Portuguese Negative Sentences: Não, Nada, Ninguém, and Nunca
Portuguese often uses não before the verb and a second negative word after it. Learn why não fiz nada means “I didn’t do anything.”
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
For a simple statement, place não before the conjugated verb: não moro aqui (I don’t live here), não entendi (I didn’t understand), and não vou amanhã (I’m not going tomorrow). This is a familiar negative pattern for beginners.
Put não before the verb for a basic negative
Portuguese can also place another negative word after the verb. This is normal negative concord, not a mistake that reverses the meaning. Não fiz nada means I didn’t do anything.
Não conheço ninguém aqui.
I don’t know anyone here.
Ela não comprou nada.
She didn’t buy anything.
A gente não vai sair hoje.
We aren’t going out today.
Use ninguém, nada, and nunca where the meaning calls for them
Ninguém means nobody or no one; nada means nothing or not anything; nunca means never. When one follows a verb, keep não before the verb: não vi ninguém (I didn’t see anyone). At the start of a sentence, the negative word can appear without a second não: ninguém respondeu (nobody answered).
English often uses anyone or anything in a negative sentence. Portuguese commonly expresses the same idea with não plus ninguém or nada. Match the pattern to the placement of the negative word instead of translating one word at a time.
Nunca viajei de barco.
I’ve never traveled by boat.
Ninguém sabe a resposta.
Nobody knows the answer.
Não encontrei nada no e-mail.
I didn’t find anything in the email.
Put it into practice
Use não before the verb. A following negative word such as nada or ninguém reinforces the same negative meaning; at the start of a sentence, ninguém or nunca can stand without another não.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Nobody knows the answer”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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