Spanish Grammar Bank
HOW TO SAY BUT IN SPANISH
But in Spanish is commonly expressed by an adversative conjunction (conjunción adversativa), which is used to contrast ideas within a sentence.
The two main adversative conjunctions in Spanish are pero and sino. The use of either conjunction will depend on the context and the type of contrast being made.
USING THE CONJUNCTION PERO
The most commonly used adversative conjunction in Spanish to express “but” is pero.
The word pero is used to express two contrasting ideas, one of which (and sometimes both) is not explicitly stated, but rather inferred from the statements.
Usually, the first statement would be positive or neutral and the second one would express a limitation, a contradiction, or an opposing idea.
Another conjunction that is equivalent to pero is the word mas, although considered an archaic and formal alternative that is rarely used in modern Spanish.
BASIC GRAMMAR OF PERO
The adversative conjunction pero can link verbs, phrases or entire sentences, etc., and is generally used to connect two ideas that do not directly contradict each other but rather provide implied contradiction, contrast, or limitation.
PATTERN
Clause 1 (usually positive or neutral) + pero + Clause 2 (introduces a contrasting/limiting idea)
Generally, the adversative conjunction pero is preceded by a comma (,) and is not followed by one. For example:
Notice how in the example above, the comma precedes the word pero but does not follow it.
There are some specific exceptions, however, mainly when the adversative conjunction pero
➡️ precedes a question, then no comma is necessary. For example:
➡️ is followed by an introductory clause, then a comma is usually placed after. For example:
| Llegamos a tiempo, pero no nos dejaron entrar. | We arrived on time but they did not let us in. |
| Queremos ir a tu conferencia, pero no nos da tiempo. | We want to go to your conference but we don’t have time. |
USING THE CONJUNCTION SINO
The adversative conjunction sino (which can be translated to “but”, “but rather” or “rather”) expresses a different kind of adversative construction.
It is used to correct, clarify, or introduce an alternative to a prior negative statement.
The first statement – which must always be negative – rejects an expressed or implied opinion, while the second statement introduces a correction, clarification, or an alternative idea. For example:
In the example above, the first statement negates something (rejecting that his eyes are green) and instead, with the second statement, offers a correction (that his eyes are actually blue).
BASIC GRAMMAR OF SINO
This adversative conjunction provides contrast by way of rejecting the initial idea and providing an alternative idea or correction.
PATTERN
Negative sentence + sino + correct alternative
The correction can apply to different types of groups:
➡️ Noun, like for example, No habló Juan, sino Ana. (Juan did not speak but rather Ana.)
➡️ Adjectives, like for example: No es redondo, sino cuadrado. (It’s not round, but square.)
➡️ Adverbs, like for example: Mi cumpleaños no fue ayer, sino anteayer. (My birthday was not yesterday, but rather the day before yesterday.)
When the correcting sentences with a verb that is in the personal form, sino is then followed by the conjunction que, like so:
PATTERN
Negative sentence + sino + que + correct alternative
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FAQs
How do you say “but” in Spanish?
The word “but” in Spanish is usually translated as pero, as in Quiero ir, pero no puedo (“I want to go, but I can’t”).
What’s the difference between pero and sino?
Pero introduces a contrasting idea, while sino is used to correct or replace a previous statement, often meaning “but rather” or “but instead.” For example, No quiero café, sino té (“I don’t want coffee, but rather tea”).
When do you use sino que instead of sino?
Sino que is used before a conjugated verb to contrast actions, like No estudió, sino que trabajó (“He didn’t study, but instead he worked”).
Can sin embargo be used like “but” in Spanish?
Yes, sin embargo can mean “however” or “nevertheless” to show a stronger contrast, similar to “but,” as in Quería ayudar; sin embargo, no sabía cómo (“I wanted to help; however, I didn’t know how”).
Are pero and mas interchangeable in Spanish?
Yes, mas (without an accent) is a more formal or literary equivalent of pero and means “but.” It’s used less often in everyday conversation but is seen in literature and formal writing.
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