Conjunción
From Latin coniunctionis, from cum (with, together) and junctus (joined), from jungere (to join)
The conjunción (conjunction) is an invariable part of the sentence — it does not change for gender or number — that joins two or more words or clauses.
Classification
By their function and meaning, conjunciones are classified as:
1. Conjunciones copulativas (Copulative / additive)
These join two or more words that perform the same function, or two clauses. The copulativas are: Y ("and"), E ("and", variant of y), NI ("nor"), QUE.
Examples
- El domingo compré música moderna y clásica.
("On Sunday I bought modern and classical music.") - Él tenía vergüenza e ira.
("He felt shame and anger.") - No comió ni bebió nada.
("He didn't eat or drink anything.") - Tengo que ir al mercado.
("I have to go to the market.")
When three or more items are joined, the conjunción is written only between the last two, with commas separating the earlier items.
Unlike English, Spanish does not put a comma before the conjunción in a simple enumeration. According to the Real Academia Española (RAE)1, the last item is introduced by y, e, o, or ni and no comma is written before it: "un pantalón, un collar, unos zapatos y una cartera". English style guides (Oxford) typically use the serial or Oxford comma before "and"2: "pants, a necklace, shoes, and a purse".
Example
- La chica compró un pantalón, un collar, unos zapatos y una cartera.
("The girl bought a pair of pants, a necklace, shoes, and a purse.")
The conjunción e replaces y before words beginning with i- or hi- (to avoid the awkward double "i" sound).
Examples
- El chico se fracturó el pie e hirió la mano.
("The boy broke his foot and hurt his hand.") - Elena e Inés salieron a pasear.
("Elena and Inés went out for a walk.")
The conjunción ni is often repeated or paired with no (similar to English "neither ... nor").
Examples
- No fui al cine ni al parque.
("I didn't go to the movies or to the park.") - Ni los maestros ni los estudiantes fueron al colegio hoy.
("Neither the teachers nor the students went to school today.")
2. Conjunciones disyuntivas (Disjunctive / "or")
These link words and clauses to express alternatives. The disyuntivas are: O ("or"), U (variant of o before words starting with o- or ho-), YA, BIEN, SEA, FUERA.
Examples
- No sé si domaba leones o amaestraba elefantes.
("I don't know if he tamed lions or trained elephants.") - Él compraba bien con efectivo bien con tarjeta.
("He would pay either with cash or with a card.") - Ella bailaba ya con Luis ya con Pedro.
("She danced now with Luis, now with Pedro.") - Uno u otro deberá pagar.
("One or the other will have to pay.") - Sea una cosa sea la otra debes decidirte.
("Whether one thing or the other, you must decide.") - Mujer u hombre.
("Woman or man.") - Fuera en invierno fuera en verano él caminaba.
("Whether in winter or in summer, he walked.") - Ya sea por orgullo, ya sea por miedo, nunca pidió disculpas.
("Whether out of pride or fear, he never apologized.")
3. Conjunciones adversativas (Adversative / "but")
These express opposition between what has been said and what follows. Common ones: PERO ("but"), AUNQUE ("although"), AUN, MAS ("but"), SINO ("but rather"), SIN EMBARGO ("however"), NO OBSTANTE ("nevertheless"), ANTES BIEN, CON TODO, MÁS BIEN, FUERA DE, EXCEPTO, SALVO, MENOS ("except"), MÁS QUE, ANTES.
Examples
- Quería comprar muchas cosas pero no le alcanzaba el dinero.
("She wanted to buy many things, but she didn't have enough money.") - Llovía sin embargo salió.
("It was raining; however, he went out.") - Trataba de resolver el caso mas no sabía cómo.
("He was trying to solve the case, but he didn't know how.") - No era el blanco sino el crema.
("It wasn't the white one but the cream one.")
Note
The conjunción mas ("but") is written without an accent, unlike the adverb of quantity más ("more"), which always carries an accent. This is a case where the tilde changes the meaning entirely.
| Sentence | Word | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Lo invité a la fiesta mas no quiso ir. ("I invited him to the party, but he didn't want to go.") | mas ("but") | conjunción |
| No le eches más azúcar al café. ("Don't put more sugar in the coffee.") | más ("more") | adverbio de cantidad |
4. Conjunciones causales (Causal / "because")
Express the cause or reason of the verb's action. Common ones: PORQUE ("because"), PUES ("since"), YA QUE ("since"), PUESTO QUE ("given that"), PUES QUE, SUPUESTO QUE, DE QUE, COMO ("since, because"), POR RAZÓN DE QUE, EN VISTA DE QUE ("given that"), DADO QUE ("since"), POR CUANTO, A CAUSA DE QUE ("because of"), POR LO CUAL.
Examples
- No vino porque no pudo.
("He didn't come because he couldn't.") - Regresó caminando pues quería distraerse.
("He walked back because he wanted to clear his head.") - Estoy cansado de que me mientas.
("I'm tired of you lying to me.") - Como era estudiosa pasó el examen.
("Because she was studious, she passed the exam.") - Dado que estoy enfermo no asistiré.
("Since I'm sick, I won't attend.") - En vista de que no viniste, me fui.
("Given that you didn't come, I left.")
Note
Por qué (two words, with accent) is not a conjunction — it is a prepositional phrase made up of por ("for") and the interrogative pronoun qué ("what"). It is used in questions: ¿Por qué te vas?
("Why are you leaving?"). The single word porqué (with accent) is a noun meaning "the reason why": No sé el porqué de tu enfado ("I don't know the reason for your anger"). And the conjunction porque (one word, no accent) means "because".
5. Conjunciones condicionales (Conditional / "if")
Express the condition under which the main sentence takes place. Common ones: SI ("if"), COMO, EN CASO DE QUE ("in case"), SIEMPRE QUE ("as long as"), CON TAL DE QUE ("provided that"), EN CASO DE (QUE).
Examples
- Te doy permiso si me prometes que llegarás temprano.
("I'll give you permission if you promise to be home early.") - Como te atrevas a decir semejante barbaridad, te castigaremos.
("If you dare say such a terrible thing, we'll punish you.") - En caso de que no hubiera comida comeremos frutas.
("In case there's no food, we'll eat fruit.") - Compraremos ese carro siempre que nos autoricen el crédito.
("We'll buy that car as long as they approve the loan.") - Te acompaño con tal de que me pagues el pasaje.
("I'll come with you as long as you pay my ticket.")
6. Conjunciones finales (Final / "so that")
Express the purpose or goal of the main verb's action. Examples: PARA QUE ("so that"), A FIN DE QUE ("in order that"), CON EL OBJETO DE QUE, CON EL FIN DE QUE.
Examples
- Lo anoto para que no se me olvide.
("I'm writing it down so that I don't forget.") - Viene a fin de que aclaremos nuestras diferencias.
("He's coming so that we can clear up our differences.") - Te vine a buscar con el objeto de que me acompañes a la fiesta.
("I came to pick you up so that you'd come with me to the party.") - Te ayudaré con el fin de que puedas terminar tu tarea.
("I'll help you so that you can finish your homework.")
7. Conjunciones comparativas (Comparative)
Express comparison between the joined clauses. Examples: ASÍ, ASÍ COMO, COMO ("like, as"), TAL COMO ("just as").
Examples
- Vino vestida como una loca.
("She showed up dressed like a madwoman.") - Hizo la pintura tal como está en el cuadro original.
("He did the painting just as it appears in the original.")
8. Conjunciones ilativas3 o consecutivas (Illative / consecutive)
Express continuation or logical consequence of an action. Examples: LUEGO ("then"), ASÍ PUES, CONQUE, ASÍ QUE ("so"), POR CONSIGUIENTE ("therefore"), POR TANTO, POR LO TANTO ("therefore"), PUES, DE MODO QUE ("so that").
Examples
- ¿Quieres tener dinero?, pues ¡trabaja!
("You want to have money? Well, work!") - Pienso, luego existo.
("I think, therefore I am.") - Ella tenía un malentendido, por consiguiente se voló.
("She had a misunderstanding, so she stormed off.") - Se fue silenciosamente, de manera que nadie lo notó.
("He left silently, so that no one noticed.")
- 1
Real Academia Española, Coordinación y puntuación (II). Uso de la coma — explica que en una enumeración simple no se escribe coma delante de las conjunciones y, e, o, ni que introducen el último elemento.
- 2
The Chicago Manual of Style, Oxford, Chicago, and the Serial Comma (CMOS 6.19) — recommends the serial / Oxford comma before the conjunction in a list of three or more items, a convention also followed by Oxford, MLA, and APA style guides.
- 3
From Latin illatīvus, meaning "that which leads from one thing to another".