Without a doubt you already use conjunctions all the time in English—they’re a significant part of any language—but you probably aren’t aware of it. As in English, Spanish conjunctions are usually short words that bring a lot of punch to your sentences by integrating, contrasting, and adding information. A single conjunction can change the entire meaning of a sentence or question!
Today, you’ll learn all about conjunctions: what they are, what they do, and how to use them. If you want to become more skilled at Spanish while avoiding the grind of memorization, Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion can help you master Spanish naturally and at your own pace.
What is a conjunction in Spanish?
Spanish conjunctions unite two words or similar grammatical units. In terms of syntax, they’re like the mortar that holds two blocks together. Like a construction project, those blocks should be of similar weight so the sentence or phrase is balanced. When it comes to grammar, “weight” means that the two building blocks come from the same grammatical category.
Conjunctions are useful in connecting ideas, phrases, sentences, and words so that our language sounds natural and flows well. They allow us to have more sophisticated speech and writing. If you want to sound more like a native speaker, it’s important to know how to use conjunctions correctly.
What are the three types of Spanish conjunctions?
In Spanish grammar rules, there are three main types of conjunctions which include:
- Coordinating
- Correlative
- Subordinating
Let’s take a look at each within the framework of English grammar, so you have a clear understanding of how they work!
What is a coordinating conjunction?
As in English, Spanish coordinating conjunctions join two items of similar weight. These could be single elements like words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases) or more complex units such as phrases or independent clauses.
Here are several examples of coordinating conjunctions in English:
- Would you like a slice of pie or ice cream?
- I want a slice of pie and a scoop of ice cream.
- I want a slice of pie but without the ice cream.
In the first two examples, “or” and “and” join two noun phrases together. In the third example, “but” is followed by a prepositional phrase.
Here’s how a coordinating conjunction works with an independent clause, or a clause that could stand alone as its own sentence:
- Would you like a slice of pie, or would you prefer the ice cream?
- I want a slice of pie, and I would like a scoop of ice cream with it.
- I want a slice of pie, but I don’t want to pay $5.50 for the scoop of ice cream.
What is a correlative conjunction?
In English and in Spanish, correlative conjunctions always work in pairs! Together, they glue together words or phrases of equal weight. They include: neither…nor, either…or, not only…but also, etc.
You’ll notice that the two words in each pair are never directly next to each other, but instead bookend words and phrases together:
- Neither I nor my sister wanted a slice of the pie.
- Not only did he get there on time, but he also remembered to bring the ice cream.
What is a subordinating conjunction?
A subordinating conjunction combines a dependent clause to an independent clause, indicating a casual relationship between two ideas. These ideas often have to do with a transition between time, places, or states of being.
- While you’re at the store, can you pick up a berry pie?
- She searched the drawer frantically until finally locating the ice cream scoop.
Feeling confident about conjunctions in English? Spanish conjunctions fall into the same categories and follow the same rules, with a couple exceptions, which are noted below. Let’s dive in!
>>Want to review basic Spanish words and phrases? Start with this guide.
Spanish coordinating conjunctions
| Spanish | English |
| y (e) | and |
| o (u) | or |
| pero | but |
| sino | but, instead (in special circumstances) |
| así que | so, therefore |
| luego | then |
y (e)
This is one of the most popular words in any language! As you know, “and” indicates that you are contributing something in addition to what you’ve already said. As a conjunction, one way we use y in Spanish is to join smaller grammatical items like nouns:
Me gustan peras y manzanas. = I like pears and apples.
We also use it to connect phrases:
Caitlin corre en el gimnasio y en el parque. = Caitlin runs at the gym and at the park.
And…finally we use it to connect independent clauses. Unlike English, we often don’t use a comma to connect two independent clauses. Usually the repeated information in the second independent clause is optional:
Vamos a Barcelona a ver la catedral y (vamos) a Valencia a visitar el acuario. = We’re going to Barcelona to see the cathedral, and (we’re going) to Valencia to visit the aquarium.
When the word after “and” begins with an “i” sound, we use e instead of y. This obligatory use of e is to avoid two sounds that sound exactly the same one after another:
Es una mujer guapa e inteligente. = She is an attractive and intelligent woman.
o (u)
This word that means “or” is often used to contrast or offer two options:
A Ollin le gustaría vivir en París o Nueva York. = Ollin would like to live in Paris or New York.
We often use this conjunction for questions:
Guadalupe, ¿quieres leche o agua? = Guadalupe, do you want milk or water?
pero
This word gets utilized to contrast information or to indicate hesitation about a situation. It shows opposing concepts:
Los muchachos desean ir al cine, pero no tienen dinero. = The young men wish to go to the movies, but they don’t have any money.
sino
This word is similar to pero, yet it is used to counterpose a negative statement:
No compramos un sofá sino compramos una silla. = We didn’t buy a sofa; instead, we bought a chair.
Take note that si no is not the same as sino. Si no means “if not.”
así que
This is a phrase you’ll hear a lot when you’re listening to Spanish. It explains a decision, result, or consequence:
Está lloviendo así que no podemos andar en bicicleta. = It’s raining so we can’t ride our bicycles.
luego
Here’s a word that’s employed often when telling a story, short or long:
Jaime y Nicólas fueron a cenar luego fueron al teatro. = Jaime and Nicolás went to dinner then they went to the theater.
Spanish correlative conjunctions
| Spanish | English |
| ni…ni… | neither…nor… |
| no solo…sino (también) | not only…but… |
| o…o… | either…or… |
| o bien…o bien | either…or… |
| tanto…como | both |
ni..ni…
As one of the paired conjunctions, ni…ni… can be put into action with nouns or short phrases of similar construction:
No me parece ni tu idea ni la suya. = Neither your idea nor his seems good to me.
It can also be employed to modify the subject of a sentence:
Ni Carmen ni Pedro van a ir a la playa. = Neither Carmen nor Pedro will go to the beach.
Note that while in English we would use the singular verb for this sentence, in Spanish we would use the plural (van).
We can also utilize ni…ni… with verbs:
Este adolescente ni estudia ni trabaja. = This teenager neither studies nor works.
no solo…sino (también)…
This popular pair is used to emphasize two related matters. También is optional:
No solo debes cuidar el agua, sino debes cuidar la luz. = Not only should you save water but you should also save electricity.
Note that in Spanish we must use a comma for this construction! This is not necessary in English (though you’ll often see one anyway). It’s worth noting, too, that no solo…pero (también)… is frequently used colloquially instead of no solo…sino (también)...
o…o…
Similar to English, o…o… offers one option or the other:
O limpias tu cuarto o no vas a la fiesta. = Either you clean your room or you’re not going to the party.
o bien…o bien…
Like o…o…, this paired conjunction states one option or the other, but it’s a little more formal:
O bien podemos juntarnos el sábado o bien podemos juntar el lunes. = Either we could get together on Saturday, or we could get together on Monday.
tanto…como…
Here is another frequently used pair that means “both”:
Tanto tú como yo tenemos que comer comida sana. = Both you and I need to eat healthy food.
Spanish subordinating conjunctions
| Spanish | English |
| mientras | while |
| porque | because |
| si | if |
| aunque | although, though |
| como | since |
| cuando | when |
| hasta que | until |
| por lo tanto | therefore, as a result |
| si bien | even though |
| a pesar de que | even though, in spite of, despite the fact |
| aun cuando | even when |
| de modo/forma/manera que | so that |
| en cuanto | as soon as |
| cada vez que | every time |
mientras
Like all subordinating conjunctions, mientras goes in the subordinate (or dependent) clause, or the clause that depends on the independent clause to complete the thought or idea:
Mientras su madre leía, Delia cocinaba. = While her mother read, Delia cooked.
Subordinating conjunctions like mientras can also go after the independent clause. In that case, no comma is necessary:
Delia cocinaba mientras su madre leía. = Delia cooked while her mother read.
porque
Here’s a word that you’ll use a lot! It means “because,” and it gives additional information in the form of a cause:
Los niños no hicieron la tarea porque el perro comió sus cuadernos. = The children didn’t do their homework because the dog ate their notebooks.
Don’t confuse porque with por qué, which means “why”!
si
Si sets up a condition that states if one thing happens (or doesn’t happen) another thing will occur (or not occur):
Si llueve, no iremos al zoológico. = If it rains, we will not go to the zoo.
aunque
When you use aunque, you’re expressing opposition, something that tends to negate something else:
Aunque hago ejercicio, no bajo de peso. = Although I do exercise, I don’t lose weight.
como
Como means “since” in Spanish dependent clauses when it doesn’t have an accent:
Como voy a la tienda, puedo comprarte tu leche. = Since I’m going to the store, I can buy you your milk.
Como also means “I eat,” but you can distinguish the conjunction from the verb by relying on context. When it has an accent, cómo means “how.”
cuando
Using cuando is pretty straightforward, and you’ll use it when discussing the time at which an action takes place.
Cuando practicas mucho, aprendes el español más rápido. = When you practice a lot, you learn Spanish more quickly.
hasta que
Hasta que means “until.” Use hasta que with a verb in the past tense when you describe a definite situation:
Ella buscó en su mochila hasta que encontró el dinero. = She looked in her backpack until she found the money.
por lo tanto
This conjunction means “therefore” and indicates a consequence:
Los López llegaron tarde, por lo tanto ya no había transporte público. = The Lopezes arrived late; therefore, there wasn’t any public transportation.
si bien
Si bien means “even though” and contrasts with the information in the independent clause:
Si bien Juanita sabía todo el material, no aprobó el examen. = Even though Juanita knew all the material, she didn’t pass the exam.
a pesar de que
This phrase means “in spite of” or “despite the fact that.” Use a pesar de que when information contradicts a logical conclusion:
A pesar de que Hugo tiene una maestría, no encontró un puesto permanente. = Despite the fact that Hugo has a master’s degree, he didn’t find a permanent position.
aun cuando
This conjunction has the sense of “even when” or “even if,” and suggests contrasting information:
Aun cuando ahorro dinero, no junto lo suficiente para comprar un coche. = Even when I save money, I don’t raise enough to buy a car.
de modo/forma/manera que
Here’s a three-for-one! All of these conjunctions mean the same thing: “so that.”
Me recogió a las siete de modo que pudimos llegar a tiempo. = She picked me up at 7:00 so that we could arrive on time.
en cuanto
Use this when you mean “as soon as.” In the past tense, it takes the indicative case:
En cuanto ellos encontraron el perro lo reportaron con el albergue de animales. = As soon as they found the dog, they reported it to the animal shelter.
cada vez que
Use cada vez que (every time) with a verb in the indicative case when speaking about a definite situation:
Cada vez que veo esta película lloro. = Every time I see this movie I cry.
How do Spanish conjunctions differ from English conjunctions?
As mentioned, Spanish conjugations are similar to English in their use; however, a few things are different. For example, the punctuation may vary slightly. Words in Spanish that have an accent have a different meaning than words spelled the same without an accent. Although not addressed in this blog, some conjunctions trigger the use of the subjunctive. You can learn more about the Spanish subjunctive here!
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Conjunctions are small words with a whole lot of meaning, and with a list this comprehensive, you’re ready to take on the world. You’ll be joining Spanish sentences with confidence in no time.
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Written by Rowena Galavitz
Rowena Galavitz is a Spanish translator, bilingual copy editor, and language and literature instructor with three master’s degrees who loves Spanish and all things Mexico.
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