no
/ˈno/
The English word 'no' is translated as no in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists no pues.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no | /ˈno/ |
| no pues | /no pwes/ (from spelling rules) |
The word no is used to show disagreement or negation. Additionally, the colloquial phrase no pues serves as a reaction or filler to express surprise, disbelief or to signal a transition in thought.
Which one should you use?
In English, 'no' is used for disagreement and 'not' is used for negation, but in Spanish, no serves both of these functions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase no pues is a very common idiomatic expression in Mexican Spanish.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, no is used as a negation particle placed before a verb to mean 'not'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
Did you know?
- The word pues in the phrase no pues comes from the Vulgar Latin *pos, which is related to the English prefix 'post-'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a simple 'no' can be accompanied by a subtle shake of the head, but in some Mediterranean-influenced dialects, a quick upward flick of the head can actually signal 'no'.
- The word no can be used as a question tag at the end of a sentence, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?', to seek confirmation from the listener.
Examples in context
- No, aún no sé.No, I still don't know.Tatoeba #1502230 by marcelostockle, translation #9966252 by DJ_Saidez
- Esto y no más.This and no more.Tatoeba #2268897 by cueyayotl, translation #2268896 by _undertoad
- Yo ya dije no.I already said no.Tatoeba #4563333 by ecorralest101, translation #4562444 by Hybrid
- No puedo encargarme de la limpieza en este momento.I cannot take care of cleaning at the moment.
- Lamentablemente, no puedo prestar servicio de limpieza en esta ocasión.Unfortunately, I cannot provide cleaning service on this occasion.
- Me temo que no estaré disponible para ayudar con la limpieza.I'm afraid I won't be available to help with the cleaning.
- Lo siento, pero no puedo limpiar en este momento.I'm sorry, but I cannot clean at the moment.
- No me apetece limpiar ahora mismo. ¿Podemos hacerlo más tarde?I don't feel like cleaning right now. Can we do it later?
- No tengo ganas de limpiar hoy. ¿Hay alguna otra cosa en la que pueda ayudar?I don't feel like cleaning today. Is there something else I can help with?
- Disculpa, pero ahorita no puedo limpiar.Sorry, but I cannot clean right now.
- No puedo hacer la limpieza en este momento, lo siento.I cannot do the cleaning right now, sorry.
- Hoy no me viene bien limpiar, ¿puedo hacerlo mañana?Today is not a good day for me to clean, can I do it tomorrow?
- ¡Buena suerte!Good luck!
- 3432 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- Sofía¿Quieres comer pizza hoy, Mateo?Do you want to eat pizza today, Mateo?
- MateoNo, prefiero comer sushi.No, I prefer to eat sushi.
- Sofía¿Está muy lejos el restaurante?Is the restaurant very far?
- MateoNo, está a la vuelta.No, it is around the corner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries no, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, pues, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
