Introduction
Making negative sentences is one of the first grammar skills you need when learning Brazilian Portuguese. This article explains simple rules, common negative words, and everyday examples a beginner can use right away in conversation, menus, signs, messages, and forms.
- Basic concept: how negation works in Portuguese
- Negation with different tenses
- Negative words and expressions beyond não
- Practical everyday situations with examples
- Negative commands and requests (imperative)
- Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
- Short practical practice exercises
- Tips to remember for beginners
- Conclusion
Basic concept: how negation works in Portuguese
In Brazilian Portuguese, negation is usually built by placing the word não before the verb. This is the most common and direct way to make a sentence negative, similar to English not but positioned before the verb. For beginner learners, mastering não plus the verb covers most everyday needs.
Example pattern: subject + não + verb + rest of sentence.
Simple examples with common verbs
Eu não falo inglês.
Meaning: I do not speak English.
Você não entende.
Meaning: You do not understand.
Ele não come peixe.
Meaning: He does not eat fish.
Nós não moramos aqui.
Meaning: We do not live here.
Eles não trabalham hoje.
Meaning: They do not work today.
Negation with different tenses
Negation with não works across tenses: present, past (pretérito perfeito), imperfect, and future. You still place não before the conjugated verb. Pay attention to auxiliary verbs when forming compound tenses.
Present and past examples
Present: Eu não estudo português.
Meaning: I do not study Portuguese.
Past (pretérito perfeito): Eu não estudei ontem.
Meaning: I did not study yesterday.
Imperfect: Quando era criança, eu não falava francês.
Meaning: When I was a child, I did not speak French.
Future: Eu não vou viajar amanhã.
Meaning: I will not travel tomorrow.
Compound verbs with auxiliaries
When using compound tenses with auxiliaries like ter or ir + infinitive, place não before the auxiliary.
Eu não tenho visto aquele filme.
Meaning: I have not seen that movie.
Ela não vai chegar cedo.
Meaning: She will not arrive early.
Negative words and expressions beyond não
Besides não, Brazilian Portuguese uses other negative words to add nuance. Common negatives include ninguém, nada, nunca, nenhum/nenhuma, and nem. These can replace or combine with não depending on structure.
Ninguém and nada
Ninguém means nobody or no one. It usually appears after the verb without também (also) and often without não.
Ex: Ninguém respondeu.
Meaning: No one answered.
Nada means nothing and is often used after the verb. For emphasis, you can also use não + nada, but simple nada after the verb is common.
Ex: Eu não vi nada. / Nada aconteceu.
Meaning: I did not see anything. / Nothing happened.
Nunca and jamais
Nunca means never. It typically goes before the verb, like não, but you do not use não with nunca together in the same clause.
Ex: Eu nunca fui ao Brasil.
Meaning: I have never been to Brazil.
Jamais is a stronger form meaning never or not ever, used for emphasis in spoken or written language.
Ex: Eu jamais faria isso.
Meaning: I would never do that.
Nenhum, nenhuma and nenhum(a) + noun
Nenhum and nenhuma mean no or none and are used before nouns. You can also use não + nenhum, but be careful: não tenho nenhum is common while ninguém/nenhum may replace não + noun.
Ex: Eu não tenho nenhum livro.
Meaning: I do not have any book.
Ex: Não há nenhuma opção.
Meaning: There is no option.
Nem for neither/nor and emphasis
Nem is used to connect negatives like neither/nor and to emphasize additional negative information. It often appears after não or before verbs/nouns depending on structure.
Ex: Eu não gosto de café nem de chá.
Meaning: I do not like coffee nor tea.
Ex: Não tenho dinheiro nem tempo.
Meaning: I have neither money nor time.
Practical everyday situations with examples
Below are practical sentences you can use in real contexts: ordering food, asking for help, reading signs, and filling forms.
At a restaurant or café
Não quero açúcar no meu café.
Meaning: I do not want sugar in my coffee.
Eu não como carne.
Meaning: I do not eat meat.
Tem molho sem pimenta? Não, não temos.
Meaning: Do you have sauce without pepper? No, we do not have it.
In public services, forms, and signs
Não fume.
Meaning: No smoking. (common sign)
Não é permitido entrada.
Meaning: Entrance is not allowed.
Campo obrigatório: não deixe em branco.
Meaning: Required field: do not leave blank.
On messages, phone calls, and small talk
Desculpe, eu não entendi.
Meaning: Sorry, I did not understand.
Não posso falar agora.
Meaning: I cannot talk right now.
Não estou em casa.
Meaning: I am not at home.
Negative commands and requests (imperative)
To make a negative command in Brazilian Portuguese, put não before the present subjunctive form of the verb for formal or plural commands, or before the infinitive in casual speech. For many common verbs, use não + verb in the imperative without conjugation for informal negative commands to the second person.
Examples:
Não vá embora.
Meaning: Do not go away.
Não fale alto aqui.
Meaning: Do not speak loudly here.
Não mexa nisso.
Meaning: Do not touch that.
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: Using não twice unnecessarily. Avoid saying não não or combining não with other negatives incorrectly. Use one negative structure per clause unless you intentionally want emphasis with forms like ninguém or nada.
Wrong: Eu não nunca fui.
Correct: Eu nunca fui. or Eu não fui.
Mistake 2: Placing não after the verb. For most sentences, não goes before the verb. Placing it after can sound odd or change emphasis.
Wrong: Eu fui não.
Correct: Eu não fui.
Mistake 3: Forgetting agreement with nenhum/nenhuma. These must match the gender and number of the noun they modify.
Wrong: Eu não tenho nenhum problema (if problema is masculine it’s correct); but for a feminine noun: Eu não tenho nenhuma ideia.
Tip: Check the noun gender.
Short practical practice exercises
Transform these positive sentences into negatives using não or another negative word.
1) Eu falo português. -> Eu não falo português.
2) Alguém veio. -> Ninguém veio.
3) Ele tem dinheiro. -> Ele não tem dinheiro.
4) Eles sempre chegam cedo. -> Eles nunca chegam cedo.
5) Há alguma água? -> Não, não há nenhuma água.
Answer key
1) Eu não falo português.
2) Ninguém veio.
3) Ele não tem dinheiro.
4) Eles nunca chegam cedo.
5) Não, não há nenhuma água. or Não há água.
Tips to remember for beginners
Keep these simple rules in a learner pocket list: place não before the verb, use nunca for never, use ninguém for nobody, use nada for nothing, and match nenhum/nenhuma with the noun gender. Practice with common verbs like ser, estar, ter, ir, gostar, comer, falar.
Study short real-life examples: signs (Não fume), menus (Não quero), messages (Não posso), and help phrases (Desculpe, não entendi). Repeating realistic sentences helps you recognize negation in reading and use it in speaking.
Conclusion
Learning to make negative sentences in Brazilian Portuguese is straightforward for beginners: start with não before the verb, learn a few other negative words (nunca, ninguém, nada, nenhum/nenhuma, nem), and practice with everyday phrases you will actually use. With these patterns you can say no, deny information, refuse politely, and understand common signs and messages quickly.
