To link two or more negative items in Spanish—the equivalent of English neither...nor—you use the construction ni...ni. It's the negative twin of o...o (either...or) and works with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and whole phrases. This page walks through the main patterns and the small flexibility in dropping the first ni.
The pattern is one of the most expressive tools in Latin American Spanish for piling up negatives — perfect when you want to make it absolutely clear that nothing on the list is true.
The Basic Pattern
Ni...ni joins two (or more) items, all of which are being negated together. Because the phrase typically comes after the verb, you need a no before the verb as well, following the double negation rule.
No habla ni inglés ni francés.
He speaks neither English nor French.
No quiero ni ir ni quedarme.
I don't want to go or stay.
Notice that ni appears before each item, not just between them. This is different from English, where or appears only once in casual speech ("I don't like coffee or tea").
Dropping the First "Ni"
When the ni...ni phrase follows a verb already negated with no, you can optionally omit the first ni. The second one is enough to link the two items.
No me gusta el café ni el té.
I don't like coffee or tea.
This shorter form is extremely common in everyday speech. Both versions—with and without the first ni—are fully correct, and you'll hear both constantly in Latin America.
Before the Verb
When ni...ni appears at the start of the sentence, before the verb, no extra no is needed. The negation is already carried by ni.
Ni tú ni yo tenemos la culpa.
Neither you nor I are to blame.
Ni el calor ni la lluvia lo detuvieron.
Neither the heat nor the rain stopped him.
Note the verb agreement in the first example: when ni...ni joins two subjects, Spanish typically uses a plural verb if both subjects are people.
With Verbs
You can also use ni...ni to negate two verb actions.
No come ni duerme bien.
He neither eats nor sleeps well.
No lee ni escribe en español todavía.
He neither reads nor writes in Spanish yet.
Three or More Items
The pattern extends to as many items as you want. Each item gets its own ni.
No tengo ni dinero, ni tiempo, ni ganas.
I have no money, no time, and no desire.
This is a very expressive construction and can sound dramatic—useful when you want to pile on the reasons you can't or won't do something.
Ni Siquiera (Not Even)
Related to ni is the phrase ni siquiera, meaning not even. It's used to emphasize the absence or absurdity of something.
Ni siquiera me dijo hola.
He didn't even say hi to me.
No tengo ni un peso.
I don't have even one peso.
In the second example, a single ni plus a number or indefinite article works like not even one. This is a handy pattern to know.
Quick Reference Table
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| no + ni X ni Y | No tengo ni hambre ni sed. | I'm neither hungry nor thirsty. |
| no + X ni Y | No tengo hambre ni sed. | I'm not hungry or thirsty. |
| ni X ni Y + verb | Ni Juan ni Ana vinieron. | Neither Juan nor Ana came. |
| ni siquiera | Ni siquiera me llamó. | He didn't even call me. |
| no + ni un/una | No tengo ni una idea. | I don't have a single idea. |
More Everyday Examples
No vino ni Juan ni María a la fiesta.
Neither Juan nor María came to the party.
Ni el médico ni la enfermera sabían qué hacer.
Neither the doctor nor the nurse knew what to do.
No quiero ni verlo ni escucharlo.
I don't want to see him or hear him.
A Note on Tone
A long ni…ni…ni… chain feels emphatic, sometimes dramatic, sometimes resigned. Speakers reach for it when they want to underline how completely something is missing. Compare:
No tengo dinero.
I don't have any money.
No tengo ni dinero, ni trabajo, ni esperanza.
I have no money, no job, and no hope.
The second sentence paints a much more vivid picture, even though both technically convey the same lack of money.
For the related concept of expressing not either, see Tampoco. For an overview of all Spanish negative words, see negative words, and for the rules about combining multiple negatives in a sentence, see double negation.
Related Topics
- Negative Words (Nada, Nadie, Nunca)A2 — A guide to the most common Spanish negative words and their affirmative counterparts.
- Double Negation RulesA2 — Why Spanish requires two negatives when a negative word follows the verb.
- Tampoco (Neither, Not Either)A2 — How to use tampoco to agree with a negative statement or add another negative idea.