sondern
Translation
but, but rather, on the contrary
Examples
Er kommt nicht heute, sondern morgen.
He's not coming today, but tomorrow.
Das ist kein Apfel, sondern eine Birne.
That's not an apple, but a pear.
Wir fahren nicht nach Berlin, sondern wir bleiben hier.
We're not driving to Berlin, but rather we're staying here.
Grammar Patterns
nicht ..., sondern ... not ..., but rather ... It's not black, but rather dark blue.
Similar Words
Synonyms: aber (but - different usage), jedoch (however)
Etymology
From Old High German 'suntar' (separately), it 'separates' the negated idea from the correct one.
Memory Tips
Use 'sondern' after a negation (nicht, kein) to correct or replace the negated part. 'nicht A, sondern B' (not A, but B).