Question 1

Why is there a no before the verb if we are already using ni... ni (neither... nor)?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, if a negative word like ni comes after the verb, you must put a no before the verb. This double negative is required! If you translate it literally, it sounds like "I am not neither vegan nor vegetarian," but in Spanish, this is the correct and natural way to say it.

Question 2

Could I drop the first ni and just say No soy vegano ni vegetariano?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can. Saying No soy vegano ni vegetariano simply means "I am not vegan or vegetarian." Including the first ni makes it ni vegano ni vegetariano, which specifically translates to the correlative "neither vegan nor vegetarian," adding a bit more emphasis to your statement.

Question 3

Why aren't we using un here, like No soy un vegano?

Accepted Answer

When using the verb ser to state a general category you belong to—like a profession, religion, nationality, or in this case, a dietary lifestyle—Spanish drops the words un or una. You would only add the article back in if you included a descriptive adjective, like No soy un vegano estricto (I am not a strict vegan).

Question 4

What is the difference between verduras and vegetales?

Accepted Answer

You can use either word to talk about food, but verduras is usually the go-to term for culinary vegetables in everyday Latin American Spanish (especially greens, as it comes from verde). Vegetales is also widely used and understood, but it can sometimes sound a bit more scientific or refer to the plant kingdom as a whole.

No soy ni vegano ni vegetariano, pero como muchas verduras.

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