tampoco

Tampoco is a Spanish adverb used to express negation in a way that corresponds to “neither” or “not either” in English. It serves to agree with a previous negative statement or to extend negation to another element in the discourse. It is typically placed after the main verb of the first negative clause, and it can also function as a stand-alone response in conversation, such as simply saying “Tampoco” or “Yo tampoco.”

Usage patterns are flexible. After a sentence that begins with no or contains negation, tampoco can introduce a second negative idea:

- No me gusta el cine. Tampoco me gusta la televisión.

- No quiero ir al trabajo. Tampoco quiero quedarme en casa.

Tampoco can be used without repeating no in the second clause when the negation is understood from context:

- No voy a la fiesta. Tampoco voy luego.

Tampoco does not have a direct feminine or masculine form; it is invariable and can apply to verbs, adjectives, or nouns within a negated frame. It is common in both spoken and written Spanish and is widely understood across dialects.

Relationship to other terms: tampoco is the negative counterpart to también, which is used for affirmative statements (e.g., “Me gusta el cine.” “A mí también.”). Ni is a coordinating conjunction used to link multiple negative elements within a single clause, whereas tampoco serves to comment on a prior negative statement.

In sum, tampoco is a concise, versatile tool for signaling that a negated statement applies to another element or to oneself, aligning with the function of “neither” in English.