Spanish: Example Sentences
Example sentences, roughly from simple to intermediate, each with a translation and, where useful, a one-line grammar note. Practise them on the Spanish practice page (Sentences deck).
| Spanish | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Yo soy estudiante. | I am a student. | ser for identity and profession |
| Ella está en casa. | She is at home. | estar for location |
| El café está caliente. | The coffee is hot. | estar for a temporary state |
| Tengo dos hermanos. | I have two brothers. | hermanos can mean brothers or siblings |
| Me gusta el chocolate. | I like chocolate. | gustar: the thing liked is the subject |
| Nos gustan los libros. | We like books. | plural subject, so gustan |
| ¿Dónde vives? | Where do you live? | |
| Vivimos cerca del mar. | We live near the sea. | de + el = del |
| Hoy hace calor. | It’s hot today. | weather uses hacer |
| Mañana va a llover. | It’s going to rain tomorrow. | ir a + infinitive for the near future |
| Voy a la playa los domingos. | I go to the beach on Sundays. | a + la; los domingos = on Sundays |
| El tren sale a las ocho. | The train leaves at eight. | a las + hour |
| ¿Puedes ayudarme? | Can you help me? | the pronoun attaches to the infinitive |
| No puedo venir esta noche. | I can’t come tonight. | |
| Quiero aprender español. | I want to learn Spanish. | querer + infinitive |
| Tengo que trabajar mañana. | I have to work tomorrow. | tener que = to have to |
| Estoy leyendo un libro. | I’m reading a book. | estar + gerund for actions in progress |
| ¿Qué estás haciendo? | What are you doing? | |
| Mi hermana es más alta que yo. | My sister is taller than me. | más … que |
| Este es el mejor restaurante de la ciudad. | This is the best restaurant in the city. | superlative uses de |
| Hay mucha gente en la calle. | There are a lot of people in the street. | hay = there is / there are |
| No hay nada en la nevera. | There’s nothing in the fridge. | double negative is normal |
| Nunca bebo café por la noche. | I never drink coffee at night. | |
| Ayer comí paella. | Yesterday I ate paella. | preterite for a finished action |
| Fuimos al cine el sábado. | We went to the cinema on Saturday. | fuimos is the preterite of ir (and ser) |
| Cuando era niño, vivía en el campo. | When I was a child, I lived in the countryside. | imperfect for background and habits |
| He visitado México dos veces. | I have visited Mexico twice. | present perfect: haber + participle |
| ¿Has comido? | Have you eaten? | |
| Llevo tres años aquí. | I’ve been here for three years. | llevar + time |
| Hace dos años que estudio español. | I’ve been studying Spanish for two years. | hace + time + que + present |
| Se lo di a mi madre. | I gave it to my mother. | le becomes se before lo |
| Dímelo. | Tell me it. | pronouns attach to positive commands |
| No me lo digas. | Don’t tell me (it). | pronouns go before negative commands |
| Espero que estés bien. | I hope you’re well. | esperar que + subjunctive |
| Quiero que vengas. | I want you to come. | different subject, so subjunctive |
| Cuando llegues, llámame. | When you arrive, call me. | cuando + subjunctive for the future |
| Si tengo tiempo, iré. | If I have time, I’ll go. | si + present, future in the result |
| Si tuviera dinero, viajaría más. | If I had money, I would travel more. | imperfect subjunctive + conditional |
| Me duele la cabeza. | My head hurts. | doler works like gustar |
| Se habla español aquí. | Spanish is spoken here. | impersonal se |
| Acabo de llegar. | I’ve just arrived. | acabar de + infinitive |
| Vuelvo a intentarlo. | I’ll try again. | volver a + infinitive = do again |
| Lo importante es intentarlo. | The important thing is to try. | lo + adjective = the … thing |
| ¿Te importa si abro la ventana? | Do you mind if I open the window? | |
| Sería mejor esperar. | It would be better to wait. | conditional |
| Me lo pasé muy bien. | I had a great time. | pasarlo bien = to have a good time |
| Por fin terminé el trabajo. | I finally finished the work. | |
| Estudio para aprender, no para aprobar. | I study to learn, not to pass. | para + infinitive = in order to |
| Gracias por tu ayuda. | Thanks for your help. | por for cause or exchange |
| Es posible que llegue tarde. | I might arrive late. | es posible que + subjunctive |
| No sabía que hablabas francés. | I didn’t know you spoke French. | imperfect in reported speech |
| Ojalá pudiera ir contigo. | I wish I could go with you. | ojalá + imperfect subjunctive |
| Cuanto más practico, mejor hablo. | The more I practise, the better I speak. | cuanto más …, más/mejor … |