Spanish · Greetings & Essentials
"Not" in Spanish: no
no
Not in Spanish is no. Put it before the verb: no sé, no quiero. Polite refusal: no, gracias. It is both “not” and “no.”
Directions
No conozco esta calle.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce no
Say it
noh
/ˈno/
noh. Like English no, shorter o.
"Not" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| no | not / no Main negation. | Main negation. |
| no sé | I don't know Common line. | Common line. |
| no, gracias | no, thank you Polite refusal. | Polite refusal. |
| nunca | never Related stronger negation. | Related stronger negation. |
How to use no in real life
- 1Directions
No conozco esta calle.
I don't know this street.
No before the verb.
- 2Declining
No, gracias — ya comí.
No, thanks — I already ate.
Polite no.
- 3Rules
Aquí no se puede estacionar.
You can't park here.
Prohibition.
Mistakes English speakers make with no
Incorrect: Sé no. (as default)
Correct: No sé.
Standard order is no + verb.
Incorrect: Yo not quiero.
Correct: Yo no quiero.
Use no, not English not.
Good to know
No does double duty as not and no. Soft refusals often add gracias. Double negatives are normal: no quiero nada.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing toppings
ChatPal
¿Quieres cebolla?
Do you want onion?
You
No, gracias. Sin cebolla.
No, thanks. Without onion.
ChatPal
¿Y chile? No pongo si no quieres.
And chili? I won't add it if you don't want.
You
No quiero chile hoy.
I don't want chili today.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Not" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Not" in Spanish
Not / no?
No.
I don't know?
No sé.
Where does it go?
Usually right before the verb.
Is no formal or casual?
Both—register comes from what you add, like gracias.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
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