Breakdown of No es que yo sienta timidez, sino que no los conozco.
yo
I
ser
to be
no
no, not
conocer
to know (people, places)
que
that / than
sentir
to feel
sino
but (rather)
los
them (masculine direct object)
la timidez
the shyness
Questions & Answers about No es que yo sienta timidez, sino que no los conozco.
Why is sienta in the subjunctive while conozco is in the indicative?
This is the core structure for rejecting one reason and giving the real one. We use no es que followed by the subjunctive (sienta) to state the reason we are rejecting (it is not that I feel shy). Then, we use sino que followed by the indicative (conozco) to state the actual, factual reason.
Why use sino que here instead of just sino?
We use sino que because it introduces a completely new conjugated clause (no los conozco). If we were just contrasting nouns or adjectives without a new conjugated verb, we would use sino. For example: No es timidez, sino precaución (It is not shyness, but precaution).
Why is the pronoun yo included before sienta?
The first and third person singular forms in the present subjunctive are identical (sienta could mean I feel, or he/she feels). Adding yo removes any ambiguity. It also adds a slight emphasis, highlighting that your personal feelings are not the issue in this situation.
Could I say sea tímido instead of sienta timidez?
Learn No es que yo sienta timidez, sino que no los conozco and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free