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. It can function as the answer 'no' to a question, or as the adverb 'not' when placed before a verb. For example, the formal phrase No, muchas gracias. is a way to say 'No, thank you' to decline an offer, while Lamentablemente, no es posible. is a formal way to say 'Unfortunately, it's not possible.'
Which one should you use?
While no can be used as a standalone response meaning 'no', it also functions as the adverb 'not' when positioned before a verb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase no pues is a colloquial filler or reaction used in certain dialects to express surprise, disagreement or to start a sentence similarly to 'Well, no…' or 'Well, then…'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, no is used as a negation particle before a verb to mean 'not'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use no to mean 'none' or 'not any' in all contexts. While no is a particle or adverb, you should use ninguno or ninguna when you mean the determiner 'none' or 'not any'.
Did you know?
- In some regional slang, no is used ironically to express strong agreement or surprise, similar to how English speakers might say 'no way!' when they actually mean 'yes'.
- In certain contexts, no can be added to the end of a sentence as a tag question, similar to how an English speaker adds 'right?' or 'isn't it?'
- If you are counting in Spanish and use the word no in a specific historical or mathematical context, it can actually be a shortened version of the Latin 'numero', meaning 'number'.
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
- ¿Quieres venir a mi fiesta el sábado? Lo siento, pero ya tengo otros planes para el sábado. ¿Qué te parece si nos vemos el próximo fin de semana?Do you want to come to my party on Saturday? I'm sorry, but I already have other plans for Saturday. How about we meet up next weekend?
- 3432 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- María¿Quieres pedir pizza para cenar?Do you want to order pizza for dinner?
- MateoNo, prefiero comer algo más ligero.No, I prefer to eat something lighter.
- María¿Entonces quieres una ensalada?So do you want a salad?
- MateoSí, eso suena bien, María.Yes, that sounds good, María.
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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, pues, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
