esta vez no
/esta beθ no/from spelling rules
The English phrase "not this time" is translated into Spanish as esta vez no.
esta vez no is used to refuse an offer or to state that something will not happen on this particular occasion.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of esta (this), vez (time/occasion) and no (no/not).
How does it change in a sentence?
Because vez is a feminine noun, the demonstrative adjective esta must also be in its feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
/esta beθ no/
Did you know?
- The word vez comes from the Latin word 'vicis' meaning 'change' or 'alternation'. This is the same root that gives English the word 'vice versa', which literally means 'the position being changed'.
- In some Latin American cultures, saying esta vez no can be seen as too direct. People may instead use ahora no, which means 'not now', to avoid the finality of a hard refusal.
- If you use esta vez no to refuse a business deal, it can sound much more definitive and final than the English 'not this time', which can sometimes imply 'maybe later'.
Examples in context
- ¿Te gustaría acompañarme a la fiesta? – No en esta ocasión.Would you like to come with me to the party? – Not this time.
- ¿Quieres salir a correr ahora? – Otro día será.Do you want to go for a run now? – Another day, maybe.
- ¿Quieres ir al cine? Esta vez no, gracias.Do you want to go to the cinema? Not this time, thanks.
- Esta vez no puedo ir contigo.This time I cannot go with you.
- Lo siento, pero esta vez no será posible.I am sorry, but this time it will not be possible.
Example conversation
Lucía invites Javier to go for a walk.
- Javier¿Quieres ir al parque conmigo, Lucía?Do you want to go to the park with me, Lucía?
- LucíaMe encantaría, pero esta vez no puedo.I would love to, but not this time.
- Javier¿Estás muy ocupada hoy?Are you very busy today?
- LucíaSí, Javier, tengo mucho trabajo.Yes, Javier, I have a lot of work.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esta, no, vez, CC BY-SA 4.0.
