Pero and sino are two words that have different meanings despite sharing the same translation into English. They might seem interchangeable, both meaning but in English. However, they have distinct uses. In this article, we are going to learn the difference between pero and sino.

The Difference between Pero and Sino

Before learning the difference between pero and sino, let’s remember that pero links two ideas and introduces a contrast or an objection. Pero can be used no matter if the first part of the sentence is affirmative or negative.

Quiero ir al gimnasio, pero no tengo la ropa apropiada.

I want to go the gym, but I don’t have the right clothes.

No tengo ninguna cuerda, pero tengo un hilo.

I don’t have any rope, but I have a thread.

Sino

Sino is used when the first part of the sentence is negative and the second part of the sentence provides an alternative to that. It is always no…, sino…. Notice that sino denies what comes before it and states that it’s not true or that it doesn’t apply. It also introduces what is true instead.

A Miguel no le gusta patinar, sino esquiar.

Miguel doesn’t like to skate, but he likes to ski.

No quiero estudiar francés, sino neerlandés.

I don’t want to study French, but rather Dutch.

Mis amigos no fueron al cine, sino a la playa.

My friends didn’t go to the movies, they went to the beach instead.

Simón no quiere hablar contigo, sino con tu hermana.

Simón doesn’t want to talk to you, he wants to talk to your sister instead.

The difference between pero and sino can be very subtle. Let’s pay attention to the following examples. If the second part does not contrast with the first one or when that first part is affirmative, you should use pero (and not sino).

Tengo hambre, pero no quiero comer demasiado.

I’m hungry but I don’t want to eat too much.

El nuevo coche de Yolanda es pequeño, pero es muy bonito.

Yolanda’s new car is small, but it’s very nice.

You can also use no…, pero sí… as an equivalent of no…, sino…. Notice that pero should be followed by a verb. However, when you omit the verb (for example, when it is the same one as in the first part), it is when you can use sino or pero sí and only when the first part is negative. Even though they mean the same, how they are used is the main difference between pero and sino.

No tengo periódicos, pero tengo revistas.

No tengo periódicos, sino revistas.

No tengo periódicos, pero sí revistas.

I don’t have any newspapers, but I do have magazines.

Mis hermanos no quieren estudiar, pero quieren trabajar.

Mis hermanos no quieren estudiar, sino trabajar.

Mis hermanos no quieren estudiar, pero sí trabajar.

My siblings don’t want to study; they want to work instead.

Sino que

Another useful linker is sino que, which is similar to sino but it’s used to introduce a contrast using a verb. It’s the Spanish equivalent of the English but in the following examples.

No voy a llamarla por teléfono, sino que la visitaré mañana.

I won’t call her but I will visit her tomorrow.

El coche no necesita gasolina, sino que necesita ir al mecánico.

The car doesn’t need gas but it does need to go to the mechanic.

Sino vs Si no

Be careful not to confuse si no (with a space between the two words) with sino (no space). Si no is simply if not. If you are not sure if it should be sino or si no, you can add the subject to the sentence. If that is placed in the middle, then the correct spelling is si no.

Si no comes bien, ganarás peso muy rápidamente.

Si tú no comes bien, ganarás peso muy rápidamente.

If you don’t eat well, you’ll gain weight very quickly.

Si no me apoya económicamente, no podré terminar la universidad.

Si ella no me apoya económicamente, no podré terminar la universidad.

If she doesn’t support me financially, I won’t be able to finish college.

No puedes jugar con tus amigos si no limpias tu habitación.

No puedes jugar con tus amigos si tú no limpias tu habitación.

You can’t play with your friends if you don’t clean your room.

No podréis empezar a trabajar si no termináis de estudiar.

No podréis empezar a trabajar si vosotros no termináis de estudiar.

You can’t start working if you don’t finish school.

Exercises

This article was meant to show the difference between pero and sino. Now that we understand the difference between pero and sino, let’s do some exercises to practice these two words.

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

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Linkers and Connectors