In Spanish grammar, the categorías gramaticales (also known as partes de la oración or parts of speech) define the role and function of each word within a sentence. Traditionally, there are 9 main categorías gramaticales in Spanish, each with a specific grammatical purpose: Sustantivo (noun), Verbo (verb), Adjetivo (adjective), Adverbio (adverb), Pronombre (pronoun), Preposición (preposition), Conjunción (conjunction), Interjección (interjection), Determinante (determiner). This lesson will help you use them correctly.
Parts of speech in Spanish
1. Sustantivos (Nouns)
Definition: A sustantivo is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.Here are two nouns for each category:
- Persons: Teacher, Doctor
- Place: City, Park
- Thing: Book, Computer
- Idea: Freedom, Creativity
- English Example:
- The city is beautiful.
- Spanish Example:
- La ciudad es hermosa.
Key Difference:
- - In Spanish, nouns have "gender" (masculine or feminine) and "number" (singular or plural).
- - In English, nouns do not change gender.
Exercise:
Look at these Spanish nouns. Decide whether they are "masculine" or "feminine":Check your answer by hovering your cursor over the blank space.
1. El libro ____ (the book)
2. La casa ____ (the house)
3. El río ____ (the river)
4. La flor ____ (the flower)
2. Verbos (Verbs)
Ellas están leyendo un libro.
Definition:
A verbo is a word that expresses action or a state of being.
- English Example: She runs every morning.
- Spanish Example: Ella corre cada mañana.
Key Differences:
- Spanish verbs change their form depending on the subject (who is doing the action)
- Spanish verbs change their form depending on the subject (who is doing the action)
Translate these English verbs into Spanish
Check your answer by hovering your cursor over the blank space.
1. To eat → ____
2. To sleep → ____
3. To read → ____
3. Adjetivos (Adjectives)
Definition: Adjectivos describe nouns (size, color, shape, quality, etc.).- English Example: A big dog.
- Spanish Example:Un perro grande. (A big dog.)
- - In Spanish, adjectives change depending on the noun’s gender and number.
- - In English, adjectives do not change based on gender or number.
In Spanish, adjectives usually come after the noun, while in English, they appear before the noun.
- English: A red car.
- Spanish: Un carro rojo.
However, some adjectives in Spanish can come before the noun for emphasis or poetic effect!
Translate these sentences into Spanish:Check your answer by hovering your cursor over the blank space.
1. The red car is fast → ____
2. The big house has three bedrooms → ____
4. Adverbios (Adverbs)
Definition: Adverbios modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.- English Example:She speaks softly.
- Spanish Example: Ella habla suavemente. (She speaks softly.)
Many Spanish adverbs end in "mente", similar to English adverbs ending in ly".
Say the corresponding adverb:
Check your answer by hovering your cursor over the blank space.
1. rápidamente → ____
2. cuidadosamente → ____
3. frecuentemente → ____
5- Pronombres (Pronouns)
Definition: A pronombre is a word that replaces a noun to avoid repetition and make sentences clearer.- English Example: Maria is kind. She helps everyone.
- Spanish Example:María es amable. Ella ayuda a todos.
- - Spanish pronouns change depending on gender (he/she) and number (singular/plural).
- - In English, subject pronouns are fixed and do not change based on gender except for he/she.
Common Pronouns Comparison:
Spanish...............EnglishYO…………….............I
TÚ…………….............YOU (INFORMAL, MOST USED)
USTED………............YOU (FORMAL)
ÉL……………..............HE
ELLA…………............SHE
NOSOTROS............WE
VOSOTROS…..........YOU ALL(SPAIN)
USTEDES……..........YOU ALL(MOST USED)
ELLOS………............THEY
Exercise:
Say the correct Spanish pronoun:
Check your answer by hovering your cursor over the blank space.
____ (They) están leyendo un libro.
____ (They) juegan en el parque.
____ (I) quiero aprender español.
____ (You) comes tacos.
6. Preposiciones (Prepositions)
in Spanish—las preposiciones—are small but mighty words that connect elements in a sentence and show relationships of place, time, cause, manner, and more. Think of them as the glue that links nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words.
For example:
- - Voy a la tienda. → I’m going to the store.
- - El libro está sobre la mesa. → The book is on the table.
Hover over the blank space to see the translation into English.
- a → ____
- de → ____
- en → ____
- con → ____
- sin → ____
- por → ____
- para → ____
- sobre → ____
- entre → ____
- hasta → ____
7. Conjunciones (Conjunctions)
"Definition:" Conjunciones connect words or sentences.- English Examples: and, but, or, because
- Spanish Examples: y, pero, o, porque
Most conjunctions work the same way in both languages!
Exercise:
Fill in the blanks with the correct Spanish conjunction:
1. Quiero ir a la playa ____ está lloviendo.
2. Voy a comprar frutas ____ verduras.
Final Exercise:
Translate These Sentences1. She is studying in the library.→ Ella está estudiando en la biblioteca.
2. I like fast cars.→.........................Me gustan los carros rápidos.
3. We always eat dinner at 8:00. → Siempre cenamos a las 8:00.
Tip: Pay attention to verb conjugations, adjective agreement, and word order
8. Interjecciones (Interjections)
Definition: An interjección is a word or phrase that expresses emotion or reaction in a sentence. It is often used alone or separated by punctuation (like ''!'').- English Example: Wow! That was amazing!
- Spanish Example: ¡Guau! Eso fue increíble!
Key Differences:
Both English and Spanish use interjections to show excitement, surprise, frustration, and more.- Some interjections do not translate directly between languages.
Common Interjections Comparison:
English.........................Spanish |
Wow!.......................... ¡Guau! |
Oh no!..........................¡Ay no! |
Ugh!..............................¡Uf! |
Yay!...............................¡Qué bien! / ¡Hurra!
Ouch!.............................¡Ay! |
Exercise:
Match the English interjection with its Spanish equivalent:1. Ouch! → ________
2. Wow!→ ________
3. Ugh! → _______
9. Determinante (Determiner)
In Spanish grammar, a determinante (determiner) is a word that precedes a noun to introduce it, specify it, or provide additional information about it. Its main role is to limit or define the noun's meaning, indicating aspects like quantity, possession, or definiteness.
Determiners always agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. They are crucial for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful noun phrases in Spanish.
Here are some common types of determinantes:
- Artículos (Articles): el, la, los, las (the); un, una, unos, unas (a, an, some)
- Demostrativos (Demonstratives):este, esta, estos, estas (this, these); ese, esa, esos, esas (that, those); aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas (that/those over there)
- Posesivos (Possessives): mi, mis (my); tu, tus (your); su, sus (his, her, its, their, your formal); nuestro/a/os/as (our)
- Indefinidos (Indefinites): algún, alguna, algunos, algunas (some, any); ningún, ninguna (no, not any); mucho, mucha, muchos, muchas (much, many); poco, poca, pocos, pocas (little, few)
- Numerales (Numerals): uno, dos, tres (one, two, three); primer, segundo, tercero (first, second, third)
- Interrogativos y Exclamativos (Interrogative and Exclamatory): qué, cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, cuántas (what, how much/many)
Here are two examples in sentences:
1. "La casa es grande." (The house is big.)
Here, "La" is a definite article (determinante) that specifies which house is being referred to.
2. "Mi perro es muy juguetón." (My dog is very playful.)
In this sentence, " Mi " is a possessive determiner that indicates ownership of the dog.
Conclusion:
Thank you for reaching the finish line. I wish you success in your projects. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”Original content. © 2025 Tutorrizo.All rights reserved
Which part of speech in Spanish do you find the trickiest—and why? Is it adjectives, prepositions, or maybe those sneaky adverbs
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