nunca
/ˈnunka/
The Spanish word nunca translates to the English word 'never'.
Which one should you use?
While nunca is the standard word for 'never', jamás serves as a stronger, more emphatic synonym. For an informal way to say 'never' that translates to 'not even in dreams', you can use the expression ni en sueños.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnunka/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish dialects, you can use nunca in a double negative construction, such as no lo vi nunca, which translates literally to 'I did not see him never'.
- The word nunca is a direct descendant of the Latin word numquam, which combined the negative 'ne' with 'umquam', meaning 'at any time'.
- While nunca means 'never', adding the word jamás after it, as in nunca jamás, creates an extremely heavy emphasis that sounds almost poetic or cinematic.
Examples in context
- Jamás pensé que llegaría tan lejosI never thought I would go so far
- No interferiré en ningún momentoI will never interfere
- Ni en sueños saldré a bailar salsaI won't ever go salsa dancing, not even in my dreams
- Nunca he estado en España.I have never been to Spain.
- Nunca he visto esa película.I have never seen that movie.
- No quiero volver nunca a ese lugar.I never want to go back to that place.
- Él nunca llega a tiempo.He never arrives on time.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking about a new restaurant.
- Alejandro¿Has probado la comida de este restaurante?Have you tried the food at this restaurant?
- ElenaNo, nunca he comido aquí.No, I have never eaten here.
- AlejandroEs muy bueno, te va a encantar.It is very good, you are going to love it.
- ElenaEstá bien, vamos a probarlo.Okay, let's try it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nunca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nunca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
