Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 16

CEFR A2-B1

3 min read

Test yourself (26 questions)

Spanish Indefinite and Negative Words: alguien, nadie, algún

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

Spanish has a word for someone, something and some, and a negative partner for each. A negative after the verb needs no in front of the verb as well:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

some, anynone, nothe part that changesWhat do the colours mean?
  • ¿ ? - Is anyone home?
  • . - There's no one.

Indefinites at a glance

Refers toSome, anyNone, noEnglish
a personsomeone, no one
a thingsomething, nothing
one of a groupsome, any, none
before a m. nounsome, no
any at all(no partner)any, anyone

, , and never change. The others agree with their noun:

  • . - I' got something for you.
  • . - Some people aren't coming.

The double negative

After the verb, , and need no before the verb as well. The two negatives do not cancel; together they make one:

OrderSpanishEnglish
no + verb + .I don't see anyone.
no + verb + .I' got nothing.
no + verb + .There's no problem at all.
+ verb .No one is coming.
+ verb .Nothing changes.

The position decides. Before the verb, one negative is enough; after it, no goes in front too:

Before the verb
Verb
After the verb
empty

Several negatives can stack after one no, and (never) works the same way:

  • . - I don't say anything to anyone.
  • . - I never go.

A question takes the positive word, the answer the negative one:

  • ¿ ? - Do you want anything?
  • , , . - No, thanks, I don't want anything.
On a table, a smiling blue bowl heaped with steaming porridge and berries, a spoon standing in it, beside a sleepy green bowl that has been eaten clean, the spoon resting inside and a few crumbs left.
  1. .
  2. .

Queda algo: there's some left. No queda nada: there's nothing left.

and are people, so as the object of a verb they take the personal a:

  • . - I'm looking for someone.
  • . - I don't know anyone.

Algún and ningún

some, anynone, nothe part that changesWhat do the colours mean?

Straight before a masculine singular noun, and drop the -o and take an accent:

alguno shortens to algún before a masculine singular noun
Formalgunoninguno
before a m. noun
standing alone (m.)
feminine
plural (rare)
  • . - Some day I'm going to go.
  • ¿ ? , . - Have you got a book? No, I haven't got one.
  • . - I have no doubt at all.

The feminine normally keeps its -a: (some idea), (no doubt). Where English says no friends, Spanish keeps singular:

  • . - I haven't got any friends here.

Alguien or alguno?

is any person at all. picks from a group you have in mind, and agrees with it:

WordSpanishEnglish
¿ ?Has anyone called?
.One of these houses is yours.
.No one knows the truth.
.None of my friends came.

Cualquier and cualquiera

means any at all. Before a noun of either gender it shortens to :

cualquiera loses its -a before a noun
PositionSpanishEnglish
before a noun any day
before a noun any person, anyone
alone .Anyone can do that.
after a noun any old job
  • . - Call at any time.
  • . - Any day is fine.

After a noun it shrugs: is a run-of-the-mill job, while is any job you like.

Otro, todo and mismo

Three more words of this family agree like adjectives. never takes in front:

WordSpanishEnglish
another coffee
again, another time
all night
every day
the same house

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
no . .before the verb, one negative
shortens before a m. noun
shortens before a m. noun
the accent is compulsory
.Spanish keeps the singular
shortens before a noun
never takes

What to do next

  1. Answer three questions out loud with no ... , no ... and no ... .
  2. Do the story and sort drills below.
  3. Negation has , and the rest of the negative words.

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

0/6

Choose the word for each gap.

An empty flat

Llego a casa a las diez. ¿Hay en casa? No, no hay . Miro en la cocina. ¿Hay de comer? No, no hay . día voy a hacer la compra. Pero hoy no tengo problema: hay un bar cerca.

Gap 1 of 6

Sort into groups

0/8

Which form of alguno goes in front of each noun?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Pick the right one

0/6

Choose the word that fits.

  1. No tengo amigo aquí.

  2. ¿Tienes un libro? No, no tengo .

  3. persona puede hacerlo. (any person)

  4. Eso lo hace . (anyone)

  5. No conozco a aquí.

  6. ¿Quieres más?

Put the words in order

0/2

Put the words in order.

  1. I don't want anything.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. Say: I have no problem.

    Your sentence is empty.

Chapters 1 and 2 free

This article is one lesson in a whole course

Every grammar point has its own article and drill, and the course wraps them in graded stories, games and printable worksheets, in the order you need them.

Chapters 1 and 2 free, forever. Plus: 7 days free, then $5 a month for all eleven languages.

Start learning free

Spanish · Free printables

Practice worksheets and infographics

Practice worksheets with answer keys built in, plus infographic and listicle formats. Open any one to view, print or save.

Part of Kilo Lingo Plus

Printables beyond chapters 1 and 2 are part of Kilo Lingo Plus. Sign up free and start your free week to download as many as you like: no card.

Start your free week (no card)

More grammar on this course

Frequently asked questions

Why is it ' a ' and not ' a '?
Because Spanish uses a double negative. When , or after the verb, no must go before the verb as well: a (I don't see anyone). The two do not cancel out; together they make one negative. Put the negative word before the verb and one is enough: (no one is coming).
What is the difference between and ?
They are the same word. is the short form used straight before a masculine singular noun: (some day). The full back when it stands alone: ¿ ? (have you got one?). The feminine normally keeps its -a: . works the same way: , but .
What is the difference between and ?
means someone, any person at all, and never changes: ¿ ? (is anyone home?). means one or some of a group you have in mind, and agrees with it: (one of these houses). The negatives split the same way: is no one at all, is none of a group: (none of my friends came).
What is the difference between and ?
goes straight before a noun of either gender and means any at all: (any day), (anyone). stands alone and means anyone: (anyone can do that). After a noun it shrugs: is a run-of-the-mill job.
Can you say ' ' in Spanish?
Spanish keeps in the singular where English uses a plural: (I haven't got any friends here). The plural is rare, kept mostly for nouns that only exist in the plural, such as (glasses). An even simpler way to say it is .