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Translation of but in Spanish:

but

pero, conj.

Pronunciation /bət/ /bʌt/

See Spanish definition of pero

conjunction

  • 1

    • 1.1(however)

      pero
      he nodded, but he didn't say anything — asintió, pero no dijo nada
      • she was fired, but they were not — la despidieron a ella pero no a ellos
      • everybody, but everybody knows that — eso no hay nadie que no lo sepa
      • you're really bugging me but good! — ¡qué manera de darme la lata!

    • 1.2(used for introductory emphasis)

      pero
      but what made you say it? — ¿pero por qué lo dijiste?
      • but that's miles away! — ¡pero eso queda lejísimos!
      • surely he doesn't believe that? — oh, but he does! — no puede ser que se crea eso — pues sí que se lo cree
      • We did not know what to expect, but what a fantastic surprise night, it was a real thrill.
      • It is also very funny, but don't be surprised if you have to cross a protest line to see it.
      • I was slow to acknowledge their response as I broke my leg, but thank you, one and all.
      • But I was trying to prove my point and the only way to do that was to speak French.
      • But, without the need for slaughterhouse nor butcher.

  • 2

    • 2.1

      not … but … — no … sino …
      • it wasn't her but Sheila who told me — no fue ella sino Sheila quien me lo dijo
      • it appears that she's not Greek but Albanian — parece que no es griega, sino albanesa
      • not only did she hit him, but she also … — no solo le pegó, sino que también …

    • 2.2 literary (without)

      not a day passes but I'm reminded of him — no pasa un solo día sin que me acuerde de él
      • It never rains but it pours.
      • Her Own Tribesmen Never but Say Her Age Is 300 Years.
      • I did read the names that one time, and never but that one time.

preposition

  • 1

    (except)
    everyone but me — todos menos / excepto / salvo yo
    • nobody's been told but you and me — no se le ha dicho a nadie más que a ti y a mí
    • the last street but one — la penúltima calle
    • the next street but one — la próxima calle no: la siguiente
    • who but she could help us? — ¿quién sino ella podría ayudarnos?
    • I had no alternative but to leave — no me quedó otra alternativa que irme
    • there's nothing we can do but wait — no podemos hacer otra cosa sino esperar

adverb

formal

  • 1

    we can but try — con intentarlo no se pierde nada
    • he's still but a child — aún no es más que un niño
    • one cannot but admire her audacity — uno no puede (por) menos que admirar su audacia
    • they cannot but be right — tienen que estar en lo cierto
    • In an important article in April 22 Haaretz Gideon Levy points out but a few cases within the year illustrating that movement equals death.
    • I admire many artists like Gerhard Richter, Francis Bacon, and Edward Hopper to name but a few.
    • Fast food, the gas station (as we knew it until the 1980's), the neon sign, and the motel to name but a few, are the affectations of the early highways.

noun

  • 1

    pero masculine
    no buts: come here at once! — no hay pero que valga, ¡ven aquí inmediatamente!
    • but, and this is a big but, … — pero, y este es un gran pero …