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Parts of Speech in Spanish: A Simple Guide to the 9 Parts

speech is spanish

Parts of speech in Spanish are the different words we use to form a sentence. In short, they’re the fundamentals of Spanish grammar. So, getting familiar with parts of speech is crucial for articulating coherent sentences. 

For that reason, in this guide, we’ll go over the 9 parts of speech in Spanish. Here is a quick overview of what you’ll learn: 

  • What Are Parts of Speech
  • Determiners
  • Conjunctions
  • Prepositions
  • Interjections
  • Downloadable PDF

By the end of this, you’ll better understand the building blocks we use to form sentences in Spanish. 

What Are Parts of Speech in Spanish

In Spanish, a sentence is composed of different words or elements. These elements are called parts of speech: 

chart showing the parts of a speech in spanish

Check the graphic above. Each part of speech in Spanish has a different purpose in the sentence. But before learning the specifics of these elements, there’s a general rule you should know. 

Spanish parts of speech can be variable or invariable words. In simple terms, variable parts of speech are words that change to mark gender or number, whereas invariable parts of speech are unchangeable grammatical terms. 

This is a basic Spanish grammar rule that you need to apply. Use the following graphic as a reference whenever you wonder if a word has a plural form or gender in Spanish: 

chart showing variable and invariable parts of speech in spanish

Take Note : In Spanish, parts of speech are called categorías gramaticales . 

Different Parts of Speech in Spanish

In Spanish, there are 9 parts of speech: 

  • Prepositions 

In the sections below, we’ll learn how each part of speech in Spanish works. I’ve included examples of each category so you can relate the vocabulary you already know with its corresponding part of speech. 

Take Note : Some articles or books may use the category ‘articles’ instead of ‘determiners’ as part of the speech. But, as you’re about to learn, articles are a subset of Spanish determiners. 

Nouns (sustantivos)

Nouns, called sustantivos in Spanish, are words we use to name things, people, or concepts. These words are variable, which means they often have variations to mark gender or number. 

Here are some examples of basic nouns in Spanish : 

  • Mesa: Table
  • Español: Spanish
  • Casa : House
  • Coche : Car
  • Gente : People
  • Juan : Juan 
  • Lugar : Place
  • Trabajo : Job
  • Perro : Dog

In Spanish sentences, nouns can work as the subject, direct or indirect object . You can see this in the example below. I’ve bolded the subject and underlined the object so they’re easy to identify.

La mesa es grande. The table is big.

La niña come manzanas. The girl eats apples.

Juan no tiene trabajo. Juan doesn’t have a job.

Take Note: Nouns in Spanish have their own classifications and rules. As a variable part of speech, one of their most important rules is related to marking their gender. Check my guide on gender of nouns in Spanish to learn more about this. 

Verbs (verbos)

Verbs express the action performed by the subject or its state of being. When we conjugate them, verbs agree with the subject and convey the time when the action took place (called Spanish tense ). 

Here are some examples of words that fall into this Spanish part of speech: 

  • Beber : To drink
  • Estar : To be
  • Hay : There is / There are / To be
  • Hablar : To speak
  • Ponerse : To put on
  • Quedar : To fit
  • Ser : To be
  • Tener : To have
  • Vivir : To live

No hay leche. There’s no more milk.

Yo estoy cansada. I am tired.

Susy es mi prima. Susy is my cousin.

Take Note: Verbs are the core of a sentence. Without them, our statement would be incomplete. Depending on their characteristics, verbs can be transitive, intransitive, or impersonal .

Adjectives (adjetivos)

Adjectives are the Spanish part of speech that defines or describes the characteristics of a noun. Adjectives mark the number and, sometimes, the gender of the noun they accompany.

Check this list with common adjectives in Spanish : 

  • Amable : Nice
  • Alto : Tall
  • Bonito : Pretty
  • Caro : Expensive
  • Divertido : Fun
  • Guapo : Handsome
  • Inteligente : Intelligente
  • Morado : Purple 
  • Paciente : Patient 
  • Pequeño : Small

La mesa es pequeña . The table is small .

Me gusta el celular morado . I like the purple phone.

As you can see from the examples above, adjectives enrich your ability to express ideas, from describing the size of things to colors and much more.

Take Note: Because they’re qualifying words, adjectives are commonly used to describe someone or something. 

Adverbs (adverbios)

Adverbs, or adverbios in Spanish , provide more information about the verb. They also intensify a quality expressed by an adjective or another adverb. 

  • Aquí : Here
  • Ayer : Yesterday
  • Bien : Well
  • Encima : On top of
  • Mal : Badly
  • Pronto : Soon
  • Rápidamente : Quickly
  • Ya : Already

Notice that adverbs do not have gender or number: 

La casa es muy bonita. The house is very pretty.

Tus llaves están aquí . Your keys are here .

Take Note: Spanish adverbs have different classifications depending on the information they deliver. Such as time, manner, place, quantity, or degree. 

Pronouns (pronombres)

Spanish pronouns are words used to replace a noun. Pronouns maintain the same functions and properties as the noun they’re substituting.

Some examples of words that fall into this part of speech in Spanish are: 

  • Yo : I ( subject pronouns )
  • Te: yourself ( reflexive pronouns )
  • Le : him / her / it ( indirect object pronouns )
  • Lo : him / it ( direct object pronouns )
  • Este : this ( demonstrative pronouns )
  • La cual : which ( relative pronouns )

¿Y los chocolates? Los dejé aquí. And the chocolates? I left them here.

Ellos no hablan español, pero nosotros sí. They don’t speak Spanish, but we do.

Check my guide on Spanish pronouns to learn more about how and when to use each type of pronoun. 

Determiners (determinantes)

Determiners is the part of speech in Spanish that makes a noun more specific. They’re always placed in front of nouns.  

Some examples of determiners in Spanish are: 

  • Possessive adjectives
  • Demonstratives
  • Quantifiers

chart showing examples of determiners in spanish

[Determiner] + [noun]

El niño come galletas. The boy eats cookies.

Tengo muchos amigos. I have a lot of friends.

Estos libros son azules. These books are blue.

Except for definite and indefinite articles , the other types of determiners are also known as ‘adjectives’ (e.g. possessive adjectives , demonstrative adjectives , etc.). The main difference is that determiners always go before the noun, while qualifying adjectives go after it. 

Conjunctions (conjunciones)

Spanish conjunctions are connecting words that help you join words and sentences together. Some common examples of conjunctions are: 

  • Que : That / Who / Which
  • Sino : But 

As you can see in the examples below, conjunctions in Spanish join simple or more complex sentences. 

Clara y Patricia son mis primas. Clara and Patricia are my cousins.

Recuerda que debes limpiar las ventanas. Remember that you must clean the windows.

Prepositions (preposiciones)

Prepositions in Spanish allow you to link words to indicate origin, destiny, direction, place, cause, and other similar concepts. Simply put, prepositions explain the relationship between the elements you’re linking. 

Here are some examples of basic prepositions: 

  • A : To / At / By 
  • De : From / Of
  • En : On / In / For
  • Para : For / To
  • Por : For / By
  • Sobre : On / Over / Above / About

Dejé el lápiz en la mesa. I left the pencil on the table.

Lleva esto a la sala, por favor. Take this to the living room, please.

Interjections (interjecciones)

Interjections are used to express an emotion or reaction to something. This Spanish part of speech is unchangeable unless it’s built with a verb and you’re addressing someone: 

  • Ay : Ouch / Oh
  • Olé: Bravo / Hurray 
  • Ojalá : Hopefully 
  • Uy : Wow / Ow
  • Vaya : Damn / Well
  • No manches: Damn / You’re kidding

¡Ay! ¡Las llaves! Oh! The keys!

¡Uy! Casi chocamos. Wow! We almost crashed.

¿Por qué hicieron eso? ¡ No manchen! Why did you guys do that? Damn!

Notice that each Spanish dialect may have its own informal interjections. For example, olé is only applicable in Castilian Spanish . 

Parts of speech in Spanish are the core elements of sentences. It’s highly likely that you already know some of these terms individually. Here are some key points you should remember: 

  • Spanish parts of speech are the different types of words we use in a sentence. 
  • Parts of speech change to mark gender or number ( variable ) or may never change ( invariable ).
  • Determiners make the noun more specific.
  • Nouns name or label things, people, or concepts.
  • Verbs express the action or state of being of a noun.
  • Adjectives qualify and describe nouns.
  • Pronouns replace nouns and represent their characteristics.
  • Adverbs provide additional information about the circumstances surrounding an action. They also intensify the quality of an adverb or adjective. 
  • Prepositions link two words together while indicating their relationship. 
  • Conjunctions link words and sentences together.
  • Interjections express emotions or reactions.

Building sentences correctly should be easier now that you know the parts of speech in Spanish. Buena suerte 😉

Download the Spanish Parts of Speech PDF

The 9 parts of speech are critical to learning Spanish grammar and mastering the language. That’s why I’ve created a free PDF for you with the graphics, important notes and key points from this guide as well as links to relevant Spanish language resources.

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

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Spanish Grammar for Beginners: The 9 Parts of Speech

One of the most important parts of Spanish grammar for beginners is parts of speech!

You’ve probably heard your Spanish teacher talk about terms like sustantivo, verbo, and artículo in class, but what do they mean? Well, these are just a few of the parts of speech in Spanish!

Today, you’ll learn what these terms mean as I go over the 9 parts of speech in Spanish. Understanding how to use these terms can even help you learn Spanish faster! You can even test your new knowledge at the end of the post with a fun grammar quiz. 

What is a “Part of Speech”?

There are thousands of words in English and Spanish. Luckily, parts of speech exist to help categorize these words.

Parts of speech group words together based on their function in a sentence. In Spanish, the main parts of speech are: 

  • Preposition
  • Conjunction
  • interjection 

The parts of speech are one of the most important Spanish grammar rules for beginners. There is lots of information packed into these 9 categories!

Knowing the Parts of Speech Makes Learning Spanish Easier

Understanding parts of speech is incredibly useful when learning a foreign language. Knowing a word’s part of speech tells you how to use it in a sentence. This knowledge makes it easier to properly construct sentences. 

Additionally, it’s important to know the parts of speech so that you’re not confused when your Spanish teacher talks about conjunctions, adverbs, and articles. Knowing some basic grammar terminology will help you better understand what’s going on in class. 

Discover the 9 Parts of Speech in Spanish

If you want to learn Spanish grammar for beginners, then knowing the parts of speech is a must. These categories are the building blocks for Spanish grammar. 

1. Articles ( Los artículos )

Articles draw special attention to the noun that they precede. The type of article shows the way that the speaker is thinking about the noun. The speaker could be talking about the noun in a general sense or as a specific item. The two distinct types of articles are definite and indefinite. 

Definite Articles

Definite articles specify which object, person, or place the speaker is talking about.

“The” is the only definite article in English. In Spanish, however, there are 4 definitive articles: los, las, el , and la . 

Again, these artículos change depending on the noun that they precede.

  • Masculine singular: el
  • Masculine plural: los
  • Feminine singular: la
  • Feminine plural: las

Let’s look at some examples.

La maestra pone el lápiz en la mesa. The teacher puts the pencil on the table.

El perro corre en el patio. The dog runs in the yard.

Indefinite Articles

Indefinite articles are a nonspecific way to refer to a noun. “A” and “an” are the only two English indefinite articles that exist. However, in Spanish, there are four.

Again, these artículos change depending on the noun that they proceed.

  • Masculine singular: un 
  • Masculine plural: unos
  • Feminine singular: una 
  • Feminine plural: unas

Look how the sentences change with indefinite articles.

Una maestra pone un lápiz en una mesa. A teacher puts a pencil on a table.

Un perro corre en un patio. A dog runs in a yard.

2. Nouns ( Los sustantivos )

You’ve probably heard that nouns in English are people, places, and things. Luckily, the same holds true in Spanish!

Nouns, or sustantivos , can be objects, feelings, and even concepts. They help you talk about the physical and imaginary world. Nouns are essentially names that identify objects. 

Many Spanish words have a specific ending that tells you that the word is a noun. 

Spanish Noun Endings

– ción/-ión

  • canción – song
  • transición – transition
  • aprobación – approval
  • unidad – unity
  • profundidad – depth
  • hermandad – brother/sisterhood
  • sencillez – simplicity
  • fluidez – fluidity
  • diez – ten

Nouns can occur anywhere in a sentence, but they usually appear as the subject at the beginning of the sentence or as an object at the end. 

El perro corre en el jardín. The dog runs in the yard.

Los niños juegan con el gato en la sala. The children play with the cat in the living room.

3. Adjectives (Los adjetivos)

Adjectives describe nouns. You use adjectives all the time! They add creativity, detail, and personality to your sentences. Adjectives help describe people, places, and the things around you. 

Common Adjectives

  • grande – big/large
  • hermoso –  beautiful
  • azul – blue
  • rápido – fast

Be careful with your adjective placement! In English, adjectives come before the noun that they describe. However, in Spanish, they come after the noun. 

Example Sentences

La maestra nueva pone el lápiz amarillo en la mesa sucia. The new teacher puts the yellow pencil on the dirty table.

El perro feo corre en el patio grande. The ugly dog runs in the big yard.

Los niños traviesos juegan con el gato gris en la sala desorganizada. The mischievous children play with the gray cat in the messy living room.

4.  Verbs ( Los verbos )

Los verbos describe an action or a state of being. Verbs make up an important part of Spanish grammar for beginners. Every sentence has a verb! 

Common Verbs

  • pensar – to think
  • vivir – to live
  • ser – to be

The above verbs are in their neutral state, which is called the infinitive form. You can tell when a verb is in its infinitive form because it will end in -ar, -er, or -ir . 

However, most sentences won’t use verbs in their infinitive form. Instead, verbs are usually conjugated in the present, past, future, or other tenses. Spanish verbs require a lot of conjugating! Learn more about Spanish verb conjugation with this guide .

See if you can identify the verbs in each of the following sentences. 

La maestra pone el lápiz en la mesa. (poner) The teacher puts the pencil on the table.

El perro corre en el patio. (correr) The dog runs in the yard.

5.  Adverbs ( Los adverbios )

Just like how adjectives describe nouns, adverbs add a description to verbs. Adverb even has the word “verb” inside of it!

For example, instead of saying “he runs,” you can say “he runs fast.” “Fast” describes how the action is done. 

Common Spanish Adverbs

Los adverbios in Spanish have many different forms, but the most common ending is – mente . In English, they end in -ly. 

  • lentamente – slowly
  • felizmente – happily
  • cuidadosamente – carefully

Take a look at how adverbs affect these sentences.

La maestra pone el lápiz cuidadosamente en la mesa. The teacher carefully puts the pencil on the table.

El perro corre rápidamente en el patio. The dog runs quickly in the yard.

Los niños juegan silenciosamente con el gato en la sala. The children play quietly with the cat in the living room.

6. Pronouns ( Los pronombres )

A pronoun is essentially a word that substitutes a noun. You don’t want to keep using the same noun over and over again when telling a story. This repetition would sound boring and cluttered. Instead, you use a pronoun to replace the noun that you are talking about. 

Take a look at this paragraph without pronouns:

The teacher walked into class. Then the teacher told us that the teacher had a surprise. The teacher brought cupcakes to class!

Now take a look at the same paragraph using pronouns:

The teacher walked into class. Then she told us that she had a surprise. She brought cupcakes to class!

See how important pronouns are? They make the paragraph much more clear and concise!

Spanish Subject Pronouns

Spanish subject pronouns are the most common type of pronoun. They are broken down by the gender and number of the noun they replace. 

Try to identify the subject pronouns in these sentences. 

Ella pone el lápiz en la mesa. She puts the pencil on the table.

Él corre en el patio. He runs in the yard.

7. Prepositions ( Las preposiciones )

Prepositions explain the relationships between nouns. They tell you how two nouns are related, often referring to a location. 

Common Spanish Prepositions

  • en – in, on
  • por – by, because of
  • debajo – below
  • adentro – inside

These words are normally sandwiched by two nouns, as you can see in the following examples.

El perro corre alrededor del patio. The dog runs around the yard.

8. Conjunctions ( Las conjunciones )

Conjunctions are words that connect nouns, verbs, phrases, and sentences. They help you piece together different ideas. 

There are two main types of conjunctions: simple and complex. The simple conjunctions are the ones that you use all the time. In English, they are “and”, “but”, and “or”. Complex conjunctions, on the other hand, have a little more depth. 

Simple Spanish Conjunctions

  • y – and
  • o – or
  • pero – but

Complex Spanish Conjunctions

  • sin embargo – however 
  • por lo tanto – therefore 
  • así que – so
  • aunque – even though

Take a look at how these conjunctions act in a sentence. 

La maestra pone el lápiz en la mesa pero se cae. The teacher puts the pencil on the table but it falls off.

Aunque el perro y el niño corrieron en el patio, todavía tienen energía. Even though the dog and the boy ran in the yard, they still have energy.

Los niños juegan con el gato en la sala. Así que, no nos van a molestar. The children play with the cat in the living room. So, they will not bother us.

9. Interjections ( Las interjecciones )

Interjections are abrupt remarks that help you to express different emotions. They also help to improve your Spanish by making it sound more natural! 

Interjections are a fun part of Spanish grammar for beginners. They are short words or phrases so they are easy to remember. Plus, native speakers will love hearing you use these natural Spanish sounds. 

Common Interjections in English

Common interjections in spanish.

Interjections can vary in their meaning. Context is extremely important to help decode them. Volume, pitch, and speed can also help show meaning. Interjections can also be filler words. They are a way to fill in a space or pause while the speaker thinks of the next thing they want to say. In this way, they are a means of not giving up airtime or preventing someone from interrupting.

Take a look at how interjections add emotion and feeling to these sentences. 

¡Venga! La maestra ya ha empezado la clase. Come on! The teacher already started class.

¡Ay! El perro está fuera del patio. Hey! The dog is outside of the yard.

Spanish Grammar Books

Here are some of the best Spanish grammar for beginners books. Whether you’re looking for grammar books for preschoolers , kids , or adults , there is a book for everyone!

Spanish Grammar for Beginners Quiz

Grammar exercises are a great way to reinforce what you’ve learned. This Spanish grammar test for beginners is an easy way to practice. Try to see if you can get all 10 questions right!

1. Gato is a…

2. ella is a…, 3. alto is an…, 5. en is a...., 6. las is an…, 7. ah is an…, 8. lentamente is an…, 9. correr is a…, 10. ciudad is a…, learn even more spanish grammar for beginners with a free class.

Now that you’ve explored Spanish grammar for beginners, it’s time to impress your language teacher! If you’re still searching for the perfect Spanish teacher, consider trying a free class with Homeschool Spanish Academy. We offer programs for students of all ages at competitive pricing . Sign up today and our certified teachers from Guatemala will have you speaking Spanish after just one class!

Ready to learn more Spanish grammar and vocabulary? Check these out!

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  • What Is an Infinitive in Spanish?
  • A Complete Guide to Imperfect Conjugation for Beginners
  • How to Talk About the Temperature in Spanish: Fahrenheit, Celcius, and Descriptions
  • A Complete Guide to Preterite Conjugation for Beginners
  • Spanish Words with Multiple Meanings in Latin America
  • How Many Words Are in the Spanish Language? Really?
  • Avoiding Common Errors in Spanish Grammar
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Parts of Speech in Spanish Grammar

Beginner spanish grammar lesson.

We can divide parts of speech in Spanish into nine different types. Let's idetify them first:

Nouns are names of things, places, ideas/concepts, or people.

SUSTANTIVOS (nouns)

Examples of nouns:

  • Pedro - name of a person
  • Casa (house) - name of a thing
  • Centro comercial (shopping mall) - name of a place
  • Democracia (democracy) - name of a concept (abstract noun)

Remember that in Spanish nouns need to carry the gender and number. To do this correctly, you need to remember the rules and exceptions for feminine and masculine nouns. The basic rule is that nouns that end in 'o' are masculine, and nouns that end in 'a' are feminine. But there are other rules and exceptions you need to know.

Articles - definite and indefinite define the status of the noun.

ARTICULOS (articles)

Examples of articles:

  • The - is the definite article. In singular in Spanish it is "El" or "La" - el niño, la niña
  • The definite article in plural in Spanish is "Los" or "Las" - los niños, las niñas
  • A - is the indefinite article. In singular in Spanish it is "Un" or "Una" - un niño, una niña.
  • The indefinite plural in Spanish is "Unos" or "Unas" - unos niños, unas niñas.

Click here to learn more about Nouns and Articles in Spanish

Pronombres (pronouns).

Pronouns are words we use to replace nouns. Pronouns carry the same number and gender as the noun they replace.

There are many different pronouns, for example:

  • Personal pronouns: yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos. (I, you, he/she, we, they)
  • Demonstrative pronouns: éste, aquél, ésa. (this, that, those)
  • Possessive pronouns: los míos, la mía. (my, your, his, hers, theirs
  • Relative pronouns: que, quien, el que, la cual. ( which, who, whose)
  • Indefinite pronouns: algo, alguien. (something, someone)

VERBOS (verbs)

Verbs express an action or state that the subject of the sentence performs. In Spanish, there are regular and irregular verbs, and many different verb tenses which you can learn in our Grammar section .

The three infinitive forms that exist are: verbs ending in -ar (hablar), verbs ending in -er (comer) and verbs ending in -ir (vivir).

There are verbs that are transitive (those that need a direct object), and there are verbs that are intransitive (which do not need an object). An example of a transitive verb is preparar . Lucía está preparando la cena (Lucía is preparing dinner). On the other hand, you have intransitive verbs like correr . El corre cada mañana. (He runs every day).

Click here to learn more about Verbs in Spanish in the Present Tense

Adjetivos (adjectives).

Adjectives describe and give extra information about nouns. There are descriptive adjectives such as “tonto”, “grande”, and limiting adjectives such as “este”, “aquel”, “cinco”, “mi”, “la”, “los”, etc. Adjectives must agree in number and gender with the noun, so adjectives have different forms. For example: “bueno”, “buena”, “buenos”, “buenas”, “mejor”, “el mejor”.

Click here to learn more about Adjectives in Spanish

Adverbios (adverbs).

Adverbs describe or give extra information about a verb, an adjective or another adverb. There are many different type of adverbs:

  • Adverbios de tiempo (adverbs of time): primero, luego, después.
  • Adverbios de lugar (adverbs of place): acá, allá.
  • Adverbios de modo (adverbs of manner): lentamente, mal, bruscamente.
  • Adverbios de afirmación y negación (adverbs of affirmation and negation): sí, no, nunca.

It is important to know that adverbs can have comparative and superlative forms, as well as diminutive forms.

Click here to learn more about Adverbs in Spanish

Preposiciones (preposition).

Prepositions are used to show the relationship between items in the sentence. For instance, these are some of the prepositions you can learn in Spanish:

  • con (with) and sin (without)
  • antes (before) and después (after)
  • arriba (above> and abajo, debajo de (below, underneath)
  • contra (against)

There are prepositions of time, place, direction, sequence, etc.

Click here to learn more about Prepositions in Spanish

Conjunciones (conjunctions).

Conjunctions are linkers we use to make sentences and paragraphs more cohesive and natural. The most common ones are y (and) and pero (but). Other common ones are: de manera que , así que , etc.

INTERJECCIONES (interjections)

Interjections are exclamations and sounds one make when speaking to express a certain reaction or emotion:

Multiple-choice questions - Preguntas de múltiple opción

Read the following sentences. Choose the option that best describes the word that is in bold .

1. Pedro jugó al fútbol con María anoche.

Pronombre     Adverbio     Sustantivo      

2. Pedro jugó al fútbol con María anoche.

Verbo     Preposición     Conjunción      

3. Pedro jugó al fútbol con María anoche.

Verbo     Adverbio     Interjección      

4. ¡Ay! Esos niños son muy ruidosos!

Conjunción     Interjección     Preposición      

5. ¡Ay! Esos niños son muy ruidosos!

Sustantivo     Adjetivo     Pronombre      

6. ¡Ay! Esos niños son muy ruidosos!

Adverbio     Adjetivo     Preposición      

7. ¡Ay! Esos niños son muy ruidosos !

Adverbio     Interjección     Adjetivo      

Covered in this lesson: Parts of Speech in Spanish - to form sentences in Spanish learn how to use each of them in the correct order.

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  • Language Strategy
  • Spanish Vocabulary
  • Verb Conjugation
  • Spanish Grammar
  • Hispanic Culture
  • Communication

What are the parts of speech in Spanish?

You’re going to learn about this important grammar concept today! Are you ready? Great!

When I think of the parts of speech, it reminds me of the grocery store. You walk down the aisles grab a cart and push it down the aisles. Each item is categorized into groups based on their form and function. There is a section for food, pharmacy, office supplies, furniture, clothing, and more.

We categorize words in the same way based on their form and function. We call these categories the parts of speech.

There’s something important you need to know before we look at the parts of speech. Most words can function in more than one part of speech. I’ll show you what I mean. Look at the word bien in these sentences.

La comida salió bien. The food turned out good.

Here, bien is an adverb. It describes the verb.

El bien y el mal son opuestos. Good and evil are opposites.

Now, bien is a noun. It is the subject of the sentence.

The only way to tell what job a word is doing is to look at how it’s acting in a sentence.

Alright, let’s learn about the parts of speech.

The Eight Parts of Speech in Spanish

In Spanish, the parts of speech are las partes de la oración. What are the parts of speech in Spanish? Las ocho partes de la oracion son el sustantivo, el adjectivo, el pronombre, el verbo, el adverbio, la preposición, la conjunción y la interjección.

A great way to see the parts of speech is with tagging. Here is an example of color-coded tags where each word is tagged with the color of the part of speech.

¡ Ojo ! El hombre perdió todo porque era muy tonto en sus amistades .

Watch out! The man lost everything because he was foolish in his friendships.

I will show examples and tag them as we look at each part of speech.

But wait! Some people categorize words into eight parts of speech and others into nine parts of speech. Both are correct. Here, I categorize them into eight, but I will tell you about the extra category as well below.

A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.

In Spanish a noun is el sustantivo. What is the definition of a noun in Spanish? Un sustantivo es una persona, un lugar, una cosa o un idea.

They are important because they do many jobs in a sentence (subjects, direct objects, object complements, and more).

Una garza caza en el agua . A heron hunts in the water.

Mi madre cuida a su hermana porque es buena enfermera . My mother takes care of her sister because she is a good nurse.

Most people have trouble with this part of speech because Spanish nouns have gender. When learning new words you need to know whether the noun is masculine or feminine.

They also show number. A noun can be singular (one) or plural (more than one).

Be careful not to get overwhelmed by this part of speech, since there are many different subcategories of nouns. We can categorize nouns into smaller groups.

Here are some subcategories of nouns: common nouns, proper nouns, collective nouns, and compound nouns.

Many categories have subcategories. If this is your first time learning about categories, ignore the subcategories for now and focus on the categories.

2. Adjectives

An adjective describes a noun or pronoun.

In Spanish adjective is el adjetivo. What is the definition of a noun in Spanish? Un adjetivo describe un sustantivo o pronombre.

Adjectives add details to language. Adjectives tell us what kind, how many, which, and whose.

La flor roja es hermosa . The flower is beautiful.

Adjectives agree with nouns and pronouns in gender and number (known as gender number agreement).

el libro interesante , los libros interesantes the interesting book, the interesting books

Libro is a singular noun. Interesante is a singular adjective. Libros is a plural noun. Interesantes is a plural adjective. The form of the adjective changes to match the gender and number of the noun.

Isn’t that a great way to see the difference using the color-coded tags?

The Nine Parts of Speech

Many people say articles are a subcategory of adjectives. They describe adjectives.

People who categorize words into nine parts of speech say articles are not a subcategory of adjectives and they make articles a category of their own. They still describe adjectives.

The articles identify the gender and number of the nouns. When you learn new words, it’s important to learn the definite article with a noun.

3. Pronouns

A pronoun replaces a noun to avoid repetition.

In Spanish a pronoun is el pronombre. What is the definition of a pronoun in Spanish? Un pronombre sustituye un sutantive para evitar la repetición.

Some people get confused with this part of speech because there are so many of these little words.

Here are a few subcategories of pronouns: personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, possessive pronouns. object pronouns, reflexive pronouns, relative pronouns, and more.

A verb expresses action or a state of being.

In Spanish, verb is el verbo. What is the definition of a verb in Spanish? Un verbo expresa una acción o estado de ser.

amar, ser, vivir

Shakira baila con ritmo. Shakira dances with rhythm. La sombra es oscuro. The shadow is dark.

Verbs are the nucleus of a sentence. In fact, a verb can make a complete sentence in Spanish because they change form to show the subject of the sentence. The subject can drop.

You can learn about action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs on the verb page here .

Verb tenses are described on that link.

An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

In Spanish, an adverb is el adverbio. What is the definition of a verb in Spanish? Un adverbio modifica un verbo, un adjectivo, o otro adverbio.

They add precision to description.

El joven corre furiosamente . The teen runs furiously . El batido es muy espeso. The smoothie is very thick.

6. Prepositions

Prepositions relate a noun or pronoun to another word.

In Spanish, a preposition is la preposición. What is the definition of a preposition in Spanish? Una preposición relaciona un sustantivo o pronombre con otra palabra.

Let’s look at some examples of prepositions in action.

a, con, de, en, por, para

Voy a la piscina. La pelota es hecho de goma. Pasé por tu casa. I’m going to the pool. The ball is made of rubber. I passed by your house.

See the list of the 22 prepositions. It’s a good idea to memorize them.

7. Conjunctions

Conjunctions connect things.

In Spanish, a conjunction is la conjunción. What is the definition of a conjunction in Spanish? Una conjunción une cosas.

They can connect words, phrases, and sentences.

La limonada con fresas y pepino es refrescante. Lemonade with strawberry and cucumber is refreshing.

The conjunction y connects the words fresas and pepino .

¿Quieres comer bien o picar algo ligero ? Do you want to eat well or snack light?

The conjunction o connects the phrases comer bien and picar algo ligero.

The two we just looked at (y and o) belong to a subcategory called coordinating conjunctions. There are others as well. The one we use most often is subordinating conjunctions. They are trickier because they create complex sentences.

8. Interjections

Interjections show strong emotion.

In Spanish, an interjection is la interjección. What is the definition of an interjection in Spanish? Una interjección es una palabra o frase que muestra fuerte emoción.

¡Guau! Wow !

Interjections are different from the other parts of speech. They stand alone and often have exclamation marks ¡Vale! Okay!

It’s time to see what we’ve learned today!

  • We categorize words into groups based on their function and features. These groups are called the parts of speech. In Spanish they are called las partes de la oración.
  • The eight parts of speech are noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
  • In Spanish, las ocho partes de la oración son sustantivo, pronombre, verbo, adverbio, adjetivo, preposición, conjunción, y interjección.

Great job you’ve learned the eight parts of speech in Spanish!

It’ll save you time and wasted effort, and it will bring you well-earned confidence.

I hope you enjoyed the conjugation exercises!

This is original content from https://www.growspanish.com/what-are-the-parts-of-speech-in-spanish

Other Helpful Resources

What is a verb in Spanish?

How to Conjugate Spanish Verbs

Instant Conjugation Kit

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▾ dictionary english-spanish, speech noun ( plural: speeches ) —, discurso m ( plural: discursos m ), slurred speech n —, keynote speech n —, speech therapy n —, reported speech n —, hate speech n —, free speech n —, deliver a speech v —, elevator speech n —, direct speech n —, opening speech n —, indirect speech n —, speech communication n —, speech pattern n —, speech problems pl —, rate of speech n —, speech intelligibility n —, public speech n —, introductory speech n —, power of speech n —, speech development n —, political speech n —, speech signal n —, spontaneous speech n —, short speech n —, campaign speech n —, long speech n —, passionate speech n —, official speech n —, speech practice n —, ▸ wikipedia, ▾ external sources (not reviewed).

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Reported Speech in Spanish: Master the Art of Talking About What Other People Say

Reported speech is everywhere.

In English, you use it dozens (if not hundreds) of times every day without even realizing it.

The good news is that you can be that natural in Spanish, too. You’re literally just an article away from becoming a Spanish reported speech master yourself!

Don’t believe me? Give this post just 10 minutes of your time, and you’ll see how easy it can be.

What Is Spanish Reported Speech?

Basics of spanish reported speech, spanish reporting verbs, decir  (to say, to tell), preguntar  (to ask), querer saber (to want to know), pedir  (to ask), querer (to want), other reporting verbs in spanish, using  que (that), spanish reported speech word order: subject + verb + object, spanish reported speech based on questions, yes or no questions, “wh-” questions, other changes in spanish reported speech, personal pronouns and possessives, time and place expressions, verb tenses, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Direct and reported speech are two of the most frequently-used grammar points in languages, and Spanish is no exception. Whenever you talk about what someone else has said, you use either direct or reported speech.

When you repeat exactly what another person has said and explicitly indicate who said it, you’re using direct speech. For example:

Daniel dice: “Estoy muy cansado hoy.” (Daniel says: “I am very tired today.”)

Now, let’s say you don’t remember exactly what your  compadre (buddy) Daniel said, but you do remember the gist of it. If someone else asks you what Daniel said, you’d say something like:

Daniel dice que está muy cansado hoy.  (Daniel says he is very tired today.)

That, in a nutshell, is reported speech. Spanish reported speech is where you talk about someone (other than yourself and the person you’re talking to) and what that person said without necessarily quoting them verbatim.

In written texts or messages, it’s usually easier to differentiate between Spanish direct and reported speech. For starters, direct speech uses quotation marks to enclose the statement being quoted, while reported speech doesn’t. Direct speech quotes the person being talked about word-for-word, while reported speech may or may not use their exact words, though the gist of what they said is always present.

So that’s it, right? Differentiating direct and reported speech in Spanish is just a matter of using the right punctuation marks and whether you used the other person’s exact words, yes? 

Not quite. Although English and Spanish reported speech are similar for the most part, the latter has some unique quirks that we’ll be discussing in the next sections.

Like in English, reported speech in Spanish consists of a few basic elements: reporting verbs, connecting words like que (“that”) and the message from the person being talked about—whether the message is verbatim or not.

Let’s break them down below.

Similar to English, Spanish reporting verbs (also known as communication verbs ) are used to signal that you’re either quoting someone directly (direct speech) or paraphrasing them (reported speech).

There are dozens of reporting verbs in every language, although we tend to use some of them more often than others.

Here are a few of the most common reporting verbs in Spanish:

Decir is probably the most common Spanish word to use when talking about what someone else said.

If you want to tell someone about what another person is asking, use preguntar.

Querer saber can be used in a similar way as preguntar.

When you’re talking about what someone else wants, use pedir.

Instead of pedir, you can also use querer.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, there are so many Spanish reporting verbs that it would be impossible to list them all here. However, I can give you some of the most common ones:

You may have noticed that almost all of our examples above have the word que . I’m telling you now: que is going to be your new best friend, because every single reported statement and command in Spanish will include it, even if you omit or don’t need “that” in English.

Let’s look at a few examples:

It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about a statement, command or question. The word order will always be Subject + Verb + Object, as is typical of Spanish sentence structure .

When the reported speech Spanish speakers use is based on questions , it deviates slightly from the structure we just discussed and is based on whether you’re using a “yes or no” question or a “wh-” question.

In reported speech that’s based on this kind of question, you use si (if, whether) instead of que .

Recall the Spanish equivalents of the English “wh-” questions:

When you’re reporting a “wh-” question, you use the appropriate question words above instead of  que or  si .

One thing to keep in mind: when using the verb preguntar , you can add que just before the question word.

Don’t be afraid to write two que together! They aren’t the same word, and they don’t have the same function.

In reported speech, the personal pronouns and possessives change from the reported version. Luckily, it works the same way in English—that is, the change is necessary so that the core message isn’t lost or misinterpreted.

Again like English, time and place expressions in the reported speech Spanish speakers use change from their direct counterparts.

Here are some of the main changes that take place:

There’s a group of words I’d like to include in this section. They’re neither time nor place expressions, but they imply distance from the speaker.

Undoubtedly, the most troublesome part of reported speech in Spanish is that the verbs change their tenses.

The good news is that these changes don’t happen all the time, and you have almost identical changes in English.

But when do we need to make changes in verb tenses? How do we know?

The only thing you have to bear in mind here is the reporting verb. Yes, that little friend present at the beginning of the reported sentences we studied before.

There are only two straightforward rules, really:

1. If the reporting verb is in the present simple or the present perfect tense, you DON’T have to change any verb tenses unless you have a command.

2. If the reporting verb is in the preterite, the imperfect or the past perfect tense ( pluscuamperfecto ), you DO need to make changes.

Have a look at the following examples. The reporting verbs (in bold) are in the present simple or the present perfect, so there are no verb changes in the reported sentences.

As stated before, when you have a command, you do need to make changes even when the reporting verb is in the present or the present perfect tense. Therefore, the imperative changes into the present subjunctive .

Similarly, if the command’s reporting verb is in the past tense, the imperative changes into the imperfect subjunctive.

In those sentences where the reporting verb appears in the past tense, you need to make verb tense changes in the reported fragment. These changes are almost identical to those in English, but here are the most important ones for your convenience:

In those sentences where the verb is in the imperfect , conditional or past perfect ( pluscuamperfecto ), there are no tense changes.

I know this can all sound very overwhelming and confusing, so I’d like to introduce you to the language learning platform FluentU , where you can watch reported speech in Spanish in action.

And that’s all!

As you can see, Spanish and English reported speeches are very similar.

Just remember the few rules I’ve taught you in this post, and you’ll have no problem at all!

If you've made it this far that means you probably enjoy learning Spanish with engaging material and will then love FluentU .

Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.

FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:

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FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

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Review a complete interactive transcript under the Dialogue tab, and find words and phrases listed under Vocab .

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Learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s robust learning engine. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

speech is spanish

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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speech is spanish

What is the translation of "speech" in Spanish?

"speech" in spanish, speech {noun}.

  • volume_up discurso
  • disertación
  • forma de hablar

speeches {pl}

  • volume_up discursos

Queen's Speech {noun}

  • volume_up Mensaje de la Corona

direct speech {noun}

  • volume_up discurso directo
  • estilo directo

free speech {noun}

  • volume_up libertad de expresión

Spanish translations powered by Oxford Languages

Speech noun, translations.

  • "manner of speaking"
  • open_in_new Link to source
  • warning Request revision

speeches {plural}

Context sentences, english spanish contextual examples of "speech" in spanish.

These sentences come from external sources and may not be accurate. bab.la is not responsible for their content.

Monolingual examples

English how to use "speech" in a sentence, english how to use "speeches" in a sentence, english how to use "direct speech" in a sentence, english how to use "free speech" in a sentence, english how to use "discurso directo" in a sentence, english how to use "estilo directo" in a sentence, english how to use "libertad de expresión" in a sentence, collocations, "give a speech" in spanish.

  • volume_up dar un discurso

"graduation speech" in Spanish

  • volume_up discurso de graduación

"abusive speech" in Spanish

  • volume_up discurso abusivo

Synonyms (English) for "speech":

  • actor's line
  • manner of speaking
  • oral communication
  • speech communication
  • spoken communication
  • spoken language
  • voice communication

pronunciation

  • speculative stocks
  • speculative theory
  • speculative trading
  • speculative venture
  • speculator buy
  • speculator drive
  • speculator push
  • speculators betting on
  • speech and language therapist
  • speech balloon
  • speech bubble
  • speech clinic
  • speech codes
  • speech command
  • speech defect
  • speech defect caused by an abnormal frenum

More translations in the Polish-English dictionary .

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StoryLearning

StoryLearning

Learn A Language Through Stories

Spanish conversational connectors

41 Spanish Conversational Connectors For Authentic-Sounding Spanish

Olly Richards Headshot

Early on in learning Spanish , it's not uncommon to sound stilted. A bit like a robot, even.

One solution for more fluent speech is to use Spanish conversational connectors. These small linking words like “and”, “but”, “so” can really help you level up your Spanish fast.

By the end of this post, you will:

  • Know the most common Spanish conversational connectors
  • Learn the types of connectors and how to recognise them in conversations
  • Eliminate awkward pauses and unnaturally short, robotic sentences
  • Speak Spanish more naturally with what you already know
  • Never be at a loss for words again!

Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But it really is that easy.

By the way, if you want to learn Spanish fast (including Spanish conversational connectors!) and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is  Spanish Uncovered  which teaches you through StoryLearning®.

With Spanish Uncovered you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn Spanish naturally through story… not rules. It’s as fun as it is effective.

If you’re ready to get started,  click here for a 7-day FREE trial .

Why Learn Spanish Conversational Connectors?

One common roadblock when you learn a language is figuring out how to go from the scripted phrases in language textbooks to fluid, authentic conversation.

Take a look at these two examples of something you might say in English:

  • I live in the country. I work in the city. I commute to work every day.
  • Although I live in the country, I currently work in the city. As a result, I commute to work every day.

Which example sounds more realistic?

The second one, right?

Both examples share the same information about you. But the second is much closer to something you would say or hear in a natural conversation.

Why? Thanks to something called “conversational connectors”

  • Although I live in the country, I currently work in the city. As a result , I commute to work every day.

The connector words italicised above don't change the information conveyed. But they do make the conversation move along more smoothly.

You probably use conversational connectors in English without even thinking about it. Most native speakers do.

Time to learn some Spanish conversational connectors.

You can either hit play on the video below from the StoryLearning Spanish YouTube channel . Otherwise, keep scrolling to read the post and learn all the Spanish linking words you'll ever need.

Common Spanish Conversational Connectors

Spanish conversational connectors Barcelona

The Spanish conversational connectors you will hear the most are simple words that connect groups of words or phrases.

If you're familiar with grammar terminology in English, these words are known as “coordinating conjunctions”.

Simply put, coordinating conjunctions are words that join words, phrases, and clauses together.

Coordinating clauses are incredibly common in Spanish (and in English), so you probably know and use many of them already.

Check this list of the most common coordinating conjunctions in Spanish and see how many you currently use in most of your Spanish conversations:

  • #2 pero (but)
  • #4 ni (nor)
  • #5 para (for)
  • #6 por (for)
  • #7 así que (so)
  • #8 todavía (yet)
  • #9 aún (not yet)

These coordinating conjunctions are probably the first conversational connectors you mastered in Spanish.

Instead of, Voy a comprar zapatos. Voy a comprar un vestido  (I will buy shoes. I will buy a dress), you learn to say, Voy a comprar zapatos y un vestido para la fiesta  (I will buy shoes and a dress for the party).

These basic connectors are a great starting point, but you will want to learn a larger collection of conversational connectors in order to improve your fluency and communicate more like a native Spanish speaker.

Four More Types Of Spanish Conversational Connectors

Spanish conversational connectors view over Barcelona

I've broken down some of the most useful Spanish conversational connectors into four categories based on when they are used.

This should make it easier for you to notice opportunities to use them in your own conversations and immediately increase the depth of your conversational skill.

1. When You're Sharing Your Opinion, Giving Justification, Or (Dis)agreeing

You can soften a disagreement or give a reason for your opinion with the following conversational connectors. The actual point of your statement doesn't change when you use them. But each one adds something to the tone of the conversation overall.

  • #10 por eso (that's why)
  • #11 por lo visto (apparently)
  • #12 ya que (since, now that)
  • #13 por consiguiente (thus, therefore)
  • #14 no creo que (I don't believe that)
  • #15 para mí (for me, in my opinion)
  • #16 que yo sepa (as far as I know)

2. When You Want To Add To Or Contrast With An Idea

Whether you're supporting what has already been said, providing examples, or offering another point of view, these connectors can be tacked on to many sentences to sound more fluid and less robotic:

  • #17 además (moreover, additionally)
  • #18 de todas formas (anyway)
  • #19 aparte de (besides, except for)
  • #20 tal como (such as)
  • #21 a pesar de (in spite of)
  • #22 aunque (even though)
  • #23 en vez de (instead of)
  • #24 sin embargo (nevertheless)
  • #25 en concreto (specifically)
  • #26 en pocas palabras (in a few words)

3. When You're Talking About When Something Will (Or Did) Happen

These words and phrases connect two events and put them in relation to each other. With just a simple one- or two-word addition, your stories will feel much more natural and make more sense:

  • #27 tan pronto como (as soon as)
  • #28 primero que nada (first of all)
  • #29 por último (finally)
  • #30 mientras tanto (meanwhile)
  • #31 hasta (until)
  • #32 hasta que (before)

4. When You Need To Fill In A Pause

Making use of these filler words may be the biggest step you can take to sounding more fluent right away.

Where you might use “um” or “like” in English, native Spanish speakers are far more likely to use one of the following:

  • #33 es decir (that is to say, in other words)
  • #34 pues (since, well)
  • #35 eso (that, like I said)
  • #36 en fin (all in all)
  • #37 o sea (in other words)
  • #38 a ver (let's see)
  • #39 digo (I mean, that is to say)
  • #40 es que (the thing is)
  • #41 bueno (well, good)

Recognising Connectors In Spanish Conversation

connectors in Spanish conversation

Once you start looking for them, you'll notice Spanish conversational connectors all throughout the authentic Spanish you hear and read every day.

Pay attention to both how the phrases are used and what they actually sound like when native speakers are using them.

Some of the expressions, like pues and bueno , are often drawn out and accompanied by pauses. Others, like primero que nada and por consiguiente are often used to make a point…and will be emphasised accordingly.

You'll soon find that just about any Spanish sentence can be enhanced and feel more natural with the inclusion of one—or more!—conversational connectors.

If you're still unsure how to fit these connectors into your conversation, write down a few phrases that you hear in your Spanish studies each day. Underline or circle the connector.

Then, see how many times you can find that same conversational connector used in a different sentence. You might be surprised at how many you find.

Putting Spanish Conversational Connectors Into Action

Spanish conversational connectors alcazaba fortress

You might be surprised at how easy it is to make your conversations sound more natural by learning just a few new connectors.

Conversational connectors will improve your Spanish fluency and help you sound more like a native speaker fast…

…without learning any more vocabulary or complex Spanish grammar .

In fact, using more conversational connectors is an easy way to “cheat” and sound like you know more Spanish than you actually do.

Take a look at the following examples of conversational connectors in action.

You'll notice that none of these sentences are particularly complex. But they do sound completely authentic.

All thanks to the connectors.

  • Ellos son de Inglaterra. ¿Así que hablan inglés?  (They are from England. So they speak English?)
  • La película era popular, aunque no la mejor (The movie was popular, although not the best)
  • Mi hermano no está listo todavía. ¿Qué queremos hacer mientras lo esperamos? (My brother isn't ready yet. What do we want to do while we wait for him?)
  • La cosa más importante es, primero que nada, la educación  (The most important thing, first of all, is education)
  • ¿Quieres ir conmigo a la playa este fin de semana? (Do you want to come to the beach with me this weekend?) Bueno…lo tengo que pensar  (Well….I have to think about it)
  • Miguel fue al restaurante con Sasha—digo, con Katherine  (Miguel went to the restaurant with Sasha—I mean, with Katherine)

Say Goodbye To Robotic Spanish Conversations!

Spanish conversational connectors Granada

So many of the problems new Spanish learners encounter in conversations can be solved by mastering a few common connectors.

Do you have long pauses in your conversations while you try to remember how to say something specific in Spanish?

  • Use a filler connector like pues or bueno instead.

Do you sometimes say the wrong thing but don't notice until it's too late?

  • Digo and o sea to the rescue, allowing you to modify your meaning without having to stammer and admit to the mistake.

Have you ever wanted to contribute to a passionate discussion but felt like your short, simple sentence wouldn't be worth the effort?

  • Que yo sepa and además can help you sound more informed and less stilted as you join the debate.

With just a handful of Spanish conversational connectors, you can eliminate awkward pauses and sound more like a native speaker at your current skill level now…without needing to master the rest of the language first.

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Indirect Speech in Spanish Grammar

Indirect speech in spanish: the basics, how to change direct speech to indirect speech in spanish, changing the tense in indirect speech, changing information about place and time.

  • Lingolia Plus Spanish

What is estilo indirecto ?

Reported speech or indirect speech (el estilo indirecto) is when we repeat what another person has said without directly quoting it.

This means that we often have to adapt or change certain parts of speech such as pronouns , tenses and time and place markers to reflect that we are only reporting what was said, not repeating it word-for-word.

Learn all about reported speech in Spanish with Lingolia, then practise in the interactive exercises.

Direct speech repeats someone’s utterance word-for-word and is placed within quotation marks (comillas: «…»).

Indirect speech reproduces something a person has said without quoting them exactly.

Indirect speech is therefore introduced by a reporting verb such as decir say , afirmar confirm , contar tell , exclamar exclaim , explicar explain , preguntar ask  …

Sentences in reported speech take the following form: reporting verb + que (= that)

Questions in reported speech do not take question marks.

Yes-no questions (oraciones interrogativas totales) take the following form: reporting verb + si (= if)

When a question contains a question word (oración interrogativa parcial) , we use this in place of si : reporting verb + question word

Indirect Questions

Remember: questions in indirect speech are not the same thing as indirect questions (las oraciones interrogativas indirectas).

To learn more, check out our page on indirect questions in Spanish grammar .

There are several parts of speech that we have to change when converting direct speech to indirect speech in Spanish.

Luckily the process is almost exactly the same as it is in English, which means you already know more than you think!

Let’s start off with a simple example in English:

In this example, we can see that the following parts of speech have changed:

  • personal pronouns (I → he)
  • verb (like → liked)
  • demonstrative pronoun (this → that)

In Spanish, we change the exact same things (plus a few others). Let’s break them down in detail:

  • personal pronouns (yo, tú, él, ella …) Example: Juan: «( Yo ) estoy estupendamente». Juan: “ I’m great.” → Juan dijo que ( él ) estaba estupendamente. He said that he was great. 1st person to 3rd
  • possessives (mi, tu, su …)
  • demonstratives (este, esta, ese …)
  • information about place and time
  • the verb changes its person and tense (more info on this below) Example: Juan: « Estoy estupendamente». Juan: “I am doing great.” → Juan dijo que estaba estupendamente. Juan said that he was doing great. 1st person to 3rd; present tense to imperfect

When moving from direct to indirect speech, we often have to change the tense of the verb.

Whether we have to change the tense depends on the tense of the reporting verb.

No change in tense

The tense in the indirect speech stays the same if the reporting verb is in the present, future or perfect tense (él cuenta, él contará, él ha contado ). The person still changes.

Exception: the imperative

The imperative is a special case. Even if the reporting verb is in the present or perfect, the imperative does not remain the same in the indirect speech; it changes to become the present subjunctive .

However, when the reporting verb is in the past, the imperative behaves like other tenses and changes to the imperfect subjunctive in indirect speech.

When to change the tense in indirect speech

When the reporting verb is in the preterite, imperfect or past perfect (él contó, el contaba, el había contado ), the tense of the indirect speech moves back one. This is known as backshifting.

The table below shows how to backshift the tense from direct speech to indirect speech when you have a reporting verb in the past.

Time and place references have to be adapted in indirect speech.

The table below shows how to convert time and place references from direct speech to indirect speech.

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Traducción de speech – Diccionario Inglés-Español

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  • She suffers from a speech defect .
  • From her slow , deliberate speech I guessed she must be drunk .
  • Freedom of speech and freedom of thought were both denied under the dictatorship .
  • As a child , she had some speech problems .
  • We use these aids to develop speech in small children .

FORMAL TALK

  • Her speech was received with cheers and a standing ovation .
  • She closed the meeting with a short speech.
  • The vicar's forgetting his lines in the middle of the speech provided some good comedy .
  • Her speech caused outrage among the gay community .
  • She concluded the speech by reminding us of our responsibility .

(Traducción de speech del Cambridge English-Spanish Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Traducción of speech | Diccionario GLOBAL Inglés-Español

(Traducción de speech del Diccionario GLOBAL Inglés-Español © 2020 K Dictionaries Ltd)

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Palabra del día

have something out

to have something removed from your body

Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)

Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)

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An In-Depth Spanish Pronunciation Guide for Beginners

by Pep Talk Radio | Sep 3, 2023 | Spanish

Learning to pronounce Spanish words correctly is an important part of becoming fluent in the language . Spanish has several sounds that can be tricky for English speakers, but with practice, you can master Spanish pronunciation.

This guide provides an overview of Spanish sounds, examples of pronunciation, and tips to help you speak Spanish clearly .

Spanish Sounds

Spanish pronunciation relies on clear articulation of both vowel and consonant sounds. This overview covers the key Spanish vowel and consonant sounds, contrasting them with English pronunciations.

Examples are provided in context to help English speakers recognize and properly enunciate the sounds necessary for intelligible Spanish speech.

Vowel Sounds

Spanish contains 5 vowel sounds that each have a distinct pronunciation. These vowels have a crisp, pure sound that differs from English vowel patterns. They are tense and clearly enunciated.

Mastering these vowel distinctions is key for proper Spanish pronunciation and comprehension.

The five Spanish vowel sounds are:

  • A  – Sounds like the  a  in “father”, but shorter.  Ejemplo : casa (house)
  • E  – Sounds like the  e  in “met”.  Ejemplo : tres (three)
  • I  – Sounds like the  i  in “machine”.  Ejemplo : fin (end)
  • O  – Sounds like the  o  in “robot”.  Ejemplo : dormir (to sleep)
  • U  – Sounds like the  u  in “rude”.  Ejemplo : luz (light)

Consonant Sounds

While Spanish consonants are generally similar to English, there are some key distinctions English speakers must master. This includes sounds like the trilled “R”, aspirated “H”, and the guttural “J”.

Letters like “G” and “C” change pronunciation based on surrounding vowels. Becoming comfortable with these Spanish consonant distinctions takes practice for the English ear and mouth.

This section provides an overview of proper Spanish consonant articulation with examples in context.

  • B  – Sounds like the English  b  but is not voiced at the end of words.  Ejemplo : cub (cube)
  • C  – Before  e  or  i , sounds like  th  in “think”. Before  a ,  o ,  u  sounds like  k .  Ejemplo : cero (zero), casa (house)
  • D  – Sounds like the English  d  but is not voiced at the end of words.  Ejemplo : verdad (truth)
  • G  – Before  e  or  i , sounds like a harsh  h . Before  a ,  o ,  u  sounds like the English  g .  Ejemplo : general, gota (drop)
  • H  – Always silent in Spanish.  Ejemplo : hormiga (ant)
  • J  – Sounds like a guttural  h .  Ejemplo : jarabe (syrup)
  • LL  – Sounds like the  y  in “yes”.  Ejemplo : llave (key)
  • Ñ  – Sounds like  ny .  Ejemplo : ñoño (geeky)
  • R  – Rolled or trilled  r . Tap tongue against roof of mouth.  Ejemplo : rotor (rotor)
  • RR  – Strongly trilled/rolled  r .  Ejemplo : carro (car)
  • V  – Sounds like the English  b .  Ejemplo : vivo (I live)
  • X  – Between vowels, sounds like  ks . At the beginning of words, it sounds like  s .  Ejemplo : examen (exam), xilófono (xylophone)
  • Z  – Sounds like the  s in “sun”. Ejemplo : zapato (shoe)

Watch the video to learn the pronunciation of all the letters:

Stress and Accents

Proper stress and accents are key to sounding natural when speaking Spanish. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Spanish words are usually stressed on the second-to-last syllable (the penultimate syllable). For example: casa, difícil, felicidad.
  • Words ending in a vowel, n, or s are stressed on the last syllable. For example: joven, acción, inglés.
  • Stress typically occurs on long vowels and diphthongs. Short vowels in unstressed syllables are reduced to a schwa sound.
  • Maintain the rhythmic structure of sentences by pausing slightly at commas and stressing important words.

Written Accents

Accent marks (acentos) indicate stress on a syllable that breaks the normal stress rules:

  • Acute accent (á, é, í, ó, ú): Marks stress on the vowel. Example: jalapeño, útil.
  • Tilde (ñ): Indicates a palatal n sound. Example: niño.

Accents differentiate meaning between words:

  • él (he) vs el (the)
  • tú (you) vs tu (your)

Accents are common on words ending in -n, -s, or vowel: ejemplo, canción, inglés

Tips for Stress and Accents

  • Listen for and mimic native speaker rhythm and prominence.
  • When stuck on a word, break it into syllables and identify which is stressed.
  • Decode unfamiliar words by noting any accent marks.
  • Memorize accent patterns for common irregular verbs like ser, estar, poder.
  • Double check new vocabulary for accent marks to avoid learning incorrectly.

Mastering stress and accents will greatly improve the flow and intelligibility of your Spanish pronunciation.

Tips for Proper Spanish Pronunciation

  • Imitate audio of native speakers, like in language learning apps, TV, or radio.
  • Record yourself and compare to native speaker audio to identify problem sounds.
  • Practice tap or trill of “R” with tongue exercises.
  • Memorize small words illustrating each new sound.
  • When struggling with a word, break it into syllables to identify stress and vowel sounds.
  • Use a mirror to watch your mouth shape and tongue position for tricky sounds.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask native speakers for feedback and practice conversations.
  • Maintain proper posture and open mouth to facilitate clear enunciation.
  • Sing along to music in Spanish to get a feel for sounds in context.

Mastering pronunciation is key for speaking Spanish clearly and gaining confidence in conversation. Be patient with yourself as you train your mouth and ears to distinguish the new sounds.

With regular practice and use of native audio resources, you’ll be able to pronounce Spanish as well as a native speaker.

Advanced Pronunciation for Fluent Spanish Speech

Once you have a grasp on the basic sounds of Spanish, you can focus on some of the more complex pronunciation rules for speaking at an advanced, fluent level. Here are some key areas to refine your accent:

Linking Words Together

In fast, natural Spanish speech, words blend together fluidly. Practice linking the end of one word into the start of the next:

  • Las aguas – “lah-sah-gwahs”
  • Quieres ir – “kyehr-reh-seer”
  • Vamos a ver – “bah-moh-sah-vehr”

Linking maintains the flow of speech and sounds more natural.

Subtle Vowel Distinctions

Listen closely to distinguish between similar vowel sounds:

  • I  vs  E  – chimenea (chimney) vs ceniza (ash)
  • E  vs  A  – mesa (table) vs masa (dough)
  • O  vs  U  – todos (all) vs tudos (yours)

Hit these subtle sound differences to sound like a native speaker.

Knowing When Letters are Silent

In certain cases, letters are silent:

  • H  – Always silent, as in hormiga (ant)
  • Ending  D  – Not pronounced, as in verdad (truth)
  • U  after  G  and  Q  – Does not make a sound, as in lingüística (linguistics)

Pay attention to when letters should not be pronounced to perfect your pronunciation.

Reduced Vowels

Unstressed vowels in the middle of words can be reduced to a shorter uh sound:

  • Entendido = “ehn-tehn-dee-doh”
  • Dificultad = “dee-fee-kool-tahd”

Listen carefully for these reduced sounds that make speech faster.

Intonation and Rhythm

  • Spanish is less monotone than English. Inflect voice up and down.
  • Stress rhythmic structure of sentence, pausing slightly at commas.
  • Use rising pitch at the end of yes/no questions.

Mastering intonation gives your Spanish a lively, conversational style.

With a grasp of advanced pronunciation rules, you can take your Spanish abilities to the next level. Refine tricky distinctions, link between words, mind silent letters, reduce unstressed vowels, and use proper intonation.

Common Spanish Pronunciation Pitfalls for English Speakers

Spanish and English share the same alphabet, but their sound systems differ. Here are some of the most common Spanish pronunciation mistakes English speakers make:

Rolling R’s

Trilling or rolling the Spanish “R” takes practice. Start by whispering it to feel the tongue vibration. Or, practice the single tap of the alveolar flap “R” between vowels before working up to the longer trill.

Avoid pronouncing Spanish “H”. The beginning “H” is always silent. Break the habit!

The Spanish “B” and “V” sound nearly identical, unlike in English. Correct your tendency to differentiate them.

J, G, and X

The guttural Spanish “J”, hard “G” before E/I, and “X” take effort for English speakers. Practice words with these sounds in isolation.

Use a lively, varying intonation. Don’t sound robotic or monotone.

With attentive listening to native speaker recordings and targeted practice, you can overcome these typical English pronunciation pitfalls. Stay self-aware of problem sounds and keep your mouth and ears trained.

Sounding Natural – Other Tips for Spanish Pronunciation

Here are some additional tips to help you sound more like a natural Spanish speaker:

  • Get the mouth shape right  – Observe in the mirror how native speakers form sounds. Keep your mouth more open and lips relaxed.
  • Pick up expressions  – Listen for interjections like “pues”, “bueno”, “oye” to kick off sentences casually.
  • Use fillers  – Insert “mmm”, “eee” when hesitating rather than just pausing silently.
  • Pay attention to rhythm  – Spanish is less monotonous than English. Stress key words and vary intonation.
  • Relax the register  – Informal speech uses more slang and regional words. Don’t sound too stiffly formal.
  • Speak from the chest  – Use a deeper, fuller voice. Avoid thin, nasal English speech.
  • String words together  – Words blend fluidly without hard breaks. Let sounds flow into each other.
  • Know regional differences  – Accents vary across the Spanish-speaking world. Absorb the sounds of the variety you want to learn.
  • Make mistakes  – Don’t be afraid to mess up. The more comfortable you feel just speaking, the more natural you’ll sound.

With its different rhythms and sounds, Spanish may feel foreign at first. But by studying native speech patterns, mimicking them, and practicing freely, you’ll soon pick up the subtleties that make for natural pronunciation.

About The Author

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How to use reported speech in Spanish?

Reported speech, also known as indirect discourse, is the reproduction or “repackaging” of someone else’s message. In English and in Spanish, we normally begin reported speech with a reporting verb ( dijo ( " he/she said " ) ), preguntó ( " he/she asked " ) , etc.), followed by a conjunction ( que ( " that " ) ) and then the message. With that said, reported speech in Spanish has a few rules we need to keep in mind. Are you ready to be the messenger? Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Direct vs indirect speech.

Spanish and English both have different means of communicating what someone has said. One way is called direct speech. Direct speech works the same in both languages: you use direct quotations and a punctuation mark to introduce the message. In English, we use a comma, but in Spanish, we introduce direct speech with a colon. Here is an example of direct speech:

El profesor fue claro. Nos dijo: “Hagan la tarea para mañana.”

The professor was clear. He told us, “Do your homework for tomorrow.”

Indirect speech, while still relaying a message, has a few more things to consider. In Spanish, we can indirectly report statements, questions (yes/no and content), and commands/requests . Because we use indirect speech way more than direct speech in our daily life, we need to make sure you know how to use it and how to build it to avoid confusion or mixed messages. What does indirect speech look like, you ask? Here are some examples:

Indirect statement:

La señora explicó que para abrir la puerta necesitábamos jalar, no empujar .

The lady explained that t o open the door we needed to pull, not push .

Indirect command:

Mi mamá me dijo que hiciera la cama y guardara los platos .

My mom told me to make the bed and put away the dishes .

Indirect question:

Mi hermana nos preguntó si íbamos a reunirnos para su cumpleaños .

My sister asked us if we were going to get together for her birthday .

While still relaying a message, see how the reported/indirect messages have to change in both languages? Let’s get our learning going!

How to build indirect speech in Spanish?

Before we begin any type of indirect speech, we must start our clause with a verb of reporting. The following are some frequently used verbs of reporting:

  • decir ( " to say, to tell " )
  • preguntar ( " to ask " )
  • querer ( " to want " )
  • explicar ( " to explain " )
  • afirmar ( " to assert " )
  • añadir ( " to add " )
  • contestar ( " to reply, to answer " )
  • insistir ( " to insist " )

The verb of reporting can refer to the present or the past . If it refers to the present, the verb of reporting will be in the present (simple or progressive) or present perfect :

El niño dice/ha dicho que quiere su biberón.

The boy says/has said that he wants his bottle.

If it refers to the past, the most common form is the preterite :

El niño dijo que quería su biberón.

The boy said that he wanted his bottle.

The second ingredient in indirect speech is a conjunction that follows the verb of reporting. The conjunctions are normally que ( " that " ) or si ( " if " ) .

Finally, we must adapt three additional items when building indirect speech. The three changes are: relation , time , and location . Keep reading to learn more!

Subject pronouns and possessives

When using indirect speech, we need to make sure we change subject pronouns No definition set for subject pronouns Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. and possessives to match the message that was given. This also happens in English. Here’s an example:

Direct speech:

María dijo: “( yo ) Quiero mi burrito.”

María said, “ I want my burrito.”

Indirect speech:

María dijo que ella quería su burrito.

María said that she wanted her burrito.

Notice how the indirect speech goes from first to third person since we are indirectly referring to what has been said.

Change in location and time

When we are using indirect speech, we must adjust our time and location references as well. This also happens in English! It should not be too difficult to pick up.

Time changes:

hoy ( " today " ) → ese día/aquel día ( " that day " )

Julio dice: “Llego hoy.”

Julio says, “I arrive today.”

Julio dijo que llegaba ese día.

Julio said that he would arrive that day.

ahora ( " now " ) → entonces ( " then " )

La niña insiste: “Quiero jugo ahora.”

The girl insists, “I want juice now.”

La niña insistió que quería jugo entonces.

The girl insisted that she wanted juice then.

mañana ( " tomorrow " ) → al día siguiente ( " the next day " )

El estudiante añadió: “No estaré en clases mañana.”

The student added, “I will not be in classes tomorrow.”

El estudiante añadió que no estaría en clases al día siguiente.

The student added that he would not be in classes the next day.

Click the link to see some additional Spanish expressions and how they change with indirect speech !

Notice that if you're reporting in the present, you might not need to change the time reference. It’s all a matter of time relativity! For instance, llego hoy ( " I arrive today " ) , if you're relaying this message on the same day then there is no need to change:

Location changes:

Adverbs of place: aquí ( " here " ) → allí, ahí ( " there " )

Mi papá dijo: “Estaciónate aquí.”

My dad said, “Park here.”

Mi papá quiso que me estacionara allí.

My dad wanted me to park there.

These include demonstratives, adjectives, and pronouns because they deal with distance from the speaker!

este, esta ( " this " ) → ese, esa, aquel, aquella ( " that " ) estos, estas ( " these " ) → esos, esas, aquellos, aquellas ( " those " )

Directionality/verbs of direction will also change!

llevar ( " to take " ) → traer ( " to bring " )

ir ( " to go " ) → venir ( " to come " )

And vice versa!

Ana says, “I’ll bring coffee for everyone.”

Ana says she’ll bring coffee for everyone.

For more on how to use these particular verbs in Spanish , head over to our post!

Adapting verb tenses in indirect speech

The last crucial change in building indirect speech happens to verb tenses. Just like we change time expressions above, sometimes we need to change verb tenses to ensure the message is being communicated appropriately. Here are a couple of examples:

If the reporting verb is related to the present , then there is NO NEED to change the verb tense.

El doctor dice : “No ⤷ present puedo atenderte.”

The doctor says, “I can’t see you.”

El doctor dice que no ⤷ present puede atenderme.

The doctor says he cannot see me.

If the reporting verb is related to the past , then you will need to change the verb tense.

El doctor dijo : “No ⤷ present puedo atenderte.”

El doctor dijo que no ⤷ imperfect podía atenderme.

For a full list of Spanish verb tenses and their corresponding tense in indirect speech , click the link!

We will see next that these rules also apply to indirect questions, but they do not when using commands. Keep reading to find out which verb tenses you use with Spanish commands.

Indirect questions in Spanish

If you are relaying a question with indirect speech, there are a couple of different options for doing so. However, the most common verbs of reporting for questions are: preguntar ( " to ask " ) and querer saber ( " to want to know " ) . With regard to verb tenses, it works exactly like the indirect statements above. Let’s check questions and indirect speech, shall we?

Yes and no questions

Mi hermano preguntó: “¿Tienes chicle?”

My brother asked, “Do you have gum?”

Mi hermano preguntó si tenía chicle.

My brother asked if I had gum.

To report a yes/no answer, you can say:

Questions words

f you are reporting a question that originally had a question word (who, what, when, where, etc.), you will not require the use of que ( " that " ) or si ( " if " ) . Instead, you will keep the original question word in Spanish as your "bridge" between the reporting verb and indirect speech. For example:

El chico preguntó: “¿ Dónde está la Rambla?”

The boy asked, “Where is the Rambla?”

El chico preguntó dónde estaba la Rambla.

The boy asked where the Rambla was.

Erica quiere saber: ¿Cuándo es la asamblea?

Erica wants to know, “When is the assembly?”

Erica quiere saber cuándo es la asamblea.

Erica wants to know when the assembly is.

In colloquial speech it is common to insert " que " between the reporting verb “ preguntar " and the question word or before si for yes/no indirect questions.

Enrique me preguntó (que) por qué habías llegado tarde.

Enrique asked me why you had arrived late.

Los estudiantes preguntaron (que) si podían tener una extensión.

The students asked if they could have an extension.

For more on questions, check out: " How to build questions in Spanish? "

Indirect commands in Spanish

To use indirect speech to relay commands, the format continues being similar to indirect statements:

Introduce the indirect speech with a verb of reporting.

  • exigir ( " to demand " )
  • mandar ( " to command " )
  • pedir ( " to ask for/request " )

Follow it with the conjunction que ( " that " ) .

Finally, if the verb of reporting is in the present, present continuous, or present perfect, then the command will be in the present subjunctive . For example:

Compra leche, por favor.

Buy milk, please.

Tu papá pide que compres leche, por favor.

Your dad asks that you buy milk, please.

On the other hand, if the verb of reporting is in the preterite, imperfect, or past perfect, then the command will be in the imperfect subjunctive .

Tu papá pidió que compraras leche, por favor.

Your dad asked you to buy milk, please.

Need a refresher on these subjunctive tenses? We have you covered with these posts on the Spanish present subjunctive and the Spanish imperfect subjunctive .

To sum it up

Indirect speech is used for indirectly reporting statements, questions (yes/no and content), and commands/requests. In order to build indirect speech appropriately, we need to keep in mind the following pieces:

Start the clause with a verb of reporting, such as decir ( " to say, to tell " ) , preguntar ( " to ask " ) , querer ( " to want " ) , etc.

Follow the verb of reporting with a conjunction .

que ( " that " ) for indirect statements and commands, or

si ( " if " ) for yes/no questions

a question word (who, what, when , where, etc.) for content questions.

Finally, we must adapt three additional items when building indirect speech:

Time changes: making sure the time expressions are appropriately adjusted to fit an indirect message.

Location changes: making sure words that imply distance from the speaker also match the indirect speech.

Verb tense changes: We change verb tenses to ensure the message is being communicated appropriately.

Statements and questions use verbs in the indicative.

Commands use verbs in the subjunctive.

While it seems like a lot of stuff to remember, these changes make sense because so many of them also happen in English. The best way to master indirect speech is to practice it, so I have created an activity for you to get you started with it. You can check it out by clicking the link!

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Speech is Beautiful

Apraxia in Spanish Therapy Workbook

Products in Action · Speech Therapy

I just realized that I actually never blogged about one of my favorite resources that I have made. I created the Apraxia in Spanish Therapy Workbook: Intensive Intervention for Early Readers back in 2016. This resource took me about five months to make because I wanted to make something that would stand the test of time. Students inspire the best resources. I worked with one student with apraxia who was in kindergarten learning how to read. When I observed the student in the classroom, I watched how the classroom teacher taught reading. Since my student was bilingual, he was learning how to read in Spanish and the way that reading is taught in Spanish is different than reading is taught in English.

First, maybe we should talk about what apraxia is and define it before we get going!

What is apraxia?

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder that affects a child’s ability to plan and coordinate the movements of the lips, tongue, and jaw needed for speech. It’s not a problem with muscle weakness or hearing, but rather with the way the brain sends signals to the speech muscles.

Here are some key points about CAS:

  • Inconsistent errors in sound production, even within the same word or sentence.
  • Difficulty saying certain sounds or sound combinations.
  • Prosody issues, such as abnormal rhythm, stress, and intonation.
  • Frustration and avoidance of communication.
  • Causes:  The exact cause of CAS is unknown, but it’s thought to be due to a neurological difference in the way the brain plans and coordinates speech movements.
  • Diagnosis:  CAS is typically diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist (SLP) through a combination of assessments, including observation of speech production, standardized tests, and medical evaluations.
  • Treatment:  The main treatment for CAS is speech therapy, which can help the child learn to better control their speech muscles and develop compensatory strategies for communication.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about CAS:

  • CAS is not necessarily a language disorder. Children with CAS understand language and can communicate nonverbally. Some experts do think there’s a language component. This needs to be researched more.
  • CAS can vary in severity from mild to severe.
  • With early intervention and appropriate treatment, most children with CAS can make significant progress in developing their speech skills.

speech is spanish

Motor Planning in Apraxia

Motor planning is implicated in apraxia. That means it’s challenging for the students to sequence the motor movements to make words. It helps students with apraxia to start with words broken down into syllables. Teach them the syllables and then how to move from one syllable to the other. Here’s where Spanish is great because there’s so many syllables and it is how reading is taught too!

Spanish Reading Syllables

In Spanish, reading is taught using syllables. I noticed how the teachers were teaching reading and to me it seemed like I could incorporate some of what they were doing in their instruction in my speech therapy with my student with apraxia.

I organized all of the syllable prompts in the pack in the same way as the reading instruction I observed in kindergarten. Here are the consonants in the order they are taught:

  • M — ma me mi mo mu
  • P — pa pe pi po pu
  • L — la le li lo lu
  • S — sa se si so su
  • N — na ne ni no nu
  • D — da de di do du
  • T — ta te ti to tu
  • C — ca que qui co cu
  • F — fa fe fi fo fu
  • B — ba be bi bo bu

Syllable Shapes

Can you tell that this is a huge pack? It is over 100 pages long. I also wanted to include a variety of syllable shapes in the pack. Here is a list of the syllable shapes included:

  • CV CV moving to CVCV
  • CVC & CVV

Another thing I like about this resource is that it is perfect for homework. Spanish-speaking and bilingual families will recognize the way that the the pattern of syllables. It might be the way they might have also learned how to read. The way this resource is organized will be familiar to families. See below for the progression of part of the “ma me mi mo mu” section. This resource is 120+ pages long!

Just yesterday I re-did this entire resource from top to bottom. Now it contains a ton of apraxia flashcards! I like to go back and revise products periodically and this resource was up for a facelift. I know you will enjoy it and it will make therapy for apraxia so much easier and fun. Buy it here: Apraxia in Spanish Therapy Workbook: Intensive Intervention for Early Readers

OTHER INTERESTING POSTS AND RESOURCES

  • SLPs Boost Spanish Language with Printable Multisyllabic Word Flashcards
  • Upgrade Your Speech Therapy in Spanish: 5 Star Articulation Cards
  • Mastering ‘El’ and ‘La’ in Spanish: Article Task Cards
  • Apraxia in Spanish Workbook
  • Multisyllabic Word Puzzles in Spanish
  • Spanish Articulation Mystery Puzzles
  • Learning Color Names in Spanish and English: Red Flags for Learning Disabilities
  • Spanish Phonology  Minimal Pair Flashcards
  • How to Teach the Spanish Flap R and the Spanish Trill RR
  • Spanish Articulation Phonology Screener

Here are some resources for parents and caregivers of children with CAS:

  • The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):  https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/childhood-apraxia-of-speech/
  • Apraxia Kids:  https://www.apraxia-kids.org/

speech is spanish

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