A1 Sentence Structure 12 min read Easy

Spanish Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)

Build Spanish sentences by placing the person first, then the action, then the thing—just like English.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Spanish typically follows the SVO pattern, just like English, making it intuitive for beginners to start building sentences immediately.

  • Subject comes first: 'Juan come' (Juan eats).
  • Verb follows the subject: 'Juan come una manzana' (Juan eats an apple).
  • Objects come after the verb: 'Yo veo la película' (I watch the movie).
👤 (Subject) + 🏃 (Verb) + 🍎 (Object)

Overview

Spanish sentence structure, at its most fundamental level, closely mirrors that of English: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). This foundational pattern dictates the typical arrangement of words in declarative sentences, providing clarity and a neutral tone. Understanding SVO is crucial for beginners, as it forms the bedrock for constructing intelligible sentences and grasping more complex grammatical variations later on.

While Spanish offers flexibility in word order, especially for emphasis or stylistic reasons, the SVO structure is the most common and universally understood.

Linguistically, Spanish is classified as an SVO language by default. This means that the primary actor (Subject), the action it performs (Verb), and the recipient of that action (Object) generally appear in that sequence. This predictable order greatly aids comprehension for new learners and provides a stable framework upon which to build language proficiency.

Mastering SVO ensures your messages are clear and unambiguous in most daily interactions.

How This Grammar Works

At its core, the SVO structure identifies who is doing what to whom or what. Each component plays a distinct role in conveying the sentence's meaning. The Subject is the person, place, or thing performing the action.
This can be a noun (e.g., María, el perro) or a pronoun (e.g., yo, tú, ella). For example, in Yo estudio español, Yo is the subject.
The Verb describes the action or state of being. It must be correctly conjugated to match the subject in person and number. Spanish verbs carry a significant amount of information within their endings, indicating who is performing the action.
For instance, in estudio, the -o ending tells us the subject is yo (I), even if yo is omitted. This characteristic makes Spanish a "pro-drop" language, where subject pronouns are often unstated when context makes them clear.
The Object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. In Yo estudio español, español is the direct object—it's what is being studied. When the direct object is a specific person or a personified animal, Spanish requires the "personal a" preceding it.
This a has no direct English equivalent but marks the object as animate and specific. For example, Veo a mi amigo (I see my friend), where mi amigo is the direct object preceded by a. This clarifies the relationship between the verb and a living being.

Word Order Rules

The fundamental rule for constructing simple declarative sentences in Spanish is Subject + Verb + Object. This order is the most neutral and common, providing clear communication without special emphasis.
  • Basic Declarative Sentence (SVO):
  • Formula: [Subject] + [Conjugated Verb] + [Direct Object]
  • Example: Ella lee un libro. (She reads a book.)
  • Example: Nosotros comemos pizza. (We eat pizza.)
  • Negation (S + no + V + O):
To make a sentence negative, the word no is placed directly before the conjugated verb. It never separates the subject from the verb or the verb from its object.
  • Formula: [Subject] + no + [Conjugated Verb] + [Direct Object]
  • Example: Yo no hablo francés. (I don't speak French.)
  • Example: Ellos no miran la televisión. (They don't watch television.)
  • Adjective Placement (Noun + Adjective):
Unlike English, descriptive adjectives generally follow the noun they modify in Spanish. This is a crucial distinction to remember when constructing phrases that will serve as objects or subjects.
  • Example: Compro un coche rojo. (I buy a red car.) - coche (car) is the noun, rojo (red) is the adjective.
  • Example: Ella tiene un perro grande. (She has a big dog.)
  • Adverb Placement:
Adverbs of manner often follow the verb they modify, or sometimes appear at the end of the sentence.
  • Example: Él habla lentamente. (He speaks slowly.)
  • Example: Tú trabajas bien. (You work well.)

Formation Pattern

1
Building a basic SVO sentence in Spanish involves three primary steps. Consistent practice of this pattern will quickly solidify your understanding and fluency.
2
Identify Your Subject: Determine who or what is performing the action. This can be a pronoun (yo, tú, él/ella/usted, nosotros/as, vosotros/as, ellos/ellas/ustedes) or a noun phrase (mi hermana, el estudiante, los gatos).
3
Select and Conjugate Your Verb: Choose the verb that describes the action and conjugate it to match your subject in person and number. This is where Spanish verb endings are essential, as they convey the subject information.
4
| Subject Pronoun | HABLAR (to speak) | COMER (to eat) | VIVIR (to live) |
5
| :-------------- | :------------------ | :--------------- | :---------------- |
6
| Yo (I) | hablo | como | vivo |
7
| Tú (You informal) | hablas | comes | vives |
8
| Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You formal) | habla | come | vive |
9
| Nosotros/as (We) | hablamos | comemos | vivimos |
10
| Vosotros/as (You all informal, Spain) | habláis | coméis | vivís |
11
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all formal) | hablan | comen | viven |
12
Add Your Object (Direct Object): State what or whom receives the action. Remember to use the personal a if the direct object is a specific person or pet.
13
Example 1:
14
Subject: Nosotros
15
Verb: estudiamos (from estudiar, conjugated for nosotros)
16
Object: historia
17
Result: Nosotros estudiamos historia. (We study history.)
18
Example 2:
19
Subject: Mi madre
20
Verb: llama (from llamar, conjugated for ella)
21
Object: a su hermana (personal a because su hermana is a specific person)
22
Result: Mi madre llama a su hermana. (My mother calls her sister.)

When To Use It

The SVO word order is your primary and most reliable choice for constructing sentences in Spanish, especially as a beginner. It serves as the grammatical default for nearly all declarative statements and is widely understood across all Spanish-speaking regions. You should confidently employ SVO in the following contexts:
  • Stating Facts and Making Declarations: When simply conveying information without special emphasis or emotional charge. El sol sale por la mañana. (The sun rises in the morning.)
  • Answering Questions Directly: When responding to a question, SVO provides a clear and straightforward answer. ¿Qué haces? (What are you doing?) – Yo leo un libro. (I am reading a book.)
  • Describing Actions and Events: For narrating what happened, what someone is doing, or what typically occurs. Los estudiantes aprenden mucho. (The students learn a lot.)
  • Formal and Informal Communication: The SVO structure is appropriate in both formal settings, like academic writing or business emails, and informal contexts, such as casual conversations with friends. The choice between tú (informal) and usted (formal) for the subject depends on social context, not the SVO structure itself.
  • Introducing New Information: When introducing a new subject or object into the conversation, the SVO order helps maintain clarity and flow. Mi amigo visita la ciudad. (My friend visits the city.)
While Spanish allows for variations in word order, particularly for emphasis or stylistic effect, consistently using SVO as your base ensures that your sentences are grammatically correct and easily understood. It prevents ambiguity and establishes a solid foundation for more advanced linguistic expression.

Common Mistakes

Beginners often transfer English word order rules directly into Spanish, leading to common errors. Awareness of these specific pitfalls will significantly improve your accuracy.
  • Incorrect no Placement: A frequent mistake is placing no after the verb or separating it from the verb with other words.
  • Incorrect: Yo estudio no español.
  • Correct: Yo no estudio español. (I don't study Spanish.) - no always precedes the conjugated verb.
  • English Adjective Order: Placing descriptive adjectives before the noun, as is common in English.
  • Incorrect: Ella tiene una grande casa.
  • Correct: Ella tiene una casa grande. (She has a big house.) - Adjectives typically follow the noun.
  • Forgetting the Personal a: Omitting the personal a before a direct object that refers to a specific person or personified entity.
  • Incorrect: Visito mi abuela.
  • Correct: Visito a mi abuela. (I visit my grandmother.) - The a clarifies mi abuela is a person receiving the action.
  • Overuse of Subject Pronouns: While grammatically correct for beginners, relying on subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, etc.) in every sentence can sound repetitive to native speakers once the verb conjugation makes the subject clear.
  • Common in beginners: Yo hablo español. Yo vivo en Madrid. Yo estudio mucho.
  • More natural: Hablo español. Vivo en Madrid. Estudio mucho. (Implied yo from verb endings.) - Focus on this natural omission as you progress.
  • Direct Translation of Idioms and Structures: Attempting a word-for-word translation of English idioms or complex sentence structures without considering Spanish equivalents. This often results in awkward or incorrect phrasing. Always prioritize understanding the Spanish structure for a concept over direct word substitution.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

While SVO is the default, Spanish grammar includes variations for specific communicative functions, which can initially seem to contradict the SVO rule. Understanding these contrasts helps solidify your grasp of the core pattern.
  • Questions (SVO vs. VSO/VOS):
Spanish can form questions simply by using SVO word order with a rising intonation (in spoken language) and inverted question marks (¿...?>) in writing. However, it also commonly inverts the subject and verb, or places the subject at the end, for a more typical question structure.
  • SVO Question (Intonation/Punctuation): ¿Tú hablas español? (You speak Spanish?)
  • VSO Question (Common): ¿Hablas tú español? (Do you speak Spanish?) - Verb-Subject-Object order.
  • VOS Question (Also common): ¿Dónde vive tu familia? (Where does your family live?) - Verb-Object-Subject order with an interrogative adverb.
The SVO question is acceptable, but the inverted forms are often more natural in conversation, especially with question words.
  • Exclamations (Retaining SVO):
Exclamatory sentences typically maintain the SVO order but are framed by inverted and final exclamation marks (¡...!) and spoken with exclamatory intonation. The word order itself usually remains SVO, emphasizing the importance of the content.
  • ¡Ella canta muy bien! (She sings very well!)
  • ¡Nosotros ganamos el partido! (We won the game!)
  • Object Pronouns (Pre-verbal Placement):
One significant departure from a strict SVO literal interpretation occurs with object pronouns (me, te, lo, la, le, nos, os, los, las, les). These pronouns always precede the conjugated verb in simple tenses.
  • Conceptual SVO: Yo (S) como (V) la manzana (O).
  • With object pronoun: Yo la como. (I eat it.) - Here, la (it/the apple) comes before the verb como. This changes the surface order but doesn't negate the underlying SVO logic of the sentence's components. Crucially for A1 learners, focus on SVO with full nouns before tackling object pronoun placement, which is generally introduced at A2 or B1.

Real Conversations

The SVO structure is omnipresent in everyday Spanish. Observing how native speakers use it in various modern contexts illustrates its natural application.

- Texting/Instant Messaging:

- Friend 1: ¿Qué haces? (What are you doing?)

- Friend 2: Yo estudio para el examen. (I am studying for the exam.) - Simple SVO statement.

- Friend 1: Okay. Te veo más tarde. (Okay. I'll see you later.) - Te is an object pronoun here, a slight variation of the basic SVO at a higher level, but yo is implied as subject.

- Ordering at a Café:

- Waiter: ¿Qué desea ordenar? (What do you wish to order?)

- You: Yo quiero un café con leche, por favor. (I want a coffee with milk, please.) - Clear SVO.

- Friend: Ella pide un jugo de naranja. (She asks for an orange juice.) - Another straightforward SVO sentence.

- Social Media Post/Comment:

- User Post: Nosotros visitamos la Alhambra hoy. ¡Es increíble! (We visited the Alhambra today. It's incredible!)

- Comment: ¡Qué bonito! Yo quiero visitar España. (How beautiful! I want to visit Spain.) - Here quiero visitar functions as a verb phrase, maintaining SVO structure with yo as the subject and España as the object.

- Casual Conversation:

- Colleague: ¿Cómo fue tu fin de semana? (How was your weekend?)

- You: Yo vi una película interesante. Mi hermana trabaja mucho. (I saw an interesting movie. My sister works a lot.) - Both sentences adhere to the SVO pattern.

These examples demonstrate that regardless of the context, SVO provides a reliable and natural way to express thoughts and actions, making it an indispensable tool for learners.

Quick FAQ

  • Q: Is SVO always mandatory in Spanish?

No, Spanish allows for more flexibility than English, particularly for emphasis or stylistic reasons (e.g., En la casa vive mi hermano – In the house lives my brother). However, SVO is the default, most neutral, and safest option for beginners and represents the most common order in everyday conversation.

  • Q: Do I always need to use subject pronouns like yo, tú, él?

While grammatically correct to include them, Spanish is a pro-drop language. This means the verb's conjugation often makes the subject clear, so pronouns are frequently omitted by native speakers (Hablo español instead of Yo hablo español). As an A1 learner, using subject pronouns helps reinforce your understanding and practice, so it's encouraged. As you advance, you'll naturally learn when to omit them.

  • Q: Where do adjectives go in a Spanish sentence?

Generally, descriptive adjectives (like rojo, grande, inteligente) come after the noun they modify. For example, el coche rojo (the red car), not el rojo coche.

  • Q: What about direct and indirect objects? Do they always follow the verb?

For simple noun objects, yes, they typically follow the verb in SVO structure. When direct or indirect objects are replaced by pronouns (e.g., lo, le), their placement changes, usually preceding the verb (Yo lo leo – I read it). However, this is a more advanced topic (A2/B1), and for A1, focus on SVO with full noun objects.

  • Q: How does this rule apply to formal (usted) vs. informal (tú) contexts?

The SVO word order rule applies equally whether you are addressing someone formally with usted or informally with tú. The choice of tú or usted (and their corresponding verb conjugations) is a matter of social register, not a change in the fundamental SVO sentence structure. For example, Tú lees el periódico. (You read the newspaper.) vs. Usted lee el periódico. (You formal read the newspaper.)

Basic SVO Sentence Structure

Subject Verb Object
Yo
como
la manzana
Ella
lee
el libro
Nosotros
vemos
la película
Juan
compra
el coche
Tú
bebes
el agua
Ellos
quieren
la pizza

Meanings

The SVO structure is the standard word order for declarative sentences in Spanish, where the actor (subject) performs an action (verb) on a target (object).

1

Standard Declarative

The baseline order for stating facts or actions.

“Yo hablo español.”

“Ella compra el libro.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Spanish Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
S + V + O
Yo como pan.
Negative
S + no + V + O
Yo no como pan.
Interrogative
V + S + O?
¿Come Juan pan?
Pro-drop
V + O
Como pan.
Emphasis
O + S + V
Pan como yo.
Adverbial
Adv + S + V + O
Hoy yo como pan.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Deseo el libro.

Deseo el libro. (Requesting an item)

Neutral
Yo quiero el libro.

Yo quiero el libro. (Requesting an item)

Informal
Quiero el libro.

Quiero el libro. (Requesting an item)

Slang
Quiero el libro, tío.

Quiero el libro, tío. (Requesting an item)

The SVO Backbone

SVO Order

Subject

  • Yo I

Verb

  • como eat

Object

  • manzana apple
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Examples by Level

1

Yo como una manzana.

I eat an apple.

2

Ella lee el libro.

She reads the book.

3

Nosotros bebemos agua.

We drink water.

4

Él compra la fruta.

He buys the fruit.

1

No como carne.

I don't eat meat.

2

¿Juan come pan?

Does Juan eat bread?

3

Comemos pizza hoy.

We are eating pizza today.

4

Ella no quiere el café.

She doesn't want the coffee.

1

La manzana la come Juan.

The apple, Juan eats it.

2

Ayer compré el coche nuevo.

Yesterday I bought the new car.

3

Nunca veo esa serie.

I never watch that series.

4

Siempre escucho música clásica.

I always listen to classical music.

1

Es el libro que ella lee.

It is the book that she reads.

2

Lo que quiero es tranquilidad.

What I want is peace.

3

A María le gusta el cine.

María likes the cinema.

4

Ese coche lo compró mi padre.

That car, my father bought it.

1

Fue en Madrid donde conocí a Ana.

It was in Madrid where I met Ana.

2

Jamás he visto tal cosa.

I have never seen such a thing.

3

Poco sabe él de la verdad.

Little does he know about the truth.

4

Apenas llegamos, empezó a llover.

Hardly had we arrived when it started to rain.

1

De haberlo sabido, no habría venido.

Had I known, I wouldn't have come.

2

Bien lo sabe Dios.

God knows it well.

3

Cualquier cosa que digas será usada en tu contra.

Anything you say will be used against you.

4

Ni por todo el oro del mundo lo haría.

Not for all the gold in the world would I do it.

Easily Confused

Spanish Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) vs Subject-Verb Inversion

Learners think inversion is mandatory for questions.

Spanish Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) vs Direct Object Pronouns

Learners put the pronoun after the verb.

Spanish Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) vs Reflexive Verbs

Learners forget the reflexive pronoun.

Common Mistakes

✗

Comer yo pan.

✓

Yo como pan.

Verb must be conjugated and follow the subject.
✗

Yo pan como.

✓

Yo como pan.

Object must follow the verb.
✗

Yo como.

✓

Yo como pan.

Missing the object.
✗

No como.

✓

Yo no como pan.

Missing subject and object.
✗

Juan la manzana come.

✓

Juan come la manzana.

Object placement.
✗

No Juan come.

✓

Juan no come.

Negation placement.
✗

Come Juan la manzana.

✓

¿Come Juan la manzana?

Missing question marks.
✗

La manzana come Juan.

✓

Juan come la manzana.

Overusing emphasis.
✗

Es Juan quien come la manzana.

✓

Juan come la manzana.

Unnecessary clefting.
✗

Juan come la manzana, él.

✓

Juan come la manzana.

Redundant subject.
✗

La manzana es comida por Juan.

✓

Juan come la manzana.

Overusing passive voice.
✗

Comida la manzana, Juan se fue.

✓

Tras comer la manzana, Juan se fue.

Incorrect participle usage.
✗

Juan, la manzana, la come.

✓

Juan come la manzana.

Clunky syntax.

Sentence Patterns

Yo ___ ___.

___ no ___ ___.

___ ___ ___ siempre.

___ ___ ___ ayer.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Yo quiero pizza.

Ordering food very common

Yo quiero el café.

Job interview common

Yo hablo español.

Social media common

Yo amo este lugar.

Travel common

Yo busco el hotel.

Classroom constant

Yo leo el libro.

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💡

Drop the subject

You don't always need 'Yo'. 'Como' is enough.
⚠️

Watch the object

Don't put the object before the verb.
🎯

Use intonation

Raise your voice at the end for questions.
💬

Be polite

Use 'Usted' for formal situations.

Smart Tips

Move the object to the front, but keep the clitic pronoun.

Juan come la manzana. → La manzana, Juan la come.

Drop the subject pronoun if the verb conjugation is clear.

Yo como pan. → Como pan.

Use rising intonation instead of complex inversions.

Come Juan pan? → ¿Juan come pan?

Always place 'no' before the verb.

Juan come no pan. → Juan no come pan.

Pronunciation

SVO↘

Intonation

Declarative sentences end with a falling pitch.

Declarative

Yo como pan. ↘

Statement of fact

Memorize It

Mnemonic

S-V-O: Subject, Verb, Object. Think of it as: 'Someone does something to something.'

Visual Association

Imagine a person (Subject) pushing a cart (Verb) containing a box (Object).

Rhyme

Subject first, then the verb, object last, that's the word!

Story

Juan (Subject) loves to cook (Verb). He makes a delicious cake (Object). Every day, Juan makes cake.

Word Web

SujetoVerboObjetoOraciónSintaxisOrden

Challenge

Write 5 sentences using SVO in the next 5 minutes.

Cultural Notes

Subjects are dropped very frequently in conversation.

SVO is standard, but 'tú' is often omitted for politeness.

Voseo changes the verb, but SVO remains the same.

Spanish evolved from Vulgar Latin, which had a relatively free word order but gradually shifted toward SVO.

Conversation Starters

“

¿Qué comes?

“

¿Quién lee el libro?

“

¿Qué quieres hacer hoy?

“

¿Qué opinas de la película?

Journal Prompts

Describe your breakfast.
What do you do on weekends?
Describe your favorite book.
Write about a recent trip.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Complete the sentence.

Yo ___ pan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: como
Conjugation for 'Yo'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan come manzana
SVO order.
Select the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo como la manzana.
Standard SVO.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Juan la manzana come.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan come la manzana.
SVO order.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: ¿Qué haces? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Como pan.
SVO is natural.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Subject: Ella, Verb: lee, Object: libro

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ella lee libro.
SVO.
Sort the elements. Grammar Sorting

S-V-O

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan-come-pan
SVO order.
Match the English to Spanish. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo como pan.
SVO.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Complete the sentence.

Yo ___ pan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: como
Conjugation for 'Yo'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

manzana / come / Juan

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan come manzana
SVO order.
Select the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo como la manzana.
Standard SVO.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Juan la manzana come.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan come la manzana.
SVO order.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: ¿Qué haces? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Como pan.
SVO is natural.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Subject: Ella, Verb: lee, Object: libro

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ella lee libro.
SVO.
Sort the elements. Grammar Sorting

S-V-O

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Juan-come-pan
SVO order.
Match the English to Spanish. Match Pairs

I eat bread.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo como pan.
SVO.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Arrange the sentence Sentence Reorder

libro / el / lee / Ella

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ella lee el libro
Fix the word order Error Correction

Tú agua bebes.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tú bebes agua.
Complete the sentence Fill in the Blank

Usted ___ un café.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quiere
Translate to Spanish Translation

I write a message.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo escribo un mensaje.
Choose the natural order Multiple Choice

Which sentence sounds most natural?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mi amigo compra pan.
Match the S, V, and O Match Pairs

Match the components:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo estudio español
Fill in the missing object Fill in the Blank

Ellos escuchan ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: música
Fix the question order Error Correction

¿Tú español hablas?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ¿Tú hablas español?
Build the sentence Sentence Reorder

el / coche / Pedro / conduce

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Pedro conduce el coche
Translate to Spanish Translation

They open the door.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ellos abren la puerta.
Fill in the verb Fill in the Blank

Vosotros ___ una canción.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: cantáis
Select the correct negation Multiple Choice

How do you say 'I don't eat meat'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Yo no como carne.

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

SVO is the standard, but Spanish is flexible for emphasis.

Yes, Spanish is a pro-drop language.

It goes before the verb.

The structure is the same, but vocabulary varies.

Check your verb conjugation.

Use intonation or invert the subject.

Yes, both use SVO.

Write daily sentences.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

English high

SVO

English requires subjects; Spanish drops them.

French high

SVO

French requires subject pronouns.

German moderate

SVO/V2

German verb position is fixed at 2nd.

Japanese low

SOV

Verb position is the primary difference.

Arabic low

VSO

Verb comes before the subject.

Chinese high

SVO

Chinese has no conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Spanish Exclamation Marks: The Flip Rule (¡!)

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C1

Fronting for Emphasis: 'El libro lo leí' (Topicalization)

Overview In Spanish, the flexibility of word order is not arbitrary; it is a sophisticated tool for managing the flow o...
B2

Spanish Third Conditional: Regrets and Past Possibilities (Si hubiera...)

Overview Ever looked at an old photo and thought, "Man, if I hadn't worn that neon green shirt, I might actually have a...
C2

Spanish Word Order: Emphasizing with Inversion (A María, le di...)

Overview While English sentences are built on the relatively rigid foundation of Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, Spani...
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