DELE A2 Guide: Spanish Sentence Structure and Word Order

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Key Takeaways

• Master basic Spanish sentence structures: affirmative, negative, questions
• Learn correct adjective placement and agreement rules
• Understand pronoun placement in different sentence types
• Practice with DELE-focused examples for exam success

Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish Sentence Structure and Word Order. While vocabulary and verbs are essential, knowing how to arrange words correctly in sentences is what makes your Spanish sound natural. Mastering sentence structure is crucial for success in all sections of the DELE A2 exam.

Basic Sentence Structures

1. Affirmative Sentences
Standard word order: Subject + Verb + Object

Examples:

• “Yo estudio español.” (I study Spanish.)
• “María lee un libro.” (Maria reads a book.)
• “Nosotros comemos fruta.” (We eat fruit.)

2. Negative Sentences
Add “no” before the verb: Subject + no + Verb + Object

Examples:

• “Yo no estudio francés.” (I don’t study French.)
• “María no lee periódicos.” (Maria doesn’t read newspapers.)
• “Nosotros no comemos carne.” (We don’t eat meat.)

3. Question Formation

Yes/No Questions:
Invert subject and verb or use intonation:

• “¿Estudias español?” (Do you study Spanish?)
• “¿Lee María el libro?” (Does Maria read the book?)

Information Questions:
Question word + verb + subject:

• “¿Qué estudias?” (What do you study?)
• “¿Dónde vive Juan?” (Where does Juan live?)
• “¿Cuándo llegas?” (When do you arrive?)

Adjective Placement and Agreement

1. Most Adjectives Go After the Noun:

• “una casa grande” (a big house)
• “un libro interesante” (an interesting book)
• “unos zapatos cómodos” (some comfortable shoes)

2. Exceptions – Adjectives That Go Before:
Some common adjectives typically go before the noun:

• “buen día” (good day)
• “mal tiempo” (bad weather)
• “gran ciudad” (great city)
• “primer año” (first year)

3. Gender and Number Agreement:
Adjectives must match the noun in gender and number:

• “casa grande” (big house – feminine singular)
• “casas grandes” (big houses – feminine plural)
• “libro interesante” (interesting book – masculine singular)
• “libros interesantes” (interesting books – masculine plural)

Pronoun Placement Rules

1. Before Conjugated Verbs:

• “Lo veo.” (I see him.)
• “Te ayudo.” (I help you.)
• “Se levanta.” (He gets up.)

2. Attached to Infinitives:

• “Voy a verlo.” (I’m going to see him.)
• “Quiero ayudarte.” (I want to help you.)

3. Attached to Gerunds:

• “Estoy viéndolo.” (I’m seeing him.)
• “Está levantándose.” (He’s getting up.)

DELE A2 Practical Scenarios

Daily Conversations:

• “¿Qué haces los fines de semana?” (What do you do on weekends?)
• “Normalmente voy al cine con amigos.” (Normally I go to the cinema with friends.)
• “No me gusta llegar tarde.” (I don’t like to arrive late.)

Describing People and Places:

• “Mi hermana tiene el pelo largo y los ojos azules.” (My sister has long hair and blue eyes.)
• “Vivo en una ciudad pequeña pero muy bonita.” (I live in a small but very pretty city.)

Making Plans:

• “Si tienes tiempo, podemos ir al parque.” (If you have time, we can go to the park.)
• “¿Quieres que te lleve a la estación?” (Do you want me to take you to the station?)

Common Word Order Patterns

Time + Manner + Place:

• “Estudio todas las tardes en la biblioteca de la universidad.” (I study every afternoon in the university library.)

Subject + Indirect Object + Direct Object + Verb:

• “Yo te lo doy.” (I give it to you.)

Adverb Placement:

• Frequency adverbs before the verb: “Siempre llego temprano.”
• Manner adverbs after the verb: “Habla claramente.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. English Word Order:

• ✅ “Me gusta el café.” (I like coffee.)
• ❌ “Yo gusto el café.”

2. Wrong Adjective Placement:

• ✅ “una casa grande“
• ❌ “una grande casa” (for most adjectives)

3. Incorrect Question Structure:

• ✅ “¿Qué estudias?“
• ❌ “¿Estudias qué?”

DELE A2 Exam Tips

1. Writing Section: Show variety in sentence structures
2. Speaking Section: Use correct word order in descriptions
3. Reading Section: Recognize different sentence patterns
4. Key Areas: Personal descriptions, daily routines, making plans

Practice Exercises

Rearrange these words into correct sentences:

1. español / estudio / yo / siempre
2. no / los / lee / domingos / periódico / él
   3? qué / haces / normalmente / fines de semana / los

Answers:

1. “Yo siempre estudio español.”
2. “Él no lee el periódico los domingos.”
3. “¿Qué haces normalmente los fines de semana?”

Memory Aids

• SVO = Subject + Verb + Object (basic order)
• Adjectives usually after nouns
• No before the verb for negatives
• Pronouns before conjugated verbs

Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Ready to master Spanish sentence structure?

Take our DELE A2 Sentence Structure Quiz here to ensure you’re prepared for the exam.

What’s Next in Your DELE A2 Journey?

• Need basic review? Study DELE A1 Sentence Structure
• Ready for pronouns? Review DELE A2 Object Pronouns
• Want related topics? Learn DELE A2 Adjectives
• Practice all A2 grammar? Return to DELE A2 Grammar Hub

Looking for a deeper dive?
This guide covers the essentials for the DELE A2 exam. If you want to explore more complex sentence structures, advanced word order patterns, and stylistic variations, check out our complete guide: Spanish Sentence Structure: The Complete Guide

Master Spanish sentence structure and you’ll communicate with clarity and natural flow!