by Caitriona Maria
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, and it is the official language of twenty countries, so it is no wonder that so many people want to learn it.
Whether you are planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country or you want to be able to communicate with your Hispanic neighbors, learning some basic Spanish words and phrases is a great place to start.
In this lesson, we will learn essential Spanish words and phrases you can use daily. We will also look at sight words crucial to reading and understanding the language.
Most Common Words
After analyzing more than 160 million word forms from the Corpus de Referencia del Español Actual, the Real Academia Española (RAE) compiled a list of 100 most common words.
The 100 most frequent Spanish words are:
- of – de
- the – la, el, lo, le, los, las
- that/which – que
- in, on – en
- and – y, e
- to, at – a
- self, oneself – se
- from the – del
- a, an – un
- by, for, through – por
- with – con
- no, not – con
- a, an, one – una
- his, hers, your, its – su, sus
- for, to, in order to – para
- is – es, está
- to the – al
- like, as – como
- more – más
- or – o
- but – pero
- she/he/it has – ha
- me – me
- whether, if – si
- without – sin
- on top of, over, about – sobre
- this – este / esta
- already, still – ya
- between – entre
- when – cuando
- all, every – todo, todos
- to be – ser
- they are – son
- two – dos
- too, also – también
- was – fue, era
- I/he/she/it/there was (or used to be) – había
- very – muy
- years – años
- until – hasta
- from – desde
- my – mi
- because – porque
- what? which? howadjective – qué
- only, solely – sólo
- they/you (pl.) have – han
- I – yo
- there is/ there are – hay
- time, instance – vez
- can – puede
- like that – así
- us – nos
- neither, nor, no even – ni
- part, message – parte
- has – tiene
- he, it – él
- one – uno
- where – donde
- fine, well – bien
- time, weather – tiempo
- same – mismo
- that – ese, esa, eso
- now – ahora
- each, every – cada
- life – vida
- other(s), another – otro(s), otra(s)
- after – después
- to you, for you, yourself – te
- though, although, even though – aunque
- he/she/it does/makes – hace
- government – gobierno
- so – tan
- during – durante
- always – siempre
- day – día
- so much – tanto
- she, her, it – ella
- three – tres
- yes – sí
- said, told – dijo
- been – sido
- large, great, big – gran
- country – país
- as, according to – según
- less, fewer – menos
Greetings
- Hello/Hi – Hola
- Goodbye – Adiós / Chao / Hasta luego
- Please – Por favor
- Thank you – Gracias / Gracias a ti
- You’re welcome – De nada
Basic Spanish Words
- Yes – Sí
- No – No
- Maybe – Quizás
Common Phrases
- I don’t understand. – Yo no entiendo.
- I don’t speak Spanish. – Yo no hablo español.
- Do you speak English? – ¿Hablas inglés?
- What is this? – ¿Qué es esto?
- What does this mean? – ¿Qué significa esto?
- I’m sorry. – Lo siento./ Disculpa
Questions
- What is your name? – ¿Cómo te llamas?
- How are you? – ¿Cómo estás?/ qué tal?
- I’m fine, thank you. – Estoy bien, gracias.
- And you? – ¿Y tú?
Pronouns
- I – Yo
- You – Tú
- You (formal) – Usted
- He/She – Él/Ella
- We – Nosotros/as
- You (plural) – Vosotros/as
- You (plural, formal) – Ustedes
- They – Ellos/Ellas
Possessives
- My – Mi/ Mis
- Your – Tu/ Tus
- Your (formal) – Su/ Sus
- His/Her – Su/Sus
- Our – Nuestro(s)/a(s)
- Your (plural) – Vuestro(s) / a(s)
- Your (formal) – Su/ Sus
- Their – Su/ Sus
Basic Verbs
- To be – Ser
- To have – Tener
- To do – Hacer
- To go – Ir
- To come – Venir
- To see – Ver
- To want – Querer
Common Adjectives
- Good – Bueno
- Bad – Malo
- Big – Grande
- Small – Pequeño
- Pretty/Handsome – Guapo/Guapa
Days of the Week
- Monday – Lunes
- Tuesday– Martes
- Wednesday– Miércoles
- Thursday– Jueves
- Friday– Viernes
- Saturday– Sábado
- Sunday– Domingo
Months of the Year
- January – Enero
- February – Febrero
- March – Marzo
- April – Abril
- May – Mayo
- June – Junio
- July – Julio
- August– Agosto
- September– Septiembre
- October– Octubre
- November– Noviembre
- December– Diciembre
Numbers
- One – Uno
- Two – Dos
- Three – Tres
- Four – Cuatro
- Five – Cinco
- Six– Seis
- Seven– Siete
- Eight– Ocho
- Nine– Nueve
- Ten– Diez
Common Animals
- Cat – Gato
- Dog – Perro
- Bird – Pájaro
- Horse – Caballo
Family Members
- Mom – Mamá /Madre
- Dad – Papá /Padre
- Brother – Hermano
- Sister – Hermana
- Son – Hijo
- Daughter – Hija
Meals
- Breakfast – Desayuno
- Lunch – Almuerzo
- Dinner – Cena
- Snack– Merienda
Common Foods
- Apple – Manzana
- Banana – Banana
- Bread – Pan
- Egg– Huevo
- Rice– Arroz
- Meat– Carne
- Fruit– Fruta
- Vegetable– Verdura /Vegetales
- Grains– Granos
Drinks
- Milk – Leche
- Water – Agua
- Coffee – Café
- Tea – Té
School things
- Pencil – Lápiz
- Paper– Papel
- Book– Libro
- Desk– Mesa
Outdoors
- Sun – Sol
- Moon – Luna
- Star – Estrella
- Sky – Cielo
People
- Man – Hombre
- Woman – Mujer
- Child – Niño/Niña
- Friend – Amigo/Amiga
Clothing
- Shirt– Camisa
- Pants– Pantalones
- Dress– Vestido
- Socks– Calcetines
Describe Someone
- Tall – Alto/a
- Short – Bajo/a
- Fat – Gordo/a
- Skinny – Delgado/a
Weather
- Hot – Caliente
- Cold – Frío
- Rainy– Lluvioso
- Snowy– Nevado
Hobbies
- To read – Leer
- To write– Escribir
- To sing– Cantar
- To dance– Bailar
Color
- Red– Rojo
- Orange– Naranja
- Yellow– Amarillo
- Green– Verde
- Blue– Azul
- Purple– Morado
Sports
- To play basketball – Jugar al baloncesto
- To play soccer – Jugar al fútbol
- To play baseball – Jugar al béisbol
- Go for a walk – Dar un paseo / Ir a caminar
In the City
- Bank – Banco
- Park– Parque
- City– Ciudad
- Museum– Museo
Expressing likes/dislikes
- I like it – Me gusta
- I don’t like it – No me gusta
- I want it – Lo quiero
- I don’t want it – No lo quiero
At the restaurant
- Are you ready to order? – ¿Está listo para pedir?
- I’m not ready yet – Todavía no estoy listo
- A table for two, please – Una mesa para dos, por favor
- I’ll have the chicken, please – Quiero el pollo, por favor
- The bill, please – La cuenta, por favor
At the store
- I’m looking for… – Estoy buscando…
- How much is this? – ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?
- Small, medium, or large? – ¿Pequeño, mediano, o grande?
- I’ll take it – Lo tomaré
- Credit card or cash? – ¿Tarjeta de crédito o efectivo?
- Bag – Bolsa
- Receipt – Recibo
Countries
- United States – Estados Unidos
- China – China
- Spain – España
- Mexico – México
- Argentina – Argentina
- France – Francia
- Germany – Alemania
- Italy– Italia
- Japan– Japón
Languages
- Mandarin– Chino
- Spanish– Español
- English– Inglés
- French– Francés
- Japanese– Japonés
- German– Alemán
- Italian– Italiano
Transportation
- Car – Coche / Carro
- Bus – Autobús
- Train – Tren
- taxi– Taxi
- Plane – Avión
Directions
- Left – Izquierda
- Right – Derecha
- Straight – Recto/Derecho
In an Emergency
- Help! – ¡Socorro! /¡Ayuda!
- Call the police! – ¡Llame a la policía!
- Fire! – ¡Fuego!
Sight Words
Sight words, known as ‘high-frequency words, are words that often occur in the text.
The following is a list of the most common sight words according to the Dolche word list. There are 220 words in total. The original list is frequently used to understand English words, but I translated them to Spanish for this lesson.
Pre-primer: (40 words)
- a – un/una
- and – y
- away – lejos
- big – grande
- blue – azul
- can – poder
- come – venir
- down – abajo
- find – encontrar
- for – para
- funny – divertido
- go – ir
- help – ayuda
- here – aquí
- I – yo
- in – en
- is – eso
- it – lo/ esto
- jump – saltar
- little – pequeño / chiquito
- look – mirar
- make – hacer
- me – yo
- my – mi
- not – no
- one – uno/una
- play – jugar
- red – rojo
- run – correr
- said – dijo
- see – ver
- the – el/la
- three – tres
- to – a/ para
- two – dos
- up – subir
- we – nosotros
- where – donde
- yellow – amarillo
- you – usted/ustedes
Primer (52 words)
- All – todos
- am – soy/estoy
- are – son/están
- at – en/a
- ate – comí
- be – ser/estar
- black – negro
- brown – marrón/café
- but – sino
- came – vinieron
- did – hicieron
- do – hazlo
- eat – comer
- four – cuatro
- get – obtener
- good – bueno/a
- have – tener
- he – él
- into – dentro
- like – gustar
- must – debo
- new – nuevo
- no – no
- now – ahora
- on – encendido/a
- our – nuestro
- out – salir
- please – por favor
- pretty – bonito/a /lindo/a
- ran – corrió
- ride – montar
- saw – vio
- say – decir
- she – ella
- so – así / entonces
- soon – pronto
- that – eso
- there – allí /allá
- they – ellos
- this – esto
- too – también
- under – debajo
- want – querer
- was – era
- well – bien / bueno
- went – fue
- what – qué
- white – blanco
- who – quién
- will – va a/será
- with – con
- yes – sí
1st Grade: (41 words)
- after – después
- again – otra vez/de nuevo
- an – un/una
- any – algún/alguna
- as – como
- ask – preguntar
- by – pasar
- could – podría
- every – todo / cada
- fly – volar
- from – de
- give – dar
- going – yendo/ir
- had – tuvo/había
- has – tiene
- her – su/la / a ella
- him – a él /su
- his – su/los
- how – cómo/cuál
- just – sólo
- know – saber /conocer
- let – permitir/dejar
- live – vivir
- may – poder
- of – de / en
- old – viejo/a
- once – una vez
- open – abrir
- over – sobre
- put – poner/colocar
- round – redondo/a /ronda
- some – algunos/algún
- stop – parar/detenerse
- take – tomar/llevar
- thank – agradecer / gracias
- them – ellos/ellas
- then – entonces
- think – pensar
- walk – caminar
- were – eran
- when – cuándo/mientras
2nd Grade: (46 words)
- always – siempre
- around – alrededor
- because – debido a/porque
- been – sido/estado
- before – antes
- best – mejor
- both – ambos/los dos
- buy – comprar
- call – llamar/llamada
- cold – frío
- does – hacer
- don’t – no hacer / no lo hago
- fast – rápido/a
- first – primer/a
- five – cinco
- found – encontrar
- gave – dio
- goes – ir
- green – verde
- its – su/eso
- made – hecho/a
- many – muchos/as
- off – fuera
- or – o
- pull – tirar/jalar
- read – leer
- right – correcto/a/derecha
- sing – cantar
- sit – sentar
- sleep – dormir
- tell – contar/decir
- their – su/ellos
- these – estos
- those – esos
- upon – sobre
- us – nosotros/nosotras
- use – uso/utilizar
- very – muy
- wash – lavar
- which – cual/que
- why – por qué
- wish – desear / deseo
- work – trabajo/funcionar
- would – sería/debería
- write – escribir
- your – tu/su
3rd Grade: (41 words)
- about – sobre
- better – mejor
- bring – traer
- carry – llevar
- clean – limpiar
- cut – cortar
- done – hecho
- draw – dibujar
- drink – beber
- eight – ocho
- fall – otoño/ caída
- far – lejos
- full – lleno/a
- got – conseguir
- grow – crecer
- hold – sostener
- hot – caliente
- hurt – herido/a
- if – si / y si
- keep – mantener/guardar
- kind – amable
- laugh – reír
- light – ligero/a
- long – largo/a
- much – mucho/a
- myself – yo mismo/a
- never – nunca
- only – sólo
- own – propio/a
- pick – recoger
- seven – siete
- shall – debería/va a
- show – enseñar
- six – seis
- small – pequeño/a / chiquito
- start – comenzar
- ten – diez
- today – hoy
- together – juntos/as
- try – intentar
- warm – tibio/a/cálido/a
Nouns List (95 words)
- apple – manzana
- baby – bebé/niño/a
- back – atrás
- ball – pelota
- bear – oso
- bed – cama
- bell – campana
- bird – pájaro
- birthday – cumpleaños
- boat – barco/bote
- box – caja/cajón
- boy – chico/niño
- bread – pan
- brother – hermano
- cake – pastel
- car – coche/auto
- cat – gato
- chair – silla
- chicken – pollo
- children – niños/as
- Christmas – Navidad
- coat – abrigo/capa
- corn – maíz
- cow – vaca
- day – día
- dog – perro
- doll – muñeca
- door – puerta
- duck – pato
- egg – huevo
- eye – ojo
- farm – granja
- farmer – agricultor
- father – padre/papá
- feet – pies/patas
- fire – fuego/fogón
- fish – pez
- floor – piso/suelo
- flower – flor
- game – juego
- garden – jardín/huerto
- girl – chica/niña
- good-bye – adiós/hasta luego/chao
- grass – hierba/ césped
- ground – suelo/tierra
- hand – mano
- head – cabeza
- hill – colina
- home – hogar
- horse – caballo
- house – casa
- kitty – gato
- leg – pierna/patas
- letter – carta/letra
- man – hombre
- men – los hombres
- milk – leche
- money – dinero
- morning – mañana
- mother – madre/mamá
- name – nombre
- nest – nido
- night – noche
- paper – papel
- party – fiesta/partido
- picture – cuadro/foto
- pig – cerdo/chancho
- rabbit – conejo
- rain – lluvia/gota
- ring – anillo
- robin – petirrojo
- Santa Claus – Papá Noel
- school – escuela / colegio
- seed – semilla/grano
- sheep – oveja
- shoe – zapato/calzado
- sister – hermana
- snow – nieve
- song – canción/canto
- squirrel – ardilla
- stick – palo/varilla
- street – calle/camino
- sun – sol
- table – mesa/tabla
- thing – cosa/asunto
- time – tiempo/vez
- top – tapa
- toy – juguete
- tree – árbol
- watch – reloj
- water – agua
- way – camino/modo
- wind – viento
- window – ventana
- wood – madera/leña
In Conclusion
Learning some basic Spanish words and phrases will help you communicate with Spanish speakers more easily. These words and phrases can be used in everyday situations, such as when introducing yourself or ordering food. By learning some simple vocabulary, you’ll be able to have basic conversations with Spanish speakers and understand what they’re saying to you.
Caitriona Maria
https://www.tprteaching.com
I'm an Irish tutor and founder of TPR Teaching. I started teaching in 2016 and have since taught in the UK, Spain, and online.
I love learning new things about the English language and how to teach it better. I'm always trying to improve my knowledge, so I can better meet the needs of others!
I enjoy traveling, nature walks, and soaking up a new culture. Please share the posts if you find them helpful!
FAQs
Can you teach me some basic Spanish words? ›
Basic Spanish Words
Por favor = Please. Gracias = Thank you. Lo siento = Sorry. Salud = Bless you (after someone sneezes)
Watch Spanish movies or TV series
Try watching with the subtitles on. Every time you spot a phrase that seems useful, jot it down in a notebook. You'll quickly build up a bank of example sentences that native Spanish speakers use and be able to sound fluent without conjugating anything.
Clear and short instructions. The most important thing when teaching Spanish to beginners is to speak in short and simple sentences. You should even repeat them when necessary and use body language to exemplify the meaning.
What are the 10 tips for learning Spanish? ›- Don't expect to be perfect! Can you remember when learned to ride a bicycle? ...
- Work on developing an “ear” for Spanish. Remember that language is first and foremost oral communication. ...
- Practice SPEAKING! ...
- Be consistent. ...
- Talk to yourself. ...
- Use flashcards. ...
- Label your surroundings. ...
- Be patient.
- Hola – “Hello”
- Me llamo… – “ My name is…”
- ¿Y tú? – “And you?”
- Mucho gusto – “Nice to meet you”
- ¿Qué tal? – “How are you?”
- Nos vemos – “See you”
- Por favor – “Please”
- Gracias – “Thank you”
It is possible to learn Spanish in 3 months, but it is true that to fully master the language to a native level, you will need more time. An intensive Spanish course covering all levels (from A1 to C2) consists of 62 weeks (about 15 months in total).
How many hours do you need to be fluent in Spanish? ›According to an FSI study, i.e. the Foreign Service Institute, it should take a new learner approximately 600 classroom hours to achieve conversational fluency in Spanish. They also suggest an approximate 1:1 ratio between the time spent independently studying Spanish and the time spent in a classroom.
What are the top 100 Spanish words? ›- llevar (verb) to take, carry.
- dejar (verb) to let, leave.
- nada (pron.) nothing.
- cada (adj.) each, every.
- seguir (verb) to follow.
- menos (adj.) less, fewer.
- nuevo (adj.) new.
- encontrar (verb) to find.
If you think about native-level fluency, you'll need to master between 20,000 and 40,000 words, and as you can see the margin is quite large. If you want to have a basic conversation, experts say that you'll just need around 3,000 words.
What are the 1000 most commonly used words? ›- sell.
- action.
- support.
- wife.
- decision.
- receive.
- value.
- base. pick.
What order should I teach Spanish? ›
There is no set order to learning the language. There is a certain natural order in which you will pick things up, but that does not mean you should learn them in that order. A common criticism of courses is that they are too rigid and structured in their approach.
What are the first things you should learn when learning Spanish? ›Alphabet. The Spanish alphabet is one of those subjects that you must master first when learning this language. It is quite simple to remember, and it is very important to master it in order to have good spelling.
Is there a trick to learning Spanish? ›The best way I've found to learn Spanish on your own is with a course that gives you lots of dialogues so you can observe native Spanish speakers, see how they speak, and familiarize yourself with the structure of the language in context; and then get grammar explanations based on the constructions that come up in the ...
What is the easiest word to learn in Spanish? ›- Hola – hello.
- Adiós – goodbye.
- Por favor – please.
- Gracias – thank you.
- Lo siento – sorry.
- Salud – bless you (after someone sneezes)
- Sí – yes.
- No – no.
- Second Most Spoken Language.
- Spanish in the U.S.
- Spanish Language Films.
- Spanish Language Songs.
- Spanish Books.
- Traveling Opportunities.
- Cultural Opportunities.
| 1. the | 21. at | 61. some |
|---|---|---|
| 2. of | 22. be | 62. her |
| 3. and | 23. this | 63. would |
| 4. a | 24. have | 64. make |
| 5. to | 25. from | 65. like |
- Breeze. Spanish word: Brisa. ...
- Ranch. Spanish word: Rancho. ...
- Guerrilla. Spanish word: Guerrilla. ...
- Patio. Spanish word: Patio. ...
- Stampede. Spanish word: Estampida. ...
- Macho. Spanish word: Macho. ...
- Cockroach. Spanish word: Cucaracha. ...
- Avocado. Spanish word: Aguacate.
For example, 101 is ciento uno and 187 would be ciento ochenta y siete. Unlike in English, hundreds are written in one word.
What are some cool phrases in Spanish? ›- The 10 most popular Spanish sayings. ...
- Al mal tiempo, buena cara. ...
- Más vale pájaro en mano, que ciento volando. ...
- Más vale tarde que nunca. ...
- Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. ...
- Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda. ...
- A caballo regalado, no le mires el diente. ...
- Cada maestrillo tiene su librillo.
- Hola (Hello)
- Adios (Goodbye)
- Gracias (Thank you)
- Por favor (Please)
- Si (Yes)
- Claro (Of course)
- No (No)
- Amor (Love)
What are the 10 common Spanish words? ›
- Hola = Hello. Let's naturally start with "Hola”. ...
- Amor = Love. Love is a universal feeling and we definitely had to talk about it here. ...
- Felicidad = Happiness. ...
- Gato = Cat. ...
- Perro = Dog. ...
- Sonreír = Smile. ...
- Español = Spanish. ...
- Sí = Yes.
Which Spanish is hardest to understand? Chile, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Andalusia (Spain) are a few of the places considered to speak more difficult Spanish.
How long does it take to learn Spanish realistically? ›Based on US Foreign Service Institute (FSI) research, if you start out as a beginner and spend an average of one hour per day working actively on Spanish—such as with a teacher or conversation partner, as well as doing homework—then it can take 480 hours to reach conversational fluency.
How many hours a day should I study Spanish? ›The more time you dedicate to studying and practicing Spanish each day, the faster you will get through those learning hours. If you're wondering how much time I think you should spend learning Spanish, I suggest you set aside at least 60-90 minutes each day for dedicated Spanish learning.
What is the 12 hour rule Spanish? ›Although in the English language AM and PM are frequently used, this is not the case with Spanish, usually, instead, a 24-hour notation is used in formal Spanish and in less formal Spanish usually a 12-hour notation is kept in which case “De la mañana” would be used in the morning and “De la noche” would be used in the ...
Can Duolingo make you fluent? ›We see this question a lot and the answer is: yes. Duolingo is a free language-learning platform, and every language and lesson is totally free!
What level of Spanish is considered fluent? ›If your goal is Spanish fluency, aim for a C1 level in which you can fluently speak and express yourself. A C1 level does not mean you understand every word in the language but that you can handle most conversations and some tricky topics. The C2 level is complete mastery.
What words can only Mexicans say? ›- Pendejo. One of the most used slang words in Mexico is calling someone a 'pendejo'. ...
- Güey. Güey, sometimes spelled in the way it is pronounced as 'wey', means “mate” and is used all the time in Mexican Spanish. ...
- Chido & Padre. ...
- Cabrón. ...
- Buena Onda. ...
- La Neta. ...
- Pinche. ...
- Crudo.
Fillers in Spanish are called muletillas, which literally translates to little crutches. They are words or phrases that native Spanish speakers often use to start sentences or express ideas. They can also help you gain some extra time to gather your thoughts.
How many words does a B1 Spanish speaker know? ›Level B1: Intermediate
You now have a working knowledge of around 2500 words total, maybe half of which you can recall and use pretty quickly. This makes conversations much more fluid generally.
Can I become fluent in Spanish in 2 years? ›
You really can speak fluently in just a couple of years if you work hard and apply a few straightforward principles. As a language learner who's also a language teacher, I can confidently say that they work.
Can you be fluent in 6 months in Spanish? ›If you can manage to combine being surrounded by native Spanish speakers and by the Spanish language itself, you will be able to become fluent in 6 months (given that you will put efforts into study).
What is 99th word? ›99th. 100th > Cardinal : ninety-nine. Ordinal : ninety-ninth.
What are the 500 most common words? ›- gold.
- possible.
- plane.
- age.
- dry.
- wonder.
- laugh.
- thousand. ago.
That metaphorical process is at the heart of Toki Pona, the world's smallest language. While the Oxford English Dictionary contains a quarter of a million entries, and even Koko the gorilla communicates with over 1,000 gestures in American Sign Language, the total vocabulary of Toki Pona is a mere 123 words.
What is the basic words Order of Spanish? ›You probably remember that basic word order in Spanish is subject + verb + object, don't you? Well, when a direct or indirect object is substituted by a pronoun, the pronoun is actually found before the verb.
What are the easiest words to learn in Spanish? ›- Hola (Hello)
- Adios (Goodbye)
- Gracias (Thank you)
- Por favor (Please)
- Si (Yes)
- Claro (Of course)
- No (No)
- Amor (Love)
- Buenos días. = Good morning. ...
- Buenas tardes. = Good afternoon. ...
- Me llamo Mondly. = My name is Mondly. ...
- Encantado de conocerte. = I'm pleased to meet you. ...
- ¿Cómo estás? = How are you? ...
- Bien, gracias. ¿Y usted? ...
- Me gustaría una cerveza. = I'd like a beer. ...
- Lo siento.