What is the word but in spanish

In English, we use the word “but” a lot. We might use it to disagree with someone or to argue a point. But in Spanish, things are usually a little more complicated than that. There are many different ways you can express the word “but” in Spanish. The important thing is that you need to ensure you don’t end up sounding like Elmer Fudd when trying to say it! Here are three ways to say “but” in Spanish, along with some examples and explanations of how and when to use them.

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How do you say but in Spanish 

• Sino: But, Instead

The first way to say “but” in Spanish is to use the word “sino.” This is best translated as “but,” not “instead.” For example, if you want to say, “I can sing, but I don’t enjoy it,” you would say, “Puedo cantar sino no lo disfruto.” In this case, “sino” would mean “but.” “sino” is mainly used in written or formal Spanish. In spoken Spanish, it’s much more common to use “pero” instead.

Other examples where “but” translates to “sino” in Spanish: 

• Juan no es tonto, sino inteligente. (Juan is not stupid, but he is intelligent.) 

• Pero: But

The second way to say “but” in Spanish is to use the word “pero,” which is the most common way to say it in Spanish. In fact, “pero” is so familiar that, when you hear it spoken, all you really hear is “buuut.” It’s a good idea to think of “pero” as being like the word “but,” but with a stronger emphasis. So, if you say, “I want to study Spanish, but it’s too expensive,” you would say, “Quiero estudiar español pero es muy caro.” In this case, “pero” would mean “but.” This use of “pero” is mainly used in spoken Spanish. In written Spanish, it’s also common to see “pero” written as “sin embargo.”

More examples “but” translates to “pero” in Spanish: 

• Estoy enfermo pero lo haré para tu boda. (I am sick but I’ll make it for your wedding.)
• Estás aquí pero tu mente está en otra parte. (You are here, but your mind is elsewhere.)

• Recordando: But

The third way to say “but” in Spanish is to use the word “recordando.” This word can be translated as “but,” but is mainly used to introduce a fact that you want to remember or remember to do. For example, if you say, “I want to study Spanish, but I don’t have any time,” you would say, “Quiero estudiar español recordando que no tengo tiempo.” In this case, “recordando” would mean “but.” This use of “recordando” is mainly used in written Spanish. In spoken Spanish, it’s common to see “recordando” written as “sin embargo.” To ensure you get the pronunciation right, get an app to learn Spanish like italki. 

Other Spanish expressions loosely translated to “but” 

• Sin embargo: However

Another way to say “but” in Spanish is to use the word “sin embargo.” This word can also be translated as “however,” “although,” or “in spite of.” 

For example, if you say, “I want to study Spanish, but it’s too expensive,” you would say, “Quiero estudiar español sin embargo es muy caro.” In this case, “sin embargo” would mean “but.” 

Another example is: “No me gustan los parques temáticos, sin embargo, iría por tu bien.” which can be translated to “I don’t like theme parks; however, I would go for your sake.” 

This use of “sin embargo” is mainly used in written Spanish. In spoken Spanish, it’s also common to see “sin embargo” written as “pero.” In fact, these two words are basically interchangeable. You can use either word to say “but” in Spanish, and most people won’t even notice. The only difference is that “pero” is more commonly used in speech.

• Tampoco: Neither, Nor

“Tampoco” is rarely used to mean “but” in Spanish, but it can be used. This is best translated as “nor” but can also be translated as “neither.” 

For example, 

• “no tengo sed” – I am not thirsty.
• [response] – Tampoco tengo sed – neither am I thirsty. 

In this case, “tampoco” would mean “neither.” Be careful if you use this word because it can also be translated as “either.” Spanish can get complicated, but we are here to help. Keep reading. 

• Sino: Or rather

Sino is best translated as “but,” but it can also mean “or rather.” For example, if you want to say, “I want to study Spanish, but it’s too expensive online,” and someone then says, “You can just go to a local language school,” you could say, “Sino, tengo que ir a una escuela de idiomas.” In this case, “sino” would mean “or rather.” In a different context, “sino” could also mean “otherwise.” 

• Excepto, Salvo, and Menos: This trio can be translated to mean the same thing. 

Menos, salvo, and excepto all mean the same thing. You can use them when you need to state an exception to a general rule. They can be directly translated to the English word “except.” 

It is common to use “but” and “except” synonymously in English. In this case, you can use excepto, menos, or salvo. Depending on the context in which they are used, each of these words have different meanings. However, they can all be used to mean “but.” 

These examples should help make the idea clearer: 

“Everyone but Juanita said yes.”

In this sentence, we can conveniently replace “but” with “except” without changing the sentence’s meaning. So in translating to Spanish, we can use either excepto, menos, or salvo. 

Here is what the sentences would look like when translated: 

• “Todos excepto Juanita dijeron que sí.”
• “Todos salvo Juanita dijeron que sí.”
• “Todos menos Juanita dijeron que sí.”

Let’s look at other instances where you can use either of these words: 

• Me gustan todas las verduras menos el brócoli. 

I like all vegetables but broccoli. 

• Ellas han visto todas las películas excepto “La rosa de hierro.”

They have seen every movie except “the iron rose.” 

• Dormiría en cualquier habitación salvo en esta.

I would sleep in any room except this one. 

Conclusion

If you have wondered what “but” in Spanish is or how to spell “but” in Spanish, your worries must be out of the window by now. Remember that the most popular ways to say “but” is “pero” and “sino.” When in doubt, fall back on either of these, and the person you are speaking with will surely understand the point you want to make. To master other ways of saying “but” in Spanish, book lessons with italki today.

Did you know that pero is not the only way to say ‘but’ in Spanish? Think about it: ‘but’ can be applied in different contexts. Even in English, you could say ‘but’, ‘however’, ‘nevertheless’, ‘except’ and so on. So, you’re going to need a different Spanish word for each one of these situations. 

So, what are different words to say ‘but’ in Spanish? Below are the most common ways to say ‘but’ in Spanish. Notice that, even though they mean ‘but’, most of these words are not synonyms since they are used in different contexts: 

• Pero
• Sino
• Sin embargo
• No obstante
• Excepto
• Excusas

Even though it’s such a small word, but is very important since it not only helps you connect sentences, but it also helps you contrast different ideas. For that reason, in this article, I’ve compiled a list of 6 words that mean ‘but’ in Spanish. 

Since these words might have different meanings and uses, I’ll explain when and how to use each one of these options. And so you get a better idea of how you need to apply them into your conversations, I’ve included examples and phrase structures. 

By the end of this, you’ll know how to say but in Spanish! 

1. Pero – But

As established before, pero is the direct translation of ‘but’ and, as a result, this word is used almost in the same contexts where you’d use ‘but’. To put it in human words, in Spanish, pero allows us to connect sentences that express opposite or contradictory ideas. 

Check these examples below so you get a better understanding of this word:

[Sentence #1] + pero + [Sentence #2]

Sí voy a ir, pero voy a llegar tarde. 
I’m going to go, but I’m going to be late. 

Mi hermano vive en México, pero no habla español. 
My brother lives in Mexico, but he doesn’t speak Spanish. 

Liam fue a comprar zapatos, pero no encontró nada que le gustara. 
Liam went to buy shoes, but he didn’t find anything that he liked. 

Cheryl sigue enojada, pero quiere hablar contigo. 
Cheryl is still mad, but she wants to talk to you. 

If you see the examples above, you’ll notice that ‘pero’ is helping us connect two sentences that somehow express contrasting ideas. For example, the fact that my brother lives in a Spanish speaking country contrasts with the fact that he doesn’t speak Spanish. 

2. Sino – But / But rather / But instead

Even though it’s a very common way to say ‘but’, many Spanish learners haven’t heard about ‘sino’. When using this word you need to keep in mind that it’s not a synonym of ‘pero’. In fact, sino is used to correct the information provided in a previous statement. As a result, it can be translated as:

• But
• But rather/But instead 

A main characteristic of this word is that it’s placed after a negative sentence which is the information that we’re going to correct or deny. Let’s check this with some examples:

[Negative sentence] + sino + [correct information]

El examen no es hoy, sino mañana. 
The test is not today, but instead tomorrow. 

No te encargué ensalada, sino tacos. 
I didn’t order a salad, but tacos.   

La profesora no tiene 25 años, sino 30.
The professor is not 25 years old, but 30. 

No les pedí que copiaran el reporte, sino que lo escribieran ustedes mismos. 
I didn’t ask you to copy the report, but rather you write it yourself. 

Related Resource: Difference Between ‘Pero’ and ‘Sino’. 

3. Sin embargo – But / However

Sin embargo is a more formal way to say ‘but’ in Spanish. In fact this expression is used exactly as ‘pero’, but in formal situations that can include meetings, movies, books, school and business environments. As a result, sin embargo can be translated as ‘but’, ‘however’ or ‘nevertheless’. 

‘Sin embargo’ is also commonly used to connect two sentences that express opposite ideas. Here are some examples that you can use to apply on your school papers 😉

[Statement #1) + sin embargo + [Statement #2]

La Sra. Miller vino a visitarnos; sin embargo, no estábamos. 
Mrs. Miller came to visit us, but we weren’t home. 

Quiero aprender español; sin embargo, no tengo tiempo de estudiar. 
I want to learn Spanish; however, I have no time to study. 

Laura no vino a mi cumpleaños; sin embargo, me mandó un regalo. 
Laura didn’t come to my birthday party; however, she sent me a present. 

Take Note: In Spanish, ‘sin embargo’ is very flexible. This means that you can place it in the middle, at the beginning or end of a sentence. Sin embargo, if you want to place it at the beginning, you need to make sure that the contrasting idea is already clear… like I just did here 😉

4. No obstante – But / Nevertheless / Even So

Another formal expression that you can use to say ‘but’ is no obstante. Just like ‘sin embargo’, no obstante is also a more formal and fancy way of saying ‘pero’ in Spanish. Given its characteristics, this expression is also very popular in school assignments, white papers or business meetings. 

‘No obstante’ can be translated either as ‘but’, ‘even so’ or ‘nevertheless’ and it’s basically used to present and connect two sentences with opposite ideas:

[Statement #1) + no obstante + [Statement #2]

Alan rompió con su novia; no obstante, terminaron casándose. 
Alan broke up with his girlfriend, but they ended up getting married. 

Carly se fue temprano, no obstante, no terminó su trabajo. 
Carly left early; nevertheless, she didn’t finish her job. 

No tomo clases de español, no obstante, practico con mis amigos. 
I don’t take Spanish classes, but I practice with my friends. 

Take Note: Just like ‘sin embargo’, no obstante can be placed in the middle, the beginning or end of a sentence. 

No obstante, quiero decirte que fue la mejor decisión.
Nevertheless, I want to tell you that it was the best decision. 

5. Excepto – Except / But 

In Spanish, excepto can be used to say ‘but’ when we’re describing that a person or an object didn’t take part in a certain action or that it doesn’t belong to a group of people that we’re referring to. With this meaning, excepto has two popular variations: 

• Menos
• Salvo 

Although these three words mean the same thing, menos is slightly more casual than ‘salvo’ and ‘excepto’. To help you better understand how to use these words, check out these examples: 

[Subject/Pronoun] + [activity] + excepto + [noun]

Todos, menos Jason, se comieron mi pastel. 
Everybody but Jason ate my cake. 

A Isabella le gusta toda la comida, excepto los frijoles. 
Isabella likes all food but beans. 

Corremos todos los días, menos los viernes porque queremos descansar. 
We run every day but Fridays because we want to rest. 

Take Note: Menos is a word with multiple meanings in Spanish. In addition to this use, ‘menos’ can be used to talk about quantities or to talk about mathematical calculations. So, it can be translated as ‘less’ or ‘minus’. 

6. Excusas – But / Buts

Excusas can also be used to say ‘but’ in Spanish as long as you’re talking about objections or excuses. As you may imagine, ‘excusa’ can be translated as ‘excuses’ or ‘buts’. Additionally, you could also use these variations:

• Objeciones – Objections / Excuses. 
• Paros – Excuses or Buts. Mexican slang term. 
• Pero que valga – No ifs, ands, or buts. 

Here are some examples of how to use these expressions as a way to say ‘but’ in Spanish:

¡Ve a hacer tu tarea! ¡Y no quiero peros!
Go do your homework! No buts!

Vamos a comer y no quiero escuchar ninguna excusa. 
We’re going to eat and I don’t want to hear any buts. 

El ensayo está perfecto: mándalo, no hay pero que valga. 
The essay is perfect, there’s no ifs, ands, or buts. 

¡Quiero que me pagues mañana y sin paros!
I want you to pay me tomorrow and no buts! 

Take Note: On top of being an informal word for ‘excuse’, in Mexican Spanish, the word paro can also be used to ask or offer your help to someone. Like most Spanish vocabulary, the meanings pretty much depend on the context!

Wrapping Up

In this article, we’ve reviewed different words and expressions that you can use to say but in Spanish. Although you might feel tempted to use pero all the time, now you know that, depending on what you want to express, you might need to use a different word. 

Additionally, you learned some more formal expressions that you can use in your Spanish essays or in more formal conversations (your teacher is going to love it!). Hopefully now you know many different words and expressions to say ‘but’ in Spanish. 

Using ‘Pero,’ ‘Sino,’ and Other Words for ‘But’

2 most common translations aren’t interchangeable

Although pero and sino are the most common words translated from Spanish as «but,» they are used in different ways and cannot be substituted for each other.

Like «but» often is, pero and sino are coordinating conjunctions, meaning that they connect two words or phrases of similar grammatical status. And like «but,» pero and sino are used in forming contrasts.

Differences Between Pero and Sino

Usually, the Spanish conjunction to be used to indicate a contrast is pero. But sino is used instead when two conditions are true: when the part of the sentence coming before the conjunction is stated in the negative, and when the part after the conjunction directly contradicts what is negated in the first part. In mathematical-like terms, sino is used for «but» in sentences of type «not A but B» when A contradicts B. The examples below should make this clear.

Here’s another way of putting it: Both pero and sino can be translated as «but.» But in almost all cases, «rather,» «but rather» or «instead» also could be used as an appropriate translation where sino is used, but not for pero.

Examples of Pero in Use

• Me gustaría salir, pero no puedo. (I would like to leave, but I can’t. The first part of the sentence isn’t stated in the negative, so pero is used.)
• María es alta pero no es fuerte. (Mary is tall, but she isn’t strong. The first part of the sentence isn’t stated in the negative, so pero is used.)
• Los huevos son fritos pero no revueltos. (The eggs are fried but not scrambled. Again, the first part of the sentence is stated in the affirmative.)
• María no es alta pero es inteligente. (Mary isn’t tall, but she’s intelligent. Although the first part of this sentence is in the negative, pero is used because there’s no direct contrast — there’s no contradiction with being short and smart.)
• No son muchos pero buenos. (There aren’t many, but they’re good. Again, there’s no direct contrast, so pero is used.)
• El virus Código Rojo no afecta usuarios, pero Sircam no remite. (The Code Red virus doesn’t affect users, but Sircam doesn’t let up. The two parts of this sentence are used as a comparison rather than a contrast, so pero is used.)

Examples of Sino in Use

• María no es alta sino baja. (Mary isn’t tall, but short, or Mary isn’t tall, rather she’s short. There’s a direct contrast between tall and short.)
• No creemos lo que vemos, sino que vemos lo que creemos. (We don’t believe what we see, but we see what we believe, or we don’t believe what we see, rather we see what we believe. There’s a clear and direct contrast between cause and effect used in this sentence.)
• El protagonista no era conde sino señor. (The protagonist wasn’t a count but a lord, or the protagonist wasn’t a count, rather he was a lord. Although conde and señor aren’t opposites, they are used in this sentence to contrast with each other.)
• No he venido a ser servido sino a servir. (I haven’t come to be served but to serve, or I haven’t come to be served; instead I have come to serve. Again, there’s a direct contrast between the two purposes stated in the sentence.)
• El problema no es tuyo sino mío. (The problem isn’t yours but mine. Sino shows a contrast in ownership.)

Other Ways of Saying ‘But’ in Spanish

When «except» can substitute for «but,» it is often possible to use excepto, menos, or salvo. In these cases, however, «but» and the Spanish word are aren’t used to form a contrast but to function as a preposition.

• Creo en la justicia para todos, excepto mis enemigos. (I believe in justice for everyone but my enemies.)
• No conozco a nadie, excepto mi hija. (I don’t know anybody but my daughter.)
• Me gustan todos los comentarios, menos el primero. (I liked all the comments but the first one.)
• Debemos considerar todas las posibilidades, menos esa. (We should consider all the possibilities but that one.)
• Todos los formularios, salvo uno, están disponibles en inglés. (All the forms but one are available in English.)
• Nadie, salvo yo, sabe lo que es bueno para mí. (Nobody but me knows what is good for me.)

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Horace I don’t know but something sounds sour to me.

Horacio no sé, pero hay algo que no me suena bien.

Okay, but leave someone there in case she turns up.

Vale, pero deja a alguien allí en caso de que vuelva.

In his work, you need not two but three eyes.

En su trabajo, se necesitan no dos, sino tres ojos.

There is nothing to fear but the lies of a priest.

No hay nada que temer sino a las mentiras de un sacerdote.

Charm him, but do it here, before my eyes.

Sé amable con él, pero aquí, delante de mi vista.

Their hide is tough, but there’s good juice inside.

Su piel es dura, pero tienen buen jugo en el interior.

Whatever they threatened you, but I can help you with.

No importa como te amenazaron, pero yo puedo ayudarte con eso.

I have, but just sumo wrestling in a bathing suit.

Yo hice, pero solo lucha de sumo en traje de baño.

I saw the day I met you but had not fallen…

La vi el día que te conocí, pero no había caído…

Sure, things got busy, but the morning was mine.

Seguro, las cosas se complican, pero la mañana era mía.

A discreet and virtuous woman, but that you already know.

Una mujer discreta y virtuosa, pero eso vos ya lo sabéis.

Movie quotes, mostly, but that’s not the point.

Con citas de películas, mayormente, pero no es el punto.

I know she knows, but I enjoy telling her again.

Ya sé que ella sabe, pero me gusta contárselo otra vez.

It’s not easy but I’ll drink to you anyway.

No es fácil, pero beberé a tu salud de todos modos.

The materials weigh nothing, but their mass and inertia remain.

Los materiales no pesan nada, pero su masa e inercia permanecen.

I read your file but the… details have escaped me.

Leí su expediente, pero… se me han pasado los detalles.

I know, but this is what was planned for her.

Lo sé, pero es lo que se ha decidido para ella.

I got an off-brand pacemaker, but these babies are top-shelf.

Tengo una imitación de marcapasos, pero estas pequeñas son lo máximo.

No; but one of them was mine all the same.

No; pero uno de ellos era mío, de todas maneras.

Yes, but maybe there are two points of view here.

Si, pero, quizás, hay dos puntos de vista aquí.

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WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2023:

Principal Translations
Inglés		Español
but conj	(yet)	pero conj
	I may be old, but I can still ride a bike.
	Puede que esté viejo, pero todavía puedo andar en bicicleta.
but conj	(except)	nada más que loc conj
		excepto conj
		sino conj
	They couldn’t do anything but stand there and stare. He’s nothing but trouble, that boy.
	No pudieron hacer nada más que quedarse parados viendo. Ese chico no es nada más que problemas.
but prep	(except for)	excepto prep
	Nobody did anything but me.
	Nadie hizo nada excepto yo.
but conj	(on the contrary)	sino conj
	I asked not for a salad, but for soup. He’s not a violinist but a cellist.
	No pedí ensalada sino sopa. Él no es violinista sino chelista.

Additional Translations
Inglés		Español
but adv	literary (only)	no… más que loc adv
		sólo adv
	She is but a child.
	No es más que una niña.
	Es sólo una niña.
but conj	literary (otherwise than)	sino conj
	I cannot but agree with what you say.
	No puedo sino darte la razón.
but conj	formal (doubt that)	de que conj
	There is no doubt but that he is the best person on the team.
	No hay duda de que él es la mejor persona del equipo.
but conj	(used as intensifier)	pero conj
	There was nothing good on TV, but nothing!
	No había nada que ver en la tele, ¡pero nada!
but n	(objection)	pero nm
	You’re going to bed now, and I don’t want to hear any buts!
	Te vas a dormir ahorita, y no quiero ningún pero.

WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2023:

Compound Forms: but
Inglés		Español
all but prep	(everyone except)	todos menos adj + prep
	All but one of her students passed the exam.
	Todos sus estudiantes menos uno pasaron el examen.
all but adv	(with verb: almost completely)	casi por completo loc adv
		prácticamente adv
	You’ve all but polished off that cake.
	Te has comido toda la torta casi por completo.
	Te has comido prácticamente toda la torta.
all but adv	(with adjective: nearly)	casi adv
		casi por loc adv
	The rain is all but finished now.
	La lluvia casi ha terminado ya.
	La lluvia está casi por terminar ya.
anything but adv	(not at all)	cualquier cosa menos loc adv
	His new novel is anything but dull.
	Su nueva novela es cualquier cosa menos aburrida.
		de todo menos loc adv
		de todo excepto
	Su nueva novela es de todo menos aburrida.
anything but adv	(anything except)	cualquier cosa excepto loc adv
		de todo menos loc adv
	I’ll do anything but wash windows.
	Haré cualquier cosa excepto limpiar ventanas.
anything but expr	(nothing of the sort)	nada que ver expr
	Though he’s known for his comedies, his latest film is anything but.
	Aunque se lo conoce por sus comedias, su última película no tiene nada que ver.
but for adv	(were it not)	si no hubiera sido por loc conj
		de no ser por loc conj
	We would never have won but for your help.
	Nunca hubiéramos ganado si no hubiera sido por tu ayuda.
	ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. De no ser por tu ayuda, no habríamos podido hacer nada.
but still expr	(even so)	aun así expr
but then conj	(on the other hand)	por otro lado loc conj
but what, but that conj	dated (except that)	salvo eso loc conj
Note: Used after an expressed or implied negative.
but what can you do? expr	informal (expressing resignation)	¿qué se le va a hacer? expr
	The workers may object, but what can you do; the project has to be done on time.
	Los trabajadores protestarán, ¿pero qué se le va a hacer? El trabajo se tiene que entregar a tiempo.
	(AR, coloquial)	no queda otra expr
	ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. La propuesta no es muy conveniente, pero tendré que aceptarla igual, no queda otra.
can but v expr	dated (can do nothing except)	solo adv
		solamente adv
cannot but do [sth] v expr	(have no alternative) (para expresar una única opción)	solo adv
		solamente adv
		sino conj
cannot choose but do [sth], cannot choose but to do [sth] v expr	(have no choice except to do)	no quedar otra que expr
cannot help but do [sth], can’t help but do [sth] v expr	(find unavoidable)	no poder evitar loc verb
		no poder sino loc verb
	(coloquial)	no quedarle a uno otra que expr
	I cannot help but notice the enormous coffee stain on the front of your white blouse.
	No puedo evitar notar las enormes manchas de café en la pechera de tu blanca blusa.
close but no cigar, close, but no cigar expr	informal (nearly, but not quite)	por poco expr
		por los pelos expr
		por un pelo expr
have no choice but to do [sth] v expr	(not have alternative)	no tener otra alternativa más que loc verb
		no tener otra opción más que loc verb
	We have no choice but to think that you acted irresponsibly.
	No tenemos otra alternativa más que pensar que actuaste irresponsablemente.
last but not least adv	(lastly)	por último, si bien no menos importante loc adv
		por último pero no menos importante loc adv
	Last but not least, don’t forget to ring me when you get there. Last but not least, I’d like to thank my husband for his support.
	Por último, si bien no menos importante, no te olvides de llamarme cuando llegues.
none but adv	(only)	nada salvo, nada excepto pron + conj
	(persona)	nadie salvo, nadie excepto pron + conj
	Finally, there was none but I to deal with the problem.
	Al final, no había nadie salvo yo para solucionar el problema.
not only… but also, not only …, also expr	(not just [sth], but [sth] else too)	no solo… sino también expr
	Not only is Jack good at soccer, but he is also good at basketball and running.
	Jack es bueno no solo en el fútbol sino también en básquet y corriendo.
nothing but adv	(only)	no… sino adv
	I have nothing but admiration for people who can speak several languages.
	No siento sino admiración por las personas que pueden hablar varios idiomas.
		nada más que loc adv
	No siento nada más que admiración por las personas que pueden hablar varios idiomas.
nothing but trouble n	informal (continual cause of annoyance)	nada más que problemas, sólo problemas expr
	This washing machine is nothing but trouble.
	Esta lavadora no trae nada más que problemas.
nothing else but prep	(only, solely)	nada más que loc prep
	Nothing else but violin is needed to complete this orchestration.
	No se necesita nada más que un violín para completar la orquesta.
		sólo, solamente prep
Note: Adverbio con función preposicional.
	Sólo se necesita un violín para completar la orquesta.
		nada más excepto loc prep
	No se necesita nada más excepto un violín para completar la orquesta.
		ninguna otra cosa sino loc prep
	No se necesita ninguna otra cosa sino un violín para completar la orquesta.
slow but steady adj	(progress: gradual but regular)	lento pero seguro expr
		sin prisa pero sin pausa expr
slowly but surely adv	(making gradual progress)	lento pero seguro loc adv
	(coloquial)	sin prisa pero sin pausa loc adv
	Slowly but surely, we are making the garden look pretty.
	Lento pero seguro, el trabajo en el jardín avanza y conseguiremos que quede bonito.
	Sin prisa pero sin pausa estamos consiguiendo un jardín bonito.
small but perfectly formed adj	(small but with redeeming qualities)	pequeño, pero de estructura perfecta loc adj
		pequeño, pero muy bien formado loc adj
	(MX, coloquial)	chiquito, pero bonito loc adj
still, but still adv	(even so)	aun así loc adv
		sin embargo loc adv
	He hadn’t eaten breakfast; still he was not hungry.
	No había desayunado; aún así, no tenía hambre.
that’s all very well, but expr	informal (nevertheless, even so) (coloquial)	todo está muy bien, pero expr
	That’s all very well, but it still doesn’t explain why you didn’t finish the work.
	Todo está muy bien, pero todavía no explica por qué no terminaste el trabajo.
	(ES, coloquial)	sí, vale, pero expr
	Sí, vale, pero todavía no explica por qué no terminaste el trabajo.
that’s all well and good, but expr	informal (nevertheless, even so)	está perfecto, pero expr
	That’s all well and good, and I enjoy talking to your granny, but isn’t it about time we left for the movies ?
	Está todo perfecto, y me encanta hablar con tu abuela, pero ¿no es hora de que salgamos para el cine?
The flesh is weak., The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. expr	figurative, Biblical (we often yield to temptation) (bíblico)	El espíritu es fuerte, pero la carne es débil. expr
Note: El original es al revés: «La carne es débil, pero el espíritu es fuerte.»
The lights are on but nobody’s home, The lights are on but there’s nobody home expr	figurative, informal ([sb] is unintelligent)	le faltan luces expr
		le faltan un par de neuronas expr
		no le alcanzan los sesos expr
	My brother can be incredibly stupid sometimes; the lights are on but nobody’s home.
There but for the grace of God, There but for the grace of God go I expr	(I could be the unlucky one)	si no fuera por la gracia de Dios expr
to name but a few expr	(some of a long list)	por mencionar solo algunos expr
		por nombrar unos pocos expr
	What lakes are in Minnesota? To name but a few, Red Lake, Gull Lake, and Lake Minnetonka.