Hello there, my dear students! How are you today? Today we’ll learn about a topic that is very often consulted in our classes: Pero versus Sino. When to use “Pero” and when to use “Sino”? In addition, we’ll learn the differences between “Sino” and “Si no”. So, let’s get started with Pero vs. Sino!
Pero versus Sino in Spanish
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In order to explain this subject, the best way is to work with examples. The problem with these two little words is that all the time we want to translate the different “buts” into English. But (haha), to understand this, is better to remove the English from our minds for a moment and focus on thinking in Spanish.
This is very Grammarly. If you love grammar, you’ll love this. Pero and Sino are both “conjunciones adversativas” (adversative conjunctions). The difference is that “Pero” is “restrictiva” (restrictive) and “Sino” is “exclusiva” (exclusive).
So what’s the difference?
Yo no soy maestra, sino profesora (the second noun excludes the first one) —> I’m not a teacher, I’m a professor.
Yo soy maestra, pero trabajo como profesora (the second noun just restricts the first one)—> I’m a teacher, but I work as a professor.
Sino vs. Si no
And, what about Sino vs. Si no? Okay, that’s quite different. You have to use “Sino” as one word and in the context of exclusive adversative conjunction. On the other hand “Si no” it’s used in conditional sentences. For example:
Si no estudias gramática, no podrás aprender la diferencia entre Pero vs. Sino.
No quiero estudiar francés, sino español.
Okay, my friends. I hope you have a good time learning the differences between Pero and Sino. Don’t forget you can try one free class and start today your journey into Spanish culture and grammar. Learn how to speak as a native! Contact us today! See you soon!
