no, gracias
/ˈno ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas/word by word
The English phrase "no, thanks" is translated into Spanish as no, gracias.
no, gracias is used to politely decline an offer of food, drink or assistance.
Meaning: (polite refusal of an offer) (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you can use No, gracias, no hace falta to decline an offer in a friendly manner. In Argentina, the phrase No, gracias, pero paso is used to politely decline an invitation or offer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word gracias is always used in its plural form when expressing thanks, even for a single thing.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈno ˈɡɾaθjas/ [ˈɡɾa.θjas]. It has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying no, gracias once is seen as too blunt. It is common to decline an offer several times before finally accepting it as a social ritual of politeness.
- Spanish has a specific word, desagradecido, to describe someone who refuses to say gracias or fails to acknowledge a favor, which is a stronger social condemnation than 'ungrateful' in English.
- The word 'gracias' shares a common ancestor with the English word 'grace', both originating from the Latin 'grātia'.
Examples in context
- No, muchas gracias, pero no puedo aceptar.No, thank you very much, but I can't accept.
- Aprecio mucho tu oferta, pero tengo que decir que no.I appreciate your offer, but I have to decline.
- No, gracias, no me apetece.No, thanks, I don't feel like it.
- Gracias, pero estoy bien.Thanks, but I'm fine.
- No, gracias, no hace falta.No, thanks, it's not necessary.
- No, gracias, pero paso.No, thanks, but I'll pass.
- No, gracias, estoy bien.No, thanks, I am fine.
- No, gracias, ya comí.No, thanks, I already ate.
Example conversation
Mateo offers María a glass of water.
- Mateo¿Quieres un vaso de agua, María?Do you want a glass of water, María?
- MaríaNo, gracias, Mateo.No, thanks, Mateo.
- Mateo¿Estás segura?Are you sure?
- MaríaSí, acabo de beber agua.Yes, I just drank some water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no, thanks” translations and entries no, gracias, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (no, gracias) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gracias, no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
