English and Spanish/Contrastive grammar

NOUNS

Unlike English, nouns in Spanish are either masculine or feminine. The definite and indefinite articles that precede a noun change according to the gender and quantity of the noun.

Definite Articles (the)

• (spa) El muro (masculine, singular) → The wall
• (spa) Los Muros (masculine, plural) → The walls
• (spa) La manzana (feminine, singular) → The apple
• (spa) Las manzanas (feminine, plural) → The apples

Indefinite Articles (a/an/some)

• (spa) Un muro (masculine, singular) → A wall
• (spa) Unos Muros (masculine, plural) → Some walls
• (spa) Una manzana (feminine, singular) → An apple
• (spa) Unas manzanas (feminine, plural) → Some apples

ADJECTIVES

In Spanish, adjective usually succeeds a noun. Their suffixes changes in agreement to the noun’s gender and quantity.

• (spa) El muchacho perezoso (masculine, singular) → The lazy guy
• (spa) Los muchachos perezosos (masculine, plural) → The lazy guys
• (spa) La muchacha perezosa (feminine, singular) → The lazy woman
• (spa) Las muchachas perezosas (feminine, plural) → The lazy women

However, there are exceptions where an adjective precedes a noun. These adjectives are usually for emphasis of an essential quality.

• (spa) La dulce miel es deliciosa en pan tostado. → The sweet honey is delicious on toast bread.
• (spa) El valiente león protege su territorio. → The brave lion protects its territory.

VERBS

Below are examples of the present tense conjugation of the two languages.

• (spa) Ir → To walk
• (spa) Yo voy → I walk
• (spa) Tú vas → You(informal, singular) walk
• (spa) Él/ella/usted va → He/She/You(formal, singular) walks
• (spa) Nosotros vamos → We walk
• (spa) Vosotros vaís → You(informal, plural) walk
• (spa) Ello/Ella/Ustedes van → They/You(informal, plural) walk

• (spa) Comer → To eat
• (spa) Yo como → I eat
• (spa) Tú comes → You(informal, singular) eat
• (spa) Él/ella/usted come → He/She/You(formal, singular) eats
• (spa) Nosotros comemos → We eat
• (spa) Vosotros comeís → You(informal, plural) eat
• (spa) Ello/Ella/Ustedes comen → They/You(informal, plural) eat

In Spanish, subject pronouns can be dropped as the suffixes of the verbs make the subject understood.

• (spa) Como pan. → (I) eat bread.
• (spa) Tenemos dinero. → (We) have money.
• (spa) Estás en la escuela. → (You(informal, singular)) are in school.

PUNCTUATION

Spanish has two unique punctuation marks, the inverted question mark (¿) and the inverted exclamation mark (¡). These punctuation marks are usually inserted at the beginning of a sentence.

Inverted question mark (¿)

• (spa) ¿Cómo está usted? → How are you?
• (spa) ¿Dondé están los alumnos? → Where are the students?
• (spa) ¿Cuales son los animales más grande en el mundo? → What are the biggest animals in the world?

Inverted exclamation mark (¡)

• (spa) ¡Qué linda! → How lovely!
• (spa) ¡Dime por favor! → Please talk to me!
• (spa) ¡Ya estoy enfermo, profesor! → I’m already sick, teacher!

INTERROGATION

In Spanish interrogative sentences, the order of the verb and the subject is reversed.

• (spa) ¿Tomó usted el almuerzo? → Did you take lunch?
• (spa) ¿Comemos nosotros los tacos? → Do we eat the tacos?
• (spa) ¿Tenemos ellos las paraguas? → Do they have umbrellas?

To make a sentence interrogative in English, you insert do/does/did at the beginning of the sentence.

• Do you have a moment?
• Did you watch “Cory in the House” last night?

Sometimes, the do/does/did that precedes the subject is replaced by modal verbs(can, could, should etc…)

• Can you stop being so ignorant?
• Should we make paella for dinner tonight?

OBJECT PRONOUNS

In Spanish, objects in a sentence can be replaced by direct or indirect object pronouns to avoid repetition.

Direct object pronoun

Usually replaces an inanimate object

• (spa) Yo tengo una pluma verde. Yo la quiero. → I have a green pen. I love (it).
• (spa) Ella compró una taza. Ella la rompió. → She Bought a cup. She broke (it).

Indirect object pronoun

Usually replaces a person or a group of people

• (spa) Él me da un vaso de jugo de naranja. → He gives (me) a glass of orange juice.
• (spa) Yo les compra los chocolates. → I buy (them) chocolates.
• (spa) Juan nos compra un regalo. → Juan buys (us) a gift.