The Spanish Sentence — Word Order
Generally, the word order of Spanish sentences is the same as that of English sentences, i.e., subject, verb, object.
Subject (noun or pronoun) + verb + predicate noun.
Ella es alemana.
She is German.
However, in a question, Spanish usually places the subject after the verb. The auxiliary verb do is not translated from English into Spanish.
¿Habla Ud. español?
Do you speak Spanish? (literally: Speak you Spanish?)
¿Trabaja Ud. hoy?
Do you work today? (literally: Work you today?)
¿Come Ud. aquí?
Do you eat here? (literally: Eat you here?)
The same is true of the auxiliary (helping) verb to be except when used to form the passive voice or the progressive tenses.
¿Va Ud. al pueblo?
Are you going to town? (literally: Go you to town?)
¿Trabaja él aquí?
Is he working here? (literally: Works he here?)
If an interrogative word is used in the question, generally the interrogative word is placed in the same position as in the English sentence.
¿Por qué habla Ud. español?
Why do you speak Spanish?
¿Cuándo va Ud. al pueblo?
When are you going to town?
Cool! Thanks for the informative materials!
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