Even in the event you’re an absolute newbie, you doubtless already know these two fundamental Spanish phrases: sí (sure) and no (no).
However like in English, there are lots of distinctive methods to say “no” in Spanish.
The “no” you utilize with a toddler isn’t the identical “no” you burst out when your brother asks to borrow cash for the fiftieth time this month.
On this put up, you’ll study 19 methods to say no in Spanish to sound extra pure and native.
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“No” in Spanish = No
Though “no” in Spanish and English look precisely the identical, they don’t sound precisely the identical.
The pronunciations are totally different, and saying “no” in Spanish the identical you do in English will make you sound like a real gringo (foreigner)!
The o within the Spanish “no” is shorter and sharper than in English. Evaluate the 2 sounds by clicking on the audio icons under:
Spanish: No
English: No
Widespread Phrases to Say “No” in Spanish
1. No gracias — No thanks
That is the fundamental, well mannered solution to categorical that, “actually, I’d fairly not.”
¿Quieres una copa de sake japonés? (Would you like a cup of Japanese sake?)
No gracias. (No, thanks.)
2. Qué va — No means
Whereas it actually means “what goes,” that is used to precise that you just can’t imagine what the opposite particular person is saying and discover it to be nonsense.
Vámonos a alimentar a los caimanes. (Let’s go feed the alligators.)
¡Qué va! (No means!)
3. Nunca — By no means
This phrase is likely one of the most forceful methods to say “no” in Spanish. It leaves no likelihood of misinterpretation!
¿Te casarás conmigo? (Will you marry me?)
¡Nunca! (By no means!)
4. Lo suficiente — It’s sufficient
This “no” is implied: When there may be sufficient of one thing, you do not want any extra. Simply reply to a query like “Would you like extra of this?” with “That’s sufficient.”
¿Quieres que suba el volumen? (Would you like me to show up the amount?)
El volumen está bien. Lo suficiente. (The amount is ok. It’s sufficient.)
5. Ni hablar — Neglect it, no means
Use this expression when one thing is so fully incorrect you can not even contemplate it. It’s typically adopted by que to imply “there is no such thing as a means that…”
Las películas de Walt Disney son mejores que las de Don Bluth. (Walt Disney’s films are higher than Don Bluth’s.)
¿Estás loco? Ni hablar que Disney es mejor que Bluth. (Are you loopy? No means is Disney higher than Bluth.)
6. Ni se te ocurra — Don’t even give it some thought
Somebody has a very unhealthy concept? Use this “no.”
¡Escucha! Nosotros robaremos del Vaticano mañana por la noche. (Pay attention! We’ll rob from the Vatican tomorrow evening.)
¿Qué? Ni se te ocurra. (What? Don’t even give it some thought.)
7. Ni lo sueñes — No means
This expression is near the English “in your desires!”
Bueno, no robaremos del Vaticano. Hurtaremos la Mona Lisa del Louvre. (Okay, we received’t rob the Vatican. We’ll steal the Mona Lisa from the Louvre.)
¡Estás loco! Ni lo sueñes. (You’re loopy! No means!)
8. De eso nada — It’s not occurring
Use this one to precise a agency damaging reply to a suggestion.
Quiero ser rico. Viajaremos a Japón y… (I wish to be wealthy. We’ll journey to Japan and…)
¡No! ¡De eso nada! (No! It’s not occurring!)
9. De ninguna manera — No means
This expression actually means “not in any means” and is definitely the closest in which means to the English “no means.”
Bueno, podemos robar el Diamante de la esperanza del Smithsonian. (Okay, we will steal the Hope Diamond from the Smithsonian.)
De ninguna manera. El Diamante de la esperanza está maldito. (No means. The Hope Diamond is cursed.)
10. Para nada — No means
Which means “for nothing; in any respect,” this phrase is usually used to emphasise a negation. Utilized by itself, its which means is near “in no way” and it’s a softer solution to say “no.”
Podemos robar las zapatillas de rubí del Smithsonian. (We will steal the ruby slippers from the Smithsonian.)
Para nada. Pensé que las zapatillas de “El mago de Oz” eran de plata. (No means. I assumed the slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” have been product of silver.)
11. No puede ser — It may possibly’t be
Have you ever ever responded with an astounded “nooo!” when one thing is past perception? That is the Spanish equal of that.
No puede ser. Las zapatillas siempre han sido de rubí. (It may possibly’t be. The slippers have at all times been ruby.)
Highly effective Verbs for Saying “No” in Spanish
As unusual because it sounds, you don’t at all times have to make use of “no.” You need to use verbs to convey your which means, too.
Discover that I used the crucial temper (casual command verb varieties) within the instance sentences. The damaging crucial conjugation is used if you wish to be direct, get somebody’s consideration or give a “command.”
When the damaging crucial is mixed with off-putting vocal tones and physique language, your intention to say “no” is implied, even in the event you don’t truly say the phrase.
One of the simplest ways to observe these little nuances is by talking the language and listening to it—lots.
This is the reason I counsel watching a number of Spanish films or movies, or utilizing an immersion program like FluentU.
FluentU has 1000’s of genuine Spanish movies—like information stories, inspiring talks and vlogs—that allow you to study in context. You may lookup a selected phrase, phrase or grammar construction within the video-based dictionary, which brings you to a curated checklist of movies that comprise the phrase you wish to study.
You additionally study new phrases and grammar within the interactive subtitles of every video. Simply click on on any you don’t know to see definitions, pronunciations and instance sentences, which aid you study them naturally.
12. Dejar — To depart, to give up
¡Déjame en paz! (Depart me in peace! / Depart me alone!)
13. Irse — To go away, to depart
Tus bromas son horribles. ¡Vete! (Your jokes are horrible. Go away!)
14. Parar — To cease
¡Para de hacer estos juegos de palabras! (Cease making puns!)
15. Cerrar — To shut
Cierra la boca que no quiero oír más. (Shut your mouth as a result of I don’t wish to hear any extra.)
16. Callarse — To be quiet
¡Cállate ya! (Be quiet now!)
It goes with out saying that many of those are fairly impolite and may solely be used with folks you understand properly, like that money-grubbing metaphorical brother of yours.
Different Methods to Say “No” in Spanish
Saying no doesn’t need to be so damaging. For even subtler methods to say “no,” try these expressions to get within the learn about “no.”
17. ¿En serio? — Are you critical?
Use this when you’re bewildered that the speaker is even asking their query. Assume: “You want more cash? Critically?”
¿Quieres escuchar más juegos de palabras? (Do you wish to hear extra puns?)
¿En serio? (Are you critical?)
18. No me digas — Don’t inform me that
When you find yourself not , shake somebody off with this phrase.
Sé muchos juegos de palabras en ambos inglés y español. (I do know many puns in each English and Spanish.)
No me digas. (Don’t inform me that.)
19. Ya basta — Sufficient already
When you will have lastly had sufficient, this phrase will declare that you’re actually not .
Bueno, comenzaré con mis juegos de palabras con “no.” (Okay, I’ll begin with my puns about “no.”)
¿Por qué me odias? Ya basta. (Why do you hate me? Sufficient already.)
There are various methods to say “no” in Spanish—many don’t even use the phrase no!
Work by way of this checklist and watch as you blow away native audio system when utilizing these phrases within the wild!
Obtain:
This weblog put up is accessible as a handy and moveable PDF that you just
can take anyplace.
Click on right here to get a replica. (Obtain)