How do you say but in Spanish?

But in Spanish is most often pero (quiero ir, pero estoy cansado, I want to go but I'm tired). After a negative statement that's directly corrected (not X, but Y), use sino: no es rojo, sino azul. Before a conjugated verb in that pattern, use sino que. For but as except, use salvo or excepto.

What's the difference between pero and sino?

Pero adds a contrasting idea: I like coffee, but I prefer tea (both can be true). Sino corrects a negative: not red, but blue (only one is true). The deciding test: if the first half is a negative that the second half contradicts, use sino. Otherwise pero.

When do I use sino que instead of sino?

Use sino que when a conjugated verb follows: no estudia, sino que trabaja (he doesn't study, but works). Use sino when followed by a noun, adjective, or adverb: no es alto, sino bajo. The que is what bridges to a verb clause.

How do I remember pero vs sino?

Hear native speakers use both in real moments, complaining, correcting, contrasting, and the rule clicks. Parrot's videos surface pero in everyday concession contexts and sino in correction contexts so the difference becomes intuitive instead of memorized.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

But in Spanish: Pero, Sino, and the Negative Rule That Splits Them

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Pero · conjunction · PEH-roh

But in Spanish is pero for adding a contrasting idea (quiero ir, pero estoy cansado, I want to go, but I'm tired). After a negative that gets corrected by something else (not X but Y), use sino: no es rojo, sino azul (it's not red, but blue). For but as except, salvo or excepto. Three different words for one English conjunction.

Pero is PEH-roh, two syllables, stress on PEH. Sino is SEE-noh, stress on SEE. Salvo is SAHL-voh; excepto is ehk-SEHP-toh.

Quiero ir, pero estoy cansado.

I want to go, but I'm tired.

But in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for but, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
pero	but	PEH-roh	Default, widely understood
sino	but		but rather (after a negative)
sino que	but		but rather (before a conjugated verb)
salvo / excepto	but		but as except (everyone but me)

How Native Speakers Use Pero

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Pero: contrasting idea

Me gusta el café, pero prefiero el té.

I like coffee, but I prefer tea.

Pero adds a contrasting idea without contradicting the first. This is the everyday use of but in Spanish.

Sino: correction after a negative

No es de Argentina, sino de Chile.

He's not from Argentina, but (rather) from Chile.

When a negative statement is contradicted by what comes next, sino replaces pero. The pattern: no [X], sino [Y].

Sino que: before a conjugated verb

No sólo estudia, sino que también trabaja.

He doesn't just study, but he also works.

When the correction has a conjugated verb (not just a noun), use sino que. No habla inglés, sino que habla solo español.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Pero

Using pero where sino is required

Incorrect: No es rojo, pero azul.

Correct: No es rojo, sino azul.

After a negative that gets directly contradicted (not X, but Y), Spanish requires sino. Pero would imply both ideas are true at once. The rule: if the structure is no [X], not [Y], use sino.

Using sino without que before a verb

Incorrect: No solo estudia, sino también trabaja.

Correct: No solo estudia, sino que también trabaja.

Before a conjugated verb, sino needs the helper que. Sino alone works before a noun, adjective, or adverb. Sino que is required before a verb clause.

Lock in But Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Pero used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using pero in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Quiero ir, pero estoy cansado. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About But in Spanish

How do you say but in Spanish?: But in Spanish is most often pero (quiero ir, pero estoy cansado, I want to go but I'm tired). After a negative statement that's directly corrected (not X, but Y), use sino: no es rojo, sino azul. Before a conjugated verb in that pattern, use sino que. For but as except, use salvo or excepto.
What's the difference between pero and sino?: Pero adds a contrasting idea: I like coffee, but I prefer tea (both can be true). Sino corrects a negative: not red, but blue (only one is true). The deciding test: if the first half is a negative that the second half contradicts, use sino. Otherwise pero.
When do I use sino que instead of sino?: Use sino que when a conjugated verb follows: no estudia, sino que trabaja (he doesn't study, but works). Use sino when followed by a noun, adjective, or adverb: no es alto, sino bajo. The que is what bridges to a verb clause.
How do I remember pero vs sino?: Hear native speakers use both in real moments, complaining, correcting, contrasting, and the rule clicks. Parrot's videos surface pero in everyday concession contexts and sino in correction contexts so the difference becomes intuitive instead of memorized.