casi ninguno
/kasi ninɡuno/from spelling rules
The English phrase almost none is translated into Spanish as casi ninguno.
In more formal contexts, you might use Prácticamente ninguno/a to indicate that there is practically no quantity of something.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of casi (almost) and ninguno (none/not one).
Which one should you use?
Use casi ninguno when referring to a quantity of countable objects. In contrast, use casi nada when referring to an uncountable amount or to say 'almost nothing' in a general sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender with the noun it refers to, using casi ninguna for feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- The word ninguno is a contraction of the Late Latin words nec and ūnus, meaning 'not even one'.
- In Spanish, you can use casi nada as a colloquial way to say you have 'almost nothing' or very little money, even if you are talking about a countable amount.
- In certain Spanish dialects, you might hear people use 'casi ningún' followed immediately by a noun, which is a common way to restrict a quantity.
Examples in context
- Casi ninguno/a de los invitados llegó a tiempoAlmost none of the guests arrived on time
- Prácticamente ninguno/a de los estudiantes contestó la pregunta correctamentePractically none of the students answered the question correctly
- Tengo pocas ganas de cocinar hoyI have almost no desire to cook today
- Queda casi nada de comida en el refrigeradorThere is almost none of the food left in the fridge
- De los libros que compré, casi ninguno me gustó.Of the books I bought, almost none of them I liked.
- Tengo muchos amigos, pero casi ninguno vive cerca.I have many friends, but almost none live nearby.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are looking at a plate of cookies.
- DanielMaría, ¿quedan galletas?María, are there any cookies left?
- MaríaLo siento, Daniel, queda casi ninguno.I'm sorry, Daniel, there is almost none left.
- Daniel¿De verdad no hay más?Really, there are no more?
- MaríaSolo queda un pedacito.Only a little piece remains.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries casi, ninguno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
