Whether you are traveling to a Spanish-speaking country or just beginning to learn Spanish for fun, learning a few words and phrases can give you a headstart.
Spanish is a global language and learning brings a ton of advantages, especially for students, some of which we talked about in our previous post on Reasons to learn Spanish. This time, let’s take it one step further from ‘why’ to ‘how’. While there are Spanish classes to the rescue having some basic knowledge of Spanish is like getting to a self-start mode of the language-learning journey. Before we take you through the list of 100 basic Spanish phrases and words you should know, let’s understand how exactly can this help you.
Knowing some basic Spanish words and phrases can enrich and enhance your experiences while:
- Attending a Spanish class (beginner-level)
- Traveling to Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, and other Spanish-speaking countries
- Speaking to Spanish-speaking population (Hispanics) within the US (and elsewhere)
- Consuming Spanish content for entertainment
- Handling business situations that require a basic understanding of Spanish greetings.
Excited already to learn Spanish? Let’s dive straight into the top 100 Spanish words and phrases you need to know, now!! For an easier understanding, we have divided these into 5 broad categories, as follows:
1. Greetings & conversational phrases
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- Hello (Hola)
- My name is (Me llamo )
- What is your name? (¿Cómo te llamas?)
- Hi! I am Jacob. (Hola, soy Jacob)
- Good morning (Buenos días)
- Good afternoon (Buenas tardes)
- Good evening/ good night (Buenas noches)
- What are you doing? (¿Qué haces? )
- Good, thank you (Bien, gracias)
- Thank you! (¡Gracias!)
- Excuse me! (¡Perdon! )
- Please (Por favor)
- Sorry! (¡Lo siento! )
- Why? (¿Por qué…?)
- What? (¿Qué…? )
- When? (¿Cuándo…? )
- How? (¿Cómo…? )
- What time is it? (¿Qué hora tienes?)
- Can you help me? (¿Puede ayudarme? )
- Maybe (Tal vez)
- Can you say that again? (¡Puede repetirlo!)
- No (No)
- Yes (Sí)
- Very well (Muy bien)
- How are you? (formal: ¿Cómo está usted?)
- How are you? (informal: ¿Cómo estás? )
- How is it going? (¿Cómo te va?)
- And, you? (And you?)
- Where are you from? (¿De dónde viene?)
- Can I help you? (¿Podría ayudarle?)
- Of course (Claro)
- The (le)
2. Useful, commonly used nouns
-
- House (casa)
- Chair (silla)
- Door (puerta)
- Man (hombre)
- Woman (mujer)
- Bird (pájaro)
- Dog (perro)
- Cat (gata (f), gato (m))
- Car (coche)
- Mountain (montaña)
- The beach (la playa)
- Water (agua)
- Coffee (cafe)
- Tea (té)
- Milk (leche)
- Wine (vino)
- Eyes (ojos)
- Hands (manos)
- Feet (pies)
- Church (Iglesia)
- Computer (computadora)
- Office (oficina)
- Taxi (taxi)
Also read: 7 Reasons to Learn Spanish as Your Second Language
3. Core verbs
-
- To go (ir)
- To play (jugar)
- To call (llamar)
- To pay (pagar)
- To leave (partir)
- To put (poner)
- To ask (preguntar)
- To want (querer)
- To speak (hablar)
- To be (ser)
- To live (vivir)
- To have (tener)
- vivir (to live)
- To owe (deber)
- To say (decir)
- To understand (entender)
- To like (gustar)
4. Core adjectives
-
- Beautiful (hermosa)
- Tall (alta (f), alto (m))
- Brave (brava (f), bravo (m))
- Mad (enojada (f), enojado (m))
- Hardworking (trabajo duro)
- Legible (legible)
- Nice (bonita (f), bonito (m))
- Amazing (asombrosa (f), asombroso (m))
- Quick (rápido)
- Sad (triste)
- Lazy (perezosa (f), perezoso (m))
- Healthy (saludable)
- Ugly (fea (f), feo (m))
- Sleepy (somnolienta (f), somnoliento (m))
- Colorful (vistosa (f), vistoso (m))
5. Common Spanish slang (safe to use)
-
- Amazing, cool, awesome (Guay)
- Dude (Tío)
- Going crazy (Flipar)
- Job (Currar)
That’s all for now but hey, ain’t the Spanish vocabulary colorful, cool and easy? There is a lot more you can learn to speak and use fluently within a matter of months. From free apps like Duolingo to private Spanish tutors to Spanish coaching classes – you have every resource at your disposal. All you need is a will to BEGIN and take that first step.
Also Read: French or Spanish: Which Foreign Language Should you Learn?
Learning Spanish can be rewarding at multiple levels, but you must first find the right help to ensure you don’t drop out after an initial few days of excitement. This is where we highly recommend engaging a private tutor. Why should you get one really? Read on.
How can a Spanish tutor help?
Getting a Spanish tutor can take your Spanish learning journey to the 5th gear in a fun way. A Spanish tutor will work a learning routine that is customized just for you.
The pacing of the lessons, reviews, and application all becomes the Spanish tutor’s core job and all you have to do is – enjoy learning! Sounds like a plan? But here is another catch, finding the right Spanish tutor is the key. We’ve got a blog post for you on How to Find the Best Spanish Tutor for Your Child
Where can you find the right Spanish tutor?
Talentnook connects students to hundreds of tutors that specialize in disciplines ranging from Math, Piano, English writing Skills to French and Spanish! Visit Talentnook Tutors and get connected with hundreds of experienced tutors for online/offline lessons.
You can request free demo lessons, discuss expectations and your budget, browse through multiple profiles to find the best fit, and do much more! You also get to choose from online and offline modes of learning and also between individual vs. group classes. The control rests completely with you as you embark on your Spanish learning journey with a professional Spanish tutor.
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