Complete Guide to Conjunctions in Spanish: Definition, Types and Examples

Conjunctions are little words that function as “bridges” that allow us to join related or contrasting ideas in the same sentence. If you are learning Spanish, understanding conjunctions is key to speaking and writing naturally. 
In this article we will see what conjunctions are, the different types that exist and how you can use them with practical examples. Let's get started!

What are conjunctions?

Conjunctions are words that we use to connect other words, phrases or sentences and relate or contrast them with each other. Conjunctions are invariable, that is, they do not change form, and their function is to make our sentences longer and more fluid. Examples of conjunctions in Spanish:

• Me gusta el chocolate y el helado.(I like chocolate and ice cream.)
• No fui a la fiesta porque estaba cansado. (I didn't go to the party because I was tired.)
• Quiero estudiar, pero no tengo tiempo.(I want to study, but I don't have time.)
• Tienes que estudiar si quieres aprobar el examen. (You have to study if you want to pass the exam.)
• ¿Vamos al cine o al boliche? (Are we going to the movies or bowling?)

Tabla de conjunciones en español

Types of conjunctions

Now that you know what conjunctions are, let's look at the different types:

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join elements that have the same importance within a sentence. This means that they connect words, phrases or sentences that are independent of each other, but are related. Examples of coordinating conjunctions:

• Me gusta correr y nadar. (I like to run and swim.)
• No tengo dinero ni tiempo para viajar ahora. (I don't have money or time to travel now.)
• Voy a estudiar, pero quiero descansar primero. (I am going to study, but I want to rest first.)
• Elige un color: rojo o azul. (Choose a color: red or blue.)
• No me gusta el café, sino el té. (I don't like coffee, I like tea.)

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions connect a main sentence with a subordinate sentence that depends on the first one. That is, the second sentence does not make sense on its own, it needs to be connected to the main sentence. Examples of subordinating conjunctions:

• No salí porque estaba lloviendo. (I didn't go out because it was raining.)
• Te llamo cuando llegue a casa. (I'll call you when I get home.)
• Estudia si quieres aprobar. (Study if you want to pass.)
• Te ayudaré aunque esté ocupado. (I will help you even if I am busy.)
• Se fue mientras dormías. (He left while you were sleeping.)

Copulative Conjunctions

Copulative conjunctions are used to add elements in a sentence. That is, they connect words or phrases to accumulate information. Examples of copulative conjunctions:

• Comí pizza y bebí jugo. (I ate pizza and drank juice.)
• No tengo lápiz ni cuaderno. (I don't have a pencil or notebook.)
• Vino mi hermano y mi primo. (My brother and cousin came over.)
• Estudiamos historia e inglés. (We studied history and English.)
• Me gustan los perros y los gatos. (I like dogs and cats.)

Disjunctive Conjunctions

Disjunctive conjunctions help us present alternatives or options to choose from. Examples of disjunctive conjunctions:

• Puedes venir o quedarte en casa. (You can either come or stay at home.)
• ¿Prefieres agua o refresco? (Do you prefer water or soda?)
• Estudiaré matemáticas o historia. (I will study math or history.)
• ¿Salimos ahora o más tarde? (Shall we go out now or later?)
• Puedes ir al cine u optar por quedarte en casa. (You can go to the movies or choose to stay home.)

Adversative conjunctions

Adversative conjunctions are used to express a contrast or opposition between two different ideas. Examples of adversative conjunctions:

• Quería salir, pero empezó a llover. (I wanted to go out, but it started to rain.)
• Me gusta surfear, sin embargo, vivo lejos de la playa. (I like to surf, however, I live far from the beach.)
• No era lo que esperaba, sino todo lo contrario. (It was not what I expected, quite the opposite.)
• Quería ayudar, no obstante, no tenía tiempo. (I wanted to help, but I didn't have time.)
• Él estudia, aunque no tiene ganas. (He studies, although he doesn't feel like it.)

Causal Conjunctions

These conjunctions are used to explain the reason why something happens. Examples of causal conjunctions:

• Lo hice porque me lo pediste. (I did it because you asked me to.)
• No vino a la fiesta, ya que estaba enfermo. (He didn't come to the party because he was sick.)
• Lo ayudé dado que no podía solo. (I helped him since he couldn't do it alone.)
• No salimos por la tormenta. (We didn't go out because of the storm.)
• Se fue debido a problemas personales. (He left because of personal problems.)

Consecutive Conjunctions

These conjunctions indicate the consequence or result of an action or situation. Examples of consecutive conjunctions:

• Ella estudió mucho, por lo tanto, aprobó el examen. (She studied hard, therefore, she passed the exam.)
• Me quedé dormido, así que llegué tarde. (I overslept, so I was late.)
• Hizo frío, por eso no salimos. (It was cold, so we didn't go out.)
• Es tarde, entonces deberíamos irnos. (It's late, so we should leave.)
• No terminó su tarea, de modo que no pudo jugar. (He didn't finish his homework, so he couldn't play.)

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Common mistakes with conjunctions

Although using conjunctions is relatively simple, it is also easy to make some mistakes when using them. Let's look at some of the most common mistakes so you can avoid them.

Confusing coordinating and subordinating conjunctions

Sometimes, people confuse which conjunctions they should use, especially when trying to connect ideas with different meanings. Examples of confusion between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions:

Incorrect: Quería estudiar, aunque no tengo ganas. (I wanted to study, although I don't feel like it.) 
Correct: Quería estudiar, pero no tengo ganas. (I wanted to study, but I don't feel like it.) 
Incorrect: Te llamé, aunque no contestaste. (I called you, although you didn't answer.) 
Correct: Te llamé, pero no contestaste. (I called you, but you didn't answer.)

Excessive use of conjunctions

Using too many conjunctions in a sentence can make it too long and confusing. Examples of excessive use of conjunctions:

Incorrect: Me gusta leer, y escribir, y también ir al cine, pero a veces prefiero quedarme en casa. (I like to read, and write, and also go to the movies, but sometimes I prefer to stay home.) 
Correct: Me gusta leer, escribir e ir al cine, pero a veces prefiero quedarme en casa. (I like to read, write and go to the movies, but sometimes I prefer to stay at home.) 
Incorrect: Voy a ir al gimnasio, o a la piscina, o a dar un paseo, y quizás a cenar. (I'm going to go to the gym, or to the pool, or for a walk, and maybe dinner.) 
Correct: Voy a ir al gimnasio, a la piscina o a dar un paseo, y quizás a cenar. (I'm going to go to the gym, or to the pool, or for a walk, and maybe to dinner.)

Confusion with similar conjunctions

There are conjunctions that are similar, but have different meanings. Confusing them can completely change the meaning of the sentence, so it is important to learn the differences between one and the other. Example:

Incorrect: No sé porque no me llamaste. (I don't know because you didn't call me.) 
Correct: No sé por qué no me llamaste. (I don't know why you didn't call me.) 
Incorrect: No quiero un sándwich, si no una hamburguesa. I don't want a sandwich, if not a hamburger) 
Correct: No quiero un sándwich, sino una hamburguesa. (I don't want a sandwich, but a hamburger)

Summary

Conjunctions are essential tools in Spanish that allow us to link ideas and make sentences more fluent. Now that you know the different types and uses of conjunctions, you will be able to communicate more clearly and naturally.

Keep practicing the use of conjunctions through the Promova app and try to integrate them into your conversations and writing. You will see that you will master them very soon.