sino
but rather, except
Reviewed by: David WestfallCofounder
Follows a negation to point to what's actually true
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
repetition
sino
but rather
Used after a negative clause to introduce what is actually true instead.
No es un problema, sino una oportunidadIt's not a problem, but an opportunity (it's not a problem, if not an opportunity)
No lo hizo Juan, sino PedroIt wasn't Juan who did it, but rather Pedro
except, save, but
Used to express exception — "nobody if not you" becomes "nobody but you."
Nadie lo sabe sino túNobody knows it except you (nobody knows it if not you)
No pido sino que me escuchesI ask nothing except that you listen to me
no solo... sino también
not only... but also
"Not only X" is the negation, and sino points to what's actually true: that also Y.
No solo es inteligente, sino también muy amableHe's not only intelligent, but also very kind (he's intelligent, if not very kind)
No solo habla español, sino también francésShe not only speaks Spanish, but also French (She speaks Spanish, if not French)
sino
fate
A literary word referring to one's fate or destiny
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
sign
omen / signal
+
-o
noun suffix
Sino means fate and comes from the same root as the English word sign0, in the sense of an omen or signal from above.
sino
fate, destiny
A literary or elevated word for one's destiny, especially when it feels inevitable or written in the stars.
Era su sino morir jovenIt was his fate to die young
Aceptó su sino con resignaciónShe accepted her destiny with resignation