🧩 Sentence Structure - Estructura de las oraciones

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Beginner Spanish · Sentence structure

Spanish Sentence Structure

Spanish sentence structure can feel familiar to English speakers because many basic sentences use a subject followed by a verb and, when needed, an object. Spanish also has its own patterns for pronouns, adjectives, questions, time, and place.

Your next small win: build clear beginner sentences, add useful details, place common adjectives naturally, and turn statements into simple questions.

Start with a simple frame

Subject + Verb + Object

Many beginner sentences can be built from a simple subject and verb. Add an object when the action needs one.

Yo estudio.
I study.
Ella trabaja.
She works.
Nosotros comemos pizza.
We eat pizza.
Mi hermano lee libros.
My brother reads books.

Useful starting pattern: subject + verb + object works well for many beginner statements, but Spanish word order can become more flexible as you learn more.

The subject pronoun can disappear

Yo hablo español.
I speak Spanish.
Hablo español.
I speak Spanish.

Spanish often omits a subject pronoun when the verb form and context already make the subject clear.

Build two simple sentences

Say “She works” and “We eat pizza.”

Add useful information

Time, Place, and Other Details

Once the core sentence is clear, you can add information about where, when, or with whom something happens.

Trabajo los lunes.
I work on Mondays.
Vivimos en Miami.
We live in Miami.
Estudio español todos los días.
I study Spanish every day.
Comemos juntos los domingos.
We eat together on Sundays.

Beginner-friendly order: time and place information often fits naturally after the main idea, although Spanish can move these details when context or emphasis changes.

Build longer sentences gradually

Estudio.
I study.
Estudio español.
I study Spanish.
Estudio español todos los días.
I study Spanish every day.
Estudio español todos los días con mi profesora.
I study Spanish every day with my teacher.

Expand the sentence

Start with Estudio español. Add “every day” and “with my teacher.”

Describe the noun

Adjective Placement

Many descriptive adjectives commonly come after the noun in beginner Spanish.

casa grande
big house
libro interesante
interesting book
carro rojo
red car
fruta fresca
fresh fruit
Compramos fruta fresca los sábados.
We buy fresh fruit on Saturdays.
Mi hermana cocina muy bien.
My sister cooks very well.

Usually, not always: adjective placement in Spanish can change with the adjective and the intended meaning. For beginner descriptions such as colors and many ordinary qualities, noun + adjective is a useful default.

Put the adjective after the noun

Say “red house” and “interesting book.”

Turn statements into questions

Asking Questions

Yes or no questions

Hablas español.
You speak Spanish.
¿Hablas español?
Do you speak Spanish?

A yes or no question can use the same basic word order as a statement. In speech, intonation helps signal the question, and in writing Spanish uses opening and closing question marks.

Question words

¿Qué estudias?
What do you study?
¿Dónde trabajas?
Where do you work?
¿Cuándo llegas?
When do you arrive?
¿Con quién estudias?
Who do you study with?
¿A qué hora trabajas?
What time do you work?

After work

A
¿Qué haces después del trabajo?
What do you do after work?
B
Voy al gimnasio y luego preparo la cena.
I go to the gym and then prepare dinner.
A
¿Estudias español también?
Do you study Spanish too?
B
Sí, estudio todos los días.
Yes, I study every day.

Ask two questions

Ask where someone lives and what they do after work.

Your turn · 8 quick questions

Practice: Sentence Structure

Choose the answer that best fits each situation. Focus on basic word order, optional pronouns, adjective placement, sentence expansion, and questions.

Audio uses your device's Spanish text-to-speech voice. Start with a short sentence, then add an object, description, time, place, or other useful detail.