Examples of SVO vs VSO sentences in Spanish

In Spanish, the most common and unmarked sentence structure is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), similar to English. For example:

• “Mi perro está rompiendo la silla.” (My dog is breaking the chair.)

However, Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) order is also possible, often used for emphasis or stylistic reasons, including in questions. For example:

• “Está rompiendo mi perro la silla.” (It is my dog who is breaking the chair.)

Examples of SVO sentences in Spanish:

• Yo como una manzana. (I eat an apple.)
• Tú lees el libro. (You read the book.)
• Él compra una casa. (He buys a house.)

Examples of VSO sentences in Spanish:

• Está comiendo Juan la manzana. (Juan is eating the apple.)
• Llega María a la fiesta. (María arrives at the party.)
• Está rompiendo mi perro la silla. (My dog is breaking the chair.)

The difference is mostly about emphasis and information focus, with SVO being the neutral structure and VSO highlighting the action or the subject differently depending on context and intonation.

References

• VSO vs. VOS Sentence Structure : r/Spanish

• Spanish sentence structure & word order: A fun and easy …

• Using Correct Word Order in English Sentences

• Verb–subject–object word order

• A Quick Guide to Spanish Syntax

• Spanish/Word Order

• Sentence Structure in Spanish - Escolaonlineacademy

• Basic Spanish Word Order: SVO Made Simple

• The Basics of Spanish Sentence Structure & Word Order

• Spanish sentence structure: a practical guide