un día sí y otro no
/un dia si i otɾo no/from spelling rules
The English phrase "every other day" is translated into Spanish as un día sí y otro no.
This phrase is used to describe something that happens on every second day. It functions as an adverbial phrase to indicate the frequency of an action.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase un día sí y otro no literally means "one day yes and another no".
Which one should you use?
While un día sí y otro no is a standard way to express this, you can also use cada dos días, which means "every two days".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase un día sí y otro no is used as an adverbial phrase to indicate frequency within a sentence.
Did you know?
- The word día comes from an ancient root meaning 'heaven' or 'sky', making it a distant relative of the word 'deity' rather than the English 'day'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, cada dos días can be ambiguous and may be interpreted as 'every two days' meaning a gap of two days, making un día sí y otro no the safer choice for clarity.
- The sí and no pattern in un día sí y otro no is so flexible that it can be used for any alternating cycle, such as una semana sí y otra no for every other week.
Examples in context
- Tengo clase un día sí y otro no.I have a class every other day.This sentence shows how to use un día sí y otro no to describe a class schedule.Tatoeba #2266985 by cueyayotl, translation #2266984 by _undertoad
- Mary va a comer a ese restaurante un día sí y otro no.Mary goes to that restaurant for lunch every other day.This sentence shows how to use un día sí y otro no to describe how often someone visits a restaurant.Tatoeba #1333673 by Shishir, translation #32008 by CK
- El médico me recomendó tomar este medicamento día por medio.The doctor recommended that I take this medication every other day.
- Tenemos reuniones importantes un día sí, un día no.We have important meetings every other day.
- Voy al gimnasio día de por medio para mantenerme en forma.I go to the gym every other day to stay fit.
- Mi hermana y yo alternamos los quehaceres en casa, un día sí, un día no.My sister and I take turns with the chores at home, every other day.
- Camino por el parque un día sí y otro no.I walk through the park every other day.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are talking about their exercise routines.
- Elena¿Vas al gimnasio todos los días?Do you go to the gym every day?
- MateoNo, voy un día sí y otro no.No, I go every other day.
- ElenaEs un buen ritmo para mantenerse en forma.That is a good rhythm to stay in shape.
- MateoSí, así no me canso tanto.Yes, that way I don't get so tired.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries día, no, otro, sí, un, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
