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sondern

but rather

conjunction ZON-dern Common

Usage Note

sondern is the 'but' you use only after a negative, to correct it: nicht heute, sondern morgen ('not today but tomorrow'). For a plain contrasting 'but' without negation, German uses aber instead.

Examples

"Nicht ich, sondern du."

Natural Translation

Not me, but you.

Literal Translation

Not I, but-rather you.

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