Spanish Sentence Structure: Complete A1 Beginner’s Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Master basic Spanish word order: Subject + Verb + Object
• Learn how to form questions and negative sentences
• Understand adjective placement (different from English!)
• Practice with real-life examples and exercises

Introduction to Spanish Sentence Structure

Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish sentence structure! If you’re just starting to learn Spanish, understanding how to build basic sentences is your first step toward having real conversations. The good news? Spanish sentence structure is quite logical and follows clear patterns you can master quickly.

Basic Spanish Word Order

The Foundation: Subject + Verb + Object

In Spanish, the most common sentence structure is:

Subject + Verb + Object

Let’s compare with English:

English	Spanish	Literal Translation
I eat pizza.	Yo como pizza.	I eat pizza.
Maria reads books.	María lee libros.	Maria reads books.
We study Spanish.	Nosotros estudiamos español.	We study Spanish.

Examples:

• “Juan trabaja en una oficina.” (Juan works in an office.)
• “Ellos compran comida.” (They buy food.)
• “Tú hablas inglés.” (You speak English.)

When Can You Omit the Subject?

One big difference from English: In Spanish, you can often omit the subject because the verb ending tells us who is doing the action.

With Subject:

• “Yo hablo español.” (I speak Spanish.)

Without Subject (More Common):

• “Hablo español.” (I speak Spanish.) – The “-o” ending tells us it’s “I”

More Examples:

• “Trabajamos aquí.” (We work here.) – “-mos” = we
• “Estudian mucho.” (They study a lot.) – “-n” = they

Forming Questions in Spanish

Yes/No Questions

For simple questions, you just change your intonation (in speaking) or add question marks (in writing). The word order stays the same!

Statement: “Tú hablas español.” (You speak Spanish.)
Question: “¿Tú hablas español?” (Do you speak Spanish?)

More Examples:

• “¿Ellos trabajan aquí?” (Do they work here?)
• “¿María estudia inglés?” (Does Maria study English?)

Information Questions

When you need specific information, use question words at the beginning:

Question Word	English	Example
¿Qué?	What?	¿Qué estudias? (What do you study?)
¿Dónde?	Where?	¿Dónde trabajas? (Where do you work?)
¿Cuándo?	When?	¿Cuándo llegas? (When do you arrive?)
¿Por qué?	Why?	¿Por qué estudias español? (Why do you study Spanish?)
¿Quién?	Who?	¿Quién es él? (Who is he?)

Forming Negative Sentences

To make a sentence negative, simply put “no” before the verb:

Affirmative: “Hablo español.” (I speak Spanish.)
Negative: “No hablo español.” (I don’t speak Spanish.)

More Examples:

• “Trabajo en una oficina.” → “No trabajo en una oficina.”
• “Estudian por la noche.” → “No estudian por la noche.”

Adjective Placement: The Big Difference from English!

In English, adjectives come BEFORE nouns: “the red car”
In Spanish, adjectives usually come AFTER nouns: “el coche rojo”

Comparison:

English	Spanish	Literal Translation
the big house	la casa grande	the house big
a good book	un libro bueno	a book good
my happy family	mi familia feliz	my family happy

Important Exception: Some common adjectives come before the noun:

• “bueno/a” (good) – “un buen libro” (a good book)
• “malo/a” (bad) – “un mal día” (a bad day)

Practice Building Sentences

Exercise 1: Build Basic Sentences

Try creating Spanish sentences using this formula:
Subject + Verb + Object

1. I / eat / apples →
2. We / read / books →
3. She / drinks / water →

(Answers: 1. Como manzanas. 2. Leemos libros. 3. Ella bebe agua.)

Exercise 2: Make Questions

Transform these statements into questions:

1. “Tú trabajas aquí.” →
2. “Ellos estudian español.” →
3. “María vive en Madrid.” →

(Answers: 1. ¿Tú trabajas aquí? 2. ¿Ellos estudian español? 3. ¿María vive en Madrid?)

Exercise 3: Adjective Placement

Place the adjectives correctly:

1. house / big (la casa / grande) →
2. car / red (el coche / rojo) →
3. book / interesting (el libro / interesante) →

(Answers: 1. la casa grande 2. el coche rojo 3. el libro interesante)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Don’t use English adjective order – Say “casa blanca” not “blanca casa”
• Don’t forget question marks – Spanish uses ¿? at beginning and end
• Don’t always include the subject – Use verb endings instead
• Don’t place “no” incorrectly – Always before the verb

Quick Reference Chart

Sentence Type	Structure	Example
Affirmative	Subject + Verb + Object	“María lee libros.”
Negative	Subject + no + Verb + Object	“María no lee libros.”
Yes/No Question	¿ + Same as affirmative + ?	“¿María lee libros?”
Information Question	Question word + Verb + Subject	“¿Qué lee María?”
With Adjective	Noun + Adjective	“libros interesantes”

Ready to Practice?

Now that you understand basic Spanish sentence structure, it’s time to test your knowledge!

Take our Spanish Sentence Structure Quiz to practice building sentences, forming questions, and placing adjectives correctly. The quiz includes instant feedback and explanations!

What’s Next in Your A1 Spanish Journey?

• Master Spanish Articles (el, la, un, una)
• Learn Subject Pronouns (yo, tú, él, ella…)
• Practice Present Tense Verb Conjugations
• Return to A1 Grammar Hub for more beginner lessons

Remember: Spanish sentence structure becomes natural with practice. Start with simple sentences, and soon you’ll be building more complex ones with confidence!