Spanish Conjunction

Definition: conjunctions are used to connect words within a sentence. However conjunctions to be used at the beginning of a sentence to join it with a previous sentence.

The most frequently used simple coordinating conjunctions are:

and = y
or = o
but = pero, mas, sino
nor = ni

Examples in Spanish:

This restaurant is good, but it is expensive
Este restaurante es bueno, pero es caro.

This is neither a yellow suitcase nor a red bag, but a brown wallet.
Ésta no es ni una maleta amarilla ni una bolsa roja, sino una cartera marrón.

Is it two or five o'clock?
Son las dos o las cinco?

The train leaves from Cusco and goes to Machu Picchu.
El tren parte de Cusco y va hasta Machu Picchu.

:: Before a word beginning with i or hi, "y" is replaced by e :

mother and son
madre e hijo

:: Before a word beginning with o or ho, "o" is replaced by u :

twenty or eighty
veinte u ochenta

:: Pero (and less frequently mas) is the usual conjunction that translates the English 'but'

I wanted to eat, but I couldn't
quería comer, pero no pude

:: Sino is used after a negative statement in the sense of 'but on the contrary'

it's not easy, but very difficult
no es fácil, sino muy difícil

:: Ni is regularly used in double negation

José luis has neither girlfriend nor money
José Luis no tiene ni enamorada ni dinero

Many complex conjunctions are formed by adding que to an adverb or to a preposition:

Until = hasta que
Without = sin que
although = aunque
because = porque
since = puesto que


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Spanish Grammar