Simple Sentences
Simple sentences in Spanish follow straightforward patterns that you can learn with a bit of practice. This guide covers the basic components and gives you examples to try.
Basic Word Order
The typical Spanish sentence order is Subject - Verb - Object, which mirrors English in simple sentences. This consistency makes short sentences easy to form.
Subjects
Subjects tell who does the action and can be nouns or pronouns like yo, ella, or el niño. Spanish often drops the subject pronoun when the verb ending makes the subject clear.
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧑 Yo estudio en la universidad. | I study at the university. |
| 👩 Ella lee un libro en la biblioteca. | She reads a book in the library. |
| 👨 Él escribe notas en su cuaderno. | He writes notes in his notebook. |
| 🧑🥳 Nosotros participamos en el club. | We participate in the club. |
| 🧑🎓 Yo hablo con el profesor. | I talk with the professor. |
Verbs
Verbs express actions or states and must be conjugated to agree with the subject in person and number. Start by learning present tense endings for regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
-ar Verbs
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧑 Yo estudio en la cafetería. | I study in the cafeteria. |
| 👩 Ella marcha en la manifestación. | She marches in the demonstration. |
| 🧑🏫 El profesor enseña en el aula. | The professor teaches in the classroom. |
| 🧑💻 Nosotros trabajamos en el proyecto. | We work on the project. |
| 🧑 Ellos viajan al campus hoy. | They travel to campus today. |
-er Verbs
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 👨 Yo comprendo la tarea. | I understand the homework. |
| 👩 Ella aprende idiomas. | She learns languages. |
| 🧑 El estudiante corre al examen. | The student runs to the exam. |
| 🧩 Nosotros creemos en nuestro equipo. | We believe in our team. |
| 🚍 Ellos venden boletos. | They sell tickets. |
-ir Verbs
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧑 Yo vivo en la residencia. | I live in the dormitory. |
| 👩 Ella escribe cartas al profesor. | She writes letters to the professor. |
| 🧑 El club recibe nuevos miembros. | The club receives new members. |
| 🧑🎤 Nosotros asistimos al concierto. | We attend the concert. |
| 🧳 Ellos suben al autobús. | They get on the bus. |
Objects
Objects receive the action and can be direct or indirect; they are usually nouns or pronouns that follow the verb. In simple sentences, objects come immediately after the verb for clarity.
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 📚 Yo llevo libros al campus. | I carry books to campus. |
| 📝 Ella entrega la tarea al profesor. | She hands in the homework to the professor. |
| 🎫 Ellos mostraron los boletos. | They showed the tickets. |
| 🍎 Nosotros compramos comida en la cafetería. | We buy food in the cafeteria. |
| 🖊️ Yo uso un bolígrafo para tomar notas. | I use a pen to take notes. |
Questions
Questions are formed by inverting the noun and verb, adding question marks, or using question words like ¿dónde? and ¿cuándo?. Intonation also signals questions in spoken Spanish.
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🕒 ¿A qué hora empieza la clase? | What time does class start? |
| 📍 ¿Dónde está la biblioteca? | Where is the library? |
| 👩🏫 ¿Quién es el profesor de matemáticas? | Who is the math teacher? |
| 🧑🎓 ¿Cómo puedo participar en el club? | How can I join the club? |
| 💬 ¿Por qué cancelaron la reunión? | Why was the meeting canceled? |
Negative Sentences
Negatives are formed by placing no before the verb; other negative words like nunca or nadie can follow for emphasis. The basic placement of no makes negation straightforward in simple sentences.
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🚫 No hay clases mañana. | There are no classes tomorrow. |
| 🧑 No entiendo la tarea. | I don’t understand the homework. |
| 🙅♀️ Ella no asistió a la reunión. | She did not attend the meeting. |
| 🕰️ No llegamos tarde al seminario. | We did not arrive late to the seminar. |
| 🗑️ Ellos no dejaron basura en el patio. | They did not leave trash in the courtyard. |
Useful Vocabulary
Familiar vocabulary for everyday actions, times, and places helps you make meaningful sentences quickly. Practice common nouns, verbs, and question words to describe routine situations.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| casa | house |
| comer | to eat |
| amigo | friend |
| tiempo | time |
| ir | to go |
| ¿dónde? | where? |
| hoy | today |
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| 📚 el libro | book |
| 📝 la tarea | homework |
| 🏫 el campus | campus |
| 🧑🏫 el profesor | professor |
| 🕒 la clase | class |
| 🗒️ el cuaderno | notebook |
| 🧑🎓 el estudiante | student |
| 🍎 la cafetería | cafeteria |
| 📍 la biblioteca | library |
| 🎫 el boleto | ticket |
Summary
Simple sentences rely on clear subjects, correctly conjugated verbs, and appropriately placed objects. Practicing these elements with common vocabulary will make you comfortable forming sentences in everyday Spanish.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025