| In this article we aim to provide you with an easy | | | | If we say "Soy de Espa?a" |
| to follow guide on the basics of the Spanish | | | | This translates as, |
| language, concentrating on the differences | | | | " I am of Spain" |
| between Spanish and English sentence structure. | | | | Because we used "Espa?a" which is the name on |
| Sentence Structure | | | | the country it gets a capital letter. Therefore if I |
| If you want to understand basic Spanish you | | | | say; |
| need to know that the main difference between | | | | "Soy américano"(I am an American man). In |
| English and Spanish is in the way that sentences | | | | Spanish we have a small "a", as opposed to; |
| are constructed. Firstly let us look at a typical | | | | "Soy de América"(I am of America). |
| Spanish sentence. | | | | Because we use the word for America (which is |
| "Me gusta el vino espa?ol". | | | | called a proper noun) we use an "A". |
| This sentence means; | | | | How To Recognize Questions |
| "I like Spanish wine". | | | | In English we can change a statement to a |
| Did you notice that in the English version "wine" | | | | question by adding the word DO and a question |
| comes after "Spanish", but in the Spanish | | | | mark (?). As an example the statement "you |
| sentence "vino" comes before "espa?ol"? This is | | | | have a pencil" could be something I say as I hand |
| because in the Spanish language the adjective (an | | | | over a pencil or merely a statement of fact. But |
| adjective is word than is used to describe | | | | if I say "do you have a pencil?", then there is no |
| something,in this case we have used "espa?ol, | | | | doubt that I am asking a question. |
| which means Spanish), always comes after the | | | | There is no word for DO in Spanish so we have |
| noun (a noun is basically another name for a thing, | | | | to have another of way of knowing that the |
| in this case "vino" meaning wine). | | | | sentence we have just started is a question. To |
| So if I wanted to say, I like white wine, in Spanish | | | | do this the Spanish language uses two question |
| I would say "Me gusta vino blanco". Blanco means | | | | marks "¿?", the inverted one at the start of |
| white in Spanish. | | | | the sentence and the standard one at the end. |
| The rule applies whether we are referring to a | | | | Therefore: |
| drink or a person. | | | | "Tiene un lapiz", ("tiene" can mean "you have" and |
| The English sentence "A Spanish man". | | | | "lapiz" is "pencil") |
| Would translate in Spanish to "Un se?or espa?ol" | | | | This statement becomes a question when we |
| Have you noticed another difference between the | | | | add ¿ and ?. |
| English and Spanish sentences? In the example we | | | | "¿Tiene un lapiz?" so if you see the question |
| have used we can see that "espa?ol" starts with | | | | mark at the start of a sentence you know that |
| a lower case, or small "e", but in English when | | | | you have to alter the tone of your voice to |
| saying "Spanish" we use a capital "S", this is | | | | make it questioning. |
| because any reference to a country in English | | | | We hope that these few tips might make |
| should have a capital letter at the start of the | | | | understanding basic Spanish that little bit easier for |
| word, but in Spanish you would only use a capital | | | | you, and hopefully got you excited about learning |
| letter when using the countries name directly. | | | | more! |