Spanish · A2 · Everyday language
Let Me Clarify in Spanish
Helping children understand corrections is easier when using the 'not X, but Y' structure. In Spanish, this specific 'but' used for corrections is 'sino'.
What you'll learn
- Master the use of 'no... sino' for gentle corrections.
- Contrast items and ideas using corrective coordination.
- Learn to clarify schedules, ownership, and emotions.
Spanish phrases for let me clarify
Tu club no es el martes, sino el jueves.
Your club is not on Tuesday, but on Thursday.
Days of the week are masculine in Spanish.
No nos vemos en la biblioteca, sino en el parque.
We are meeting not at the library, but at the park.
'No' typically precedes the verb in these constructions.
Este no es tu cargador, sino el mío.
This is not your charger, but mine.
'El mío' matches 'el cargador'.
No estoy enfadado, sino preocupado.
I am not angry, but worried.
Use 'estoy' for temporary states like emotions.
No necesitas una tableta, sino una libreta.
You need not a tablet, but a notebook.
'Libreta' is the common word for a school notebook.
Eso no es una película, sino un juego.
That is not a film, but a game.
Use 'sino' to contrast nouns.
No compramos una bicicleta nueva, sino un casco nuevo.
We are buying not a new bike, but a new helmet.
Adjectives like 'nuevo' usually come after the noun.
Tu amigo no quiere una fiesta grande, sino una pijamada pequeña.
Your friend wants not a big party, but a small sleepover.
'Pijamada' is the natural word for a sleepover.
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 / Rather
Used specifically after a negative to provide the correct alternative.
Martes
Tuesday
Spanish days are not capitalized.
Jueves
Thursday
Remember the 'J' sounds like an 'H'.
Pijamada
Sleepover
Derived from 'pijama' (pajamas).
Sino vs. Pero
In English, we use 'but' for everything. In Spanish, 'pero' adds information (I like apples, but not green ones), while 'sino' replaces a false idea with the truth (It's not an apple, but a pear).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Structure | No + [Verb] + [False Idea], sino + [Correct Idea] | No es rojo, sino azul. |
| With Nouns | No + [Noun A], sino + [Noun B] | No es pan, sino galletas. |
More examples
No es leche, sino jugo.
It's not milk, but juice.
A common correction at the breakfast table.
No estamos en casa, sino en el coche.
We aren't at home, but in the car.
Clarifying location during a call.