Spanish syntax governs how words and phrases are arranged to create meaningful sentences. These rules cover word order, agreement between parts of speech, and the placement of key elements like verbs and modifiers.
Word Order
Spanish typically follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, but it is more flexible than English due to verb conjugations indicating the subject.
- The subject usually comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object.
- Objects can sometimes precede the verb for emphasis or style.
- Questions are formed by inverting the subject and verb, or by using question words.
| Sentence Type | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Declarative | Ella come manzanas.* | She eats apples. |
| Object First | Manzanas come ella.* | Apples, she eats. |
| Question | ¿Come ella manzanas?* | Does she eat apples? |
| Question Word | ¿Qué come ella?* | What does she eat? |
Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns in Spanish (yo, tú, él, ella, etc.) are often omitted because the verb endings indicate the subject.
- Include pronouns for emphasis or clarity.
- Omit pronouns in most cases, especially in informal speech.
- Verb conjugations carry the subject information.
| Subject | Pronoun Used? | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo (I) | Optional | Yo hablo español. / Hablo español.* | I speak Spanish. |
| Tú (You) | Optional | Tú comes. / Comes.* | You eat. |
| Él (He) | Optional | Él estudia. / Estudia.* | He studies. |
Verb Placement
Verbs usually come after the subject. In negative sentences, no precedes the verb. In questions, the verb often comes before the subject.
- Affirmative: Subject + Verb + Object.
- Negative: Subject + no + Verb + Object.
- Question: (¿) + Verb + Subject + ... (+ ?).
| Sentence Type | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Ella lee un libro.* | She reads a book. |
| Negative | Ella no lee un libro.* | She does not read a book. |
| Question | ¿Lee ella un libro?* | Does she read a book? |
Agreement
Spanish requires agreement in number and gender between nouns, articles, and adjectives.
- Singular nouns use singular articles and adjective forms.
- Plural nouns use plural articles and adjective forms (usually ending in -s).
- Feminine nouns and adjectives typically end in -a; masculine forms end in -o.
- Some nouns and adjectives have irregular or neutral forms (e.g., el lunes, la mano).
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| El niño pequeño* | The small boy |
| La niña pequeña* | The small girl |
| Los niños pequeños* | The small boys |
| Las niñas pequeñas* | The small girls |
Adjective Order
Most Spanish adjectives come after the noun they modify, but some can precede the noun for emphasis or stylistic reasons.
- Descriptive adjectives usually follow the noun.
- Quantitative adjectives (números, mucho, poco) precede the noun.
- Changing the adjective’s position can alter the meaning.
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Una casa blanca* | A white house |
| Muchas casas* | Many houses |
| La blanca casa* | The white house (emphatic or poetic) |
Common Connectors
Spanish uses conjunctions and connectors to join clauses and organize ideas. These include y (and), pero (but), o (or), porque (because), and aunque (although).
| Connector | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| y | Quiero café y té.* | I want coffee and tea. |
| pero | Quiero café, pero no té.* | I want coffee, but not tea. |
| o | ¿Quieres café o té?* | Do you want coffee or tea? |
| porque | No voy porque estoy cansado.* | I’m not going because I’m tired. |
| aunque | Iré aunque llueva.* | I’ll go even though it rains. |
Summary
- Spanish is generally SVO but allows flexibility for emphasis.
- Subject pronouns are often omitted because verb endings indicate the subject.
- In negative sentences, no precedes the verb.
- Agreement in number and gender is required for nouns, articles, and adjectives.
- Adjectives usually follow nouns, but some come before for emphasis.
- Connectors link ideas and clarify relationships between clauses.
These basic syntax rules provide a foundation for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences in Spanish.
Flashcards (1 of 22)
- Sentence Type: Declarative
- English Example: She eats apples.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
