The declarative sentence in Spanish is usually organized with subject, verb, and complements in an order that favors clarity. In the consecutive clauses, a first sentence presents a cause or condition and the second expresses the logical result joined by a consecutive conjunction. The relationship between both clauses must be semantically coherent, so that the consequence is understood as a natural effect of what came before.

ElementoElement	PosiciónPosition	FunciónFunction	EjemploExample
SujetoSubject	Inicio habitualUsual position	Nombra al participante principalNames the main participant	María llegó tempranoMaría arrived early
VerboVerb	Centro de la oraciónCenter of the sentence	Expresa la acción o estadoExpresses the action or state	llegóarrived
ObjetoObject	Después del verboAfter the verb	Completa el sentido verbalCompletes the verbal sense	la cartathe letter
ComplementoComplement	Libre según énfasisFreely according to emphasis	Sitúa tiempo, lugar o modoPlaces time, place or mood	por la tardein the afternoon

The basic pattern is a main clause, a consecutive conjunction, and a resulting clause. The most frequent forms are thus, therefore, consequently and then, and all of them link a fact with its consequence. Conjunctions offers the general basis for recognizing how these relations are linked.

IdeaIdea	ExampleExample
Una primera cláusula plantea la situación que origina la consecuencia.A first clause presents the situation that gives rise to the consequence.	Estudié mucho, así que aprobé con facilidad.I studied a lot, thus I passed with ease.
Una conjunción consecutiva introduce el resultado lógico.A consecutive conjunction introduces the logical result.	Llegó tarde, por tanto empezó después.He arrived late, therefore he started later.
La segunda cláusula expresa el efecto derivado de la primera.The second clause expresses the effect derived from the first.	Había poca luz, por consiguiente leyó despacio.There was little light, consequently he read slowly.
Luego aparece con mayor frecuencia en el habla de América Latina.Then it appears most frequently in Latin American speech.	Se hizo tarde, luego nos fuimos.It got late; then we returned.

When the consequence is presented as a fact, the subordinate or resulting clause normally uses the indicative. The subjunctive appears only rarely, especially when the result is formulated as a hypothesis or evaluation. At this point it is useful to relate these structures to Subordinating Conjunctions, because the link between clauses can change depending on the value one wishes to give.

IdeaIdea	ExampleExample
El indicativo presenta la consecuencia como real y constatada.The indicative mood presents the consequence as real and established.	Hacía frío, así que cerramos la ventana.It was cold, so we closed the window.
El subjuntivo aparece de forma excepcional en valores hipotéticos o valorativos.The subjunctive appears only rarely in hypothetical or evaluative contexts.	Sería conveniente que descansara, por tanto convendría que se quedara.It would be advisable for him to rest; therefore, it would be preferable that he stayed.
La elección verbal depende del tipo de consecuencia expresada.The verbal choice depends on the type of consequence expressed.	Había ruido, por consiguiente no oíamos bien.There was noise, consequently we couldn't hear well.

Consecutive conjunctions are typically placed between the two clauses and keep the reasoning connected. The comma is common before the conjunction, but it may be omitted in very brief or very fluent styles. The position of the conjunction does not alter its function, though coherence between the cause and the result must be maintained.

IdeaIdea	ExampleExample
La conjunción se sitúa normalmente entre la causa y la consecuencia.The conjunction is normally placed between the cause and the consequence.	Terminó pronto, así que salió a caminar.He finished early, so he went for a walk.
La coma antes de la conjunción es habitual, pero no obligatoria en todos los contextos.The comma before the conjunction is common, but not mandatory in all contexts.	No tenía sueño, por tanto siguió leyendo.He wasn't sleepy, therefore he kept reading.
La cláusula resultante debe seguir lógicamente a la primera.The resulting clause should logically follow the first.	Estudió el mapa, luego encontró el camino.He studied the map, then he found the way.

In questions, the order of the sentence can vary without the conjunction losing its consecutive value. The negation should be placed in the corresponding clause before the conjunction to make the logical contrast clear. These relationships rely on the same linking architecture as Coordinating Conjunctions and Adversative Conjunctions, though here the central idea is always the consequence.

IdeaIdea	ExampleExample
La inversión propia de una pregunta no cambia la conjunción consecutiva.The typical inversion of a question does not change the consecutive conjunction.	¿Llegaste tarde, así que perdiste el tren?Did you arrive late, so you missed the train?
La negación debe situarse en la cláusula correspondiente antes del enlace.The negation should be placed in the corresponding clause before the conjunction to make the logical contrast clear.	No llamó, por consiguiente no supimos nada.He didn't call, consequently we didn't know anything.
La coherencia lógica debe mantenerse aunque cambie el orden informativo.Logical coherence must be maintained even if the information order changes.	¿No estudiaste, luego no aprobaste?Didn't you study, then you didn't pass?

Therefore and consequently are more associated with formal registers, while so is very common in speech. Then appears most frequently in Latin American Spanish and tends to sound more conversational. Ellipses, colloquial uses, and discourse markers can also replace the explicit conjunction, but the relation of consequence remains the same.

RegiónRegion	Palabra o expresiónWord or expression	Definición regionalRegional definition	EjemploExample
GeneralGeneral	así queso	Conjunción muy frecuente en el habla cotidiana y en registros neutros.A very frequent conjunction in everyday speech and in neutral registers.	Estaba cansado, así que me fui.I was tired, so I left.
FormalFormal	por consiguienteconsequently	Conjunción preferida en textos formales o expositivos.Conjunction preferred in formal or expository texts.	Se agotó el plazo, por consiguiente se cerró el proceso.The deadline expired; consequently the process was closed.
FormalFormal	por tantotherefore	Conjunción usada para deducir una conclusión lógica.Conjunction used to deduce a logical conclusion.	No hubo pruebas, por tanto no hubo condena.There were no tests, therefore there was no conviction.
América LatinaLatin America	luegothen	Marcador consecutivo muy común en la oralidad de varias zonas americanas.A very common consecutive marker in the oral speech of several American regions.	Ya era tarde, luego regresamos.It was late, then we returned.
ElipsisEllipsis	resultado implícitoimplicit result	La segunda cláusula puede omitirse cuando el contexto la hace evidente.The second clause can be omitted when the context makes it evident.	Estaba claro, así que sí.It was clear, so yes.
ColoquialColloquial	marcador discursivodiscourse marker	Un conector discursivo puede sustituir la conjunción explícita.A discourse connector can replace the explicit conjunction.	No venía, entonces nada.He didn't come, then nothing.