Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials

"Nothing" in Portuguese: nada

nada

Say it: NAH-dahpronoun/ˈna.da/

Nothing in Portuguese is nada. Say Não quero nada and Não foi nada. With não + verb, nada often follows: Não vi nada.

Menu

Por enquanto não quero nada mais, obrigado.
For now I don’t want anything else, thanks.
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How to pronounce nada

Say it

NAH-dah

/ˈna.da/

NAH-dah

"Nothing" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
nadanothing

Main word.

não… nadanot… anything / nothing

With negation.

de nadayou’re welcome

Reply to thanks.

nada demaisno big deal / nothing much

Casual.

How to use nada in real life

  1. 1Menu

    Por enquanto não quero nada mais, obrigado.

    For now I don’t want anything else, thanks.

    Não… nada.

  2. 2Apology reply

    Relaxa não foi nada.

    Relax — it was nothing.

    Softening.

  3. 3Lost item search

    Olhei a gaveta e não achei nada.

    I looked in the drawer and found nothing.

    Search result.

Mistakes English speakers make with nada

Incorrect: Eu quero nothing.

Correct: Eu não quero nada.

Use nada with não.

Incorrect: Eu vi nada (without não).

Correct: Eu não vi nada.

Standard Brazilian pairs não with nada.

Good to know

De nada is the classic “you’re welcome.” Nada demais shrugs off a compliment or a problem. For empty fridges and empty results, não… nada is the pattern to lock in.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

After spilling a little water

  1. ChatPal

    Desculpa o tombo do copo.

    Sorry about knocking over the glass.

  2. You

    Não foi nada água.

    It was nothing — just water.

  3. ChatPal

    Quer um pano? Não tem nada no armário?

    Want a cloth? Is there nothing in the cupboard?

  4. You

    Tem sim. Não precisa se preocupar com nada.

    There is. You don’t need to worry about anything.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Nothing" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Nothing" in Portuguese

Nothing?

Nada.

I don’t want anything?

Não quero nada.

You’re welcome?

De nada.

It was nothing?

Não foi nada.

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