English and Spanish/Contrastive grammar
NOUNS[edit]
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)[edit]
- (spa) El muro → The wall
- (spa) Los Muros → The walls
- (spa) La manzana → The apple
- (spa) Las manzanas → The apples
Indefinite Articles (a/an/some)[edit]
- (spa) Un muro → A wall
- (spa) Unos Muros → Some walls
- (spa) Una manzana → An apple
- (spa) Unas manzanas → Some apples
ADJECTIVES[edit]
In Spanish, adjective usually succeeds a noun. Their suffixes changes in agreement to the noun’s gender and quantity.
- (spa) El muchacho perezoso → The lazy guy
- (spa) Los muchachos perezosos → The lazy guys
- (spa) La muchacha perezosa → The lazy woman
- (spa) Las muchachas perezosas → 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[edit]
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 walk
- (spa) Él/ella/ va → He/She walks
- (spa) Nosotros vamos → We walk
- (spa) Vosotros vaís → You all walk
- (spa) Ello/Ella van → They walk
- (spa) Comer → To eat
- (spa) Yo como → I eat
- (spa) Tú comes → You eat
- (spa) Él/ella come → He/She eats
- (spa) Nosotros comemos → We eat
- (spa) Vosotros comeís → You all eat
- (spa) Ello/Ella comen → They 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 are in school.
PUNCTUATION[edit]
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 (¿)[edit]
- (spa) ¿Cómo estás? → 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 (¡)[edit]
- (spa) ¡Qué linda! → How lovely!
- (spa) ¡Dime por favor! → Please talk to me!
- (spa) ¡Ya estoy enfermo, profesor! → I’m already sick, teacher!
INTERROGATION[edit]
In Spanish interrogative sentences, the order of the verb and the subject is reversed.
- (spa) ¿Tomaste 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.
- (en) Do you have a moment? → ¿Tienes un momento?
- (en) Did you watch “Cory in the House” last night? → ¿Miraste "Cory en la casa"?
Sometimes, the do/does/did that precedes the subject is replaced by modal verbs(can, could, should etc…)
- (en) Can you stop being so ignorant? → ¿Puedes parar ser tan ignorante?
- (en) Should we make paella for dinner tonight? → ¿Tendríamos que hacer paella esta noche?
OBJECT PRONOUNS[edit]
In Spanish, objects in a sentence can be replaced by direct or indirect object pronouns to avoid repetition.
Direct object pronoun[edit]
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[edit]
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.
