Spanish · Time, Numbers & Colors

"Never" in Spanish: nunca

nunca

Say it: NOON-kahadverb/ˈnunka/

Never in Spanish is nunca. You can say nunca voy or no voy nunca. Spanish allows both negatives together.

Food

Nunca como cilantro.
I never eat cilantro.
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How to pronounce nunca

Say it

NOON-kah

/ˈnunka/

NOON-kah. Stress NOON. Soft final a.

"Never" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
nuncanever

Default negative time adverb.

no… nuncanever (double negative)

No voy nunca is correct Spanish.

nunca jamásnever ever

Stronger refusal.

casi nuncaalmost never

Rare habits.

nunca másnever again

After a bad experience.

How to use nunca in real life

  1. 1Food

    Nunca como cilantro.

    I never eat cilantro.

    Nunca before the verb.

  2. 2Travel

    No viajo nunca de noche.

    I never travel at night.

    No… nunca is fine.

  3. 3Strong no

    Nunca jamás vuelvo allí.

    I never ever go back there.

    Nunca jamás is emphatic.

Mistakes English speakers make with nunca

Incorrect: Nunca no voy.

Correct: Nunca voy. / No voy nunca.

Do not stack nunca and no before the verb that way.

Incorrect: Voy never.

Correct: Nunca voy.

Use nunca, not English never.

Good to know

Latin American Spanish loves the double negative: no… nunca sounds natural, not wrong. Nunca jamás adds drama.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Choosing a restaurant

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Nunca comes picante?

    Do you never eat spicy food?

  2. You

    Casi nunca. Me quema.

    Almost never. It burns me.

  3. ChatPal

    Entonces pedimos algo suave.

    Then we'll order something mild.

  4. You

    Sí. Nunca pido chile.

    Yes. I never order chile.

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"Never" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Never" in Spanish

Can I say no… nunca?

Yes. No voy nunca is correct Spanish.

Does nunca change for gender?

No. Nunca stays the same.

Where do I put nunca?

Before the verb, or after with no: nunca voy / no voy nunca.

How do I say almost never?

Casi nunca.

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