Stop Saying “Pero” in Spanish (and What to Say Instead)

7 min video

Pero is useful, but relying on it in every sentence can make your Spanish sound repetitive. Lucía shows other ways to connect contrasting ideas so you can choose an expression that fits the situation.

Watch the lesson

Try it yourself

Listen for each alternative in the video and note the example that accompanies it. Rewrite three of your own sentences that use pero, choosing a different connector when its meaning fits. Read the revised sentences aloud.

Watch the original lesson on YouTube.

Edited lesson transcript and examples

Follow the full lesson in order below. The English explanations are edited from the video’s published captions; the Spanish examples have been checked against the original video’s on-screen text, with the available automatic track used for comparison. Punctuation and caption errors are repaired for reading. Example translations and labelled learner notes are additions, separate from Lucía’s explanation. The original quiz questions and answers are included. Music is omitted.

• 0:00 — Eleven ways to expand your vocabulary
• 0:29 — How pero connects contrasting ideas
• 0:56 — 1. Aunque
• 1:25 — 2. Aun así
• 1:41 — 3. Sin embargo
• 2:24 — 4. Ahora bien
• 2:47 — The free study guide
• 3:02 — 5. No obstante
• 3:25 — 6. Mas
• 3:55 — 7. En cambio
• 4:09 — 8–10. Excepto, salvo and menos
• 5:08 — 11. Sino and sino que
• 5:52 — The original four-question quiz
• 7:10 — Your score and the next lesson

0:00 — Eleven ways to expand your vocabulary

Quiero ir, pero estoy cansada, pero no sé qué hacer. Pero, pero, pero, pero.
Example translation: I want to go, but I’m tired, but I don’t know what to do. But, but, but, but.
The opening repetition the lesson encourages you to vary.

I want to go, but I’m tired, but I don’t know what to do. But, but, but, but! Stop saying PERO all the time.

“Pero” is what we use the most in Spanish for “but.” But using only “pero” makes you sound limited.

And you don’t want that, right?

So sit on your but(t)s and get ready to expand your vocabulary while I teach you 11 great ways to say “pero” in Spanish.

Watch till the end because I have prepared an amazing quiz for you.

0:29 — How pero connects contrasting ideas

Both “but” and “pero” play the same grammatical role.

They are connectors used to show contrast or opposition between ideas.

The formula for using “pero” in Spanish is simple:

Frase 1 + pero + frase 2
Example translation: Phrase 1 + but + phrase 2
The video’s formula, with its English phrase labels translated here.

Estudio español todo lo que puedo, pero siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can, but I feel that something is missing.
The original sentence.

Let’s give this sentence a twist.

Pay attention, there’s a quiz at the end.

0:56 — 1. Aunque

aunque
Example translation: although / even though / even if
Alternative 1.

Estudio español todo lo que puedo, aunque siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can, although I feel that something is missing.
The first version with aunque.

Aunque estudio español todo lo que puedo, siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: Although I study Spanish as much as I can, I feel that something is missing.
The version that puts the aunque clause first.

So “aunque” acts like an “even though” or “even if.”

Learner note — Choose the meaning, not just a synonym: Keep the lesson’s aim of varying pero. These expressions do not all work as word-for-word replacements: aunque introduces a concession, en cambio contrasts alternatives, and excepto, salvo and menos express an exception. Moving aunque also changes which idea is presented as the concession.

Let’s check out some other common alternatives to “pero”.

1:25 — 2. Aun así

aun así
Example translation: even so
Alternative 2; the concession meaning is written without an accent on aun.

You can think of “aun así” as “even so.”

Estudio español todo lo que puedo; aun así, siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can; even so, I feel that something is missing.
Original example, with the accent corrected for the intended meaning.

Learner note — Aun así without an accent: For the meaning even so or despite that, write aun así, without an accent. The video graphic and captions show aún así here, but the reading examples and quiz use the correct spelling for this meaning. Aún así with an accent can mean still that way. Source: RAE reference.

1:41 — 3. Sin embargo

sin embargo
Example translation: however
Alternative 3.

It translates to “however.”

Estudio español todo lo que puedo; sin embargo, siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can; however, I feel that something is missing.
Punctuation has been edited for reading.

Like with “however,” you can use “sin embargo” at the beginning of a sentence.

In this case, we put a stop after the first phrase.

El 12 de octubre se celebra en España el Día de la Hispanidad. Sin embargo, en Latinoamérica ese día se conoce con otro nombre.
Example translation: On October 12, Spain celebrates the Day of Hispanicity. However, in Latin America that day is known by another name.
The original contrast example; see the cultural naming note below.

Learner note — October 12 names: Día de la Hispanidad is a commonly used name in Spain; the official national-holiday name is Fiesta Nacional de España. Names and commemorations in Latin America differ by country, so the video’s contrast should not be read as one shared Latin American name. Source: Official holiday name.

If we use “Sin embargo” at the beginning of a new sentence, you need to put a comma right after.

It’s a natural pause.

Sin embargo goes between commas.

Learner note — Punctuation: A comma follows sin embargo and similar connectors at the start of a sentence; if the connector is an insertion inside a sentence, it goes between commas. When it introduces a separate clause in these examples, use a period or semicolon before it and a comma after it. The punctuation here is edited for reading; a spoken pause does not always require a comma. Source: RAE reference, RAE reference.

2:24 — 4. Ahora bien

ahora bien
Example translation: that said / however
Alternative 4: it introduces a reservation or qualification.

This one is a bit more formal and adds a condition or precision to the first phrase.

El plan parece perfecto; ahora bien, debemos considerar los costes.
Example translation: The plan seems perfect; that said, we must consider the costs.
Original example.

Estudio español todo lo que puedo; ahora bien, siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can; that said, I feel that something is missing.
Original example.

2:47 — The free study guide

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3:02 — 5. No obstante

no obstante
Example translation: nevertheless / however
Alternative 5.

This one is even more formal.

It could translate to “nevertheless.” And the use is similar to “sin embargo.”

Estudio español todo lo que puedo; no obstante, siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can; nevertheless, I feel that something is missing.
Original example, punctuated for reading.

Enough formalities!

3:25 — 6. Mas

mas ≠ más
Example translation: mas: but; más: more
Alternative 6 is mas without an accent, a literary conjunction.

Without an accent mark:

It is not the same as saying “más”, with an accent, which means “more”.

“Mas” without accent is a more literary alternative to “pero”.

Estudio español todo lo que puedo, mas siento que algo me falta.
Example translation: I study Spanish as much as I can, but I feel that something is missing.
Original example with the literary conjunction mas.

The next alternative to “pero” is widely used, and it serves to establish a clear contrast between one thing and the other.

Just five more and you’ll be testing your skills with a quiz. Stay tuned.

This is quick.

3:55 — 7. En cambio

en cambio
Example translation: on the other hand / by contrast
Alternative 7.

The translation would be “on the other hand”.

A mi hermano le encanta la playa; en cambio, yo prefiero la montaña.
Example translation: My brother loves the beach; by contrast, I prefer the mountains.
Original example.

4:09 — 8–10. Excepto, salvo and menos

How are you doing so far?

Stay put because you’re not expecting what’s coming next.

A different meaning of “but”!

Sometimes you might say “but” and it doesn’t translate to “pero”.

What if you want to say…

I love every color but orange?

Can you use any of the alternatives I gave before?

Not really.

But you can use these.

excepto / salvo / menos
Example translation: except / apart from
Alternatives 8, 9 and 10 express an exception.

Me gustan todos los colores, excepto el naranja.
Example translation: I like every color except orange.
Original example.

He visto todas las películas, salvo una.
Example translation: I have seen all the films except one.
Original example.

This is an exception, yes, in every sense.

Because structurally “but” in these sentences is a preposition, not a conjunction, because it introduces a noun phrase.

Not a full clause.

Estoy abierta a ver cualquier película, menos una de terror.
Example translation: I’m open to watching any film except a horror film.
Original example.

5:08 — 11. Sino and sino que

sino / sino que
Example translation: but rather / instead
Alternative 11 corrects or replaces a preceding negated idea.

Creía que jugabas al hockey.
Example translation: I thought you played hockey.
The original setup.

No juego al hockey, sino al fútbol.
Example translation: I don’t play hockey; I play football instead.
The correction replaces hockey with football without repeating juego.

Here the first phrase is negative, and “sino” works as a synonym for “but rather” or “instead.”

Have you noticed we omit the verb in the second part?

That’s because it’s the same verb as in the first phrase.

Carlos no vive en Madrid, sino en Valencia.
Example translation: Carlos doesn’t live in Madrid; he lives in Valencia instead.
The second verb is not repeated.

But what happens when both phrases use different verbs?

That’s when “sino que” comes in.

Which is like saying “instead of this, that”.

No aprendí español por la escuela, sino que practiqué todos los días.
Example translation: I didn’t learn Spanish through school; instead, I practiced every day.
The original example contrasts two clauses with finite verbs.

Learner note — Sino or sino que: The example’s two different verbs help illustrate the contrast, but the rule is about structure: use sino que when the corrective second part is a clause with a finite verb. Sino can introduce a replacement phrase when the verb is left understood, as in al fútbol or en Valencia. Source: RAE reference.

And you should!

5:52 — The original four-question quiz

Let’s practice now with a quiz.

4 questions.

Are you ready?

1st question.

Video quiz 1: ___ esté lloviendo, voy a salir a correr.

• A sino que
• B sin embargo
• C aunque

Show the video’s answer

C — aunque — Aunque esté lloviendo, voy a salir a correr.
Example translation: Even though it’s raining, I’m going out for a run.
Aunque introduces the concession. The subjunctive can also be used when the rain is treated as background information, so it does not force an only hypothetical interpretation.

Video quiz 2: A Luis le gustan todas mis recetas, ___ a Sara no le gusta ninguna.

• A menos
• B en cambio
• C excepto

Show the video’s answer

B — en cambio — A Luis le gustan todas mis recetas; en cambio, a Sara no le gusta ninguna.
Example translation: Luis likes all my recipes; by contrast, Sara doesn’t like any of them.
En cambio contrasts the two people. The complete answer is punctuated for reading.

Video quiz 3: Marta me dijo que esto iba a pasar, ___ no le hice caso.

• A sin embargo
• B aun así
• C mas

Show the video’s answer

A, B and C — all three — Marta me dijo que esto iba a pasar; sin embargo, no le hice caso. / Marta me dijo que esto iba a pasar; aun así, no le hice caso. / Marta me dijo que esto iba a pasar, mas no le hice caso.
Example translation: Marta told me this was going to happen; however / even so / but, I didn’t listen to her.
All three meanings fit. Aun así is corrected to the unaccented concession spelling, and each completed sentence has punctuation appropriate to its connector.

Learner note — The quiz and punctuation: The third question accepts all three meanings, as the video says. With sin embargo or aun así, write a period or semicolon before the connector and a comma after it; with mas, use a comma before mas. All three correctly keep the contrast between Marta’s warning and ignoring her. Source: RAE reference.

Video quiz 4: Sebas dijo que pidamos cualquier pizza, ___ la de piña.

• A sino
• B no obstante
• C menos

Show the video’s answer

C — menos — Sebas dijo que pidamos cualquier pizza, menos la de piña.
Example translation: Sebas said we should order any pizza except the pineapple one.
Menos introduces the exception in this positive request.

7:10 — Your score and the next lesson

¿Cuántas has acertado?
Example translation: How many did you get right?
The closing question.

How many did you get right?

Do you want to sound even more natural?

Stop saying “bien.” Hit this next and power up your Spanish.