A2.35 - Local services and shops

Conjunctions: "Ni... Ni...", "Así Como"

Las conjunciones: "Ni... Ni...", "Así Como"

Las conjunciones coordinantes son palabras que sirven para unir elementos, como palabras o frases.

(Coordinating conjunctions are words used to link elements, such as words or phrases.)

Ni... ni... (double negative: “neither... nor...”)

Use “ni... ni...” to connect two (or more) things that are both negative.

  • Meaning: “neither X nor Y” / “not X and not Y”
  • It often appears with no (before the verb), but not always.
What you connect Typical pattern Example (Spanish)
Nouns / places / things No + verb + ni + noun + ni + noun No pasamos ni por la frutería ni por la carnicería.
Two actions (same subject) No + verb + ni + verb El jefe no me llama ni me escribe.
With emphasis (fronted) Ni + element + verb + ni + element + verb Ni me atienden ni me miran.

Word order: do I need “no”?

  • Most common: no + verb + ni... ni...
    • No encontramos ni la farmacia ni la panadería.
  • If the sentence starts with “ni”, you usually don’t add “no”.
    • Ni el dependiente me atiende ni los clientes hacen cola bien.

Self-check: If you can translate it as “Neither X nor Y...”, starting with Ni often works.

Common mistakes to avoid with “ni... ni...”

  • No comma between the two parts:
    • No fui ni a la farmacia, ni al banco.
    • No fui ni a la farmacia ni al banco.
  • Don’t mix ni with o (“or”) in this structure:
    • No fui ni a la farmacia o ni al banco.
    • No fui ni a la farmacia ni al banco.
  • No extra “ni” at the end:
    • No me atienden ni me ayudan ni.
    • No me atienden ni me ayudan.

“Así como” (adding info: “as well as”)

Use “así como” to add another element in a neutral, slightly formal way.

  • Meaning: “as well as” / “and also”
  • Typical context: lists, plans, descriptions (shops, tasks, services).
Pattern Example Natural English
Verb + noun + así como + noun Visitamos el centro comercial así como la tienda de regalos. We visited the mall as well as the gift shop.
Hay + noun + así como + noun En el centro comercial hay una farmacia así como una panadería. There’s a pharmacy as well as a bakery.

Choose quickly: “ni... ni...” or “así como”?

  1. Is the message negative? (you didn’t do it / you don’t have it / it doesn’t exist)
    • Use ni... ni...: No tengo ni DNI ni pasaporte.
  2. Is the message affirmative? (you add information)
    • Use así como (or simple y): Compro fruta así como carne.

Final self-check: If English needs neither/nor → ni... ni.... If English needs as well as → así como.

  1. "Ni... ni..." is used to link two negative elements or to say “neither one nor the other”.
  2. "Así como" is used to express a comparison or a relationship of equality.
FórmulaEjemplo
Ni + sustantivo + ni + sustantivoNo visitamos ni la frutería ni la carnicería. (We didn’t visit either the fruit shop or the butcher’s.)
Ni + pronombre + verbo + ni + pronombre + verboNi los atiende ni los escucha el dependiente. (The shop assistant neither helps them nor listens to them.)
Verbo + sustantivo + así como + sustantivoVisitamos el centro comercial así como la tienda de regalos. (We visited the shopping center as well as the gift shop.)

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. Hoy no tengo tiempo: no paso ___ por la frutería ni por la carnicería.

Today I don't have time: I'm not stopping by ___ either the fruit shop or the butcher's.

2. En el centro comercial no encuentro ___ el estanco ni la papelería.

In the shopping center I can't find ___ the tobacconist's or the stationery shop.

3. ___ el dependiente me atiende ni los clientes hacen cola correctamente.

___ the shop assistant helps me nor do the customers queue properly.

4. Esta tarde voy a la lavandería ___ a la tienda de regalos.

This afternoon I'm going to the laundromat ___ the gift shop.

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence.

1.
With "neither... nor..." you should not put a comma between the elements: the correct form is without a comma.
Error: with negation you use "neither... nor..."; you do not combine "nor" with "or".
2.
Error: "neither... nor..." is a negation structure; here the sentence is affirmative and requires "as well as" or "and".
Error: "so" indicates consequence, not addition or comparison like "as well as".

Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite each pair of sentences into a single sentence using the connector indicated: «ni... ni...» (double negation) or «así como» (to add/compare).

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. Hint Hint (Ni... ni...) No fui al banco. No fui a Correos.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No fui ni al banco ni a Correos.
    (I went to neither the bank nor the post office.)
  2. Hint Hint (Ni... ni...) No tengo el DNI. No tengo el pasaporte.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No tengo ni el DNI ni el pasaporte.
    (I have neither my ID card nor my passport.)
  3. Hint Hint (Ni... ni...) El jefe no me llama. El jefe no me escribe.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    El jefe no me llama ni me escribe.
    (My boss neither calls me nor writes to me.)
  4. Hint Hint (Ni... ni...) El profesor no nos corrige. El profesor no nos explica los errores.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    El profesor no nos corrige ni nos explica los errores.
    (The teacher neither corrects us nor explains the mistakes to us.)

Exercise 4: Grammar in action

Instruction: N/A

Show/Hide translation

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

Profile Picture

Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Saturday, 18/04/2026 06:58