A comprehensive guide to how sentences are formed in Spanish, including word order, parts of speech, and common structures.
Understanding sentence structure is key to building meaningful sentences in Spanish. Unlike English, Spanish has more flexible word order due to its use of verb conjugations and agreement. However, the most common order is Subject + Verb + Object.
- Spanish sentences usually follow Subject + Verb + Object (SVO) order.
- Other orders like Verb + Subject or Object + Verb can occur for emphasis.
- Spanish uses reflexive pronouns and object pronouns that can precede verbs.
- Questions and negatives have specific word orders and markers.
. Basic Word Order
Spanish sentences typically follow the Subject + Verb + Object order. However, both the subject and object can be omitted if they are clear from context.
- Subject + Verb + Object: María come manzanas. (María eats apples.)
- Verb + Object (subject omitted): Come manzanas. (She eats apples.)
- Subject + Verb (no object): María canta. (María sings.)
. Subjects in Spanish
Subjects can be nouns, pronouns, or omitted altogether. Spanish verbs are conjugated to indicate the subject, so subject pronouns are often unnecessary.
- Noun subject: El niño juega. (The boy plays.)
- Pronoun subject: Él juega. (He plays.)
- Subject omitted: Juega. (He/She plays.)
Which of the following is a valid subject form in Spanish?
El niño juega., Él juega., Juega.
Spanish allows noun subjects, pronoun subjects, and even omitting the subject when the verb form is clear.
. Using Objects
Objects can be direct or indirect and may appear as nouns or pronouns. Object pronouns usually come before the verb in simple tenses.
- Direct object noun: Veo la película. (I see the movie.)
- Indirect object noun: Le doy un regalo. (I give him/her a gift.)
- Direct object pronoun: La veo. (I see her/it.)
- Indirect object pronoun: Le doy un regalo. (I give him/her a gift.)
. Reflexive Constructions
Reflexive verbs use pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that refer back to the subject. These pronouns come before the conjugated verb.
- Reflexive verb: Me levanto a las siete. (I get up at seven.)
- Reflexive pronoun placement: Comes before the verb or attached to an infinitive/gerund.
. Adjective Placement
Adjectives usually come after the noun they modify, but some can precede for emphasis or stylistic reasons.
- Standard order: una casa blanca (a white house)
- Emphasis or poetry: una blanca casa (a white house)
Es una casa ___. (white)
Complete the sentence: Es una casa ___. (white)
blanca
'Blanca' is the feminine singular form of 'blanco,' matching 'casa' in gender and number.
. Adverb Placement
Adverbs can appear before or after the verb, or at the beginning/end of the sentence for emphasis.
- After verb: Habla lentamente. (He/She speaks slowly.)
- Before verb: Nunca llega temprano. (He/She never arrives early.)
- Sentence-initial: Ayer fui al cine. (Yesterday I went to the movies.)
. Forming Questions
Spanish questions can be formed by inverting the subject and verb, using question words, or simply changing intonation in speech.
- Yes/no question: ¿Comes arroz? (Do you eat rice?)
- With question word: ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
- Subject-verb inversion: ¿Va María al mercado? (Is María going to the market?)
. Negation
To make a sentence negative, simply place no before the verb. Other negative words can follow the verb.
- No estudio español.* (I don’t study Spanish.)
- No quiero nada.* (I don’t want anything.)
- Nunca salgo tarde.* (I never go out late.)
. Compound Sentences
Use conjunctions like y (and), pero (but), o (or), porque (because) to connect clauses.
- Estudio y escucho música.* (I study and listen to music.)
- Quiero salir, pero llueve.* (I want to go out, but it’s raining.)
- No salgo porque estoy cansado.* (I’m not going out because I’m tired.)
. Using Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases add information about time, place, manner, cause, etc. Common prepositions include a, de, en, con, por, para.
- Voy a la escuela.* (I’m going to school.)
- Hablo con Juan.* (I talk with Juan.)
- Trabajo por la mañana.* (I work in the morning.)
Understanding these foundational aspects of Spanish sentence structure will help you build clear and accurate sentences as you continue learning.
Trabajo ___ la mañana.
Complete the sentence: Trabajo ___ la mañana.
por
'Por la mañana' means 'in the morning,' indicating a time frame.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
