Spanish Grammar Basics
Spanish Sentence Types: Statements, Questions, Commands and Exclamations
Learn the main sentence types in Spanish and how they work in real communication: statements, questions, commands, exclamations and negative sentences.
Quick answer: what are the main sentence types in Spanish?
The main Spanish sentence types are statements, questions, commands, exclamations and negative sentences. They use different patterns of word order, punctuation, verb forms and intonation.
For everyday Spanish, the most useful distinction is practical: you need to know how to say something, ask something, tell someone to do something, react emotionally and say that something is not true.
Why learn Spanish sentence types with MundoDele?
MundoDele teaches sentence types as communication tools, not as abstract grammar categories. You learn how Spanish speakers make statements, ask questions, give instructions, react with emotion and express negation — with clear patterns, natural examples and short exercises you can use immediately.
Grammar path
Use this page as part of the basic Spanish grammar sequence.
Cheat sheet: Spanish sentence types
| Type | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Give information | Vivo en Madrid. |
| Question | Ask for information | ¿Dónde vives? |
| Command | Tell someone to do something | Escucha. |
| Exclamation | Express emotion or surprise | ¡Qué bonito! |
| Negative sentence | Deny or reject something | No entiendo. |
Spanish uses inverted punctuation in direct questions and exclamations: ¿...? and ¡...!
How to use this page
- Start with the cheat sheet and read each example aloud.
- Compare sentence types by function, not only by form.
- Use the exercises to transform one sentence type into another.
- Review Spanish word order and Spanish punctuation if a pattern feels unclear.
1. Statements in Spanish
A statement gives information. The basic pattern is often subject + verb + complement, but Spanish frequently drops the subject when the verb form already makes it clear.
With subject: Yo estudio español. — I study Spanish.
Without subject: Estudio español. — I study Spanish.
This is why Spanish sentence types should always be learned together with verb forms and context.
2. Questions in Spanish
Spanish questions use question marks at the beginning and end: ¿...?. Question words normally carry an accent: qué, quién, cuándo, dónde, por qué, cómo, cuál, cuánto.
¿Hablas español? — Do you speak Spanish?
¿Dónde vives? — Where do you live?
For a full explanation, continue with Spanish questions.
3. Commands in Spanish
Commands tell someone to do something. In Spanish, the form changes depending on whether you speak to tú, usted, vosotros or ustedes.
Escucha. — Listen.
Abra la puerta, por favor. — Open the door, please.
No hables tan rápido. — Do not speak so fast.
For deeper study, see Spanish imperative.
4. Exclamations in Spanish
Exclamations express emotion, surprise, admiration or intensity. Spanish uses inverted exclamation marks: ¡...!.
¡Qué bonito! — How beautiful!
¡Qué calor! — It is so hot!
¡Cuánto trabajo! — So much work!
Exclamations often look similar to questions, but their function is emotional rather than informational.
5. Negative sentences in Spanish
Negative sentences usually place no before the verb. Spanish can also use words such as nada, nadie, nunca, ningún and tampoco.
No entiendo. — I do not understand.
No tengo nada. — I do not have anything.
Nadie viene. — Nobody is coming.
For more detail, continue with Spanish negation.
Common mistakes with Spanish sentence types
- Forgetting inverted punctuation: write ¿Cómo estás?, not only Cómo estás?
- Using English word order too mechanically: Spanish often drops the subject.
- Confusing question words and exclamations: ¿Qué haces? asks; ¡Qué bonito! reacts.
- Forgetting the imperative form: commands are not always the same as the infinitive.
- Putting no in the wrong place: usually before the verb: No quiero.
Exercises: Spanish sentence types
How to work with these exercises: Do the task first and write your answers on paper or in a separate note. The solutions are hidden inside each exercise under Show answer key, so you do not see them before you try.
Exercise 1: identify the sentence type
Task: Read each sentence and decide what it does. Write one label for each sentence: statement, question, command, exclamation or negative sentence.
- Vivo en Valencia.
Type: ____________________ - ¿Dónde está la estación?
Type: ____________________ - ¡Qué interesante!
Type: ____________________ - No tengo tiempo.
Type: ____________________ - Escucha, por favor.
Type: ____________________
Show answer key
- Statement
- Question
- Exclamation
- Negative sentence
- Command
Exercise 2: turn statements into questions
Task: Rewrite each statement as a yes/no question. Keep the verb form, but add Spanish question marks: ¿...?
- Vives en Málaga.
Question: ____________________ - Estudias español.
Question: ____________________ - Trabajas mañana.
Question: ____________________
Show answer key
- ¿Vives en Málaga?
- ¿Estudias español?
- ¿Trabajas mañana?
Exercise 3: add the correct punctuation
Task: Decide whether the sentence needs question marks, exclamation marks or normal punctuation. Add the correct Spanish punctuation.
- Qué bonito
Correct form: ____________________ - Cómo te llamas
Correct form: ____________________ - No entiendo
Correct form: ____________________
Show answer key
- ¡Qué bonito!
- ¿Cómo te llamas?
- No entiendo.
Exercise 4: make the sentence negative
Task: Rewrite each sentence as a negative sentence. In these examples, place no directly before the verb.
- Quiero café.
Negative sentence: ____________________ - Entiendo la pregunta.
Negative sentence: ____________________ - Tengo dinero.
Negative sentence: ____________________
Show answer key
- No quiero café.
- No entiendo la pregunta.
- No tengo dinero.
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FAQ: Spanish sentence types
What are the basic sentence types in Spanish?
The basic Spanish sentence types are statements, questions, commands, exclamations and negative sentences.
Do Spanish questions always need inverted question marks?
Direct written questions normally use an opening and closing question mark: ¿...?.
What is the difference between a question and an exclamation in Spanish?
A question asks for information, while an exclamation expresses emotion, surprise or intensity. Spanish marks them differently: ¿...? for questions and ¡...! for exclamations.
Are commands a separate sentence type in Spanish?
Yes. Commands use imperative forms and change depending on the person you address, such as tú, usted or ustedes.
Where does no go in a Spanish negative sentence?
No usually goes directly before the verb: No entiendo, No quiero, No tengo tiempo.
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