Spanish basic syntax rules explain the fundamental word order and sentence structure in Spanish, covering subjects, verbs, objects, and common patterns.

Spanish basic syntax rules describe how words and phrases are organized to form meaningful sentences. Understanding these rules helps learners construct correct and natural sentences in Spanish.

Core Principles

Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) Order: The most common word order in Spanish is SVO, similar to English.
Adjective Placement: Adjectives usually come after nouns but can sometimes precede them for emphasis.
Question Formation: Questions can be formed by inverting word order or using question words.
Pronoun Placement: Object pronouns typically come before the conjugated verb or attach to infinitives and gerunds.
Negation: The word no is placed before the verb to make a sentence negative.

Where do adjectives usually appear in Spanish sentences?

Before the noun

After the noun

At the beginning of the sentence

At the end of the sentence

After the noun

Adjectives in Spanish usually come after the noun they describe, although they can sometimes come before for emphasis.

Examples

Below are some example sentences demonstrating these principles:

Rule	Spanish Example	English Example
SVO Order	Juan come manzanas.	Juan eats apples.
Adjective After Noun	Casa grande.	Big house.
Adjective Before Noun	Gran casa.	Great house.
Question Inversion	¿Vienes?	Are you coming?
Question Word	¿Dónde estás?	Where are you?
Pronoun Before Verb	La veo.	I see her.
Pronoun Attached to Infinitive	Quiero verla.	I want to see her.
Negation	No estudio.	I don’t study.

Common Sentence Types

Declarative: Subject + Verb + Object (optional)

Example: María lee un libro.

Interrogative: Question word + Verb + Subject/group (or Verb + Subject)

Example: ¿Qué lees?, ¿Lees tú?

Negative: No + Verb + (Object)

Example: No como pescado.

Imperative: Verb (command form)

Example: Come tu cena.

Compound: Two clauses joined by conjunctions (y, pero, porque)

Example: Estudio, pero estoy cansado.

What connects two clauses in a compound sentence in Spanish?

Prepositions like en, con, de

Conjunctions like y, pero, porque

Pronouns like él, ella, ellos

Adverbs like muy, bien, siempre

Conjunctions like y, pero, porque

Conjunctions such as 'y' (and), 'pero' (but), and 'porque' (because) join clauses in compound sentences.

Summary

Spanish basic syntax follows a flexible but rule-based system designed to clearly express subjects, actions, and objects. These foundational rules pave the way for more advanced grammar topics.

Flashcards (1 of 8)

Rule: SVO Order

English Example: Juan eats apples.

Next Up: Sentence Structure

Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025

Spanish