ningún
Lemma Details
Translation: no; not any; none; not a single
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: Ningún comes from Latin 'nec unum' meaning 'not one'. The 'nec' part evolved into 'ni' in Spanish (meaning 'not even'), while 'unum' (one) became 'un'. Together they formed 'ningún', literally meaning 'not even one'. This etymology reveals its emphatic nature of complete negation. The English cognate would be found in the negative prefix 'n-' combined with words like 'none' or 'nothing', which share the same conceptual root of negating existence.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'ningún' as 'not even one' (ni + un).
- Remember that 'ningún' is like saying 'none-gun' – it shoots down all possibilities.
- The 'nin' part sounds like 'nil' in English, which also means 'nothing'.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, double negatives are grammatically correct and often required, unlike in English. For example, 'No tengo ningún libro' (literally 'I don't have no book') is the correct way to say 'I don't have any book' in Spanish. This reflects a cultural emphasis on emphatic negation.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'ningún' means 'no' or 'not any', 'algún' means 'some' or 'any' in affirmative contexts. They are opposites.
Notes: In questions, 'algún' is used where English might use 'any': '¿Tienes algún libro?' (Do you have any book?)
Mnemonic: 'Ningún' starts with 'n' for 'negative', while 'algún' starts with 'a' for 'affirmative'.
Explanation: 'Ningún' is a single word adjective meaning 'no/not any', while 'ni un' is a phrase meaning 'not even one' and is more emphatic.
This word:
No hay ningún problema.
There is no problem.
Confused word:
No hay ni un problema que no podamos resolver.
There is not even one problem we cannot solve.
Notes: 'Ni un' places more emphasis on the quantity 'one' and is often used for emphasis.
Mnemonic: Think of 'ni un' as the expanded, more emphatic version of 'ningún'.