Build natural Spanish sentences
Neutral Spanish order is Subject–Verb–Object, like English — but the subject is often dropped because the verb ending shows it.
(Yo) compro pan los sábados. (I buy bread on Saturdays.)
María lee el periódico. (María reads the newspaper.)
Unlike English, descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun.
un coche rojo (a red car) · una ciudad antigua (an old city)
Exceptions before the noun: numbers and quantity words — dos coches, muchos libros, buen día.
Negation is simple: put no directly before the verb (and before any object pronoun).
No tengo hambre. (I am not hungry.)
No lo conozco. (I do not know him.)
Spanish questions need no auxiliary "do". Either invert verb and subject, or keep the order and use intonation — plus the opening ¿.
¿Habla usted inglés? (Do you speak English?)
¿Tú vienes mañana? (Are you coming tomorrow?) — same order, rising tone
¿Dónde vive Juan? (Where does Juan live?) — question word first
Adverbs like siempre, nunca, a veces usually go before the verb or at the start.
Siempre desayuno a las ocho. (I always have breakfast at eight.)
Nunca como carne. = No como carne nunca. (I never eat meat.)
Traps for English speakers
These are the errors English speakers make most often.