Severn Spanish

Discourse markers (Adv.)

 

Introduction

"Discourse marker" is basically a fancy way of denoting all of the words/phrases you use to link ideas, to express the logical flow of an argument, and, more generally, to indicate the relationship between sets of ideas. There are tons and tons of these, and they are just as unique in Spanish as they are in English, so memorization and repeated practice are your best bet.

 

Discourse markers: basic uses and old examples

Discourse markers are used to structure your use of language. They provide ways to express the relationship between ideas and otherwise enhance the logical progression of your argument (in some cases; in others, they can be used as a way to change the subject or introduce contrast). You've probably already worked with quite a few, even if you didn't think of them as such at the time. Here are some examples you might be familiar with:

• y (and)

• o (or)

• pero (but)

• porque (because)

• por eso (for that reason)

• por ejemplo (for example)

• por otro lado (on the other hand)

• por desgracia (unfortunately)

• sin embargo (however)

 

New expressions

There are plenty more discourse markers available to you than the ones listed above; the flashcards below provide a significant, but by no means exhaustive, sampling of some with which you may not be familiar. As always, practice makes perfect.