Nominal Style in Formal Writing

Level 6

In formal writing, actions are often expressed as nouns instead of verbs: a construción da ponte (the building of the bridge) instead of construír a ponte.

How It Works

From verb to noun

Nominalisation means expressing an action with a noun. Galician has several ways to make these nouns (see word formation with suffixes):

  • -ción: construír → a construción, aprobar → a aprobación, reducir → a redución.
  • -mento: pagar → o pagamento, funcionar → o funcionamento.
  • no suffix: mellorar → a mellora, entregar → a entrega.
  • the infinitive with an article: o traballar de noite (see the infinitive as a noun).

How the sentence changes

The object of the verb becomes a phrase with de: melloraron os servizos → a mellora dos servizos. The person who does the action often disappears, which makes the text sound impersonal and official.

Watch the spelling and gender. Many of these nouns look like Spanish but are spelled differently: construción, redución, produción have one c. Some have a different gender: a análise is feminine.

Use it with care. Nominal style is normal in reports, laws and official letters. But long chains of nouns (a mellora da xestión da atención dos usuarios) are hard to read. Plain-language guides for Galician administration recommend a clear style, and often a verb says the same thing more simply: queremos atender mellor os usuarios.

Examples (5)

  1. A construción da ponte durará dous anos.

    The building of the bridge will take two years.

    A construción replaces the verb construír. The object follows with de.

  2. O concello anunciou a mellora dos servizos de transporte.

    The town council announced the improvement of transport services.

    Mellora is the noun of mellorar, with no suffix.

  3. A entrega das solicitudes remata o 30 de xuño.

    Applications can be handed in until 30 June.

    A typical administrative sentence: entrega is the noun of entregar.

  4. Tras a aprobación do orzamento, comezarán as obras.

    Once the budget has been approved, the work will begin.

    Aprobación compresses a whole clause: after they approve the budget.

  5. A redución do tráfico no centro foi notable.

    The reduction in traffic in the centre was significant.

    Redución is written with one c in Galician.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Spanish spelling with cc.

    A construcción da ponte durará dous anos.
    A construción da ponte durará dous anos.

    Galician writes construción, redución and produción with a single c.

  • Giving a noun its Spanish gender.

    O análise dos datos levou un mes.
    A análise dos datos levou un mes.

    Análise is feminine in Galician, even though the Spanish word is masculine.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Nominal Style in Formal WritingLevel 6

Learn This First

Nominalization converts an action into a noun phrase with a de complement.