Words are like bricks and sentences like houses; you need to know how to stack the bricks correctly so the walls don't collapse. Imagine a wobbly wall—something similar happens with communication when we don't use its elements properly. However, don't worry, at WorldsAcross you will learn to use them and become a master of advanced sentences in Spanish. A solid house requires a good structure, so stay with us and learn about sentence structure.
Communication consists of several elements: sender, receiver, code, message, channel, noise, feedback. Among these, the message is the focal point of communication and is conveyed through the sentence.
A sentence is a basic unit of communication that allows us to transmit information, thoughts, and emotions. On a more technical note, it is a grammatical unit and a syntactic structure that contains at least a conjugated verb, a subject, and a predicate. To easily identify it while reading, consider that every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period.
It's essential to properly arrange the words in a sentence to effectively convey the intended message. While we can communicate without respecting sentence structure, we'd end up talking like Yoda. If your goal is to use advanced Spanish sentences correctly, we’ll show you how to structure them.
These are the three main elements of a sentence:
Complements are classified into three types: direct, indirect, and circumstantial.
Example: Brian leyó el libro
Example: Los niños le enviaron chocolates a su abuela.
Example: Charles estudia por la noche.
Ready! Now that we know the parts of a sentence, we can move to the next level: learning the types of sentences. There are simple sentences and complex sentences. So, let's explore them further:
These contain only one conjugated verb. Structure: subject + verb + complements (if any) or predicate.
Examples:
These contain more than one conjugated verb; therefore, they are formed by two or more simple sentences.
Complex sentences are also classified into three types: coordinated sentences, subordinated sentences, and juxtaposed sentences.
As we mentioned earlier, there are two main types of sentences, but to learn about sentence structure and create advanced sentences in Spanish, we need to delve deeper. Therefore, if we look closely at sentences, we’ll understand that both coordinated and subordinated sentences are further divided into subtypes:
These are joined by coordinating conjunctions, without a semantic dependency.
Example: Andrea canta y Ana baila.
Example: Estudias o trabajas.
Example: Quería salir pero estaba lloviendo
Example: es un buen amigo, es decir, siempre está ahí cuando lo necesitas.
These are joined by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns and depend on another sentence to complete the meaning.
Example: Quiero que vengas a la fiesta.
Example: El libro que me prestaste es interesante.
Example: Cuando llegues, llámame.
These sentences are joined solely by punctuation marks.
Example: La noche caía lentamente, las estrellas brillaban en el cielo.
In summary, understanding sentence structure is fundamental to mastering Spanish. This knowledge not only improves our communication skills but also allows us to appreciate the richness and diversity of the language. Whether we are writing a letter, engaging in a conversation, or simply enjoying a good book, understanding sentence structure enables us to express ourselves clearly and precisely.
At WorldsAcross, we are here to help make learning Spanish an enjoyable and accessible experience. Our team of experts and personalized resources are designed to guide you every step of the way, making sentence structure and other aspects of the language come naturally to you.
Dare to cross borders with WorldsAcross and transform your way of communicating!