How To Use the Spanish Word No

A simple Spanish word like no can be deceptive. It looks and sounds like its English cognate, no, and has a similar meaning. There are some ways in which the Spanish no is used that will seem unfamiliar to English speakers. Here are some of the most common uses of no: No as a Simple Answer to a Question This usage is similar in both languages: — ¿Està ¡s feliz? —No. (Are you happy?  ¶ No.)— ¿Es estudiante de la sicologà ­a? —No, es estudiante del arte. (Is he a psychology student?  ¶ No, hes an art student.)— ¿Hay muchas personas en tu paà ­s que hablan inglà ©s? —No, pero hay muchas que hablan portuguà ©s. (Are there many people in your country who speak English?  ¶ No, but there are many who speak Portuguese.)— ¿Te gustarà ­a un cafà ©? —No, pero me gustarà ­a un tà ©. (Would you like a coffee?  ¶No, but I would like a tea.) Using No as a Question Tag No is very commonly attached to the end of a statement to turn it into a question, either rhetorically or seeking confirmation from the listener that the statement is true. It is usually the equivalent of isnt that so? or something similar. No in such situations is often called a question tag or tag question. Estudias mucho,  ¿no? (You study a lot, dont you?)Su esposa es inteligente,  ¿no? (His wife is intelligent, isnt she?)Voy contigo,  ¿no? (Im going with you, arent I?)El vuelo sale a los dos y media,  ¿no? (The flight leaves at 2:30, doesnt it?) Using No To Negate a Verb In English, this is usually done using a negative auxiliary verb such as dont, wont or didnt. Él no comprende el libro. (He doesnt understand the book.) ¿Por quà © no estudiabas? (Why didnt you study?)La presidente no es una mujer de grandes principios ni convicciones. (The president isnt a woman of great principles nor convictions.)No fuimos ayer a mi casa. (We didnt go to my house yesterday.) Using No as Part of a Double Negative As a general rule, if a Spanish verb is followed by a negative, it must also be preceded by no or another negative. When translated to English, such sentences use only one negative word. As shown in the second translations below, this may result in an indirect translation of no. No conoce a nadie. (He doesnt know anyone. He knows nobody.)No fui a ninguna parte. (I didnt go anywhere. I went nowhere.)Ahora mismo no estoy concentrado en escribir ningà ºn libro. (Right now Im not focused on writing any book. Right now Im focused not on writing any book.)No quiero que nunca me olvides. (I dont want you to ever forget me. I want you to never forget me.) Using No as the Equivalent of Non- Before Some Nouns and Adjectives Many words use prefixes as a way of making them into the opposite; for example, the opposite of prudente (careful) is imprudente (careless). But some words are preceded by no instead. Creo en la no violencia. (I believe in nonviolence.)Humo pasivo puede matar a los no fumadores. (Secondhand smoke can kill nonsmokers.)El pà ³lipo es no maligno. (The polyp is nonmalignant.)No existe la palabra para definir a la mujer que no es madre. Pero sà ­ que existen las no madres. (There isnt a word that defines the woman who isnt a mother. But indeed non-mothers exist.)Soy un no ciudadano. (I am a noncitizen.) Using No as the Equivalent of Not Typically, no when used the way English uses not immediately precedes the word or phrase it negates.  ¡No en nuestro nombre! (Not in our name!)El matrimonio con ella fue fugaz y no feliz. (His marriage with her was brief and not happy.)Pueden hacer el mismo, pero no rà ¡pidamente. (They can do the same thing, but not quickly.)Tiene la inteligencia de no pedir lo que no le van a dar. (She has the intelligence to not ask for what theyre not going to give her.) Using No as a Noun As can the English no, the Spanish no can be used as noun, although the Spanish word is a bit more flexibly used. El paà ­s ha dicho un no rotundo a la guerra. (The country has said a definite no to the war.)Hay una diferencia profunda entre el sà ­ y el no. (Theres a huge difference between yes and no.)Con este referà ©ndum le dieron un gran no al primer ministro. (With this referendum they gave a huge no to the prime minister.) ¿Aceptarà ­as un no dà ©bil? (Would you accept a tentative no?)