No se vende
/no se bende/from spelling rules
The English phrase "not for sale" is translated into Spanish as No se vende.
No se vende is commonly used on signs in shop windows or on individual items to indicate that they are not available for purchase. Colloquially, you may also hear the expression No se vende, ni se regala, which means "not for sale, not for free".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "It is not sold" using the passive se construction.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the items being referred to are plural, the verb must change to the plural form No se venden to mean "They are not for sale".
Did you know?
- The particle se in No se vende actually evolved from an ancient word 'illī', which originally meant 'to him' or 'for him'.
Examples in context
- No se vende este coche antiguo.This old car is not for sale.
- Ese cuadro no se vende.That painting is not for sale.
- Lo siento, el terreno no se vende.I am sorry, the land is not for sale.
Example conversation
Alejandro is asking María about a lamp in her shop.
- AlejandroHola, ¿cuánto cuesta esta lámpara?Hello, how much is this lamp?
- MaríaHola, Alejandro. Esa lámpara no se vende.Hello, Alejandro. That lamp is not for sale.
- AlejandroOh, es una lástima. Es muy bonita.Oh, that's a shame. It is very pretty.
- MaríaGracias, María la usa para decorar.Thank you, María uses it for decoration.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
