Spanish Transition Words And Phrases

Spanish Transition Words And Phrases

Spanish Transition Words: down you will find over 100 Spanish transition development and phrases to help you sound more natural both in your writing and speaking. Transitional devices or connectors as they’re also declared, help connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs evenly so there are no abrupt breaks between thoughts. Brief explanations and example sentences are included.

As in any other dialect, Spanish transitional phrases are scrutinized the bridge between one idea and another. Transition words are assassinate in both writing and speaking because they help the reader/listener beyond the ideas that are being community to them. Without them, people are more likely to have miscommunications. Transitional words and phrasings ensure the overall continuity and cohesion of the message being created.

 Spanish Transition Words And Phrases

Transition Words In Spanish

As you learn to speak and write more Spanish, you’re going to want to be able to better connect different parts of a sentence. In other words, you’re going to need the right retiring. You can use granted words to refer to:

  • time and/or place
  • an supplementary idea
  • a comparison or a comparison between two ideas
  • an example
  • magnitude or final idea.

For each case, you’ll find a list with the most commonplace and useful transitions and an ending example. In some incidents, the list includes a first and second alternative that cover common synonyms for some transitions. Using these alternatives can add flavor to your dialect and keep your writing from seeming repetitive.

Let’s begin:

Transition Words that Refer to Time and/or Place

al principio (at the inauguration, pronounced: al preen-see-pee-oh)

en primer lugar (in the first place, spoken: ehn pree-mer loo-gar)

para comenzar (to begin, uttered: pah-rah koh-men-sar)

antes (before, pronounced: ahn-tehs)

después (after, spoken: dehs-poo-ehs)

a continuación (next, pronounced: ah kohn-tee-noo-ah-see-on)

mientras tanto (in the meantime, delivered: myen-trahs tahn-toh)

al final (at the end, pronounced: al fee-nahl)

Example: Mientras tanto, debo practicar español. (In the meantime, I must execute Spanish)

Transition Words that Refer to an Additional Idea

además (in addition, pronounced: ah-deh-mas)

más aún (moreover, pronounced: mas ah-oon)

aparte (besides, pronounced: ah par-teh)

asimismo (likewise, pronounced: ah-see-mees-moh)

también (also, pronounced: tam-bee-ehn)

de igual manera (in the same way, pronounced: deh ee-goo-al mah-neh-rah)

Example: También, debo repasar el vocabulario. (Also, I must review the vocabulary)

Transition Words Spanish

Transition Words Spanish

Once you’ve learned the basics of Spanish, it’s time to make your sentences flow! Here, we’ll explain the importance of transition words.

Intermediate Spanish students frequently ask how they can take their Spanish skills to the next level or sound just a bit more natural. One simple way to do this is to add transitions to your sentences.

This not only provides a good flow and allows the listener or reader to simply follow along, but it also adds interest.

Why Transition Words Matter in Spanish

Take, for example, this short summary of what I did today:

I did laundry and cleaned the dishes. I tutored a student. I watched TV with my dog. I did some work.

Sounds pretty boring, doesn’t it? One reason this sounds like no fun at all is because these sentences lack transitions. As native English speakers, we are naturally familiar with adding transitions to our sentences, but many beginner to intermediate-level students tend to forget to add these same transitions when they are writing in or speaking Spanish.

If I had added just a few transitions, the reader would be much more interested and the story would have a better flow:

After waking up, I did laundry and cleaned the dishes. Then I tutored a few students. After helping all of my students, I came home and watched TV with my dog. Finally, I sat at my desk and did some work.

Sure, it may still be a little boring, but there’s better flow and progression between the sentences and hopefully you found it at least a little more interesting. This is a prime example of why it’s important to use transitions in Spanish.

Types of Spanish Transitions

There are several different types of transitions, including…

  • Transitions for time (first, later, then)
  • Transitions for place (above, opposite from)
  • Transitions to add an idea (also, furthermore)
  • Transitions to explain an idea (for example, in other words)
  • Transitions to compare and contrast ideas (although, on the contrary)
  • Transitions to show a result (consequently, therefore)
  • Transitions to emphasize an idea (above all, in fact)
  • Transitions to summarize (in conclusion, that is)

Time transitions are some of the most common that new Spanish speakers begin with. When you are first using time Spanish transition words, it’s best to place the transitional word at the beginning of the sentence. For example, “Durante el día, yo trabajo con estudiantes” (“During the day, I work with students”). “During the day” or “durante el día” is the transitional phrase that explains when the action takes place.

Spanish Transition Words Pdf

Transitional words in Spanish are classified by their function. Some of the most common types of transitional phrases in this romance language include:

Conectores de Adición Addition
Conectores de Causa Cause
Conectores de Consecuencia Consequence
Conectores de Oposición Opposition
Conectores de Conclusión Summary
Conectores de Tiempo Time

Spanish Transitional Phrases Vocabulary

While there are many transition words you will need to learn in Spanish, there are some that are more common than others. The following list of transitional phrases will give you the basics you need for conversation.

Y and
Además Besides/In addition
Porque Because
Dado que Given that
En consecuencia As a result
Por lo tanto Therefore
También Also
De la misma forma In a like manner/In the same way
Ya que Since/because of
Ahora Now
Al mismo tiempo At the same time
Sin embargo However
Por el contrario Conversely/By contrast
En primer lugar On the one hand
En segundo lugar On the other hand
A su vez In turn
De hecho In fact/ Actually
Debido a Due to
A menos que Unless
Por esta razón For this reason
Pero But
O Or
Aún/Todavía Yet

Transitional Phrases to Add Information

Transitions for adding information are probably the most common transitional phrases in Spanish as they are used by everyone in everyday speech. Said phrases are meant to add information, continue a conversation or idea, present additional details on a given topic or simply add more relevant information to what is being said. In terms of function, these phrases can be divided into two types. 1) Argumentative phrases and 2) Coordinating phrases.

Argumentative Phrases

Argumentative phrases are used to argue a particular point or to persuade someone to behave or think differently. Argumentative transitions include words and phrases like “in fact,” “therefore,” “in addition,” and “therefore.”

For instance, if you are trying to argue that Maria is not trying hard in school, you might say:

María no estudió para el examen. Además, olvidó traer las notas de la clase anterior.
María did not study for the test. In addition, she forgot to bring her school notes from the previous class.

Coordinating Transitions

Coordinating phrases are used to organize the elements within a text. They can be used to link items or thoughts and to keep an idea flowing. Coordinating transitions include words like “and,” “but,” “yet,” and “or.”

Estuve tratando de estudiar toda la noche, pero me quedé dormido.
I was trying to study all night long, but I fell asleep.

Ella está hablado con él y creo que está muy enojada
She is talking to him, and I think she is really pissed off.

Transitional Phrases Showing Cause

Another set of tremendously useful transitional phrases are those that show cause. This type of phrases is used to elaborate on or explain the reason/cause for things or other elements within the text or utterance. Grammarians think of these phrases as clarifiers because they are meant to clarify the reasons behind or related to a certain idea.

This is an example of how you can use them:

Usted no ha cumplido con sus obligaciones laborales por más de un mes. Por esta razón, ha sido despedido.
You have not fulfilled your duties at work for more than a month. For this reason, you have been fired.

No fui a clase porque me sentía muy mal.
I didn’t go to class because I was feeling really bad.

List Of Spanish Transition Words

Do you know how to use Spanish transition words and Spanish transition phrases? These are also known as Spanish Conjunctions. This lesson will begin with Spanish transition words and phrases related to Cause and Effect, it will continue with transition phrases related to Explanation and Clarification, then Similarity and Contrast, followed by Specific and General, and finish with transition phrases related to Introduction and Conclusion.

Cause and Effect Transition Words

a causa de (que) — because of
debido a (que) — due to
por — because of
porque — because
como — because, since
ya que — because, since
puesto que — because, since
dado que — given that así (que) — thus, since
en consecuencia — as a result
como resultado — as a result
por consiguiente — therefore
por lo tanto — therefore
por eso — therefore, for that reason

Transition Words In Spanish To English

For some reason, the word consequence has a negative connotation because many people assume that consequence is always related to a negative outcome. However, in writing and speaking, these transitional phrases are used to introduce a conclusion or result arising from an earlier idea or event in previous statements whether it is positive or negative.

In Spanish we have phrases such as:

Mi hermanita estuvo saltando en un charco, y como resultado sus zapatos se arruinaron completamente.
My little sister kept jumping in a puddle, and as a result her shoes were completely ruined.

Estudiaste duro para la prueba así que probablemente la pasarás
You studied hard for the test so you will probably pass it.

Transitional Phrases Showing Opposition

When it comes to words or phrases that structure any speech with the purpose of opposing or contradicting ideas within an utterance or text. They are often used in argumentative texts to formulate an opposition, a restriction or objection.

For example:

Él tiene mucho dinero pero no es feliz
He has a lot of money but he is not happy.

Se levantó muy temprano, sin embargo llegó tarde al trabajo.
He woke up really early, however, he was late to work.

This type of transitional phrases is used to conclude or finish an idea, which is normally done by summarizing the key points within a text or presenting a conclusion that arises from what has previously been said.

There are phrases such as:

Hoy hice varias cosas antes de llegar al trabajo. Me levanté, fui a trotar, y luego leí las noticias. Finalmente, me arreglé y fui a trabajar.
Today I did several things before getting to work. I got up, I went for a run, and then I read the news. Finally, I got ready and went to work.

En conclusion, podemos inferior que el aprendizaje del idioma español no es tan difícil como todos creen.
In conclusion, we can infer that learning Spanish is not as difficult as everybody thinks.

Transitional Phrases Expressing Time

Transitional phrases are pivotal when it comes to expressing or indicating the time in which an action takes place. Also, time-related transitional phrases serve as a way structure temporality within any text.

For instance:

Actualmente, la gente joven sufre para conseguir buenos trabajos.
Nowadays, young people struggle to find good Jobs.

Iré a tu casa ahora mismo para resolver este problema.
I will go to your house right now to sort this problem out.

Final Notes on Transitional Words in Spanish

Besides being extremely useful to impart clear meaning, these transitional words are used to add more color to the message being created. Whether you are adding ideas, summarizing, opposing, or simply expressing temporality in Spanish, you will always find the perfect transitional word to accompany your sentences and properly generate structured ideas within your texts or everyday speech.

What are transition words give examples?

Examples of Transitions:

On the contrary, contrarily, notwithstanding, but, however, nevertheless, in spite of, in contrast, yet, on one hand, on the other hand, rather, or, nor, conversely, at the same time, while this may be true.

What are connecting words in Spanish?

Connective words (also called linking words or connectors in Spanish) are words that link or connect different ideas or arguments within a text. They help us enrich our descriptive or narrative texts, giving flow to our accounts, and avoiding a plain or unrelated sequence of sentences.

How do you start a paragraph in Spanish?

Then, follow these steps:
  1. Write an opening sentence that informs your reader about the whole point in the paragraph.
  2. Write your sentences using the basic structure of subject, verb, complement.
  3. Use conjunctions like pero, y, etc when connecting two sentences into one.
  4. Use examples to illustrate your ideas.