A conjunction is a word which connects words, phrases, and clauses. Some of the most common English conjunctions are and, but, or, and if. | |
Las conjunciones y e o |
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The conjunction y becomes e before words beginning with the sound of i (spelled i- or hi-). | |
Carlota se puso furiosa e hizo un viaje a París. | Carlota became furious and made a trip to Paris. |
Luego visitamos unas típicas casas e iglesias antiguas. | Then we visited some typical houses and ancient churches. |
The conjunction o becomes u before words beginning with the sound of o (spelled o- or ho-). | |
La gente viaja con pollos u otros animales. | The people travel with chickens or other animals. |
La conjunción but |
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Bolivia y Venezuela son países de Sud America, pero México no es un país de Sud America. | Bolivia and Venezuela are countries of South America, but Mexico is not a country of South America. |
The word sino also means but and is used only after a negative statement which is contrasted with an affirmative statement containing no finite verb. | |
El cuadro más conocido del Greco no está en el Prado sino en la iglesia de Santo Tomé. | The best known painting of El Greco is not in the Prado but in the church of Santo Tomé. |
La verdad es que Jaime no tiene sólo una novia sino varias. | The truth is that James has not just one girl friend but several. |
The expression sino que is likewise used only after a negative statement but is followed by a clause containing a finite verb. | |
El maestro no solamente daba muchas clases diarias sino que también trabajaba en una fábrica. | Not only did the teacher have many each classes each, day, but he also worked in a factory. |
Modos de usar la conjunción si |
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The conjunction si ordinarily means if. | |
Si la meseta central no es tan alta como las montañas, es mucho más elevada que la costa. | If the central plateau is not as high as the mountains, it is much higher than the coast. |
When si means if, it is never followed by the future or conditional as it often is in English nor by the present subjunctive. | |
The conjunction si may also mean whether. | |
A ver si podemos llevarlas esta tarde al cine. | Let's see whether we can take them to the movies this afternoon. |
Sería difícil decir dónde hay más belleza, si en su mar o en su campo. | It would be difficult to say where there is more beauty, whether in its sea or in its fields. |
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