Two thoughts in one sentence
Two thoughts join into one sentence through a conjunction. The main one is que, 'that': creo que sí, dice que llega tarde. Unlike English 'that', it can never be dropped, and no comma goes before it. For example: “Dice que no viene porque no tiene coche” — He says he is not coming because he has no car. A rule from the Spanish course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Two thoughts join into one sentence through a conjunction. The main one is que, 'that': creo que sí, dice que llega tarde. Unlike English 'that', it can never be dropped, and no comma goes before it.
Porque is 'because' and sits inside the sentence. If the reason comes first, Spanish switches to como: como no había cobertura, no te llamé.
Si is 'if', and here is the trap: no future tense after it. 'If it rains, we won't go' is si llueve, no vamos or si llueve, no iremos. Si lloverá does not exist.
Cuando is 'when'. About the past and the habitual it takes ordinary tenses: cuando llegué, no había nadie. About the future it takes a special form: cuando llegues, llámame.
Table
| conjunction | what it introduces | verb form after it | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| que | 'that' | ordinary | creo que sí |
| porque | a cause | ordinary | no voy porque estoy cansado |
| como | a cause at the front of the sentence | ordinary | como es tarde, me voy |
| si | a condition | present, never future | si puedo, te llamo |
| cuando (about the past) | time | ordinary | cuando llegué |
| cuando (about the future) | time | subjuntivo | cuando llegues |
By example
- Dice que no viene porque no tiene cocheHe says he is not coming because he has no car
- Si llueve mañana, no vamos de excursiónIf it rains tomorrow, we're not going on the excursion
- Cuando llegues a casa, mándame un mensajeWhen you get home, send me a message
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Two thoughts in one sentence: how does it work in Spanish?
Two thoughts join into one sentence through a conjunction. The main one is que, 'that': creo que sí, dice que llega tarde. Unlike English 'that', it can never be dropped, and no comma goes before it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Spanish?
“Dice que no viene porque no tiene coche” — He says he is not coming because he has no car. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.