We explain what copulative conjunctions are, their function in the sentence and examples. Also, other coordinating conjunctions.
What are copulative conjunctions?
In grammar and syntax, copulative conjunctions are called a type of coordinating conjunctions (those that interchangeably and non-hierarchically link two or more phrases, words or sentences). This specific type of coordinating conjunctions It is characterized by introducing a relationship of accumulation or enhancement between the linked elements, either in a positive (addition) or negative (subtraction) sense.
This means that when we use copulative conjunctions, we are adding elements to the sentence, incorporating them into the syntactic chain, beyond the meaning they give to it. The latter, as we said before, can be additive (as in the case of the links “y”, “e”) or subtractive (as in the case of “ni”).
Thus, when we say “I bought lettuce and tomato ”, we are adding“ tomato ”to the count of things bought; while saying “There was no lettuce neither tomato ”, we are adding“ tomato ”to the list of missing things. Whatever the case, it is a union or accumulation of different terms, that is, a copulative relationship.
In summary, the copulative conjunctions are “y”, “e” and “ni”, and on specific occasions “that” can also be used as a conjunction of this type.
Examples of copulative conjunctions
Some examples of sentences with copulative conjunctions are the following:
- My father and my mother went to Nicaragua.
- I want to go to the park tomorrow and the day after tomorrow too.
- We have to organize and insist.
- Parents and children must have good communication.
- Maria and his brother stayed awake and they made a cake.
- Dont have work, neither want to get it.
- This time we can’t get flour neither pasta, neither milk, neither sugar.
- Neither to Sebastian neither Sofia likes to play tennis.
- Today it has been raining that it rains non-stop.
- Miguel is crying that cries night and day.
Other coordinating conjunctions
In addition to copulative conjunctions, there are the following types of coordinating conjunctions:
- Disjunctive conjunctions, which introduce a mutually exclusive relationship between linked elements. For example: “You eat the food or you don’t watch television ”.
- Adverse conjunctions, which introduce a relationship of opposition or contradiction between the linked terms. For example: “You want to win the lottery, but you don’t buy a number ”.
- Distributive conjunctions, which distribute a specific meaning between the linked terms. For example: “We will go to see you, be by land, be by sea”.
- Explanatory conjunctions, that link elements that have the same meaning but different form, to insist on what was said or explain it better. For example: “Marco is no longer with us, that is to say, has died”.