nunca
Lemma Details
Translation: never; at no time; not ever
Part of Speech: adverb
Etymology: Nunca comes from Latin 'numquam' which is a combination of 'num' (not) and 'quam' (ever). This is similar to how English 'never' combines 'not' and 'ever'. The Latin 'numquam' evolved to 'nunquam' in Vulgar Latin and eventually to 'nunca' in Spanish. The English cognate would be 'never', though they're not directly related etymologically.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'none-ka' - as in 'none of the time'
- Remember that 'nunca' has the 'n' sound twice (at the beginning of each syllable), emphasizing the negative nature of the word
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Nunca is a very common negative adverb in Spanish. It's often used with the present tense to express something that doesn't happen, unlike English which typically uses the present perfect with 'never'.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both mean 'never', 'jamás' can sometimes have a stronger emphasis or be used for dramatic effect. They're often used together as 'nunca jamás' for extra emphasis.
Confused word:
Jamás te mentiría sobre algo tan importante.
I would never lie to you about something so important.
Notes: In some contexts, 'jamás' can be used in questions to mean 'ever' rather than 'never', while 'nunca' is more consistently negative.
Mnemonic: Think of 'jamás' as 'HAH-más' with emphasis, like you're exclaiming with more emotion.
Explanation: 'Nunca' means 'never' (time), while 'nada' means 'nothing' (object/concept).
Notes: Both are negative words that can trigger double negatives in Spanish, which are grammatically correct unlike in English.
Mnemonic: Nada sounds like 'not-a' - as in 'not a thing' (nothing).