algún / ningún / alguén / ninguén
Some, No, Someone and No One
Algún (some, any) and ningún (no, not any) go with a noun and agree with it. Alguén (someone) and ninguén (no one) stand alone, refer only to people and never change.
How It Works
The forms
- algún, algunha, algúns, algunhas: some, any
- ningún, ningunha, ningúns, ningunhas: no, not any, none
- alguén: someone, anyone (people only, invariable)
- ninguén: no one, nobody (people only, invariable)
Algún and ningún with a noun
They agree with the noun: Hai algunha farmacia por aquí? (Is there a pharmacy around here?), Non hai ningún problema (there is no problem). They can also stand alone when the noun is clear: Algúns quedaron na casa (some stayed at home). Ningún is mostly used in the singular.
Alguén and ninguén for people
Alguén chama á porta (someone is knocking at the door), Ninguén sabe a resposta (no one knows the answer). For things, use algo and nada.
Negative sentences
If ningún or ninguén comes after the verb, add non before the verb: Non veu ninguén. If it comes first, leave non out: Ninguén veu. In a negative sentence Galician uses ningún, not algún: Non teño ningunha dúbida (I have no doubt at all).
Contractions
Algún joins with en and de: nalgún sitio (somewhere), dalgunha maneira (somehow). Alguén does not contract: de alguén.
Spanish look-alikes: Galician says alguén and ninguén (not alguien, nadie) and algunha, ningunha (not alguna, ninguna).
Examples (6)
- Hai algunha pregunta?
Are there any questions?
Algunha agrees with the feminine noun pregunta.
- Alguén chamou á porta.
Someone knocked at the door.
Alguén refers to a person and never changes.
- Non veu ninguén á reunión.
No one came to the meeting.
Ninguén comes after the verb, so non is needed before it.
- Ninguén sabe onde está o gato.
No one knows where the cat is.
Ninguén comes first, so there is no non.
- Algúns amigos meus viven na Coruña.
Some friends of mine live in A Coruña.
- Deixei as chaves nalgún sitio.
I left the keys somewhere.
En + algún contracts to nalgún.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish forms ninguna or alguien.
Non teño ninguna dúbida.Non teño ningunha dúbida.The Galician feminine is ningunha, with -nh-. In the same way, say alguén, not alguien.
Using algún after a negative verb.
Non vin cousa algunha no mar.Non vin ningunha cousa no mar.In negative sentences Galician uses ningún or ningunha, not algún.
Forgetting non when ninguén comes after the verb.
Hai ninguén na casa.Non hai ninguén na casa.When a negative word follows the verb, non must also go before the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Indefinite and negative forms distinguish people from noun-modifying quantities.
Related Patterns
- algo / nadaSomething and Nothing
The matching words for things: something and nothing.
Level 2 - Double Negation
Why non is needed when ningún or ninguén follows the verb.
Level 2 - Pronouns Before the Verb After Indefinite Subjects
Subjects such as alguén pull object pronouns before the verb: Alguén mo dixo.
Level 4 - un / unha / uns / unhasIndefinite Articles
The indefinite articles, which algún resembles in meaning.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice algún / ningún / alguén / ninguén in Bubblegum
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