nunca

See also: ñunca

Asturian

Alternative forms

• ñunca

Etymology

From Latin numquam (“never”).

Adverb

nunca

1. never

Synonyms

• enxamás

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Galician

Etymology

From Old Portuguese nunca, from Latin numquam (“never”).

Adverb

nunca

1. never

Synonyms

• (never): endexamais, xamais

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Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Portuguese nunca, from Latin numquam (“never”).

Pronunciation

• (Portugal, Brail) IPA^(key): /ˈnũ.kɐ/
• Hyphenation: nun‧ca

Adverb

nunca (not comparable)

2. never (at no time; not ever)
   • 2005, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Rocco, page 139:

     Você nunca me deu a impressão de gostar tanto assim da matéria.

     You never gave me the impression of liking that subject so much.

   Nunca vi esse filme.

   I have never seen this film.

   Nunca tenha certeza do sucesso.

   Never be sure of success.

Quotations

For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:nunca.

Synonyms

• jamais

Derived terms

• antes tarde do que nunca
• mais do que nunca
• nunca mais

Descendants

• Kabuverdianu: nunca

Noun

nunca m (plural nuncas)

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

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Spanish

Etymology

From Old Spanish nunqua, from Vulgar Latin numqua, from Latin numquam, from ne + umquam.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnunka/, [ˈnũŋka]

Adverb

nunca

1. never

   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.

Synonyms

• jamás
• en su vida

Derived terms

• nunca jamás

Further reading

• “nunca” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.