Spanish Sentence Structure

Spanish sentences follow specific patterns that determine word order, verb placement, and agreement between words. Below is a breakdown of the key elements of Spanish sentence structure.

Basic Sentence Structure

Spanish generally follows the Subject-Verb-Object order, but the structure can change depending on the sentence type and emphasis.

Standard Word Order

A basic sentence in Spanish follows this pattern:

Yo tengo un perro.
(I have a dog.)

In this sentence:

• Yo (I) is the subject.
• tengo (have) is the verb.
• un perro (a dog) is the object.

Subject Omission

Spanish often omits the subject when the verb conjugation makes it clear.

Tengo un perro.
(I have a dog.)

Even without yo (I), the meaning remains clear because tengo (have) is conjugated for the first-person singular.

Verb Placement in Sentences

Verb placement changes depending on the type of sentence.

Statements

In declarative sentences, the verb typically comes after the subject.

El niño juega en el parque.
(The child plays in the park.)

Yes/No Questions

In yes/no questions, the subject can appear before or after the verb.

¿Tienes hambre?
(Are you hungry?)

Or:

¿Tiene hambre Juan?
(Is Juan hungry?)

Open-Ended Questions

When a question begins with a question word, the verb usually follows immediately.

¿Dónde vives?
(Where do you live?)

Negative Sentences

In negative sentences, no (not) is placed before the verb.

No quiero salir.
(I do not want to go out.)

Imperative Sentences

In commands, the verb is often at the beginning.

Ven aquí.
(Come here.)

In negative commands, the verb follows no.

No corras.
(Do not run.)

Adjective Placement

Adjectives in Spanish usually come after the noun, but some can appear before it depending on meaning.

Un coche rojo.
(A red car.)

However, some adjectives change meaning depending on their position.

Un gran hombre.
(A great man.)

Un hombre grande.
(A big man.)

Agreement in Spanish Sentences

Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb must agree in number and person with the subject.

Nosotros hablamos español.
(We speak Spanish.)

Here, hablamos (speak) is in the first-person plural form to match nosotros (we).

Noun-Adjective Agreement

Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun.

El libro interesante.
(The interesting book.)

If the noun is plural, the adjective must also be plural.

Los libros interesantes.
(The interesting books.)

Common Sentence Types

Conditional Sentences

Used to express conditions.

Si llueve, me quedo en casa.
(If it rains, I stay at home.)

Passive Sentences

Used when the action is more important than the subject performing it.

El libro fue escrito por el autor.
(The book was written by the author.)

Spanish sentence structure follows clear rules while allowing flexibility. Understanding these patterns helps with both forming and analyzing sentences.