makes a negative statement. Such as

  • No me gusta bailar ¿ y a ti ?  (I don't like singing, and you?)
  • a mí tampoco (neither me)

In the above case, if you want to say, you like the dancing, you should say:

  • a mí sí  (I do like singing)

Vocabulary

Learn how to tell directions in Spanish

(el) sur south

al sur to the south

en el sur in the south

(el) este east

el norte north

en el norte in the north

(el) oeste west

perpendicular perpendicular

allí there

aquí here

alrededor near

cerca (de) close

cerquita quite near

la dirección  direction

todo recto straight ahead

(la) esquina corner

Learn weather words

(el) tiempo weather

¿Qué tiempo hace? What’s the weather like?

¿Cómo está el clima? How’s the weather?

hace buen tiempo it’s a nice weather

hace mal tiempo it’s a bad weather

el clima  climate/weather

climático/-a climatic

caliente hot

el calor  heat

hace calor it is hot

hace sol it is sunny

soleado/-a sunny

hace frío it is cold

fresco/-a cool

caluroso/-a warm

llover to rain

la lluvia rain

lluvioso/-a rainy

el viento wind

hace viento it’s windy

Let's Practice

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