Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no | /ˈno/ |
| no pues | /no pwes/ (from spelling rules) |
no is a particle used to show disagreement or negation. It can function as a response to express 'no', or as an adverb to negate an action. For example, you might use it to say 'not any' in conjunction with words like ninguno or ninguna.
Which one should you use?
While no can be used as a direct response to mean 'no', it also functions as an adverb to negate actions, similar to how English uses 'not' for that specific role.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal situations, you can use certain phrases to soften a refusal. Lamentablemente, no is used to politely decline something (unfortunately, no), No, pero gracias por preguntar is a courteous way to decline an offer or invitation (no, but thank you for asking) and Me temo que no expresses regret (I'm afraid not). For a colloquial alternative, no pues is used as an emphatic filler or to express disbelief, disagreement or to start a sentence with a sense of 'well, no'. In an informal setting, you might also hear Ni en sueños to dismiss an idea or proposal (not in my wildest dreams).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, no is used as a particle to negate verbs, functioning like the English word 'not'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When negating a verb, remember that Spanish requires the use of no (e.g., Yo no quiero), whereas English often relies on auxiliary verbs (e.g., 'I don't want').
Did you know?
- The word no can be used in a double negative, such as No hay nadie, where two negations are used together to strengthen the 'no' rather than cancel it out.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a slight upward tilt of the head or a quick tsk sound can function as a non-verbal no without the word ever being spoken.
- In many Spanish dialects, adding no? to the end of a sentence acts like a tag question, similar to the English 'right?' or 'isn't it?'
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.Tatoeba #2268897 by cueyayotl, translation #2268896 by _undertoad
- Yo ya dije no.I already said no.This sentence demonstrates using no to report a previous statement.Tatoeba #4563333 by ecorralest101, translation #4562444 by Hybrid
- Le agradezco su oferta, pero debo decir que no.I appreciate your offer, but I have to say no.
- Lamentablemente, no podré asistir a la reunión.Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the meeting.
- No, pero gracias por preguntar.No, but thank you for asking.
- No, gracias. No quiero más comida.No, thanks. I don't want more food.
- De ninguna manera voy a ayudarte a hacer trampa.No way I'm going to help you cheat.
- Ni en sueños voy a dejar de ir a la fiesta.Not in my wildest dreams am I going to miss the party.
- ¿Me prestas tu coche? ¡Me estás tomando el pelo!Can I borrow your car? You're pulling my leg!
- 3432 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel asks Lucía if she wants to go to the cinema.
- Daniel¿Quieres ir al cine hoy?Do you want to go to the cinema today?
- LucíaNo, tengo mucho trabajo.No, I have a lot of work.
- Daniel¿Podemos ir mañana?Can we go tomorrow?
- LucíaNo, mañana también estaré ocupada.No, I will be busy tomorrow too.
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.
