Double Negation

Level 2

In Galician two negatives do not cancel out. When nada, nunca, ninguén, ningún or tampouco comes after the verb, non also goes before it: Non vén nunca. When the negative word comes first, it replaces non: Nunca vén.

How It Works

Negative words

nada (nothing), nunca (never), ninguén (no one), ningún/ningunha (no, none), tampouco (neither), nin (not even, nor).

After the verb: non + verb + negative word

  • Non vén nunca. (He never comes.)
  • Non hai ninguén na casa. (There is no one at home.)
  • Non sei nada. (I don't know anything.)

This is not a mistake and it does not make the sentence positive. It is the normal way to negate in Galician.

Before the verb: negative word + verb, without non

  • Nunca vén. (He never comes.)
  • Ninguén o sabe. (No one knows it.)
  • Tampouco quero ir. (I don't want to go either.)

In relaxed speech you may hear tampouco non, but standard Galician leaves non out after a negative word that comes first.

Several negative words

You can use more than one: Ninguén dixo nada (no one said anything), Non lle dixen nada a ninguén (I didn't tell anyone anything).

Pronoun position

Non and preverbal negative words pull object pronouns before the verb: Non o vin, Nunca te vin. See pronouns after negatives.

Examples (6)

  1. Non vén nunca ás reunións.

    He never comes to the meetings.

    Nunca follows the verb, so non goes before it.

  2. Nunca vén ás reunións.

    He never comes to the meetings.

    Nunca comes first, so non is left out.

  3. Non hai ninguén na casa.

    There is no one at home.

    Word by Word: Not there-is no-one in-the house.

  4. Ninguén dixo nada.

    No one said anything.

    Ninguén comes first; nada after the verb needs no extra non.

  5. Non lle dixen nada a ninguén.

    I didn't tell anyone anything.

    Non before the verb covers both nada and ninguén after it.

  6. Tampouco quero ir ao cine.

    I don't want to go to the cinema either.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out non when the negative word follows the verb.

    Vin nada.
    Non vin nada.

    Nada after the verb needs non before the verb. Otherwise say Nada vin, which sounds more emphatic.

  • Using a positive word after non.

    Non vén alguén.
    Non vén ninguén.

    After non, use the negative words ninguén, nada, nunca and ningún, not alguén, algo or algún.

  • Putting an object pronoun after the verb when a negative word comes first.

    Ninguén sábeo.
    Ninguén o sabe.

    A negative word before the verb pulls the pronoun in front of the verb, just as non does: Non o sabe, Ninguén o sabe.

How It Connects

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Double NegationLevel 2

Learn This First

Negative words can supply negation before the verb or combine with non after it.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

nadanunca