Spanish Structure 101

For the first time you read this page, take some more time to understand the associations with you current language, try to remember how you make use of those structure on you language.

Don't try memorize, don't spend your energy repeating the and structure over and over; It is OK to eyeball again over the next days until you are familiar with that.

Your brain is actively capturing everything.

If you don't know what a preposition, adverbs, or any of the structure below are, don't worry it doesn't matter, do not waste time researching that.

Spanish Prepositions

English Italian
in in
on su
at a
from da
with con
without senza
for per
about su / di
over sopra
under sotto

Spanish Conjunctions

English Spanish
and y
or o
but pero
because porque
although aunque
so así que
if si
when cuando
while mientras

Spanish Pronouns

English Spanish
I yo
you (sing.) tú
he / she él / ella
we nosotros
you (pl.) vosotros / ustedes
they ellos / ellas
me me
us nos
them los / las

Most used verbs in Spanish

English Spanish
to be ser / estar
to have tener
to do / make hacer
to go ir
to want querer
to know saber
to speak hablar
to see ver
to eat comer

Most used adjectives in Spanish

English Spanish
good bueno
bad malo
big grande
small pequeño
happy feliz
old viejo
beautiful bonito
fast rápido

Time expressions in Spanish

English Spanish
now ahora
today hoy
tomorrow mañana
yesterday ayer
always siempre
never nunca / jamás
sometimes a veces
soon pronto
late tarde

Spanish Adverbs

English Spanish
very muy
well bien
badly mal
quickly rápidamente
slowly lentamente
often a menudo
here aquí
already ya
still todavía

Spanish Articles

English Article Gender Number When to Use / Notes Example
the el Masculine Singular Before most masculine nouns el libro (the book)
the la Feminine Singular Before feminine nouns la casa (the house)
the los Masculine Plural Plural of el los libros (the books)
the las Feminine Plural Plural of la las casas (the houses)
a/an un Masculine Singular Before masculine nouns un chico (a boy)
a/an una Feminine Singular Before feminine nouns una chica (a girl)

Ask questions in Spanish

Type English Spanish Notes
Yes/No Are you ready? ¿Estás listo? No "do" or inversion needed
Yes/No Do you speak Spanish? ¿Hablas español? Verb comes first, subject often omitted
What What is your name? ¿Cómo te llamas? Literally: How do you call yourself?
Where Where do you live? ¿Dónde vives? Dónde = where
When When is the meeting? ¿Cuándo es la reunión? Cuándo = when
Why Why are you here? ¿Por qué estás aquí? Por qué = why
How How are you? ¿Cómo estás? Informal "you"
How much How much does it cost? ¿Cuánto cuesta? Cuánto = how much
Who Who is that? ¿Quién es ese? Quién = who
Which Which one do you want? ¿Cuál quieres? Cuál = which

Most used verb tenses in Spanish

English Name Spanish Name When to Use English Example Spanish Example
Present Simple Presente Actions happening now or regularly I speak Hablo
Present Continuous Presente continuo Something happening right now I’m speaking Estoy hablando
Present Perfect Pretérito perfecto Completed actions in the past (recent) I have eaten He comido
Imperfect Past Pretérito imperfecto Ongoing or repeated past actions, descriptions I used to eat Comía
Simple Future Futuro simple Future plans or intentions I will go Iré
Near Future Futuro próximo Plans happening soon I’m going to eat Voy a comer
Conditional Present Condicional Polite requests, hypotheticals I would like Me gustaría
Subjunctive Present Presente subjuntivo Express doubt, desire, or emotion (optional) I think he is happy Creo que esté feliz