Negatives with ninguém, nada, nunca and nem

In brief

Use ninguém for ‘nobody’, nada for ‘nothing’ or ‘anything’ in a negative sentence, and nunca for ‘never’. These words can make a sentence negative on their own when they come before the verb. After the verb, they normally go with não before the verb. This combination is standard in Brazilian Portuguese, even though English avoids a similar double negative.

Form

Negative word + verb: Ninguém respondeu. / Não + verb + negative word: Não vi ninguém. Use nem to add ‘nor’ or ‘not even’ to a negative idea.

Usage

• Use ninguém when no person does something or when you did not see anyone.
• Use nada for no thing, and nunca for no time: ‘nothing’ and ‘never’.
• Use nem to add another excluded option, as in ‘not coffee or tea’.

Examples

• Ninguém respondeu à mensagem. — Nobody replied to the message.
• Não encontrei nada na bolsa. — I didn’t find anything in the bag.
• Eu nunca pego ônibus aos domingos. — I never take the bus on Sundays.
• Ela não gosta de café nem de chá. — She doesn’t like coffee or tea.

Common mistake

❌ Eu vi ninguém.

✅ Eu não vi ninguém.

If ninguém comes after the verb, put não before the verb. Unlike English, this combination is the normal way to say ‘I didn’t see anyone’.

Remember

Before the verb, ninguém, nada and nunca can negate a sentence alone. If one follows the verb, put não before the verb.