You’re crafting the perfect sentence in Spanish. You want to say, "It's a good car, but it's expensive." Easy enough, right? "Es un buen coche, pero es caro." Nailed it.
Now, you want to say, "It’s not blue, but red." You try, "No es azul, pero rojo." And suddenly, your Spanish-speaking friend gives you that gentle, "Hmm, not quite," look.
What went wrong? Welcome to one of Spanish's classic head-scratchers: pero vs. sino. Both can translate to "but," but they play by very different rules. Don't worry, by the end of this post, you'll be using them like a pro.
Let's break it down.
Pero: Your Go-To for "But, However..."
Think of pero as the most common, all-purpose "but." It's your go-to word when you want to add information that contrasts with or limits the first part of your sentence. It works just like "but" or "however" in English.
The first clause can be positive or negative. The key is that pero adds to it, it doesn't replace it.
Examples:
- Quiero ir a la playa, pero está lloviendo. (I want to go to the beach, but it's raining.)
- La película es larga, pero interesante. (The movie is long, but interesting.)
- No tengo mucho dinero, pero puedo invitarte a un café. (I don't have a lot of money, but I can buy you a coffee.)
Simple Check for 'Pero'
If you can replace "but" with "however" and the sentence still makes sense, pero is almost always the right choice.
Sino: The Corrector - "Not This, But That Instead"
This is where the magic happens. Sino is a special kind of "but." It’s a "but" of correction.
Use sino only after a negative statement when you want to negate the first idea and replace it with a new, correct one.
The formula is simple: [Negative Statement] + sino + [Correction]
Think of it as meaning "but rather" or "but instead."
Examples:
- No es azul, sino rojo. (It's not blue, but rather red.)
- No somos de España, sino de Colombia. (We're not from Spain, but instead from Colombia.)
- El problema no es el dinero, sino el tiempo. (The problem isn't the money, but the time.)
The Golden Rule
Remember, you can only use sino after a negative clause (a phrase with "no," "nunca," "nadie," etc.). If the first part of the sentence is positive, sino is not an option!
Let's test your understanding so far.
No quiero té, ___ café. Which word fits?
The Plot Twist: When to Use Sino Que
Okay, you've mastered sino. But what if the correction you're making involves an action—a conjugated verb?
That's when sino que steps in.
The rule is straightforward: If the phrase after sino contains a conjugated verb, you must add que.
Formula: [Negative Statement] + sino que + [Correction with a Conjugated Verb]
Examples:
- No limpió la casa, sino que durmió todo el día. (He didn't clean the house, but rather he slept all day.)
- No vamos a la fiesta, sino que nos quedamos en casa. (We're not going to the party, but instead we're staying home.)
Here's how it differs from a simple sino:
- sino:
No es estudiante, **sino** profesor.(The correction, "profesor," is a noun). - sino que:
No estudia, **sino que** enseña.(The correction, "enseña," is a conjugated verb).
Time for another quick check!
Mi hermano no corre por la mañana, ___ prefiere nadar. Which is correct?
Pero vs. Sino: A Quick Summary Chart
Let's put it all together in a simple table.
| Feature | Pero | Sino / Sino que |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | but, however | but rather, but instead |
| Function | Adds contrasting info | Corrects/replaces a negative statement |
| Preceded by... | A positive OR negative statement | Always a negative statement |
Example (pero) | Es inteligente, **pero** vago. | No es tonto, **sino** vago. |
Use que when... | Never | The correcting phrase has a conjugated verb. |
Me [gustan las manzanas](/spanish/grammar/a1/a1-the-verb-gustar), ___ hoy prefiero una naranja. Which word fits?
You've Got This!
See? Not so scary after all. Mastering the difference between pero and sino is a huge step toward sounding more natural in Spanish.
Perois your reliable friend for adding a contrast.Sinois your specialist tool for making a correction after "no."
The best way to make it stick is to practice. Listen for it in conversations, look for it in books, and try creating your own sentences. Before you know it, you'll be choosing the right "but" without even thinking.
Ready for more Spanish lessons that make sense? Download the InkLingo app and turn your learning into a daily habit! You can also explore our Spanish Stories to see pero and sino in action!