Word Order in a Spanish Sentence. Interrogative and Negative Sentences

Audio 1:

¿Es esto ... ? No, esto no es

¿Es esto una cómoda? Sí, esto es una cómoda. ¿Es esto un florero? Sí, esto es un florero. ¿Es esto un móvil [ˈmoβil]? Sí, esto es un móvil. ¿Es esto un ordenador [orðenaˈðor]? No, esto no es un ordenador, esto es una mesa. ¿Es esto una llave [ˈʝaβe]? Sí, esto es una llave. ¿Es esto una cartera [karˈtera]? Sí, esto es una cartera. ¿Es esto una cartera? No, esto no es una cartera, esto es una mesa. ¿Es esto un cubo [ˈkuβo]? ¿Es esto una copa? ¿Es esto un clavel [klaˈβel]? No, esto no es un clavel, esto es una silla. ¿Es esto un cigarrillo [θigaˈriʝo]? Sí, esto es un cigarrillo. ¿Es esto una cerilla [θeˈriʝa]? Sí, esto es una cerilla.

Audio 2:

Vocablos

Notes & Explanations

Pronunciation

The consonant c is pronounced as [θ] in the letter combinations ce, ci. The sound is similar to the English ‘th’ in ‘think’. See the pronunciation lesson if you forgot that. Examples:

In all other combinations, the consonant c is pronounced as the English sound [k], for example:

Grammar points

1. Word Order in a Basic Spanish Sentence

The word order in a basic (!) Spanish declarative sentence is similar to the English one. First goes the subject of a sentence, then goes the predicate.

2. Interrogative Sentences

Every declarative sentence can be turned into a question. In Spanish, like in English, this is traditionally done by changing the word order. In an interrogative sentence, the predicate (the verb) takes the first place, and the subject goes second.

💡 Note: Although the classical rule requires swapping the words (¿Es esto una mesa?), in modern conversational Spanish, the direct word order is often kept, indicating the question only with intonation: «¿Esto es una mesa?». Moreover, the word esto (this) is often omitted altogether: «¿Es una mesa?».

3. Negative Sentences

The negative form of a sentence in Spanish is formed by placing the negative word no at the beginning of the sentence and just before the verb. Here you can see the difference with English: ‘no’ comes before ‘es’, unlike the English structure ('is not').

The negative word no corresponds to English no and not. To confirm a thought or express an agreement, the affirmative word sí (yes) is used, which is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence, for example:

Exercises

I. Translate the following sentences into English:

Esto es una mesa. La mesa es blanca. Esto es un cigarrillo. El cigarrillo es blanco. Esto es un piano. El piano es negro. Esto es un clavel. El clavel no es negro, el clavel es blanco. Esto es una ventana. La ventana es blanca. Esto es una silla. La silla es gris. Esto es un armario. El armario no es gris, el armario es verde. El cubo es gris. La cerilla es blanca. El florero es verde. La cómoda es negra. Esto es un móvil. El móvil es gris. Esto es un ordenador. El ordenador es negro. Esto es una llave. La llave es blanca.

II. Translate the following sentences into Spanish:

The bucket is green. The schoolbag is black. The closet is white. This is a chair. The chair is not grey. The chair is black. The piano is black. This is a chest of drawers. The chest of drawers is not black. The chest of drawers is white. This is a carnation. The carnation is white. This is a pen. The pen is not white. The pen is black. What is this? This is a cigarette. What is the cigarette like? The cigarette is white. What is this? This is a match. What is the match like? The match is white. What is this? This is a notebook. What is the notebook like? The notebook is grey. What is this? This is a mobile phone. What is the mobile phone like? The mobile phone is black. Is this a computer? No, this is not a computer. Is this a key? Yes, this is a key.