вместо

вместо

Instead of.

In this sentence, 'вместо' is used to indicate a substitution, where one thing is replaced by another.

Я взял чай вместо кофе.

I took tea instead of coffee.

Here, 'вместо' introduces an alternative to an action, indicating a different activity chosen over another.

Вместо того чтобы идти в кино, мы остались дома.

Instead of going to the cinema, we stayed at home.

In this context, 'вместо' signifies a replacement for something expected, implying a change in what was anticipated.

Подарок вместо цветов оказался намного приятнее.

The gift instead of flowers turned out to be much more pleasant.