See also: ñunca

Asturian edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Latin numquam (never).

Adverb edit

nunca

  1. never
    Synonym: enxamás

Galician edit

Etymology edit

From Old Galician-Portuguese nunca, from Latin numquam (never).

Pronunciation edit

Adverb edit

nunca

  1. never
    Synonym: xamais

Derived terms edit

References edit

  • nunca” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.
  • nunca” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006–2018.
  • nunca” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
  • nunca” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
  • nunca” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.

Macanese edit

Etymology edit

From Portuguese nunca (never).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈnuŋkɐ/, /ˈnuŋka/

Adverb edit

nunca

  1. negation particle usually (but not always) used in the past tense; did not, had not, would not
    Antonym:
    Êle nunca vêmHe did not come
    Êle já vai maz nunca voltaHe left but did not return
    Iou nunca capazI wouldn't dare
    sâm nunca?isn't it?
    nuncanot yet

Usage notes edit

  • Unlike the Portuguese word, nunca in Macanese usually does not mean "never"; nunca-si is used instead.
  • sâm nunca is a common casual phrase used by Macanese as a question looking for confirmation at the end of an affirmative statement, similar to English innit. They may also use é-né for the same purpose.

See also edit

Particle edit

nunca

  1. imperative article expressing negative future tense; don't
    Synonym: nê-bôm
    Nunca assí pensamDon't worry

Derived terms edit

Interjection edit

nunca

  1. no
    Antonym: sim
    Sâm diabo? Nunca, sâm tacho-sa!
    Is it diabo? No, it's a pan!

Usage notes edit

  • nôm is not used in Macanese as a negative response to a question. For questions pertaining to the past and present, nunca is used; for questions pertaining to the future, nádi is used.

References edit

Portuguese edit

Etymology edit

From Old Galician-Portuguese nunca, from Latin numquam (never).

Pronunciation edit

  • Hyphenation: nun‧ca

Adverb edit

nunca (not comparable)

  1. never (at no time; not ever)
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:nunca
    Nunca vi esse filme.
    I have never seen this film.
    Nunca tenha certeza do sucesso.
    Never be sure of success.

Quotations edit

For quotations using this term, see Citations:nunca.

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Kabuverdianu: nunca
  • Macanese: nunca

Noun edit

nunca m (plural nuncas)

  1. (poetic) neverness (the quality of not ever being extant or present)

Spanish edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Old Spanish nunqua, from Latin numquam, from ne + umquam.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈnunka/ [ˈnũŋ.ka]
  • Audio (Colombia):(file)
  • Rhymes: -unka
  • Syllabification: nun‧ca

Adverb edit

nunca

  1. never
    Synonyms: jamás, en su vida
    Nunca he probado la langosta.
    I've never tasted lobster.
    • 2008, Fausto Ponce, Fuera de lugar, Lulu.com, page 7:
      Nunca te va a hacer una chingadera.
      He will never screw you over.
  2. ever
    Estamos mejor que nunca.
    We're better than ever.

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit