Spanish · A1 · Everyday language
No and not yet in Spanish
Learning to say 'no' politely and handle negation is essential for daily parenting tasks. In Spanish, negation is often simpler than in English, usually involving placing 'no' directly before the verb.
What you'll learn
- Learn to use 'no' to negate actions
- Express when something is not available
- Politely decline requests or objects
- Differentiate between 'not yet' and 'not now'
Spanish phrases for no and not yet
No, gracias.
No, thank you.
A polite, standard way to decline something.
No quiero eso.
I do not want that.
Useful for expressing preferences or boundaries.
Eso no es un juguete.
That is not a toy.
Commonly used to guide children away from non-toy items.
No tenemos leche.
We have no milk.
Note how 'no' comes before the verb 'tenemos'.
Ahora no.
Not now.
A gentle way to postpone an activity.
Todavía no.
Not yet.
'Todavía' adds the meaning of 'yet' to the negation.
No estoy cansado.
I am not tired.
Use 'cansada' if the speaker is female.
No hay más galletas.
There are no more biscuits.
'No hay' is the standard way to say 'there is not' or 'there are no'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
No
No / Not
In Spanish, 'no' functions as both the answer 'no' and the adverb 'not'.
Todavía no
Not yet
A fixed phrase for things that haven't happened but will.
Ahora no
Not now
Used to indicate a temporary refusal.
Basic Negation
To make a sentence negative in Spanish, simply place the word 'no' directly before the conjugated verb. Unlike English, there is no need for 'do' or 'does'.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Alone | Quiero (I want) | No quiero. |
| Subject + Verb | Ella es (She is) | Ella no es. |
| Existence | Hay (There is/are) | No hay. |
More examples
¿Quieres agua? No, gracias.
Do you want water? No, thank you.
Simple question and answer.
¿Estás listo? Todavía no.
Are you ready? Not yet.
Common response during morning routines.
No hay chocolate.
There is no chocolate.
Using 'no hay' to describe absence.