no
/ˈno/
The Spanish for nah is simply no.
Spanish has no separate casual word here, so no covers both no and nah. The casual feel comes from your tone.
Meaning: no (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /ˈno/, a single syllable with a pure o vowel, without the glide heard in English no.
Did you know?
- If you hear someone say no in a mathematical context, they might not be saying 'no' at all, but actually using a shortened form of 'numero' to mean 'number'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, no is often accompanied by a slight upward flick of the chin or a click of the tongue to signal 'nah' without saying a word.
- The word no is much more versatile than the English 'nah', as it can be used as a 'tag question' at the end of a sentence to mean 'right?' or 'don't you agree?'
Examples in context
- No, no quiero ir.Nah, I don't want to go.
- No, no tengo hambre.Nah, I'm not hungry.
- No, no me gusta.Nah, I don't like it.
Example conversation
Javier asks Sofía if she wants to go to the cinema.
- Javier¿Quieres ir al cine?Do you want to go to the cinema?
- SofíaNo, prefiero quedarme en casa.Nah, I'd rather stay home.
- Javier¿Estás cansada?Are you tired?
- SofíaNo, solo no tengo ganas.Nah, I just don't feel like it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry no, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
