Saying "No" and "Not"
In Russian, there is a difference between saying "no" and "not". The word for "no" is нет, and the word for "not" is не.
To negate a statement, simply place не directly in front of the word you want to negate.
| Is this a boy? No, this is not a boy, this is a girl. | Это мальчик? Нет, это не мальчик, это девочка. |
| Is this a city? No, this is not a city. | Это город? Нет, это не город. |
Negating Location
You can use не right before location words like здесь (here) and там (there) to point out where things aren't.
| Is the school here? No, the school is not here. | Школа здесь? Нет, школа не здесь. |
| Is the child here? No, he is not here, he is there. | Ребёнок здесь? Нет, он не здесь, он там. |
Correcting with "а" (but)
If you want to correct a statement by saying something is "not X, but Y," use the conjunction а (but / rather). It bridges the negated word and the correct alternative.
| What is this? This is not a house, but a building. | Что это? Это не дом, а здание. |
| Is this a theater? No, this is not a theater, but a museum. | Это театр? Нет, это не театр, а музей. |
| The city is not here, but there. | Город не здесь, а там. |
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