Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| en ninguna parte | /en ninɡuna paɾte/ (from spelling rules) | |
| en ningún lugar | /en ninɡun luɡaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | |
| en ningún sitio | /en ninɡun sitjo/ (from spelling rules) | |
| por ningún lado | /poɾ ninˌɡun ˈlado/ | |
| en ningún lado | /en ninɡun lado/ (from spelling rules) | colloquial |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase en ninguna parte is composed of en (in), ninguna (no/none) and parte (part/place).
Which one should you use?
While en ninguna parte and en ningún lugar are largely interchangeable, en ningún lugar specifically refers to a 'place' or 'location'. The phrase en ningún sitio is a common alternative to en ningún lugar, frequently used in Spain. The form por ningún lado is often used to emphasize a search process, such as saying one looked everywhere but found something nowhere. Finally, en ningún lado is a more colloquial way to say 'nowhere' compared to en ninguna parte.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
En ningún lado is a more colloquial way to express 'nowhere' than the more standard en ninguna parte.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form por ningún lado is often used to emphasize the search process, as in 'I looked everywhere but found it nowhere'.
How do you pronounce it?
/en ninɡuna paɾte/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Spanish uses double negatives. You must use no with the verb and ninguna to express 'nowhere' rather than just using the negative phrase alone.
Did you know?
- The word sitio, often used in the phrase en ningún sitio, is actually a derivative of the verb sitiar, which means 'to siege'.
- Using en ningún lado is often seen as an influence from English or a regionalism in the Americas, whereas en ninguna parte remains the gold standard for formal writing across all Spanish-speaking countries.
- The word sitio used in en ningún sitio can also mean 'a website' in the digital age, as it refers to a specific 'site' or 'location' on the internet.
Examples in context
- El anillo no aparecía en ninguna parte.The ring was nowhere to be found.This sentence shows how to say a ring was nowhere to be found using en ninguna parte.Tatoeba #1923577 by marcelostockle, translation #47342 by CM
- No podíamos encontrar la llave en ninguna parte.The key was nowhere to be found.This sentence shows how to say a key was nowhere to be found using en ninguna parte.Tatoeba #1201838 by Shishir, translation #239400 by CM
- Por mucho que busqué, no encontré mi reloj perdido en ninguna parte.Look as I might, nowhere could I find my lost watch.This sentence shows how to express that a lost watch could be found nowhere using en ninguna parte.Tatoeba #791892 by darinmex, translation #36712 by Dejo
- Maria buscó sus llaves extraviadas pero no las encontró en ninguna parte.Maria searched for her misplaced keys but found them nowhere.
- La terminal de autobuses no está en ningún sitio cerca de esta zona.The bus terminal is nowhere near this area.
- Buscamos el restaurante que mencionaste, pero no está en ningún lado.We looked for the restaurant you mentioned, but it's nowhere to be found.
- Las llaves no están en ningún lado. ¿Me ayudas a buscar?The keys are nowhere to be found. Can you help me look?
- Ninguna parte en la Tierra ofrece una vista tan impresionante como esta.Nowhere on Earth offers a view as breathtaking as this.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are looking for their cat in the house.
- ElenaJavier, ¿has visto al gato?Javier, have you seen the cat?
- JavierNo, no lo encuentro en ninguna parte.No, I can't find him anywhere.
- ElenaYa busqué en el jardín y no está.I already looked in the garden and he's not there.
- JavierEntonces debe estar escondido en algún sitio.Then he must be hiding somewhere.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nowhere” translations and entries por ningún lado, 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 en, lugar, ningún, parte, por, sitio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
