Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no | /ˈno/ |
| no pues | /no pwes/ (from spelling rules) |
no is used to show disagreement or negation. It can function as a standalone response meaning 'no', or it can act as an adverb to negate a verb, functioning similarly to the English 'not'.
Which one should you use?
When used as a standalone response, no functions as 'no', while when used as an adverb to negate a verb, it functions like the English 'not'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
no pues is a colloquial filler phrase used in some Latin American dialects to express emphasis, exasperation or to transition in a conversation, meaning 'well, no' or 'well, then'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a negative particle, no is placed before a verb to mean 'not' or 'does not'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use no to mean 'not any' before a noun. In Spanish, no negates the verb, while ningún or ninguna should be used for 'not any'.
Did you know?
- Spanish uses a 'double negative' construction that is grammatically correct. A sentence like no vi a nadie literally means 'I did not see nobody', but it translates to 'I saw nobody' in English.
- In some contexts, the word no is used at the end of a sentence as a tag question, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?' For example, Hace frío, ¿no? means 'It is cold, right?'
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a simple no is considered too blunt. People often soften it by saying no puedo 'I cannot' or me sería difícil 'it would be difficult for me' to avoid being rude.
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
- 3432 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- Lucía¿Quieres comer pizza hoy?Do you want to eat pizza today?
- MateoNo, prefiero comer sushi.No, I prefer to eat sushi.
- LucíaEstá bien, ¿estás cansada, Lucía?That's fine, are you tired, Lucía?
- MateoNo, estoy muy bien.No, I am doing very well.
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.
