diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/spi.h b/drivers/include/periph/spi.h
index c9ae13bd18..2dc520f561 100644
--- a/drivers/include/periph/spi.h
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/spi.h
@@ -57,10 +57,30 @@ typedef enum {
  *        clock phase.
  */
 typedef enum {
-    SPI_CONF_FIRST_RISING = 0,  /**< first data bit is transacted on the first rising SCK edge */
-    SPI_CONF_SECOND_RISING,     /**< first data bit is transacted on the second rising SCK edge */
-    SPI_CONF_FIRST_FALLING,     /**< first data bit is transacted on the first falling SCK edge */
-    SPI_CONF_SECOND_FALLING     /**< first data bit is transacted on the second falling SCK edge */
+    /**
+     * The first data bit is sampled by the receiver on the first SCK edge. The
+     * first edge of SCK is rising. This is sometimes also referred to as SPI
+     * mode 0, or (CPOL=0, CPHA=0).
+     */
+    SPI_CONF_FIRST_RISING = 0,
+    /**
+     * The first data bit is sampled by the receiver on the second SCK edge. The
+     * first edge of SCK is rising, i.e. the sampling edge is falling. This is
+     * sometimes also referred to as SPI mode 1, or (CPOL=0, CPHA=1).
+     */
+    SPI_CONF_SECOND_RISING = 1,
+    /**
+     * The first data bit is sampled by the receiver on the first SCK edge. The
+     * first edge of SCK is falling. This is sometimes also referred to as SPI
+     * mode 2, or (CPOL=1, CPHA=0).
+     */
+    SPI_CONF_FIRST_FALLING = 2,
+    /**
+     * The first data bit is sampled by the receiver on the second SCK edge. The
+     * first edge of SCK is falling, i.e. the sampling edge is rising. This is
+     * sometimes also referred to as SPI mode 3, or (CPOL=1, CPHA=1).
+     */
+    SPI_CONF_SECOND_FALLING = 3
 } spi_conf_t;
 
 /**