nenhum

Nenhum is a word in Portuguese that functions as both a determiner and a pronoun, signaling absence or zero quantity. When used as a determiner, it precedes a masculine singular noun and conveys “no” or “not any,” as in não há nenhum livro (there is not a single book). The feminine form is nenhuma, used with feminine singular nouns, as in não há nenhuma condição. For plural nouns, the forms nenhuns (masculine) and nenhumas (feminine) may appear before the noun, for example não há nenhuns problemas or não há nenhumas opções, though in everyday speech many speakers prefer constructions with nenhum and nenhum + plural noun remains less common.

As a pronoun, nenhum can stand in place of a noun to mean “none” or “not one,” for example nenhum sabe (none knows) or nenhum deles (none of them). The word can also appear in fixed expressions such as nenhum de nós (none of us).

Etymology and status: Nenhum derives from Latin nullus, through the evolution of Old and Modern Portuguese. It is a standard negative determiner and pronoun in both Brazilian and European Portuguese, used to express complete absence in negative contexts.

Usage notes: Nenhum is typically used with negation, most often with the adverb não: Não tenho nenhum problema. It contrasts with algum (some) and with nenhum’s feminine nenhuma in gender agreement. In formal writing, its use is straightforward; in colloquial speech, speakers may opt for alternative negations or restructure the sentence.

See also: nenhuma, algum, nenhum, negação.