Conjunctions y, e, o, u, sino, pero
A) There are two words in Spanish for the word and: y and e. We use e when the word that follows begins with the sound [i], which corresponds to the letters i and hi. (Remember that h is always silent.)
Exs: Daniel e Isabel / padre e hijo
There are a few words that begin with hie; in this case hie sounds like [ye] instead of [ie], and the conjunction y is used.
Ex: agua y hielo
B) There are two words in Spanish for the word or: o and u. We use u when the word that follows begins with the sound [o], which corresponds to the letters o and ho. If the word begins with the diphthong hue as in hueso, we use o.
Ex: siete u ocho, minutos u horas, BUT m?sculos o huesos
C) There are three ways to translate the word but: pero, sino, and sino que . In order to use sino, two conditions are required:
1. The first part of the sentence must be negative:
Ex: Ese muchacho no es Pedro sino Pablo.
2. The two parts of the sentence must be parallel ? that is, the contrast must be between two nouns, two adjectives, and so on. At the same time those two parts must be on the same level of meaning: two colors, two religions, two affiliations. Otherwise pero must be used.
Exs. No es gorda sino delgada. (She's not fat but thin.): Fatness and thinness are on the same level.
No es gordo pero es alto. (He's not fat but tall.): Fatness and height are on different levels.
Sino que is used when each of the two parts of the sentence contains a subject and a verb.
Exs. Pepe no fuma sino que bebe.
BUT Pepe no quiere fumar sino beber.
A) There are two words in Spanish for the word and: y and e. We use e when the word that follows begins with the sound [i], which corresponds to the letters i and hi. (Remember that h is always silent.)
Exs: Daniel e Isabel / padre e hijo
There are a few words that begin with hie; in this case hie sounds like [ye] instead of [ie], and the conjunction y is used.
Ex: agua y hielo
B) There are two words in Spanish for the word or: o and u. We use u when the word that follows begins with the sound [o], which corresponds to the letters o and ho. If the word begins with the diphthong hue as in hueso, we use o.
Ex: siete u ocho, minutos u horas, BUT m?sculos o huesos
C) There are three ways to translate the word but: pero, sino, and sino que . In order to use sino, two conditions are required:
1. The first part of the sentence must be negative:
Ex: Ese muchacho no es Pedro sino Pablo.
2. The two parts of the sentence must be parallel ? that is, the contrast must be between two nouns, two adjectives, and so on. At the same time those two parts must be on the same level of meaning: two colors, two religions, two affiliations. Otherwise pero must be used.
Exs. No es gorda sino delgada. (She's not fat but thin.): Fatness and thinness are on the same level.
No es gordo pero es alto. (He's not fat but tall.): Fatness and height are on different levels.
Sino que is used when each of the two parts of the sentence contains a subject and a verb.
Exs. Pepe no fuma sino que bebe.
BUT Pepe no quiere fumar sino beber.