no, no lo es
In Spanish, "no, it's not" is said as no, no lo es.
This phrase is used to disagree with a statement that identifies or describes something.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between how you use no, no lo es and no, no es. Use no, no es when you are describing a specific quality (for example, answering "Is it big?" with "No, no es"), but use no, no lo es when you are referring back to a specific noun that was previously mentioned.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to use no, no es así in both formal and informal contexts.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, Spanish speakers may use a gesture like a slight upward tilt of the head or a click of the tongue to accompany no, no lo es.
- The verb es shares a common ancestor with the Sanskrit word 'asti'. This means the Spanish way of saying 'is' is linguistically related to one of the oldest recorded Indo-European languages.
- While no, no lo es is used for identity, Spanish uses different verbs entirely to say 'it is not' when referring to location or temporary states.
Examples in context
- ¿Es difícil? No, no lo es.Is it difficult? No, it is not.
- Él cree que el gato es negro, pero no, no lo es.He thinks the cat is black, but no, it is not.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are talking about a movie.
- ElenaEste libro es aburrido, ¿verdad?This book is boring, right?
- DanielNo, no lo es.No, it's not.
- ElenaEntonces, ¿te gusta?So, do you like it?
- DanielSí, es muy interesante.Yes, it is very interesting.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, lo, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
