¿No estás nada triste?

Question

The nada is weird, I think "Aren't you a little sad"? I would go algo for a little, since it's like "un poco" but is nada an exact opposite of algo to the point of being able to mean "a little" like algo can, and be used just because of the "no"? Gracias.

Context: ¿No estás nada triste?..... es que te has despedido tan tranquilo.....si apenas significara nada para tí.

This show loves haber it seems. Everything is he, ha, hemos for every sentence.

Answer 1

¿No estás nada triste?: Aren't you at all sad?

Algo and Nada can function as adverbs, and modify adjectives and verbs:

No fue nada interesante: It wasn't at all interesting

Y fue algo confuso: And it was somewhat confusing.

I think Sheily's has the exact translatin, think of it as 'aren't you at all sad?' we would say that here in English. - margaretbl, Aug 27, 2010

Answer 2

Most Spanish negative words and phrases that are normally used as adverbs (sometimes as adjectives) exhibit a very peculiar behaviour (for interesting historical reasons that I won't explain here): nada, nadie, ninguno, nunca, tampoco, en absoluto, jamás, tampoco, ninguno, apenas, ni siquiera, de ninguna manera, en mi vida, en ningún sitio, ni en broma, sin embargo, a pesar de todo,,... If they appear before a verb, there is nothing special about them, but if they appear after the verb, you must add a NO before the verb.

The peculiar sentence is justified because "nada triste" means "not sad at all", but being one of those words mentioned in the last paragraph, it demands a NO before the verb for reasons that are beyond the scope of a forum like this (but believe me: there is a reason), so just memorize the rule and try to apply it without thinking about it (ie. internalize it)

I understand that part Lazarus, my question is more about how algo would mean a little, while nada means not at all. Algo triste - a little sad, Nada triste - not sad even a little (at all) do you see what I mean? The way algo and nada refect each other? - jeezzle, Aug 27, 2010

It makes sense. Think of "no sad at all" as "nada triste". I believe that the rest follows from this. - lazarus1907, Aug 27, 2010

Answer 3

I have heard a similar phrase using "No estás nada de ...."

I am wondering if you can use it here too. Any ideas?

That doesn't sound right to me. - Gekkosan, Aug 27, 2010

Yeah... I was not sure. That is why I was asking :D - NikkiLR, Aug 27, 2010

Answer 4

Ok so algo functions like poco, in some respects, whereas this same form with nada indicates the "para nada" = now way, in no way form. So "No estás nada triste" = No importa para nada. And Estás algo triste = Estás un poco triste?