In Spanish, as in English, sentences are classified into three main types based on their purpose: declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory.
- Declarative sentences (or enunciativas) state facts or opinions and end with a period.
- Interrogative sentences (interrogativas) ask questions and are framed by question marks (¿ … ?).
- Exclamatory sentences (exclamativas) express strong emotion and use exclamation marks (¡ … !).
Each type follows specific structural rules and punctuation, shaping how meaning is conveyed in both written and spoken Spanish.
Declarative, Interrogative, and Exclamatory.
The term is enunciativas.
Interrogative sentences are framed by ¿ and ?.
Exclamatory sentences express emotion with exclamation marks.
Declarative Sentences
Declarative sentences (oraciones enunciativas) are used to express information, facts, opinions, or descriptions. They make up the majority of everyday communication.
- They end with a period (.) in writing.
- The typical word order is Subject + Verb + Complement, but variations can occur for emphasis.
- Both positive and negative statements are declarative.
Examples:
- Ella estudia español. (She studies Spanish.)
- No me gusta el café. (I don’t like coffee.)
The usual word order is Subject + Verb + Complement.
Yes, declarative sentences can be both positive and negative.
Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences (oraciones interrogativas) are used to ask questions. They can be yes/no questions or information questions.
- They are enclosed by inverted question marks: ¿ … ?
- Yes/No: The verb often precedes the subject.
- Information: Begin with a question word (¿Quién?, ¿Qué?, ¿Dónde?, etc.).
Yes/No Example:
- ¿Trabajas mañana? (Are you working tomorrow?)
Information Example:
- ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
Questions are framed by ¿ and ?.
You invert the subject and verb for a yes/no question.
Common question words include Quién, Qué, and Dónde.
Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences (oraciones exclamativas) express strong emotions like surprise, joy, anger, or admiration.
- They are enclosed by inverted exclamation marks: ¡ … !
- Any sentence can become exclamatory by adding these marks and sometimes changing intonation.
- Common exclamatory words: ¡Qué…!, ¡Cómo…!, ¡Cuánto…!
Examples:
- ¡Qué sorpresa! (What a surprise!)
- ¡Corres muy rápido! (You run very fast!)
Exclamatory sentences use ¡ ... ! for punctuation.
Common exclamatory starters include ¡Qué!, ¡Cómo!, and ¡Cuánto!.
Declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences are the three pillars of Spanish syntax, each serving a unique purpose and following distinct rules.
- Declarative sentences present information and use a standard word order.
- Interrogative sentences ask questions and are marked by special punctuation and word order.
- Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions and use exclamation marks to show intensity.
Mastering these sentence types unlocks full control over communication in Spanish, from everyday chats to formal writing.