Unit 11.1
Compound Sentence
Advertising
Introduction
The compound sentence [oracion compuesta] is a sentence made up of more than one predicate (its nucleus is a verb). These sentences are joined with a proposition [proposición] and are divided into coordinate and subordinate sentences [oraciones coordinadas y subordinadas].
According to coordination, they can be copulative, disjunctive, adversative, and distributive.
Depending on the subordination, they can be substantive, adjective or relative, and adverbial.
Form
The compound sentence is a type of sentence made up of more than one predicate, i.e., more than one conjugated verb.
It always has the same structure:
Subject + predicate (more than one conjugated verb) + object + …
These sentences are divided according to two criteria, coordination and subordination:
Compound sentences by coordination
They are made up of two or more sentences joined by conjunctions or conjunctive locutions (sets of words that function as conjunction).
There are four types of compound coordinate sentences: copulative, disjunctive, adversative, and distributive.
Compound sentences by subordination
They are structurally dependent on the nucleus of another sentence, called the main sentence.
There are three types of compound subordinate clauses: noun, adjective (or relative clauses), and adverbial.
Example
Coordinated sentences:
- Yo soy el rey y tú eres la reina;
- ¿Quieres ser abogado o prefieres policía?
- Soy cristiano pero también soy budista;
- Unos van a la iglesia, otros van a la sinagoga.
Subordinate clauses:
- Gobernar un estado no es tan complicado;
- El presidente que lleva peluca antes era rubio;
- La capital está muy poblada porque es el centro del país.
Use
Compound sentences deal with more complex sets of ideas and express them in a single proposition by intregrating two or more simple sentences, i.e. two or more predicates (verbs).
Summary
The compound sentence is a type of sentence made up of more than one predicate (its nucleus is a verb). In Spanish, they are divided into coordinated and subordinated sentences.
However, they always have the same formula:
Subject + predicate (more than one conjugated verb) + object + …
For example:
— «Me gustan las manzanas y también las peras» = Coordinated sentence with y;
— «Las manzanas que compraste estaban podridas» = Subordinate Sentecen.
Check the contents of the {Form} section. Then move on to the {Example} section, which shows you the usage in context.
Related
The compound sentence is a type of sentence made up of more than one predicate (its nucleus is a verb). They are divided into coordinated sentences (copulative, disjunctive, adversative and distributive) and subordinate sentences (noun, adjective or relative and adverbial).
- At the A2 level, you can find the development of information on Copulative and Disjunctive Coordinated Sentences and on Adverbial Subordinate Sentences, such as Causal and Final, Temporal and their continuation, Conditional and Consecutive Sentences.
- At the B1 level, more extensive content can be found on Adjunctive Coordinated Sentences and further development of Temporal, Causal and Final, Conditional and Consecutive Concessive, Adverbial of Mood and Place and Comparative.
Exercises
The exercises are not created yet. If you would like to get involve with their creation, be a contributor.
Ambassadors
Open TextBooks are collaborative projects, with people from all over the world bringing their skills and interests to join in the compilation and dissemination of knowledge to everyone and everywhere.
Become an Ambassador and write your textbooks.
Online Teaching
Become a Books4Languages Online tutor & teacher.
More information here about how to be a tutor.
