negación
/neɡaˈθjon/feminine
In Spanish, the word for denial is negación. Wiktionary also lists negamiento.
Meaning: assertion of untruth (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| negación | /neɡaˈθjon/ /neɡaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| negamiento | /neɡamjento/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term is used to describe the assertion of untruth.
Which one should you use?
While both negación and negamiento relate to the concept of denial, negación is the standard term used when referring to a psychological state or the specific act of asserting that something is untrue.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you might hear the informal phrase de eso nada to express the denial of something. In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Argentina, the phrase ni de chiste is used to convey a strong denial or refusal.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because negación is a feminine noun, it must be accompanied by feminine articles or adjectives, such as la or una.
How do you pronounce it?
/neɡaˈθjon/
Did you know?
- Spanish has a specific term, negacionismo, which refers specifically to the denial of historical crimes or genocide, a distinction not always made with the English word 'denial'.
- The root of negación stems from the Proto-Indo-European *ne, which is a fundamental particle used to express negation across many ancient languages.
- While negación is the standard term, Spanish speakers often use the verb negar in a reflexive form to describe the psychological state of being in denial.
Examples in context
- La negación es uno de los mecanismos de defensa humanos más fuertes.Denial is one of the strongest human defence mechanisms.This sentence is useful for illustrating how negación is used when discussing human defense mechanisms.Tatoeba #3786240 by Seael, translation #3786239 by patgfisher
- ¿Niega haber estado presente en la escena del crimen?Do you deny being present at the crime scene?
- Sí, señoría, niego todo lo que se me acusaYes, Your Honor, I deny all the accusations against me
- Su negación de los hechos sorprendió a todos.His denial of the facts surprised everyone.
- La negación de la culpa no cambiará nada.The denial of guilt will change nothing.
Example conversation
Alejandro is discussing a legal matter with María.
- María¿Crees que su negación será suficiente?Do you think his denial will be enough?
- AlejandroNo, María, es una negación sin pruebas.No, María, it is a denial without evidence.
- MaríaEs una negación muy evidente.It is a very obvious denial.
- AlejandroSí, él no admite la verdad.Yes, he does not admit the truth.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “denial” translations and entries negación, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries negación, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
