Syntax refers to the set of rules that govern the structure of sentences in a language. It determines how words and phrases are arranged to create meaningful statements. For example, in English, a typical sentence follows a subject-verb-object order, such as "The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object)." Proper syntax is essential for clear communication. Different languages have unique syntactic rules, which can lead to variations in sentence structure. In Spanish, for instance, adjectives often come after nouns, as in "casa blanca" (white house). Understanding syntax helps in learning new languages and improving writing skills by ensuring sentences are coherent and grammatically correct.