As your Spanish gets better and better, you’ll gradually feel a greater need to move away from short and simple phrases. Instead of using 3-word-sentences, you’ll want to connect ideas into longer and more developed messages. Many of the Spanish connectors are very similar to the English ones, and they can be grouped into the following categories:
- Contrast
- Additional Information
- Cause and Effect
- Alternative
- Sequence
- Emphasis
- Summary and Conclusion
- Illustration
Let’s see the key connectors for each category and observe how they can be used in conversational examples.
Spanish Connectors of Contrast
Contrasting connectors allow you to place two opposite ideas within the same sentence. Among the most important ones, you’ll find:
PERO – BUT
🇪🇸 Esta casa es bonita pero muy cara.
🇬🇧 This house is beautiful but very expensive.
SIN EMBARGO – HOWEVER
🇪🇸 Estudié mucho para la prueba. Sin embargo, no me fue bien.
🇬🇧 I studied a lot for the test. However, I didn’t do well.
A PESAR DE – IN SPITE OF, DESPITE
🇪🇸 A pesar de la lluvia el fin de semana en la playa estuvo muy agradable.
🇬🇧 In spite of the rain, the weekend at the beach was very enjoyable.
A PESAR DE QUE – ALTHOUGH, EVEN THOUGH
🇪🇸 A pesar de que hago mi mejor esfuerzo, igual tengo malas notas en la escuela.
🇬🇧 Although I am doing my best, I still get bad grades at school.
EN VEZ DE – INSTEAD OF
🇪🇸 En vez de tomar taxi, ¿por qué no nos vamos en bus?
🇬🇧 Instead of taking a taxi, why don’t we go by bus?
A DIFERENCIA DE – UNLIKE
🇪🇸 A diferencia de su hermano, Pedro es extremadamente desordenado y perezoso.
🇬🇧 Unlike his brother, Pedro is extremely messy and lazy.
If you are a parent, try not to publicly compare your children, as it can hurt their feelings and make them self-conscious. 😉
Spanish Connectors for Additional information
There are times when, instead of showing a contrast, you want to add extra information into your sentences.
Whether you’re naming various characteristics, options, or possibilities in Spanish, choose one of the connectors below:
Y – AND
🇪🇸 Laura es muy simpática y amigable.
🇬🇧 Laura is very nice and friendly.
🔔 Keep in mind that this Spanish connector changes to “E” when the following word starts with the letter “i”, for example:
🇪🇸 Eres estudioso e inteligente.
🇬🇧 You are studious and intelligent.
TAMBIÉN – TOO, ALSO
🇪🇸 Esta moneda es muy antigua. También es muy rara, hay solo diez iguales en el mundo.
🇬🇧 This coin is very old. It is also very rare, there are only 10 like this one in the world.
ADICIONALMENTE – ADDITIONALLY
🇪🇸 Cuando postulas un trabajo, debes enviar tu curriculum. Adicionalmente puedes adjuntar una carta de presentación.
🇬🇧 When applying for a job, you should send your resumé. Additionally, you can attach your cover letter.
ADEMÁS – MOREOVER, BESIDES
🇪🇸 El hotel tiene un gimnasio y una piscina. Además, hay un spa por si quieres hacerte un masaje.
🇬🇧 The hotel has a gym and a pool. Besides, there is a spa in case you want to get a massage.
Spanish Connectors of Cause and Effect
Showing the cause and effect relation is impossible without resorting to a handful of useful Spanish connectors, such as:
ENTONCES – SO
🇪🇸 Yo lavé la loza ayer, entonces hoy es tu turno.
🇬🇧 I washed the dishes yesterday, so today it is your turn.
POR LO TANTO, POR ENDE – THEREFORE, THUS
🇪🇸 Lucas le pegó a un compañero y por ende está suspendido por cinco días.
🇬🇧 Lucas punched a classmate, therefore he got suspended for five days.
ASÍ QUE – SO
🇪🇸 Mi pasaporte ha vencido, así que tendré que solicitar uno nuevo.
🇬🇧 My passport has expired, so I’ll have to request a new one.
POR LO QUE – WHICH IS WHY
🇪🇸 Alex se ha fracturado una pierna, por lo que no podrá participar en el partido.
🇬🇧 Alex has a broken leg, which is why he won’t be able to take part in the match.
YA QUE – AS, SINCE, FOR
🇪🇸 Ya que eres mi mejor amigo, te voy a contar mi secreto más grande.
🇬🇧 Since you are my best friend, I’m going to tell you my biggest secret.
POR – BECAUSE OF
🇪🇸 Por el mal tiempo, el paseo se pospuso hasta el próximo fin de semana.
🇬🇧 Because of bad weather, the trip gets put off until next weekend.
🇪🇸 Test Your Spanish Knowledge 🇪🇸
A MEDIDA QUE – AS
🇪🇸 A medida que haces más ejercicio, tus músculos empiezan a definirse mejor.
🇬🇧 As you work out more and more, you start getting better muscle definition.
DEBIDO A – DUE TO, OWING TO
🇪🇸 Todos los vuelos están cancelados debido al huracán.
🇬🇧 All flights are canceled due to the hurricane.
By the way, how strong is your weather vocabulary in Spanish?
Spanish Connectors to Introduce Alternatives
Having to choose one thing over something else is a common part of conversational Spanish.
Train or bus?
Short hair or long hair?
Lazy weekend at home or a wild party with friends?
Here is a selection of the most common Spanish connectors that you can use when presenting different alternatives:
O – OR
🇪🇸 ¿Prefieres té o café?
🇬🇧 Do you prefer tea or coffee?
🔔 Remember that for phonetic reasons, this Spanish connector changes to “U” when the following word begins with the letter “o”, for instance:
🇪🇸 ¿Naciste en septiembre u octubre?
🇬🇧 Were you born in September or October?
O…O… – EITHER…OR…
🇪🇸 Puedes estar o en el equipo de Pedro o en el de Juan.
🇬🇧 You can be either on Pedro’s or Juan’s team.
NI…NI… – NEITHER…NOR…
🇪🇸 Ni Pedro ni Juan han aprobado el examen.
🇬🇧 Neither Pedro nor Juan has passed the exam.
Negations and negative words in Spanish are not always easy. How confident do you feel using them?
EN VEZ DE – INSTEAD OF
🇪🇸 ¿Qué tal si en vez de comprar una torta nos hacemos una?
🇬🇧 What if instead of buying a cake we make one ourselves?
Pay attention to the verb form that follows this expression. While in English you need the gerund (-ING form), Spanish requires simple infinitive.
SI…O… – WHETHER…OR…
🇪🇸 Tu señora quiere saber si almorzarás en la casa o en la oficina.
🇬🇧 Your wife wants to know whether you’ll have lunch at home or at the office.
Spanish Connectors of Sequence
Do you want to explain how to cook your favorite meal?
Or perhaps you are outlining your presentation?
Or making an action plan?
Here’s a selection of the best sequencing connectors that will allow you to make yourself crystal clear.
PRIMERO QUE TODO – FIRST OF ALL
🇪🇸 Primero que todo, quisiera presentar a nuestro próximo conferencista.
🇬🇧 First of all, I’d like to introduce our next speaker.
DESPUÉS (DE) – AFTER
🇪🇸 Después del trabajo me fui directo a la casa.
After work, I went straight home.
🇪🇸 Después de que termines tu tarea, saca a pasear a tu perro, por favor.
After you finish your homework, walk your dog, please.
🔔 Have you noticed the form of the verb “terminar” in the example above? “Termines” is an example of the Spanish present subjunctive tense, which English speakers find a little challenging.
LUEGO – THEN
🇪🇸 Lava la cebolla, luego pélala y pícala bien fina.
🇬🇧 Wash the onion, then peel it and chop it finely.
FINALMENTE – FINALLY
🇪🇸 Fue un partido difícil, pero finalmente ganamos 4 a 3.
🇬🇧 It was a difficult match, but we finally won 4 to 3.
🔔 Please note that the Spanish word “eventualmente” is not a synonym for “eventually”. It is closer in meaning to “maybe” and expresses a possibility.
🇪🇸 Esta semana estoy demasiado ocupada para cenar contigo. Eventualmente podría ir el próximo viernes.
🇬🇧 I am too busy this week to go out to dinner with you. I might be able to go next Friday.
POR ÚLTIMO – LASTLY
🇪🇸 Sazona la sopa, déjala cocinando por 30 minutos y por último agrega un poco de perejil fresco.
🇬🇧 Season the soup, let it cook for 30 minutes, and lastly add some fresh parsley.
🔔 Please note that “por último” can also mean “in the worst case”. Check out the example below:
🇪🇸 No te preocupes si no quedan entradas. Por último, veremos la película otro día.
🇬🇧 Don’t worry if there are no tickets left. In the worst case, we’ll watch the movie some other day.
MIENTRAS (QUE) – WHILE
🇪🇸 Veo las noticias mientras estoy en el gimnasio.
🇬🇧 I watch the news while I am at the gym.
🇪🇸 Mientras que Paula dibujaba, su hermano estaba jugando con sus trencitos.
🇬🇧 While Paula was drawing, her brother was playing with his toy trains.
MIENTRAS TANTO – MEANWHILE
🇪🇸 El guardia estaba durmiendo. Mientras tanto, los ladrones estaban robándose todo el dinero.
🇬🇧 The guard was sleeping. Meanwhile, the robbers were stealing all the money.
AL MISMO TIEMPO – AT THE SAME TIME
🇪🇸 Se considera mala educación masticar y hablar al mismo tiempo.
🇬🇧 It is considered bad manners to chew and talk at the same time.
Spanish Connectors for Emphasis
If you draw the listener’s attention to the essential element(s) of your sentence, this kind of Spanish connectors will come in extremely handy:
SOBRE TODO – ABOVE ALL
🇪🇸 Les agradezco a todos mis amigos, sobre todo a José.
🇬🇧 I’m grateful to all my friends, above all Jose.
EN ESPECIAL, ESPECIALMENTE – ESPECIALLY
🇪🇸 Tenemos que asegurar la casa para el bebé, en especial tapar los enchufes.
🇬🇧 We need to babyproof the house, especially to cover the electric outlets.
POR SUPUESTO – OF COURSE
🇪🇸 Por supuesto que puedes invitar a Laura. Es tu mejor amiga, ¿o no?
🇬🇧 Of course, you can invite Laura. She’s your best friend, isn’t she?
CLARAMENTE – CLEARLY
🇪🇸 Claramente, la decisión del gerente general no les gustó mucho a los empleados.
🇬🇧 Clearly, the employees were not very pleased with the CEO’s decision.
AFORTUNADAMENTE, POR SUERTE – LUCKILY
🇪🇸 Mi maleta se ha perdido. Por suerte no había nada importante allí.
🇬🇧 My suitcase has gotten lost. Luckily, there was nothing important there.
LAMENTABLEMENTE – UNFORTUNATELY
🇪🇸 Lamentablemente, ya no quedan entradas para el concierto de U2.
🇬🇧 Unfortunately, there are no tickets left for the U2 concert.
I’ve been a great U2 fan for as long as I remember. And you? What’s your favorite band or singer?
Spanish Connectors for Summary and Conclusion
Is your presentation coming to an end?
Or maybe you want to wrap up a story you’ve been telling?
The selection of Spanish connectors below will allow you to summarize ideas swiftly:
EN RESUMEN – IN SUMMARY, IN BRIEF
🇪🇸 In summary, necesitaremos diez mil dólares para desarrollar este proyecto.
🇬🇧 In summary, we’ll need ten thousand dollars to develop this project.
RESUMIENDO – SUMMARIZING
🇪🇸 Resumiendo lo que dijo el presidente, no habrá cambios en el sistema de impuestos.
🇬🇧 Summarizing what the president said, there will be no changes in the tax system.
EN SÍNTESIS – IN SHORT
🇪🇸 En síntesis, la energía solar tiene grandes posibilidades que debemos aprovechar.
🇬🇧 In short, solar energy has great possibilities we should take advantage of.
PARA CONCLUIR – TO CONCLUDE
🇪🇸 Para concluir, os invito a todos a una sesión de preguntas y respuestas.
🇬🇧 To conclude, let me invite all of you for a Q&A session.
PARA FINALIZAR – TO WRAP UP
🇪🇸 Para finalizar, es importante que tomemos conciencia de este problema y actuemos rápido.
🇬🇧 To wrap up, it is important for us to be aware of this problem and act fast.
Spanish Connectors to Provide Illustration
An excellent way to increase understanding and draw the listener’s attention to what you say is to provide examples.
Here’s how you connect examples to the main idea in Spanish:
POR EJEMPLO – FOR EXAMPLE, FOR INSTANCE
🇪🇸 Este país tiene muchos recursos naturales, por ejemplo, cobre y litio.
🇬🇧 This country has many natural resources, for example, copper and lithium.
TAL(ES) COMO – SUCH AS
🇪🇸 Me gustan mucho los cantantes latinos, tales como Shakira, Ricky Martin, o Juanes.
🇬🇧 I like many Latin singers, such as Shakira, Ricky Martin, or Juanes.
COMO – LIKE
🇪🇸 Cariño, hoy te ves como una princesa.
🇬🇧 Darling, today you look like a princess.
POR DECIR ALGO – TO SAY THE LEAST
🇪🇸 Juan es arrogante, maleducado e intolerante, por decir algo.
🇬🇧 Juan is arrogant, rude, and intolerant, to say the least.
🔔 That last example comes with three powerful adjectives. Don’t forget that Spanish adjectives have genders and change from singular to plural.
Spanish Connectors to Introduce Possibility
The last group of Spanish connectors for today contains words and expressions that help to introduce a possible, yet not certain, situation.
Have a look:
TAL VEZ – MAYBE
🇪🇸 No tengo idea donde están tus llaves. Tal vez la mamá sepa.
🇬🇧 I have no idea where your keys are. Maybe mom knows.
QUIZAS – PERHAPS
🇪🇸 Si empujamos todos juntos, quizás logremos mover el camión.
🇬🇧 If we push all together, perhaps we’ll manage to move the truck.
POSIBLEMENTE – POSSIBLY
🇪🇸 No encuentro mi teléfono. Posiblemente me lo robaron en el metro.
🇬🇧 I can’t find my phone. Possibly I had it stolen in the subway.
PROBABLEMENTE – PROBABLY
🇪🇸 Este es, probablemente, nuestro producto estrella.
🇬🇧 This is, probably, our star product.
Have you noticed how the last two connectors are almost the same as in English?
You’ll be glad to learn that Spanish is packed with cognates, which is something that makes it a fairly easy language to learn for English speakers.
