Comparing Grammar Rules
How are the grammar rules in Spanish similar to English grammar rules and how are they different? When I say grammar rules, I am talking about punctuation marks and if periods go outside quotation marks in Spanish or inside quotation marks.
1 Answer
Hi llamalovers000
An upside-down question mark always starts a question in Spanish:
¿Estás bien?
Are you all right?
Notice though, that if it’s a tag question, it is placed near the end:
Debo terminar con mi tarea, ¿no?
I should finish my homework, right?
OR: I should finish my homework, shouldn’t I?
Same thing with exclamation marks. Exact same as with question marks:
How cool!
¡Qué chévere! (¡Qué padre! in Mexico.)
In American English (note that it’s different in British English!), commas and periods always go inside close quotes. Semi-colons and colons always go outside.
It’s easier in Spanish: Just put them all outside.
Oh, and when you have a list: I need apples, oranges, and grapes. In English, the comma after the last item before the word and is optional. It is correct to use it, or not.
In Spanish, no. Leave it out.
Necesito manzanas, naranjas y uvas.
