1. The Basic Structure:
* "No" is the main negative word, similar to "not" in English. It goes before the verb.
* "Nunca" (never) and "Nadie" (nobody) are also commonly used negative words.
Examples:
* "Yo no hablo español." (I don't speak Spanish.)
* "Ella nunca va al cine." (She never goes to the cinema.)
* "Nadie sabe la respuesta." (Nobody knows the answer.)
2. Using "No" with Different Verb Tenses:
Here's how "no" works with different verb tenses:
* Present Tense: "No" + Verb conjugated in present tense
* "No como carne." (I don't eat meat.)
* Past Tense: "No" + Verb conjugated in past tense
* "No fui al trabajo ayer." (I didn't go to work yesterday.)
* Future Tense: "No" + Verb conjugated in future tense
* "No comeré pizza esta noche." (I won't eat pizza tonight.)
* Imperative: "No" + Verb in imperative form
* "No hables tan alto." (Don't talk so loud.)
3. Special Cases:
* "No" before infinitive verbs:
* "No quiero ir." (I don't want to go.)
* "No" with "haber" (to have) + past participle for compound tenses:
* "No he comido." (I haven't eaten.)
4. Double Negatives:
In Spanish, double negatives are not grammatically correct. You would only use one negative word in a sentence.
Example:
* Incorrect: "No tengo ningún libro." (I don't have any book.)
* Correct: "No tengo libro." (I don't have a book.)
Key Points to Remember:
* "No" is the most basic negative word.
* The position of "no" is before the verb.
* "Nunca" and "nadie" are other common negative words.
* Double negatives are incorrect in Spanish.
If you have any more questions about Spanish grammar, feel free to ask!