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These grammar notes explain the difference between the Spanish words “pero” and “sino” which are used as “but” or “but rather” and are often confused by students learning Spanish. Read the explanation of the difference between these conjunctions and examples of their use, then practice with the interactive exercises to check your comprehension.
The Spanish conjunctions 'pero' and 'sino' are often translated incorrectly as 'but' in English, but they are actually different.
'Pero' means 'but' and is generally used when the second clause adds a qualification of what has been said before. It could also be translated as 'however','nevertheless', etc.
'Sino' could be translated as 'but rather', 'but on the contrary' or 'but instead' and it is used to say something negative or the opposite or contradicts something said earlier.
You can also find 'sino' in the structure 'no sólo...sino' (which could be translated as 'not only...but also'). If what is being mentioned is an object, you would say: 'No sólo...sino también' and if what follows is a clause you would say: 'No sólo...sino que (también/además)'.
Ejercicio: Completa las oraciones con 'sino' o 'pero'.
If you don't know the correct answer, type '?' to reveal it.
Teacher and student in classroom
1. No quiero salir,
quedarme en casa.
2. Tal vez no sea muy inteligente,
sé lo que quiero.
3. Diviértete,
ten cuidado.
4. No es fácil escribir,
vale la pena.
5. No vine a trabajar,
a descansar.
6. El cielo no es verde,
azul.
7. Este camino es más largo,
es seguro.
8. La fiesta no fue divertida,
aburrida.
9. No puedo asistir al congreso,
voy a enviar mi ponencia.
10. No sólo asaltaron mi casa,
también la del vecino.
11. El perro no es grande,
pequeño.
12. La casa es lujosa,
está en un barrio muy ruidoso.
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