Algum / Nenhum / Outro: Some/No/Other | Portuguese (Brazil) Grammar

The previous indefinites — alguém, tudo, nada — never change shape. This page covers the other family: indefinites that agree in gender and number with the noun they go with, just like an adjective. These are the words for some, no, other, every, several, much, little. Getting the agreement right, and learning one clever trick where word order flips the meaning, is what this page is about.

The agreeing indefinites

Each of these has four forms (masculine/feminine × singular/plural). Match the form to the noun.

Masc. sg.	Fem. sg.	Masc. pl.	Fem. pl.	Meaning
algum	alguma	alguns	algumas	some, any
nenhum	nenhuma	nenhuns*	nenhumas*	no, none, not any
outro	outra	outros	outras	other, another
todo	toda	todos	todas	every, all (the)
vário* (rare sg.)	vária*	vários	várias	several
muito	muita	muitos	muitas	much, many
pouco	pouca	poucos	poucas	little, few

The plurals *nenhuns/nenhumas exist but are vanishingly rare; nenhum/nenhuma is almost always singular. vário and pouco are normally used in the plural for "several/few."

Watch the spelling: algum and nenhum end in -um (no accent), but alguns takes no accent either while the feminine algumas is regular. None of these carry a written accent in the standard forms — don't add one.

Tem algum problema com o pedido?

Is there some/any problem with the order? (algum + masculine 'problema')

Eu tenho algumas perguntas.

I have a few/some questions. (algumas agrees with fem. pl. 'perguntas')

Vamos pedir outra rodada?

Shall we order another round? (outra + fem. 'rodada')

Várias pessoas reclamaram.

Several people complained. (várias + fem. pl. 'pessoas')

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The trap for English speakers: English some, any, no, other never change, but in Portuguese these words behave like adjectives and must match the noun's gender and number. "Some books" = alguns livros (masc. pl.), "some chairs" = algumas cadeiras (fem. pl.).

Nenhum and double negation

Just like ninguém and nada, the negative nenhum/nenhuma triggers double negation. When it sits after the verb, you also need não before the verb.

Não tenho nenhum dinheiro comigo.

I don't have any money on me. (não + nenhum after the verb)

Não sobrou nenhuma vaga.

There wasn't a single spot left.

Nenhum aluno passou na prova.

No student passed the exam. (negative before the verb — NO 'não')

The same positional logic applies as with the other negatives: if nenhum comes before the verb as the subject, drop the não.

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Nenhum is the agreeing cousin of nada/ninguém and follows the same rule: after the verb it demands não (Não vi nenhum); before the verb it stands alone (Nenhum veio).

The postposed "algum" trick — emphatic negation

This is the most elegant point on the page, and it surprises every learner. Normally algum means "some/any" and comes before its noun: algum problema = "some problem." But move it after the noun, and the meaning flips to a strong negative: "no whatsoever, not the slightest ." It is a literary-flavored but still common way to intensify a negative.

Não tenho dúvida alguma.

I have no doubt whatsoever. (postposed 'alguma' = emphatic 'none at all')

Ele saiu sem dizer palavra alguma.

He left without saying a single word.

Não houve problema algum.

There wasn't the slightest problem. (stronger than 'nenhum problema')

Compare the two positions directly. Tenho alguma dúvida = "I have some doubt." Não tenho dúvida alguma = "I have no doubt at all." Same word, opposite force, decided purely by where it sits — and note that the postposed version still travels with não before the verb. This postposed algum is roughly interchangeable with nenhum but feels more emphatic and a touch more formal/literary.

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Before the noun, algum = "some." After the noun (with não), algum = "none at all" — an emphatic negative, slightly more literary than nenhum. razão alguma = "no reason whatsoever."

Outro — "other / another"

Outro is everywhere in conversation. Two things to remember. First, it agrees: outro carro, outra casa, outros dias. Second, unlike English, outro already carries the "an-" of "another" inside it, so the cleanest form is just outro with no article: Me dá outro = "Give me another." You will hear um outro café in Brazil — it is common and widely accepted — but the article is redundant, and outro café alone is the tidier choice.

Me dá outro, por favor.

Give me another one, please. (no article before 'outro')

No outro dia ela voltou.

The other day she came back.

Tem outras opções?

Are there other options?

Muito and pouco — quantifiers that also agree

Muito ("much/many") and pouco ("little/few") agree when they modify a noun, but stay invariable when they modify a verb or adjective (as adverbs). This double life confuses learners.

Tem muita gente aqui.

There are a lot of people here. (muita agrees with fem. 'gente')

Ela trabalha muito.

She works a lot. (adverb — invariable 'muito')

Sobrou pouca comida.

Little food was left over. (pouca agrees with fem. 'comida')

Common Mistakes

❌ Eu tenho algum perguntas.

Incorrect — 'algum' must agree; 'perguntas' is feminine plural.

✅ Eu tenho algumas perguntas.

I have some questions.

❌ Eu tenho nenhum dinheiro.

Incorrect — a post-verbal 'nenhum' needs 'não' before the verb.

✅ Eu não tenho nenhum dinheiro.

I don't have any money.

△ Me dá um outro café.

Heard everywhere in Brazil, but the 'um' is redundant — 'outro' already means 'another'.

✅ Me dá outro café.

Give me another coffee. (the tidier form, no article)

❌ Ela trabalha muita.

Incorrect — as an adverb modifying the verb, 'muito' stays invariable.

✅ Ela trabalha muito.

She works a lot.

❌ Não tenho alguma dúvida.

Incorrect placement — for the emphatic negative, 'alguma' goes AFTER the noun.

✅ Não tenho dúvida alguma.

I have no doubt whatsoever.

Key Takeaways

algum, nenhum, outro, todo, vários, muito, pouco all agree in gender and number with their noun.
nenhum triggers double negation after the verb (Não tenho nenhum).
Word order changes meaning: algum + noun = "some"; noun + algum (with não) = "none at all" — an emphatic, literary negative.
outro already means "another," so the article is optional and redundant: prefer outro over um outro (the latter is common but unnecessary).
muito/pouco agree as determiners but stay invariable as adverbs.

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