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sino

but rather; but instead

conjunction SEE-noh Common
Grammar & Structure Conjunctions

Usage Note

Sino corrects a preceding negation by substituting an alternative: no es médico, sino enfermero 'he's not a doctor, but a nurse'. It must follow a negated clause and introduces a noun, adjective, or infinitive phrase — not a full clause (for that, use sino que: no lo dijo, sino que lo gritó 'he didn't say it, he shouted it'). This is a classic distinction from pero, which simply adds contrast without replacing.

Examples

"No quiero café, sino té."

Natural Translation

I don't want coffee, but rather tea.

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