Spanish · A2 · Everyday language
A Gentle Correction in Spanish
Helping your child navigate their world often involves gentle corrections. In Spanish, we use 'no... sino' to clarify 'not this, but that.' This guide focuses on correcting common mixups in a baby's daily routine using natural Spanish.
What you'll learn
- Learn to use the corrective conjunction 'sino' (not... but).
- Identify everyday household objects like bottles, blankets, and bibs.
- Practice contrasting negative statements with positive corrections.
Spanish phrases for a gentle correction
Eso no es agua, sino leche.
That is not water, but milk.
'Sino' is used here to provide a direct alternative to the negated 'agua'.
Esto no es un juguete, sino un termómetro.
This is not a toy, but a thermometer.
A common phrase when a baby grabs something they shouldn't.
No tienes hambre, sino sueño.
You are not hungry, but tired.
In Spanish, we literally say 'You don't have hunger, but sleepiness' using the noun 'sueño'.
No vamos a las tiendas, sino al médico.
We are not going to the shops, but to the doctor.
'Al' is a contraction of 'a' (to) and 'el' (the).
Ese no es tu biberón, sino el mío.
That is not your bottle, but mine.
'El mío' is a possessive pronoun meaning 'mine'.
Esto no es una manta, sino una toalla.
This is not a blanket, but a towel.
Useful for bath time mixups.
No necesitas una cuchara, sino un babero.
You do not need a spoon, but a bib.
'Necesitas' is the second person singular (tú) form of 'necesitar'.
No te lavo el pelo, sino los pies.
I am not washing your hair, but your feet.
We use 'los' (the) instead of 'tus' (your) when talking about body parts in Spanish.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
sino
but / but rather
Used specifically after a negative to introduce a correction.
biberón
baby bottle
Commonly used in Spain; 'tetero' or 'mamila' may be used in Latin America.
babero
bib
Derived from 'baba' (drool).
tener sueño
to be sleepy/tired
Spanish uses the verb 'tener' (to have) for physical states like sleepiness or hunger.
Using 'Sino' for Corrections
In Spanish, 'but' is translated as 'pero' in most cases. However, when you negate the first part of a sentence ('No es...') and then offer a correction, you must use 'sino'.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Correction | No + [Verb] + A, sino B | No es azul, sino rojo. |
| With a Verb | No... sino que + [Verb] | No llora, sino que canta. |
More examples
No es un perro, sino un gato.
It's not a dog, but a cat.
Simple identification correction.
No quiero pan, sino fruta.
I don't want bread, but fruit.
Expressing a preference using the corrective 'sino'.