From linking to structuring
A single connector links two statements. An argument needs more: it tells the listener where in your train of thought they are, at the first point, at the counter-point or at the conclusion. Spanish has fixed phrases for this, often in pairs.
Structuring - por un lado, por otro
Por un lado ... por otro is on the one hand ... on the other hand. The pair is two-part: once you have said the first half, you owe the second. English puts a the in the other hand; Spanish has no article, so it is por otro lado, not por el otro lado. At the start of a sentence a comma follows.
Structuring phrases
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| por un lado ... por otro (lado) | on the one hand ... on the other (hand) |
| por una parte ... por otra (parte) | for one thing ... for another |
| en primer lugar, en segundo lugar, por último | first, second, finally |
Structuring phrases in a sentence
Por un lado, el piso es barato; por otro, está muy lejos del centro.
On the one hand the flat is cheap, on the other it is a long way from the centre.
Por una parte entiendo su decisión, por otra me parece precipitada.
For one thing I understand his decision, for another it strikes me as rushed.
En primer lugar, no tenemos presupuesto. En segundo lugar, falta personal. Por último, el plazo es muy corto.
First, we have no budget. Second, we are short of staff. Finally, the deadline is very short.
Building up - no solo, sino también
No solo ... sino también is not only ... but also and it escalates: the second part weighs more than the first. English has one but, Spanish has two: after a negation that is being corrected the word is sino, not pero. If a whole clause with its own conjugated verb follows, you need sino que.
sino or sino que
sino - a word or a phrase
El curso no solo es útil, sino también entretenido.
The course is not only useful but also entertaining.
No habla solo inglés, sino también ruso.
He doesn't only speak English, he speaks Russian too.
sino que - a clause with its own verb
No solo nos ayudó, sino que lo hizo sin cobrar nada.
Not only did he help us, he did it without charging anything.
No solo llegó tarde, sino que además no avisó.
Not only did he arrive late, he didn't even let us know.
To add a further point formally, use asimismo (likewise).
Asimismo, conviene revisar el contrato antes de firmar.
Likewise, it is worth checking the contract before signing.
Contrasting - mientras que, por el contrario
Contrasting is not contradicting: either two things are laid side by side, or what was just said is turned around.
mientras que or por el contrario
mientras que - two things in one sentence
Joins both sides inside one sentence. English: whereas, or the contrastive while.
Madrid es ruidosa, mientras que Salamanca es tranquila.
Madrid is noisy, whereas Salamanca is quiet.
Mi hermano ahorra todo, mientras que yo gasto lo que gano.
My brother saves everything, whereas I spend what I earn.
por el contrario - reversal
Turns what was just said around and opens the second sentence, followed by a comma. English: on the contrary. In speech you mostly hear al contrario.
No mejoró. Por el contrario, empeoró bastante.
It did not get better. On the contrary, it got considerably worse.
No me molestó. Al contrario, me hizo gracia.
It did not bother me. On the contrary, I found it funny.
Concluding - en definitiva, en resumen, en conclusión
The verdict comes last, usually at the start of the sentence and followed by a comma. En definitiva draws the balance (all in all, ultimately), en resumen summarises (in short), en conclusión closes a talk or a text (in conclusion).
En definitiva, salió más caro de lo previsto.
All in all, it turned out more expensive than expected.
En resumen, la propuesta es buena, pero llega tarde.
In short, the proposal is good but comes too late.
En conclusión, el proyecto es viable.
In conclusion, the project is feasible.
One argument from start to finish
This is how the blocks lock together. The model passage answers the question of whether one should live in a small town or in a big city.
The model passage
Por un lado, vivir en una ciudad pequeña sale mucho más barato.
On the one hand, living in a small town is much cheaper.
open the position
No solo se ahorra en el alquiler, sino que además se pierde menos tiempo en transporte.
You not only save on rent, you also lose less time on transport.
build up the argument
Por otro lado, la oferta cultural es mucho más limitada.
On the other hand, what is on offer culturally is far more limited.
name the counter-position
En una capital hay conciertos cada semana, mientras que aquí hay uno al mes.
In a capital there are concerts every week, whereas here there is one a month.
contrast
Por lo tanto, la decisión depende de lo que uno valore más. En definitiva, no hay una respuesta única.
Therefore the decision depends on what matters more to you. Ultimately, there is no single answer.
draw the conclusion
