Where do you put nada in a sentence with two verbs?

Question

Is it

1. No quiero decir nada

or

1. No quiero nada decir

¡Bienvenido al foro! - rac1, Jul 7, 2013

Answer 1

As Francot said "No quiero decir nada" is the correct form.

"No quiero decir algo" is correct structure for the English "I don´t want to say anything" but this form is not correct in Spanish.

Exactamente :) - FELIZ77, Jul 7, 2013

Answer 2

This newb´s ears prefer "No quiero hacer nada contigo."

I translate this as Ï don't want to do anything with you." which is different from "I don't want anything to do with you."

However I agree with chileno that I should have added "que".

I think another way would have been "No quiero nada que ver contigo."

Tal cual. :) - chileno, Jul 8, 2013

Answer 3

Nada quiero decir.

Está muy bien también, aunque un poco poético.

Answer 4

Just for clarification. In the case of "No quiero decir nada." I completely agree with Julian and Feliz.

But what about: "No quiero nada hacer contigo." I don't want anything to do with you.

The original question was where does the "nada" go in a sentence with two verbs. I think it depends on what two verbs. But maybe I am wrong.

I believe you are correct. No tango nada que decir. Would be another example. - 00551866, Jul 8, 2013

that would be No quiero nada *que* hacer contigo. :) - chileno, Jul 8, 2013

Answer 5

Lo correcto es decir: No quiero decir nada.

Pero es mas correcto decir: "No quiero decir algo".

"No quiero decir nada" is like : I'm not doing nothing. i think that is wrong in english... is almost the same.

Answer 6

No quiero decir nada .....is the correct form. Double negatives are not correct in English as you should never say: I don't do nothing (!) because you would in effect really be saying I do something!

However, in Spanish the use of double negatives is both permissable and accepted as correct grammar! It must be remembered that each language has different rules and these should always be respected and not compared unfavourably with English as though English were the perfect model of grammar.

I hope this helps

Answer 7

No quiero nada hacer contigo

I´m curious about that. To me, it just sounds like English word order imposed on Spanish. Otoh, my ears are very much still in training, so I don´t know (thus, the curiosity)

This newb´s ears prefer "No quiero hacer nada contigo."

I¨m also not sure contigo works here, as this English use of ¨with you¨ is idomatic, and maybe very well not translate to contigo.

Fun figuring these out. Good questions.

With you, indeed means "contigo" :-D - chileno, Jul 8, 2013