27 Conjunctions
Conjunctions are linking words which establish relations between similar items in a
sentence, or between sentences.27.1 Coordinating conjunctions
27.1.1 Y
Y functions very much like English ‘and’. It has the form e before a word beginning
with i-or hi- (unless hi- begins the diphthong hie-, see 1.2).mujer e hijos‘wife and children’
But:nieve y hielo‘snow and ice’
Y ... y ... corresponds to ‘both... and.. .’27.1.2 O
O corresponds to English ‘or’. It changes to u before a word beginning with o- or ho-:
siete u ocho‘seven or eight’
albergues u hoteles‘guest houses or hotels’O ... o ... corresponds to ‘either... or.. .’ Where the alternatives are fairly far apart or
dissimilar in structure, then the stronger form (o)... o bien... (‘either’)... ‘or else’...
is used:
O ríe o llora.
He/she’s either laughing or crying.
Puede ir por París con transbordo en Irún, o bien hay un vuelo
directo cada jueves y sábado.
You can go via Paris changing at Irún, or else there’s a direct flight every
Thursday and Saturday.27.1.3 Pero and sino
Spanish distinguishes between pero, which corresponds to most functions of English
‘but’, and sino, which marks a mutually exclusive contrast. No... sino.. .‘not...
but.. .’ is described in 15.4.