Nope is a casual no: it means the same as no, but sounds more offhand. People use it to answer simple questions in chats and in conversation with friends or acquaintances. Its partner is yep, a casual yes.
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nope; nope, + not yet / never / I haven't; nope, + reason or suggestion
- Have you seen my phone charger anywhere? — Nope, try the kitchen.
- Is the bus here yet? — Nope, we've been waiting for twenty minutes.
- Nope, I've never been to Scotland, but I'd love to go one day.
What changed
First versionDon't you eat meat? — Nope, I do, just not very often.
RevisionDon't you eat meat? — Yep, I do, just not very often.
When you answer a negative question like Don't you eat meat?, English follows the facts, not the wording of the question. If you do eat meat, say yep or yes, I do. Nope would mean I don't, and it contradicts the words that follow, I do.
In answer to a question about your opinion, a bare nope can sound a bit rude: Did you like the film? — Nope. It's softer and more natural to say not really: Not really, it was too long for me. Nope is fine in chats and with friends. In IELTS Speaking, answer no or not really and explain why straight away, and in letters, write no.
Your turn
Did you manage to get tickets for Saturday's concert? — ___, they sold out in an hour.
Show the answer
Nope — The tickets sold out in an hour, so you didn't manage to get any, and the answer is negative: nope. Yep would mean you got tickets, which clashes with what follows.
A friend asks if you've seen the series everyone is talking about. Answer with nope and explain why you haven't watched it yet.
Nope, I haven't watched it yet because I've been working late all week.
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