How Do I know when to use Nadie vs. Ninguno

Question

"nadie — nobody, no one — Nadie me cree. (Nobody believes me.) No conozco a nadie. (I know nobody.) — ]Note that when nadie follows a verb, the part of the sentence preceding the verb typically is also put in negative form, making a double negative.

ninguno, ninguna — none, nobody, no one — Ninguna de ellas va al parque. (None of them are going to the park.) No conozco a ninguno. (I know nobody. — Note that when ninguno follows a verb, the part of the sentence preceding the verb typically is also put in negative form. Plural forms (ningunos and ningunas) exist but are seldom used." This doesn't give me any clue as to when to use nadie or ninguno whening meaning no one/nobody.Are they completely interchangable?

Are these sentences correct? Nadie me llamó.Ninguno de ellos se van.

Answer 1

I think of Ningun as like Algun. Some of that, none of that. I think of Nadie as like Alguien. Nobody loves me, somebody loves me. I bet a native could give a better answer but... I have never had a situation arise where I might confuse the two. Nadie is a pronoun like he, she, or it. She loves me. Nobody loves me.

Edit: I guess Ninguno can act as a pronoun too instead of just a adjective, but I still use Nadie. I would use Nadie, Alguien as pronouns and Ningun, Algun as adjectives until you get more advanced.

Ninja Edit: Of course I am not a native and I could be wrong.

Answer 2

No conozco a alguien = I don't know anybody. Ninguno/a is not applied to people only to nouns or objects.

• Thank you - Jordan Feb 5, 2010

Answer 3

the difference is that Ninguno / ninguna can be an adjective indefinite or a pronoun meaning no person or thing signified by the subject that always accompany and also take the gender of the subject as well:

No tenía ningun problema.

No tenia ninguna intención de ir.

Nadie: pronoun meaning no person (no use for things)

Nadie fue al baile

Nadie sabia escribir