ninguno
/ninˈɡuno/
In Spanish, ningún is the word for "none", "no" or "not any".
This phrase is used to indicate that not one person or thing in a group is being referred to.
Which one should you use?
The form you choose depends on whether the word is acting as an adjective or a pronoun. Use ningún or ninguna when the word is immediately followed by a noun. Use ninguno or ninguna when the word stands alone as a pronoun and the noun it refers to is omitted.
How does it change in a sentence?
There are several forms based on how they are used in a sentence. The form ningún is used immediately before a masculine singular noun. To refer to feminine singular nouns, use ninguna. When the noun is omitted, ninguno acts as a standalone masculine singular pronoun. Additionally, Spanish often employs a double negative construction where you place no before the verb and ningún after the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ninˈɡuno/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, ninguno is used to describe a person who is completely unremarkable or an 'nobody' in society. This transforms a word of quantity into a description of social status.
- In Spanish, the word ningún is almost exclusively used in the singular, even when the speaker is thinking of a large group of people. Using it in a plural form is generally considered a grammatical error.
- The word ninguno is actually a 'linguistic fusion' of two separate Latin words: nec, meaning 'neither', and ūnus, meaning 'one'.
Examples in context
- No tengo ningún libro.I don't have any book.
- No tengo ningún problema.I don't have any problem.
- No tengo ninguna duda.I have no doubt.
- No hay ningún problema.There is no problem.
- No hay ningún restaurante en esta área.There are no restaurants in this area.
- No tengo ningún hermano.I don't have any brothers.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are looking for a specific pen in a box.
- Alejandro¿Ves el bolígrafo azul?Do you see the blue pen?
- LucíaNo, ninguno está aquí.No, none are here.
- Alejandro¿Estás segura, Lucía?Are you sure, Lucía?
- LucíaSí, no queda ninguno.Yes, there isn't a single one left.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ninguno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ninguno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
