Italian Phrase
No, è al contrario.
Meaning
Literally, 'No, it is the opposite.' It is used to correct someone by stating that the situation is reversed or that the opposite is true.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to politely but firmly point out that a previous statement is wrong or that the order, direction, or meaning is reversed.
✦Grammar Breakdown
No,èalcontrario.
Negation 'No'
Used to directly contradict or deny a statement, similar to 'No' in English.
Verb 'essere' (è)
Third‑person singular present of 'essere', meaning 'is'.
Prepositional phrase 'al contrario'
Literally 'to the opposite', idiomatically means 'the other way around' or 'on the contrary'.
🗨In Conversation
Il treno parte alle otto, giusto?
The train leaves at eight, right?
No, è al contrario. parte alle otto di sera, non di mattina.
No, it's the opposite. It leaves at eight in the evening, not in the morning.
✕Common Mistakes
No, è al contrarío.
Accent should be on the 'i' of 'contrario', not on the 'o'.
No, è al contrarire.
The correct noun is 'contrario', not the verb form 'contrarire'.
No, è il contrario.
Both are acceptable, but 'al contrario' is the idiomatic choice when correcting a statement.
↔Alternatives
No, è il contrario.
No, it's the opposite.
No, è il rovescio.
No, it's the reverse.
No, è al contrario di quello che hai detto.
No, it's the opposite of what you said.
Cultural Tip
In Italian conversation, 'al contrario' is a common, informal way to point out a reversal. It works well in everyday speech but may sound too casual in formal writing; there you would use 'al contrario' or 'viceversa' in a full sentence.