Spanish Grammar: Conjunctions, Subordinate Clauses, and Pronouns
Conjunctions
Coordinated Conjunctions
- Copulative: (y, e, ni)
Examples: Dew eats and naps. / Andrew studied literature and history. / The jury decided that the boy did not win and gave a good performance in the show. - Adversative: (pero, mas, sino, sin embargo, aunque)
Examples: I like it, but it needs some changes. / Your work is very good, although it requires further review. - Disjunctive: (o, u)
Examples: He either studies or fails the test. / Marta is either always late or never arrives. - Consecutive: (luego, conque, así que, de modo que, de manera que)
Example: Jorge did not come, so we left without him.
Juxtaposed Conjunctions
Examples: The judge signaled; the runners took their places. / The child cried; the mother helped.
Subordinate Clauses
Substantive Clauses
- Subject: I am concerned that you study a lot. / It is possible that you may win the World Cup.
- Direct Object: Carlos thought Andres was right.
- Noun Complement: We have a hunch that you will fall.
- Attribute: John is biting.
- Adjective Complement: I was sure that I would win the contest.
- Agent Complement: My cousin, who lives in Malaga, has sold his house.
Adjective Clauses
Examples: Mariam, who is very pretty, is a great kid. / He bought shoes that have buckles. / That summer, when we went to Malaga, we had a good time. / The students who were nervous did a good review.
Adverbial Clauses
- Time: Sit when you want.
- Place: Sit anywhere.
- Manner: Sit as you want.
- Comparative: Javi is smarter than… / It is more than… / It is less than…
- Causal: I’m going because it’s raining.
- Consecutive: I think, therefore I am.
- Concessive: I won even though I was sick.
- Conditional: I’ll stay if you help me.
- Final: Play for fun.
Pronouns
Types of Pronouns
- Personal Pronouns:
- Reflexive Pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se (Function: Direct/Indirect Object)
- Reciprocal Pronouns: nos, os (Function: Direct/Indirect Object)
- Demonstrative Pronouns:
- Possessive Pronouns:
- Indefinite Pronouns:
- Interrogative Pronouns:
- Relative Pronouns:
Pronoun Examples
- Reflexive: The girl combs her hair. (Direct Object) / The child washes his face. (Indirect Object)
- Reciprocal: Juan and Pedro write letters to each other. (Indirect Object) / Juan and Pedro hug each other. (Direct Object)
- Impersonal: In this restaurant, one can eat very well. / Wine is sold here.
- Passive Reflexive: Apartments are sold. / It is said that gasoline prices will rise today.
Literary Analysis Examples
Juan Ramón Jiménez: Sad Arias (1903)
- Structure: Four stanzas of four lines each (quatrain), assonance, minor art.
- Theme: Loneliness
- Summary: The poet describes a solitary landscape and compares himself to it, refusing to die as the landscape does.
Antonio Machado: Campos de Castilla
- Structure: Assonance, high and low art rhyme, rhyming pairs.
- Theme: Loneliness
- Summary: Machado walks through Soria, speaking to his deceased love, Leonor. He then walks through Baeza alone, talking to his thoughts.