no
/ˈno/
The English phrase 'don't' is expressed in Spanish using no.
In Spanish, no is used to negate both statements and commands, functioning as the equivalent of the English 'don't' or 'not'.
Meaning: do not (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use auxiliary verbs like 'do' to form negatives in Spanish. However, no is the only tool needed to negate a verb.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word no can be used as a complete sentence to answer a question, but it is also frequently used as a 'tag question' at the end of a sentence to seek confirmation, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?'
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, shaking the head from side to side is the standard gesture for no, but a slight upward tilt of the head or a click of the tongue can also signal a negative response.
- In some very specific historical or mathematical contexts, the word no can be traced back to a contraction of the Latin 'numero', which means 'number'.
Examples in context
- Yo ya no sé.I don't know anymore.Tatoeba #4527035 by cueyayotl, translation #6900628 by kaiperkins271
- No me lo dé.Don't give me that.Tatoeba #7965602 by Seael, translation #41574 by CM
- Ya no me ven.They don't see me anymore.Tatoeba #849762 by Shishir, translation #770378 by marloncori
- No hable tan alto, por favor.Don't speak so loudly, please.
- No coma en la oficina.Don't eat in the office.
- No fumar dentro del recinto.Don't smoke inside the premises.
- No utilizar el teléfono durante el vuelo.Don't use your phone during the flight.
- No olvidar llevar el pasaporte.Don't forget to bring your passport.
- No beba alcohol mientras conduce.Don't drink alcohol while driving.
- No caminen sobre el césped.Don't walk on the grass.
- No te preocupes, todo saldrá bien.Don't worry, everything will be fine.
- No hagas eso, es peligroso.Don't do that, it's dangerous.
- No vengas tarde a la fiesta.Don't come late to the party.
- No fumar en este lugar, ¿vale?Don't smoke in this place, okay?
- No hables tan rápido.Don't speak so fast.
- No comas eso, está pasado.Don't eat that, it's expired.
- No salgas de casa sin abrigo.Don't leave the house without a coat.
- 11749 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are in the kitchen.
- SofíaNo abras la ventana, Mateo.Don't open the window, Mateo.
- MateoEstá haciendo mucho calor aquí.It is very hot in here.
- SofíaNo quiero que entre el ruido.I don't want the noise to come in.
- MateoEstá bien, lo entiendo.Alright, I understand.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “don't” translations and entries no, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
