Everyday sentences
Asking questions & saying no
Questions and negation
Ask questions and build negative sentences.
The pattern
- Use ¿…? in writing. Question words include qué, cómo, cuándo, dónde, quién.
- No goes before the conjugated verb; after it, nada/nadie usually also require no.
¿Dónde vives? No conozco esta zona.
Where do you live? I do not know this area.
Why it works: Dónde asks about a place and takes a written accent. In the second sentence, no goes before conozco.
Notice the difference
Nadie conoce esta zona.
Nobody knows this area.
Why it works: Nadie before the verb makes the sentence negative without no. After the verb, use no: No conozco a nadie aquí.
One thing to watch for
Spanish does not add English-style do/did to make a question. Nadie vino needs no extra no.