What does nada mean?
“Nada” is an informal English expression borrowed from American Spanish. It means “nothing” and is commonly used to answer a question, indicate that nothing happened, or express that there is nothing worth reporting. In conversation, it often has a deliberately flat or dismissive quality: a response of “nada” can suggest not only that the answer is negative but also that the speaker regards the question as unnecessary or obvious. Although the expression can stand alone, it is also used in informal constructions such as “there was nada to do.” It is chiefly associated with American speech and is less common in formal writing than standard alternatives such as “nothing,” “none,” or “not at all.” The word is especially recognizable because it preserves the meaning of the Spanish original while functioning naturally as an English interjection.
interjectionUsed informally to mean “nothing” or to indicate that there is nothing to say, often with a dismissive or emphatic tone.
- An informal response meaning “nothing,” “none,” or “there is nothing to say.”
"He shrugged his shoulders and said nada."
"I asked if there were any problems, but there was nada to report."
"“Would you like another drink?” she asked. “Nada,” he replied."
Borrowed from Spanish, where nada means “nothing,” it became an English shorthand for an emphatic zero.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nada come from?
The expression entered English from American Spanish, where the word means “nothing” and is used in similar dismissive contexts. Spanish nada is generally traced through Vulgar Latin to Latin nātā, a form associated with nātus and ultimately with the Indo-European root for being born. The same broader root underlies familiar English cognates such as native, nature, and natal.
How nada is actually used
The expression is strongly informal and belongs mainly to casual speech. It can sound dismissive, especially when used as a complete response to a question, and is rarely appropriate in formal writing.