Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no | /ˈno/ |
| no pues | /no pwes/ (from spelling rules) |
no is used as a particle to show disagreement or negation. When answering a yes/no question with no, it is common to follow the no with a full clause to clarify the negation, such as No, no quiero (No, I don't want to). While no can be used as an adverb, it is also used as a determiner meaning 'not any', in which case you might use no, ninguno or ninguna.
Is it said differently in some regions?
no pues is a colloquialism used in Mexico and parts of Central America. Depending on the tone, it can express emphasis, hesitation or mild annoyance, often meaning 'well, no' or 'well then'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, no is used as a direct negation placed before a verb. This differs from English, where negation often requires an auxiliary verb, such as 'I do not know' compared to 'No sé'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
Did you know?
- In some dialects, particularly in Spain, adding no to the end of a sentence acts like a tag question, similar to saying 'right?' or 'isn't it?' in English.
- A double negative, such as no quiero nada, is grammatically correct and standard in Spanish, whereas it is often considered a mistake in formal English.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a slight upward nod of the head or a clicking sound with the tongue can accompany no to reinforce the negation without speaking.
Examples in context
- No, aún no sé.No, I still don't know.This sentence shows how to use no to express that you do not know something.Tatoeba #1502230 by marcelostockle, translation #9966252 by DJ_Saidez
- Esto y no más.This and no more.This sentence uses no to indicate a limit or amount.Tatoeba #2268897 by cueyayotl, translation #2268896 by _undertoad
- Yo ya dije no.I already said no.This sentence demonstrates using no to state that a refusal was already made.Tatoeba #4563333 by ecorralest101, translation #4562444 by Hybrid
- ¿Podría usted terminar este informe para mañana?Could you finish this report by tomorrow?
- Lo siento, pero no podré hacerlo. Tengo otros proyectos en marcha.I'm sorry, but I won't be able to do it. I have other projects in progress.
- ¿Quieres ir al cine esta noche?Do you want to go to the movies tonight?
- Gracias, pero no me apetece. Prefiero descansar en casa.Thanks, but I don't feel like it. I prefer to relax at home.
- 3432 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are deciding whether to order pizza.
- Lucía¿Quieres pedir una pizza, Alejandro?Do you want to order a pizza, Alejandro?
- AlejandroNo, prefiero comer algo más ligero.No, I prefer to eat something lighter.
- LucíaPero no tenemos nada en la cocina.But we have nothing in the kitchen.
- AlejandroEntonces no tenemos que comer ahora.Then we don't have to eat now.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
