no
/ˈno/
In Spanish, the phrase 'not' is expressed as no.
The most basic and widely used term for 'not' is no. While no is the primary way to make a statement negative, other words provide more specific nuances: nunca or jamás mean 'never', ni means 'nor' and ninguno/a means 'none'. For more emphatic phrases, De ninguna manera translates to 'by no means' or 'in no way'.
Which one should you use?
In English, there is a distinction between using 'no' to answer a question and using 'not' to negate a statement. In Spanish, the single word no serves both of these functions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase ni de coña is used to express strong negation. In Mexico, the informal expression no chingues is occasionally used to mean 'No way!'
How does it change in a sentence?
To negate a statement in Spanish, place no directly before the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Remember that no must precede a verb to negate a statement.
Did you know?
- The double negative is not only common but grammatically required in Spanish. Saying no conozco a nadie literally translates to 'I do not know nobody'.
- In spoken Spanish, it is common to add no to the end of a sentence to turn it into a question, similar to the English tag 'right?'
- If you want to say 'not at all' in a very common way, you can use para nada, which literally translates to 'for nothing'.
Examples in context
- No voy a ir.I'm not going.This sentence shows how to use no to negate a verb.Tatoeba #2476439 by hayastan, translation #1891048 by CK
- No es un pez.It's not a fish.Tatoeba #1513877 by marcelostockle, translation #1513673 by CM
- No es mi tipo.This is not my type.Tatoeba #2868 by Shishir, translation #1702 by Swift
- No tengo hambre.I'm not hungry.
- No quiero estudiar matemáticas nunca.I don't want to study math ever.
- Tu hermano no tiene ninguna mascota.Your brother doesn't have any pets.
- No va a venir nadie a la fiesta.Nobody is going to come to the party.
- De ninguna manera voy a aceptar ese trato.I am not going to accept that deal under any circumstances.
- ¿Podemos usar tu coche? – ¡Ni hablar!Can we use your car? – No way!
- ¡No me gusta esa canción para nada!I really don't like that song at all!
- ¡Ni de coña voy a ir a esa fiesta aburrida!There's no way I'm going to that boring party!
- 9686 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- Alejandro¿Quieres ir al restaurante nuevo?Do you want to go to the new restaurant?
- ElenaNo, no tengo mucho dinero.No, I do not have much money.
- Alejandro¿Entonces no quieres cenar?So you do not want to have dinner?
- ElenaNo, prefiero comer algo en casa.No, I prefer to eat something at home.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry no, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
