One of the most fundamental ways to form a negative sentence in Spanish is by using the word no before the conjugated verb. This simple negation means “not” or “no” and allows you to deny or negate any statement.

How Simple Negations Work

Place no directly before the conjugated verb.
The rest of the sentence remains unchanged.
This form can be used with all subjects and verb tenses.

Examples of Simple Negations

Here are some examples across different subjects and verbs:

Spanish Example	English Example
No hablo español.	I do not speak Spanish.
No comes carne.	You do not eat meat.
No trabaja hoy.	She does not work today.
No vivimos en México.	We do not live in Mexico.
No tienen clase.	They do not have class.

Tips for Using Simple Negations

Always put no right before the conjugated verb, never after.
If there are auxiliary verbs (e.g., in compound tenses) or modal verbs, no goes before the first conjugated verb. For example: “No puedo ir” (I cannot go).
Don’t add no again elsewhere in the sentence unless you’re using more complex negative words like nada, nadie, or nunca (which we’ll cover later).

Simple negation with no is your go-to tool for saying “not” or “don’t” in Spanish. It’s straightforward, flexible, and applies to almost any statement you need to make.

Flashcards (1 of 5)

English Example: I do not speak Spanish.

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025