Most Important Grammar Rules in the Spanish Language
How do you rate your knowledge of Spanish grammar rules on a scale of 100? Is it something to write home about, or are you satisfied with the average score that we might easily attribute to you?
Learning the basic grammar of a new language is essential, even if you’re studying abroad in an immersion program and hanging out at the beach or hiking in some secluded place.
The grammar of a language is the glue that joins everything together, ensuring clear communication and smooth navigation through social situations. So, read on to identify the important grammar rules in Spanish.
Essential Spanish Grammar Rules Every Learner Should Know
Does Spanish grammar pose a challenge? If yes, you have to resolve it here and now. One must know that Spanish Grammar, like other languages like English and French, has its peculiar complexities and simplicities if properly handled.
Before this article ends, you will learn the basic Spanish grammar rules. Here are the rules:
1. There are Numerous Ways of Saying “you” (Second Person)
Standard forms across the board in every Spanish-speaking country include tú (you singular, informal), usted (you singular, formal), and ustedes (you plural, formal). All these variables are used when addressing both males and females. There are also some regional forms of “you” too.
You may hear vos in Costa Rica, Argentina, and other countries as an option to the second person singular tú.
Additionally, you’ll hear vosotros/vosotras in Spain to represent the informal plural of “you” (think: “y’all” or “you guys.”)
2. Nouns are Assigned Genders and Reflect Number
For example, the beach is “la playa,” To visit the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica, though, you would say “las playas de Costa Rica.” The word for beach is given a feminine gender, which holds true both in the singular and plural.
So we have four ways to say “the” in Spanish — el libro, los libros, la playa, las playas. The definite article “the” only changes to agree in gender and number with the noun.
3. The Verb Form Reflects the Subject of the Sentence
This implies that bailo, from bailar (to dance), means “I dance.” Baila, also from bailar, means “you dance” (formal, singular), “he dances,” or “she dances.”
The -o or -a at the end of the verb forms here reflect the subject and the number (first person singular and third person singular, as well), but not gender.
4. Subject Pronouns are Optional
They are used for emphasis or clarity only since the verb ending at the end of the verb form does all the work.
For example, a friendly tico may tell you, “Bailas bien.” Notice that the tú is not used here because the person’s clearly talking to you.
5. Not all Phrases Translate Word for Word
Idiomatic expressions, arguably the most important part of a language, reflect historical and social circumstances and they’re a lot of fun to pick up when you’re participating in a Spanish immersion program.
The English expression “When pigs fly” is translated into several ways in Spanish depending upon the region.
One method of translating this common saying is “when frogs grow hair.” The Spanish proverb “No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír” translates word by word as “there is not a worse deaf person than the one who doesn´t want to hear” although the correct expression in English is “There is none so blind as he who will not see.”
Well done, you have finally reached the end of this guide to basic Spanish grammar rules. There are still other rules, some quite difficult, but gradually, you can master them all.
Kindly suggest the ones you had wanted us to include in the discourse but were skipped. We will definitely address the recommendations in our subsequent articles.