Spanish · A2 · Everyday language
A Gentle Correction in Spanish
Helping children correct small mistakes gently is part of daily life. In Spanish, we use 'no... sino' to say 'not X, but Y' when clearing up confusion or providing the correct alternative.
What you'll learn
- Use the corrective conjunction 'sino' to contrast two ideas.
- Distinguish between 'no' (negation) and 'sino' (correction).
- Identify everyday household items and schedule-related vocabulary.
Spanish phrases for a gentle correction
No vamos caminando a la escuela, sino en autobús.
We are not walking to school, but taking the bus.
Uses 'sino' to contrast the mode of transport.
Tu libro no está en la cocina, sino en tu mochila.
Your book is not in the kitchen, but in your school bag.
Contrasts locations using 'sino'.
El fútbol no es el lunes, sino el martes.
Football is not on Monday, but on Tuesday.
Correcting days of the week.
Esta no es tu fiambrera, sino la mía.
This is not your lunchbox, but mine.
'Fiambrera' is a common term for lunchbox.
Eso no es un bolígrafo, sino un lápiz.
That is not a pen, but a pencil.
Simple noun correction.
Esto no es un dulce, sino una pieza de fruta.
This is not a sweet, but a piece of fruit.
'Dulce' refers to candy or sweets.
No necesitamos una bolsa nueva, sino una fiambrera nueva.
We do not need a new bag, but a new lunchbox.
Contrasting two objects needing replacement.
No has perdido un diente grande, sino uno pequeño.
You have not lost a big tooth, but a small one.
Correcting an adjective (size).
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
fiambrera
lunchbox
Common in Spain; in Latin America, you might hear 'lonchera'.
mochila
school bag / backpack
Standard word for a child's school bag.
dulce
sweet / candy
Can be used as a noun for candy or an adjective for sweet.
sino
but / but rather
Used specifically after a negation to introduce a correction.
Using 'Sino' for Corrections
To say 'not this, but that', Spanish uses the formula: [Negative statement] + [sino] + [Correction]. Unlike 'pero' (which means 'but/however'), 'sino' is used exclusively to provide a substitute or correction after a negative phrase.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast Nouns | No es X, sino Y | No es agua, sino leche. |
| Contrast Verbs | No (verbo), sino que (verbo) | No corre, sino que salta. |
More examples
No es un perro, sino un gato.
It is not a dog, but a cat.
A basic corrective sentence structure.
No estamos en casa, sino en el parque.
We are not at home, but at the park.
Correcting location with 'sino'.