no confíes en nadie
/no konfies en nadje/from spelling rules
The English phrase "trust no one" is translated into Spanish as no confíes en nadie.
This phrase is used as a warning to avoid placing confidence or faith in any person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from no (not), confíes (you trust), en (in) and nadie (nobody/no one).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the verb confiar, which requires the preposition en to mean "to trust someone". The default form no confíes en nadie uses the informal imperative (tú) form of the verb. To address one person formally, use no confíe en nadie and to address a group, use no confíen en nadie.
Did you know?
- The word nadie is etymologically linked to the concept of being 'born'. It originates from the Latin word nātī, meaning 'born people' or 'those who have been born'.
- While no confíes en nadie is a warning, Spanish speakers often use the phrase no te fíes to convey a similar sense of skepticism or caution regarding a person's reliability.
- The phrase no confíes en nadie uses a double negative, which is grammatically mandatory in Spanish. In English, two negatives often cancel each other out, but in Spanish, they reinforce the negation.
Examples in context
- No confíe en nadie en este asunto delicado.Do not trust anyone in this delicate matter.
- No confíen en nadie en esta empresa sin pruebas concretas.Do not trust anyone in this company without concrete evidence.
- No confíes en nadie, esto es un mundo complicado.Don't trust anyone, this is a complicated world.
- No confiéis en nadie, la lealtad es escasa hoy en día.Don't trust anyone, loyalty is scarce nowadays.
- En este juego, no confíes en nadie.In this game, trust no one.
- Ten cuidado y no confíes en nadie.Be careful and trust no one.
- Sé precavido, no confíes en nadie aquí.Be cautious, trust no one here.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are discussing a high-stakes strategy game.
- LucíaJavier, es una competencia muy peligrosa.Javier, it is a very dangerous competition.
- JavierLo sé, no confíes en nadie.I know, trust no one.
- Lucía¿Incluso en mis propios aliados?Even in my own allies?
- JavierEspecialmente en ellos.Especially in them.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, nadie, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
