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. While English often uses "no" with nouns (such as "no water"), Spanish typically expresses the absence of a noun using no hay (there is no) or by using ningún or ninguna (not any).
Which one should you use?
When answering a question, no can stand alone as a complete sentence, whereas in English a speaker might say "No, I don't". Additionally, no pues is used as a colloquial filler or emphatic expression to express surprise, disagreement or to transition in a conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal situations, you can make your response even more polite by adding gracias after no, as in No, gracias. To decline a request or an invitation, you can use the phrase No es posible.
Is it said differently in some regions?
no pues is a colloquial expression particularly common in certain dialects in Mexico.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, no is used as an adverb to negate verbs, which is the role that "not" serves in English.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno/
Did you know?
- The word no in Spanish can function as a question tag at the end of a sentence, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?' in English.
- The Spanish word no is a direct descendant of the Latin word nōn, meaning it has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a subtle shake of the head or a click of the tongue can accompany no to soften the impact of a refusal.
Examples in context
- No, aún no sé.No, I still don't know.This sentence shows how to use no to express that you do not know something yet.Tatoeba #1502230 by marcelostockle, translation #9966252 by DJ_Saidez
- Esto y no más.This and no more.This sentence uses no to indicate a limit or extent.Tatoeba #2268897 by cueyayotl, translation #2268896 by _undertoad
- Yo ya dije no.I already said no.This sentence demonstrates using no to state a refusal or a decision already made.Tatoeba #4563333 by ecorralest101, translation #4562444 by Hybrid
- 3432 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are talking about whether to go to a party.
- Elena¿Quieres ir a la fiesta?Do you want to go to the party?
- MateoNo, no tengo ganas de salir.No, I don't feel like going out.
- ElenaPero es la fiesta de Juan.But it is Juan's party.
- MateoNo, de verdad prefiero quedarme.No, I really prefer to stay.
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.
