How to Say No by Fernanda L. Ferreira, Ph.D.
The word for “no” in Portuguese is não, a one-syllable word with a nasal diphthong that sometimes takes practice to pronounce. In order to say a sentence in the negative, simply put the word não before the verb. This is very different from English, where negative sentences are constructed with a system of auxiliary verbs (don't, etc.). See the table below to understand the simplicity of Portuguese.
In order to pronounce the word correctly try saying the word “now” in English but try to make it nasal, as you would if you said “huh?”
Sentences in the Negative
Portuguese |
English [many possibilities] |
Eu não tenho um cachorro. |
I don't have a dog. |
Ela não quer conversar. |
She doesn't want to talk. |
Nós não podemos acreditar. |
We can't believe this. |
Vocês não souberam da verdade? |
You guys didn't find out the truth? |
Você não deve fazer isso. |
You shouldn't do that. |
As you can see, the Portuguese system is pretty straightforward. The negative is simply made by placing the negative word não before the verb. No alterations or auxiliary verbs are needed. What if you want to say “never” or “nobody”? Read more to find out.
TRACK 78
More Negative Words in Portuguese
Word |
Example |
English |
Nunca |
Eu nunca estive em Manaus. |
I've never been to Manaus. |
Nada |
Nada a declarar. |
Nothing to declare. |
Ninguém |
Ninguém chegou na hora. |
Nobody arrived on time. |
Nem…nem |
Nem um nem outro. |
Neither one nor the other. |
Nenhum |
Nenhum artigo foi perdido. |
Not one article was lost. |
Nenhuma |
Nenhuma pessoa ficou lá. |
Not one person stayed there. |
What if this is still not enough? Read on to find out how to out sentences together in the negative.
