| Planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country? Chances are you’ll meet locals who can speak English. But you’ll be surprised how much a few Spanish words can improve your experience! Locals will appreciate that you’re making the effort to communicate in their language — it shows that you’re a friendly and respectful guest. Show
So what are some basic Spanish words you need to know? Boost your survival Spanish with the common Spanish words and phrases below. If you want to go a step further and learn to speak the basics naturally, try 1-on-1 Spanish lessons with an online tutor. You’ll be speaking from lesson one, so even a crash course of five hours will make a huge difference! 50 Basic Spanish words and phrasesHere are 50 of the most common Spanish words and phrases to bookmark ahead of your next trip. Scroll down to learn how they’re used in context! Spanish word or phraseEnglish translationMe llamo My name is Mi Nombre esMy name is Hola, soy Markus Hi, I’m Markus¿Cómo te llamas? What is your name?(Yo) tengo … años I am … years old.(Yo) soy de…I come from…Buenos díasGood morningBuenas tardes Good afternoonBuenas noches Good evening / Good night¿Cómo está usted?How are you? (formal)¿Cómo estás? How are you? (informal)¿Qué tal? How are you? (informal) / What’s up?¿Cómo te va? How’s it going?¿Qué haces? What are you doing?¿Qué pasa?What’s happening?Bien, gracias Good, thank youMuy bienVery wellAsí, así So, soComo siempreAs always¿Y tú?And you?¡Gracias! Thank you!¡Muchas gracias! Thank you very much!¡De nada! You’re welcome! / No problem!Por favorPlease¡Perdon! Excuse me!¡Disculpe!Excuse me!¡Lo siento! Sorry! ¿Qué…? What?¿Quién…? Who?¿Cuándo…? When?¿Dónde…?¿Dónde…?¿Por qué…?Why?¿Cuál? Which?¿Cómo…? How?¿Qué hora tienes? What time is it?¿De dónde viene?Where are you from?¿Dónde vives? Where do you live?¿Puede ayudarme? Can you help me?¿Podría ayudarle? Can I help you?¿Cuánto cuesta eso?How much does it cost?¿Entiende? Do you understand?¡Puede repetirlo!Can you say that again?¿Qué significa [word]?What does [word] mean?¿Puedes hablar más despacio?Can you speak slowly?¿Dónde puedo encontrar un taxi?Where can I find a taxi?¿Dónde está [hotel’s name] hotel?Where is [hotel’s name] hotel?Sí YesNoNo Tal vez MaybeClaroOf courseSpanish greetings and responses Of course, you can’t expect to have some small talk without knowing some Spanish greetings. One of the most popular words in Spanish is “hola” which means “hi” or “hello”. You can also use the following Spanish expressions:
To keep the conversation going, it’s time to ask “how are you”. Here are some basic Spanish questions that come after greeting:
If someone asks you one of these questions, you can use the following conversational Spanish phrases:
And also don’t forget about this fundamental follow-up question:
If you feel like it’s time to switch to English, you’re free to clarify whether the person you’re talking to speaks English or not. Just say “¿Habla inglés?” that is used for “Do you speak English?”. How to introduce yourself in SpanishIf you want to introduce yourself, you can say:
But you can also start with another simple Spanish word “soy” which means “I am”. For example:
To ask the name of a person you’re talking to, you can say:
When you’re introduced to someone, you should say “mucho gusto”. Its literal translation is “pleasure”. Although it sounds too formal in English, this important Spanish phrase can also be translated as “nice to meet you”. Here are more simple Spanish phrases to use when you need to talk about yourself:
Want to practice some easy ways to introduce yourself in Spanish? Check out our short video: Polite words and expressions in SpanishNo matter what your mother tongue is, the simple words of politeness always go a long way. These Spanish phrases will surely come in handy during the conversation if you don’t want to offend anyone:
Question words in SpanishIf you want to make your conversation with other people really effective, you have to know how to ask questions. So, here is a list of Spanish question words you need to memorize right away:
Pay attention that question words in Spanish always come with an accent and opening as well as closing question mark. Just imagine that you’re abroad. What should you do when you suddenly need to ask for help? Or if you want to buy something at a souvenir shop? Of course, a handy Spanish dictionary in your pocket will certainly help, but it could take time for you to find the right phrase. To make sure you keep the conversation flowing, it’s crucial to learn basic Spanish sentences (questions and answers) before you go abroad, so that you’ll be able to cope with any problems once they crop up. Here are some examples of useful questions to learn:
We have online tutors in more than 50 languages. Preply is one of the leading educational platforms that provide 1-on-1 lessons with certified tutors via the exclusive video chat.
And of course, you should know what to answer:
Most common Spanish verbs: have, need, wantWith this list of Spanish verbs, you’ll have a firm foundation for creating sentences in different circumstances. Basic Spanish for travelers is based on these simple words: to have (tener), to want (querer), to need (necesitar). If you want to ask whether someone has something you need, you may say “¿Tienes…?” followed by a necessary noun. When you’re at the hotel, you might ask the receptionist;
You could also say “necesito” if you need something. Are you at the railway station and want to buy a ticket? Just say:
Any time you want something, you can say “quiero”. For example:
Using these uncomplicated constructions, you’ll be easily understood and find a way out of any situation. Just add the right noun to the required verb, but don’t forget to conjugate it correctly. Want to know how to conjugate Spanish verbs? Check out our article “The Ultimate Guide to Spanish Conjugations”. How to celebrate in SpanishThere are various expressions in Spanish used for special occasions. These phrases are perfect for events like birthdays, party or dinner with friends:
How to say goodbye in SpanishIt’s always hard to say goodbye, especially if you don’t know how to do it properly. Here are some popular Spanish phrases to help you end a conversation:
Final thoughtsSo now you have the right key words to help you get started on your Spanish language journey. With these useful phrases, you’ll soon find yourself having your first conversation with a native Spanish speaker. The best way to learn these words is by practicing regularly and learning Spanish online. Preply offers 1-on-1 lessons with native Spanish tutors, so you can easily find an expert and start putting your knowledge into practice right away.
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“Por qué” or “porque”? Understand the difference with this quick guideArticle by Tom CoxArticle by: Tom Cox 56 articlesTom is a Content Marketer at Preply, and is on a journey to discover and share effective ways to learn a language. Since 2005, he has been working in content and communication across a wide range of industries, including education and language learning. A keen writer and creator, Tom has a Creative Writing degree from the University of Kent, and runs a podcast for creators and marketers called Idea Shots. Tom is currently learning Spanish with the help of his Preply tutor, Clara. Connect with Tom on Twitter here. ¿Cómo estás mean in english?¿Cómo estás? is perhaps the most common greeting question in Spanish, and after hola (hello), the most used Spanish greeting. It literally translates as “how are you?”, but it implies many other things. Sometimes it isn't even used as a proper question, but just as another way to say hi.
¿Cómo mean in spanish?a. (= de qué modo) how?
¿Como no in spanish?¿cómo no? [example] of course {adv.}
¿Cómo City Say What are you doing in spanish?¿Qué haces?
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How do you say things in spanish
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