The spanish word for now

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WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2023:

Principal Translations
Inglés		Español
for now adv	(temporarily, for the moment)	por el momento loc adv
		por ahora loc adv
		de momento loc adv
	For now, we’ll just have to make do with the car we’ve got.
	Por el momento nos tendremos que arreglar con el auto que tenemos.

WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2023:

Compound Forms: for now
Inglés		Español
Bye for now, Goodbye for now interj	informal (see you soon)	hasta pronto loc interj
	It’s getting late and we have a full day planned for tomorrow, so let’s say bye for now.
	ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Se ha hecho tarde, hasta pronto por ahora. Nos vemos mañana, o a más tardar, el lunes.
Goodbye for now interj	(see you soon)	¡hasta luego! interj
		¡hasta pronto! interj
	We’ll talk again next week so goodbye for now.
	Hablamos la semana que viene, ¡hasta luego!
		nos vemos loc interj
		hasta la vista loc interj
	Hablamos la semana que viene, ¡nos vemos!

In the English description:

Spanish:

For now I would like you […] to give me a very simple reply to a very simple question of principle. europarl.europa.eu europarl.europa.eu	De momento, quisiera que […] me diese una respuesta sencilla a una sencilla cuesti�n de principio. europarl.europa.eu europarl.europa.eu
He could explain why it might be better if some of his duties were […] shifted to someone else for now. 1on1health.com 1on1health.com	Podr�a explicarle por qu� ser�a mejor que algunos de sus deberes se le […] asignaran a otra persona por ahora. 1on1health.com 1on1health.com
For now, theyll continue to live […] in a house that was loaned to them high up in the hills above Quito. children.org children.org	Por ahora, ellos continuar�n viviendo […] en una casa prestada en las colinas en lo alto de Quito. children.org children.org
Training is going very well for now, although I still need […] to confirm it at a competition. bcn2010.org bcn2010.org	El entrenamiento […] va muy bien por el momento, pero ahora necesito confirmar […] esa sensaci�n en la competici�n. bcn2010.org bcn2010.org
But for now, Daniel’s focus is on […] his studies. archive.eurordis.org archive.eurordis.org	Pero por ahora, Daniel esta centrado […] en sus estudios. archive.eurordis.org archive.eurordis.org
For now, is it more important for you to […] win a title than beating a record? bcn2010.org bcn2010.org	�Te interesa ahora mismo m�s ganar un t�tulo […] que batir ese r�cord? bcn2010.org bcn2010.org
For now I want her to keep learning […] and make sure she stays in school and has a good life, so I will keep helping as much as I can. children.org children.org	Por ahora quiero que ella siga […] aprendiendo y asegurarme que ella permanezca en la escuela y tenga una vida buena; por eso […] seguir� ayud�ndola lo m�s que pueda. children.org children.org
At least for now, Europe seems to have entirely […] lost the initiative in the region. fride.org fride.org	Al menos por ahora, Europa parece haber […] perdido enteramente la iniciativa en la regi�n. fride.org fride.org
For a while now many of these applications have been replaced by newer versions, and some information is outdated, but since many people are still using the guides I will leave them on-line for now. 3dmultimedia.com 3dmultimedia.com	Ya hace un tiempo que estos programas han sido reemplazados por versiones nuevas, y alguna informaci�n est� desactualizada, pero como muchas personas todav�a usan las gu�as las dejo on-line por ahora. 3dmultimedia.com 3dmultimedia.com
He said for now until the end of confirmation, […] and there is a while before trial starts. icc-cpi.int icc-cpi.int	Dijo que por ahora y hasta el fin de […] la confirmaci�n, y hay un periodo antes de la iniciaci�n del juicio. icc-cpi.int icc-cpi.int
But, for now, we expect the short-term inflation outlook and low short-term interest rates to prevent a rise in long-term […] government bond yields. robeco.com robeco.com	Sin embargo, nosotros prevemos por el momento un pron�stico de inflaci�n y bajos tipos de inter�s para evitar un aumento […] de los beneficios […] de los bonos del Estado a largo plazo. robeco.com robeco.com
Walking and running are no longer enough — a set of wheels is what’s called for now. mambaby.com mambaby.com	Caminar y correr ya no alcanzan — se necesita alg�n veh�culo debajo de los pies. mambaby.com mambaby.com
For now, possible combinations […] in the numbers would reflect just two cases of interest and use eur-lex.europa.eu eur-lex.europa.eu	Por ahora, las posibles combinaciones […] en los n�meros solo reflejar�n dos casos de inter�s y utilidad eur-lex.europa.eu eur-lex.europa.eu
For now more than ever, I am convinced that a state of extreme […] emergency has been declared, and that the war against poverty, […] exclusion, against intolerance towards «others» is at hand. unesdoc.unesco.org unesdoc.unesco.org	Mas que nunca estoy […] convencido de que se ha declarado el estado de m�xima emergencia […] para lanzarse a una guerra: contra […] la pobreza, la exclusi�n, contra la intolerancia frente al «otro». unesdoc.unesco.org unesdoc.unesco.org
For now, I will focus only on […] infrastructure development and what it requires in the years that lie ahead. embassyindia.es embassyindia.es	Por ahora, me centrar� s�lo en […] el desarrollo de las infraestructuras y lo que se requiere en los a�os que quedan por delante. embassyindia.es embassyindia.es
Moreover, high levels of insider selling suggest that […] the party is over for now. robeco.com robeco.com	Adem�s, los elevados niveles de ventas internas sugieren que la […] fiesta ha terminado por ahora. robeco.com robeco.com
Santos thus has for now the support of approximately […] 80 per cent of Congress. crisisgroup.org crisisgroup.org	Por consiguiente, Santos cuenta por ahora con el apoyo de aproximadamente […] el 80 por ciento del Congreso. crisisgroup.org crisisgroup.org
It’s not a perfect […] solution, but it works for now, she says. 4children.org 4children.org	No es una soluci�n […] perfecta, pero por ahora funciona, dice. es.4children.org es.4children.org
For several years now, for reasons of health, he is unable to occupy […] any post. embacubaqatar.com embacubaqatar.com	Hace varios a�os, por razones de salud, no puede ocupar cargo alguno. embacubaqatar.com embacubaqatar.com
There is honorable and dignified purpose for life and you […] get to participate now for its future completion. urantia-uai.org urantia-uai.org	Hay un honorable y digno prop�sito en la vida […] y va a participar ahora para que se complete […] en el futuro. urantia-uai.org urantia-uai.org
This is no time for lofty speeches; it is time now for broad action. daccess-ods.un.org daccess-ods.un.org	Este no es momento para grandes discursos sino para grandes acciones. daccess-ods.un.org daccess-ods.un.org
Whether you want to brag about your winnings, […] offer suggestions for the site or simply have a chat, now’s the time and […] here’s the place where we […] want to hear what you have to say! bigmoneyscratch.com bigmoneyscratch.com	Si desea Contarnos de sus ganancias, sugerirnos alguna cosa […] o simplemente tener una charla, ahora es el momento y este es el correcto […] lugar donde queremos o�r lo que tiene en mente. es.bigmoneyscratch.com es.bigmoneyscratch.com
For visionary architects and interior designers everywhere, now’s the time to seize […] the moment and help shape the office of the future. lighting.philips.co.uk lighting.philips.co.uk	Para los arquitectos visionarios y los dise�adores de interior de todo el mundo, […] es la hora de aprovechar el momento y ayudar […] a dar forma a la oficina del futuro. lighting.philips.es lighting.philips.es
If you’re anything like David Pag�n […] and have waited for the opportunity to visit your sponsored child, now’s your chance. children.org children.org	Si usted es como David Pag�n y […] ha esperado la oportunidad de visitar a su ni�o apadrinado, �sta es su oportunidad. children.org children.org
Whilst the French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde was […] forecasting 1.6% for the whole year this goal nows seems to be fading away. robert-schuman.eu robert-schuman.eu	Mientras que la ministra francesa de econom�a Christine […] Lagarde se basaba hasta ahora en «un 1,6%» para el a�o, este objetivo […] parece alejarse. robert-schuman.eu robert-schuman.eu
First mention: […] Eduardo de la Cruz, for the work «Ahora s�« (Now’s the time). cubagolfhotels.com cubagolfhotels.com	Primera menci�n: Eduardo de la Cruz, por la obra: Ahora s�. cubagolfhotels.com cubagolfhotels.com
Now for the good news, because this actually eclipses the bad news. europarl.europa.eu europarl.europa.eu	Y ahora las buenas noticias, ya que realmente eclipsan mis puntos de cr�tica. europarl.europa.eu europarl.europa.eu
It means that dental science now, for the first time, has an instrument with which critical procedures […] can be completed more quickly, more reliably […] and more thoroughly, with the maximum of comfort and no impact on healthy substance. kavofr.com kavofr.com	La odontolog�a dispone […] con ello por primera vez de un instrumento con el cual se pueden realizar ahora trabajos cr�ticos no […] s�lo de forma m�s r�pida, […] m�s segura y m�s precisa, sino tambi�n con m�s cuidado de la sustancia y m�s agradable. kavofr.com kavofr.com

Have you decided to learn Spanish? Congratulations! It will be a very exciting and rewarding journey.

However, as you set out to learn this new language, you might not know where to begin. The sheer number of Spanish vocabulary words you have to learn can be overwhelming!

Keep in mind that you don’t need to rush into lessons that are above your level. It’s better to start from the basics and build a foundation that will help you reach your desired level of proficiency in Spanish!

To give you a boost, SpanishPod101 has compiled this guide to basic Spanish words for beginners. We’ve listed over 200 common Spanish words in different categories, providing additional information where necessary. 

Have fun!

You’re one step closer to your first conversation in Spanish!

Table of Contents

1. Pronouns
2. Articles
3. Numbers
4. Nouns
5. Verbs
6. Adjectives
7. Conjunctions
8. Prepositions
9. Final Thoughts

1. Pronouns

Pronouns are some of the most important basic Spanish words for beginners. You’ll use them often in regular conversations!

However, when you start learning Spanish, you might be overwhelmed by how complex the pronoun system is. Don’t worry! We’ll start with the basics.

1 – Personal Subject Pronouns

Personal subject pronouns replace the subject of a sentence. You can use them to talk about a previously mentioned noun, whether it’s a person, an animal, or an object. In addition, you can use them to talk about yourself or to address other people.

• Yo hablo español. → “I speak Spanish.”
• Vosotros habláis inglés. → “You speak English.”

Person	Spanish	English
1st person sg.	yo	I
2nd person sg.	tú	you
3rd person sg.	él, ella	he, she
1st person pl.	nosotros	we
2nd person pl.	vosotros	you
3rd person pl.	ellos, ellas	they

You might be surprised to learn that most native speakers won’t use personal subject pronouns to begin a sentence. The subject is often omitted unless it’s not obvious who or what we’re talking about.

• Hablo español. → “(I) speak Spanish.”
• Habláis inglés. → “(You) speak English.”

Apart from subject pronouns, other personal pronouns include direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns, and prepositional pronouns. In Spanish, personal pronouns change form depending on their function and position in the sentence. Want to learn more? Check out SpanishPod101’s lesson on personal pronouns.

2 – Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Spanish (such as ese, este, and aquel) are quite easy for English speakers to grasp, as they work similarly to their English equivalents. You can use them to identify a person, an animal, or a thing, as well as its distance from you. These are some of the basic beginner Spanish words you need to learn early on!

In English, there are only four demonstrative pronouns: this and that and their plural forms these and those. However, in Spanish, there are fifteen! Why is that?

First of all, Spanish demonstrative pronouns correspond to the three different adverbs used to express distance: aquí (“here”), allá (“there”), and ahí (expresses something between here and there).

• Este de aquí es mi perro. → “This is my dog.”
• Esos de ahí son mis amigos. → “Those are my friends.”
• Aquel de allá es mi coche. → “That is my school.”

The other main difference between Spanish and English demonstrative pronouns is the gender distinction, which applies to both singular and plural pronouns. Spanish has different forms for masculine, feminine, and neuter gender.

Person	Spanish	English
	aquí	ahí	allí	here	–	there
masculine	sg.	este	ese	aquel	this	–	that
pl.	estos	esos	aquellos	these	–	those
feminine	sg.	esta	esa	aquella	this	–	that
pl.	estas	esas	aquellas	these	–	those
neuter	esto	eso	aquello	this	–	that

3 – Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are crucial in any language, making them some of the most important Spanish words for beginners to learn. Asking is the best way to learn, after all!

And here’s some good news: They’re very easy for English speakers to learn, as they work just like their English equivalents! 

• Qué → “What”
  
  ¿Qué quieres comer? → “What do you want to eat?”

• Cuál → “Which”
  
  ¿Cuál de ellos es tu hijo? → “Which one is your son?”

• Por qué → “Why”
  
  ¿Por qué dejaste tu trabajo? → “Why did you quit your job?”

• Quién → “Who”
  
  ¿Quién vas a invitar a tu cumpleaños? → “Who will you invite to your birthday?”

• Dónde → “Where”
  
  ¿Dónde vas a ir de vacaciones? → “Where will you go on your vacation?”

• Cuánto → “How much”
  
  ¿Cuánto pagaste por esta chaqueta? → “How much did you pay for this jacket?”

• Cuántos / Cuántas → “How many”
  
  ¿Cuántos días te vas a quedar? → “How many days will you stay?”
  
  ¿Cuántas manzanas quieres comprar? → “How many apples do you want to buy?”

• Cuándo → “When”
  
  ¿Cuándo vas a tener el bebé? → “When will you have the baby?”

Of course, it will be helpful to learn a few full questions by heart if you’re planning to visit Spain or have a conversation with a Spanish speaker. Fortunately, SpanishPod101 always has your back! Check out the Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations.

¿Cuándo vas a tener el bebé? (“When will you have the baby?”)

2. Articles

One of the most characteristic aspects of the Spanish language is its articles. Studying these basic Spanish words for beginners is key to starting your learning journey off on the right foot.

Articles accompany nouns and can be definite (like the English word “the”) or indefinite (like the English words “a” and “an”).

• El vaso → “The glass”
• Un vaso → “A glass”

In Spanish, however, they also indicate gender and number. This is why there are more articles to learn than there are in English. 

Person	Definite article	Indefinite article
masculine	sg.	el	un
pl.	los	unos
feminine	sg.	la	una
pl.	los	unas

→ Struggling with the Spanish gender rules? Thanks to our lesson Using the Right Gender and Number of Spanish Nouns, understanding the basics has never been easier!

There is also the neuter article lo, which goes before adjectives, participles, and ordinal numbers that are not followed by a noun.

• Lo mejor → “The best”
• Lo hablado → “What was said”
• Lo primero → “The first”

3. Numbers

When you start learning a language, you definitely have to learn how to count in it!

Let’s see the cardinal Spanish numbers from one to ten:

• Uno → “One”
• Dos → “Two”
• Tres → “Three”
• Cuatro → “Four”
• Cinco → “Five”
• Seis → “Six”
• Siete → “Seven”
• Ocho → “Eight”
• Nueve → “Nine”
• Diez → “Ten”

And here are the ordinal Spanish numbers from one to ten:

• Primero → “First”
• Segundo → “Second”
• Tercero → “Third”
• Cuarto → “Fourth”
• Quinto → “Fifth”
• Sexto → “Sixth”
• Séptimo → “Seventh”
• Octavo → “Eighth”
• Noveno → “Ninth”
• Décimo → “Tenth”

Once you’ve mastered counting from one to ten, check out SpanishPod101’s lessons on numbers to learn how to count to infinity!

4. Nouns

Nouns identify a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. Spanish nouns can be singular or plural, and each one has a grammatical gender. 

Below is a list of nouns you can use in your daily life, whether your back hurts, you’re looking for the post office, or you’re preparing a tasty meal. These basic beginner Spanish words can help you communicate general ideas even before you learn how to form sentences, so remember as many as you can!

→ Don’t forget to check out our article The 100 Most Common Spanish Nouns, where you’ll learn how to use singular, plural, and different-gendered nouns! 

1 – Body Parts

cuerpo

body

cabeza

head

cara

face

ojos

eyes

nariz

nose

boca

mouth

orejas

ears

pelo

hair

mejillas

cheeks

cuello

neck

nuca	back of the neck

hombros

shoulders

brazos

arms

manos

hands

Dedos

fingers

uñas

nails

pecho / pechos	chest / breasts
These are some tricky words! Pechos is plural for pecho (“chest”), but it actually refers to “breasts.”

barriga

belly

espalda

back

cadera

hip

muslos

thigh

piernas

legs

pies

feet

2 – Family

familia

family

madre (Mamá)

mother (Mom)

padre (Papá)

father (Dad)

hijo / hija

son / daughter

hermano / hermana

brother / sister

abuelo / abuela

grandfather / grandmother

tío / tía

uncle / aunt

sobrino / sobrina

nephew / niece

primo / prima

cousin

¡Una familia unida! (“A united family!”)

3 – Occupations

maestro / maestra

teacher

profesor / profesora

professor

policía

policeman / policewoman

médico / doctor / doctora	doctor
In Spanish, médico and doctor are used often equally. However, the phrase “to go to the doctor” is often said as “ir al médico” and, when you address the doctor directly you’ll refer to him or her as “doctor” or “doctora“, sometimes followed by his or her surname. ¿Es grave, doctora García? → “Is it serious, doctor García?”

enfermero / enfermera

nurse

abogado / abogada

lawyer

cocinero / cocinera

cook

camarero / camarera

waiter / waitress

empresario / empresaria

businessman / businesswoman

oficinista

office worker

4 – Places Around Town

hospital

hospital

mercado / supermercado

market / supermarket

escuela

school

museo

museum

oficina de correos

post office

universidad

university

comisaría

police station

estación de tren

train station

aeropuerto

airport

centro (de la ciudad)	city center / downtown
In Spanish cities and towns, it’s common to refer to the old and central areas as el centro. It’s usually where there are the most tourist attractions and where rent is most expensive. La estación del tren está en el centro. → “The train station is in the city center.”

afueras (de la ciudad)	outskirts
Contrary to the concept of el centro, there is the concept of las afueras, which refers to the areas of a town or city that are farther away from the urban core. El aeropuerto está en las afueras. → “The airport is in the city’s outskirts.”

5 – School and Office Essentials

lápiz

pencil

rotulador

marker

bolígrafo	pen
You’ll rarely hear a student say the word bolígrafo. The diminutive boli is much more commonly used.

ordenador

computer

(ordenador) portátil	laptop
To say “the laptop,” most Spanish speakers will say el portátil, but some may say ordenador too. Nowadays, laptops are more popular than traditional computers, so some people specify ordenador de sobremesa (literally, “on-desk computer”). Prefiero usar el portátil en lugar del ordenador de sobremesa. → “I prefer using the laptop instead of the computer.”

libreta

notebook

folio

piece of paper

carpeta

folder

goma de borrar

eraser

marcador

highlighter

clip

paperclip

pizarra

blackboard / whiteboard / chalkboard / greenboard

pupitre	desk
This word is used to talk specifically about school desks.

mochila

backpack

Lista para la escuela (“Ready for school”)

6 – Food

verduras

vegetables

tomate

tomato

lechuga

lettuce

pimiento

pepper

berenjena

eggplant

patata

potato

alcachofa

artichoke

fruta

fruit

manzana

apple

pera

pear

plátano

banana

cerezas

cherries

sandía

watermelon

melón

melon

carne

meat

pescado

fish

leche

milk

queso

cheese

huevos

eggs

harina

flour

sal

salt

azúcar

sugar

aceite

oil

mantequilla

butter

→ If you want to expand your vocabulary with even more essential nouns, you can start by reading SpanishPod101’s article on untranslatable Spanish words! 

5. Verbs

Verbs are some of the most common and basic beginner Spanish words. Why is that? Because verbs are used to describe every action in our lives! 

Here’s a list with over 50 verbs that will prove useful when you’re starting to speak Spanish. Did you know that in Spanish there are four different verbs that mean “to eat”? Keep reading! 

→ At SpanishPod101.com, you can find free vocabulary lists to keep on learning!

1 – Basic Auxiliary Verbs

haber

to have

ser

to be

estar

to be

The verbs ser and estar both translate to the English verb “to be,” but they serve different functions. 

Ser is used for permanent or lasting attributes, occupations, characteristics, origins, and relationships. It’s also used to give the time. 

• Marta es una buena persona. → “Marta is a good person.”
• Son las dos de la tarde. → “It is two in the afternoon.”

On the other hand, estar is used for positions, locations, actions, conditions, and emotions:

• La ciudad de Moscú está en Rusia. → “The city of Moscow is in Russia.”
• Estoy haciendo la compra. → “I’m doing the grocery shopping.”

These auxiliary verbs are some of the most important Spanish words for beginners to learn. They’re used with main verbs to express the tense or to explain the way in which the verb is understood.

• He fregado los platos. → “I’m doing the dishes.”
• Estoy haciendo la compra. → “I’m doing the shopping.”
• La presidenta fue elegida por sus conciudadanos. → “The president was chosen by her fellow citizens.”

2 – Most Common Verbs

tener	to have
Don’t mix up tener with haber! Tener means “to have” in the sense of “to possess.”

hacer

to do / to make

poder

can

decir

to say

ir

to go

3 – The Five Senses

ver / mirar

to see / to watch

escuchar / oir

to hear / to listen

oler

to smell

degustar

to taste

tocar

to touch

¿Qué ven esos ojos? (“What do those eyes see?”)

4 – Basic Actions

caminar

to walk

correr

to run

hablar

to talk

decir

to say

contar

to tell

llamar

to call

escribir

to write

leer

to read

dar

to give

venir

to come

llegar

to arrive

marcharse

to leave

poner

to put

dejar	to leave / to put
Dejar is used in the sense of “leaving something” in a specific place.

quitar

to remove

5 – Thoughts and Feelings

saber

to know

conocer

to know

Both conocer and saber translate to the English verb “to know.” However, they’re used in very different situations. Saber is used when the speaker knows a fact, piece of information, or how to do something. Conocer, on the other hand, is used when the speaker knows a person, place, or thing. Sé cocinar una paella riquísima. → “I know how to cook very good paella.” ¿María? No la conozco. → “María? I don’t know her.”

sentir

to feel

querer / amar

to love

recordar

to remember

añorar

to miss

necesitar

to need

soñar

to dream

sufrir

to suffer

llorar

to cry

reir

to laugh

6 – Daily Routine

despertarse

to wake up

levantarse

to get up

ducharse

to shower

desayunar

to eat breakfast

almorzar

to eat lunch or second breakfast

comer

to eat (lunch)

cenar

to eat dinner

Spanish speakers use different verbs meaning “to eat,” depending on the meal they’re having. The first meal of the day is desayuno, so the verb is always desayunar. Almorzar means “to eat lunch,” but most people nowadays use it to talk about a second meal you have between breakfast and lunch (could be the Spanish equivalent to “brunch”). Comer is the generic word for eating whatever and whenever, but if you say voy a comer you mean “I’m going to have lunch.” Lastly, the final meal of the day is la cena; when you eat dinner, you’ll say cenar.

beber

to drink

trabajar

to work

estudiar

to study

conducir

to drive

dormir

to sleep

7 – Life and Death

nacer

to be born

vivir

to live

respirar

to breathe

crecer

to grow (up)

morir

to die

→ Learning the Spanish verb tenses can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, SpanishPod101 will help you master this subject in our Spanish Verb Conjugation Series.

¡Vivir es nacer a cada instante! -Erich Fromm (“To live is to be born every second!” -Erich Fromm)

6. Adjectives

Our next set of Spanish beginner words are adjectives. These colorful words can help you describe the world around you and strengthen the impact of your speaking or writing. 

Spanish adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. In this table, you’ll find both genders in the format [ Masculine / Feminine ]. If you see only one, it means the masculine and feminine forms are identical.

Plurals, on the other hand, are rather predictable and follow the general rules of Spanish plural formation.

→ You might want to check out a more detailed article on Spanish adjectives for more grammar information and examples.

1 – Describing Objects

The following adjectives can be used to describe the physical attributes or aspects of objects, and are sometimes used to describe people and animals too. 

grande

big

pequeño / pequeña

small / little

largo / larga

long

pesado / pesada	heavy
Beware! Most of the time, when people use pesado or pesada to describe a person, they’re using it as an insult to call them “tiresome” or “annoying.”

ligero / ligera

light

2 – Describing People

These adjectives, on the other hand, are mostly used to describe people. They can also describe animals where applicable. 

guapo / guapa

beautiful / pretty / handsome

atractivo / atractiva

attractive

alto / alta

tall

bajo / baja

short

delgado / delgada

thin

gordo / gorda

fat

joven

young

viejo / vieja

old

rubio / rubia

blond

moreno / morena

dark (skinned or haired)

pelirrojo / pelirroja

red-haired

3 – Describing Emotions

contento / contenta

happy / pleased

feliz

happy

emocionado / emocionada

excited / emotional

ilusionado / ilusionada

hopeful / excited

triste

sad

desanimado / desanimada

disheartened

deprimido / deprimida

depressed

ansioso / ansiosa

anxious / eager

aburrido / aburrida

bored

avergonzado / avergonzada

embarrassed / ashamed

4 – Describing Weather

lluvioso

rainy

nublado

cloudy

ventoso

windy

soleado

sunny

7. Conjunctions

You can use conjunctions to connect words, clauses, and sentences. 

• y → “and”
  
  El perro y el gato → “The dog and the cat”

• ni → “nor”
  
  Ni el perro ni el gato → “Not the dog nor the cat”

• pero → “but”
  
  Quiero ir pero tengo que estudiar. → “I want to go but I have to study.”

• porque → “because”
  
  Me marcho porque estoy cansado. → “I’m leaving because I’m tired.”

  Many people, even native Spanish speakers, mix up porque and por qué when they write, but they mean very different things! While porque means “because,” por qué means “why.”

• como → “like” / “as”
  
  Pelean como el perro y el gato. → “They fight like dogs and cats.”

• ya que → “because” / “since”
  
  Dejó los estudios ya que encontró un trabajo. → “She quit her degree because she got a job.”

• que → “that” / “who”
  
  Mi madre es la persona que más me quiere. → “My mother is the person who loves me the most.”

Check out SpanishPod101’s lesson Spanish Conjunctions: But You Won’t Have Time! to learn about different types of conjunctions.

El perro y el gato (“The dog and the cat”)

8. Prepositions

• a → “to”
  
  Me voy a dormir. → “I’m going to sleep.”

• de → “from” / “of”
  
  Recibí una carta de mi abuelo. → “I received a letter from my grandad.”

• en → “in”
  
  Pon la ropa en la lavadora. → “Put the clothes in the washing machine.”

• con → “with”
  
  Han venido con sus amigos. → “They have come with their friends.”

• por → “by” / “for”
  
  Este pastel está hecho por él mismo. → “This cake was made by himself.”

• sin → “without”
  
  He venido sin abrigo. → “I came without a coat.”

• para → “for”
  
  Mi sobrina dibujó esto para mí. → “My niece drew this for me.”

Mi sobrina dibujó esto para mí. (“My niece drew this for me.”)

9. Final Thoughts

In this guide to basic Spanish words for beginners, you’ve learned more than 200 of the most common Spanish words. These will prove useful as you get ready to handle your first conversations in Spanish! 

How many of these words did you know already? Were any of them new to you? We look forward to hearing your thoughts! 

If you want to take your Spanish learning journey further, don’t forget to check out SpanishPod101. We have plenty of free vocabulary lists to help you expand your Spanish vocabulary, as well as useful lessons ranging from Beginner Level to Advanced. 

Enjoy the ride!

Build your vocabulary and learn a selection of basic Spanish words and phrases. If you are looking for Spanish lessons then we have a plethora of tutorials at the Spanish language page where you will find free videos for learning the alphabet, numbers, greetings, apologizing and Spanish listening skills for absolute beginners.

When you are more confident, you can move onto English to Spanish grammar where we have listed useful videos and information to get you started. You will learn about diacritical marks, Spanish pronunciation, nouns, masculine and feminine and the rules of stress.

Basic words for everyday conversation

Here’s a list of common Spanish phrases that will help you communicate whilst travelling in Spain. Your trip will be much more enjoyable if you have a basic vocabulary and the locals will appreciate your efforts.

Yes/no

Sí/No

see/noh

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Yes, please/No, thank you

Sí, por favor/No, gracias

see por fah-bor/noh grah-thyas

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Please

Por favor

por fah-bor

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Thank you

Gracias

grah-thyas

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

You’re welcome

De nada

deh nah-dah

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Here is/are…

Aquí está/están…

ah-kee es-tah/es-tan

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Hello/Good morning

Hola/Buenos días

oh-lah/bweh-nos dee-as

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Good afternoon/Good evening

Buenas tardes

bweh-nas tar-des

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Goodbye

Adiós

ah-dyos

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Good night

Buenas noches

bweh-nas noh-ches

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How are you?

¿Cómo está?

koh-moh es-tah

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Very well, thanks

Muy bien gracias

mwee byen grah-thyas

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Excuse me

Disculpe

dees-kool-peh

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Do you speak English?

¿Habla usted inglés?

ah-blah oo-steth een-gles

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Can you help me?

¿Me puede ayudar?

¿Me puede ayudar?

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

I don’t understand

No entiendo

noh en-tyehn-doh

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

I don’t know

No lo sé

noh loh seh

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Leave me alone

Déjeme en paz

deh-heh-meh en path

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Please write it down

Por favor, escríbalo

por fah-bor es-kree-bah-loh

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Sorry

Perdón

pair-don

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Where?

¿Dónde?

don-deh

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When?

¿Cuándo?

kwan-doh

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Why?

¿Por qué?

por keh

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Who?

¿Quién?

kyen

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Which?

¿Cuáles?

kwal-es

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Where is…?

¿Dónde está…?

don-deh es-tah

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How much is it?

¿Cuánto cuesta?

kwan-toh kwes-tah

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How many?

¿Cuántos?

kwan-tos

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What’s that?

¿Qué es eso?

keh es eh-soh

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What is your name?

¿Cómo se llama usted?

koh-moh seh ya-mah oos-tehd

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I’d like

Me gustaría

meh goo-stah-ree-ah

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

I want

Quiero

kyair-oh

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

I’d like it

Me gusta

me goo-stah

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

I don’t like it

No me gusta

noh meh goo-stah

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

OK/Agreed

OK/De acuerdo

oh-keh/deh ah-kwair-doh

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

That’s fine

Está bien

es-tah byen

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Pronouncation (la pronunciación)

These are examples of Spanish letter combinations and the English equivalent. This list will help you pronounce a word the correct way so you can start building vocabulary.

Spanish Letter Combination	English Sound
a	ah
ai	ahy
au	ow
o	oh
e	eh
ei	ay
i	ee
ll	ye
ñ	nye
qu	k
rr	rrrr
cc	ks
ia	yah
ie	yeh
io	yoh
u	oo
ua	wah
ue	weh

Introduction to Spanish Pronunciation

Pronunciation

5 minutes 34 seconds lesson

SpanishPod101 have produced this useful introduction to Spanish pronunciation. The beginning of the video explains where the different dialects came from which is a great insight into the influences of the Spanish language. However, if you want to go straight into the pronunciation then skip the first 3 minutes 33 seconds (3:33) of the tutorial.

Introduction to Spanish Pronunciation

Pronunciation

3 minutes 15 seconds tutorial

This is another great video to start learning pronunciation. Alex will show how to say different letter sounds with word examples and a list of phrases.

How to say numbers in Spanish

English word	Spanish word
0 = zero	cero
1 = one	uno
2 = two	dos
3 = three	Tres
4 = four	cuatro
5 = five	cinco
6 = six	seis
7 = seven	siete
8 = eight	ocho
9 = nine	nueve
10 = ten	diez
11 = eleven	once
12 = twelve	doce
13 = thirteen	trece
14 = fourteen	catorce
15 = fifteen	quince
16 = sixteen	dieciséis
17 = seventeen	diecisiete
18 = eighteen	dieciocho
19 = nineteen	diecinueve
20 = twenty	veinte
21 = twenty one	veintiuno
22 = twenty two	veintidós
23 = twenty three	veintitres
24 = twenty four	veinticuatro
25 = twenty five	veinticinco
26 = twenty six	veintiseis
27 = twenty seven	veintisiete
28 = twenty eight	veintiocho
29 = twenty nine	veintinueve
30 = thirty	treinta
31 = thirty one	treinta y uno
32 = thirty two	treinta y dos
33 = thirty three	treinta y tres
34 = thirty four	treinta y cuatro
35 = thirty five	treinta y cinco
36 = thirty six	treinta y seis
37 = thirty seven	treinta y siete
38 = thirty eight	treinta y ocho
39 = thirty nine	treinta y nueve
40 = forty	cuarenta
41 = forty one	cuarenta y uno
42 = forty two	cuarenta y dos
43 = forty three	cuarenta y tres
44 = forty four	cuarenta y cuatro
45 = forty five	cuarenta y cinco
46 = forty six	cuarenta y seis
47 = forty seven	cuarenta y siete
48 = forty eight	cuarenta y ocho
49 = forty nine	cuarenta y nueve
50 = fifty	cincuenta
51 = fifty one	cincuenta y uno
52 = fifty two	cincuenta y dos
53 = fifty three	cincuenta y tres
54 = fifty four	cincuenta y cuatro
55 = fifty five	cincuenta y cinco
56 = fifty six	cincuenta y seis
57 = fifty seven	cincuenta y siete
58 = fifty eight	cincuenta y ocho
59 = fifty nine	cincuenta y nueve
60 = sixty	sesenta
61 = sixty one	sesenta y uno
62 = sixty two	sesenta y dos
63 = sixty three	sesenta y tres
64 = sixty four	sesenta y cuatro
65 = sixty five	sesenta y cinco
66 = sixty six	sesenta y seis
67 = sixty seven	sesenta y siete
68 = sixty eight	sesenta y ocho
69 = sixty nine	sesenta y nueve
70 = seventy	setenta
71 = seventy one	setenta y uno
72 = seventy two	setenta y dos
73 = seventy three	setenta y tres
74 = seventy four	setenta y cuatro
75 = seventy five	setenta y cinco
76 = seventy six	setenta y seis
77 = seventy seven	setenta y siete
78 = seventy eight	setenta y ocho
79 = seventy nine	setenta y nueve
80 = eighty	ochenta
81 = eighty one	ochenta y uno
82 = eighty two	ochenta y dos
83= eighty three	ochenta y tres
84 = eighty four	ochenta y cuatro
85 = eighty five	ochenta y cinco
86 = eighty six	ochenta y seis
87 = eighty seven	ochenta y siete
88 = eighty eight	ochenta y ocho
89 = eighty nine	ochenta y nueve
90 = ninety	noventa
91 = ninety one	noventa y uno
92 = ninety two	noventa y dos
93 = ninety three	noventa y tres
94 = ninety four	noventa y cuatro
95 = ninety five	noventa y cinco
96 = ninety six	noventa y seis
97 = ninety seven	noventa y siete
98 = ninety eight	noventa y ocho
99 = ninety nine	noventa y nueve
100 = one hundred	cien
200 = two hundred	doscientos
201 = two hundred and one	doscientos uno
1,000 = one thousand	mil
1,000,000 = one million	un millón
1,000,000,000 = one billion	mil millones
the first	el primero/a
the last	el último/a
2nd = second	segundo/a
3rd = third	tercero/a
4th = fourth	cuarto/a
5th = fifth	quinto/a
6th = sixth	sexto/a
7th = seventh	séptimo/a
8th = eighth	octavo/a
9th = ninth	noventa/o
10th = tenth	décimo/a

Measurements (las medidas)

Spanish word	English word
centimeter	el centímetro (0.39 in.)
meter	el metro (3.28 feet)
kilometer	el kilómetro (0.621 mile)
liter	el litro (1.75 pints)
gram	el gramo (0.0352 oz)
kilogram	el kilo(gramo) (2.20 lbs)

Learn Spanish with native speakers

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You will learn Spanish faster when you listen to native speakers. These videos and lessons have been developed by Spanish speaking teachers in a fun and friendly way. You will find your ability to remember essential words improves with every lesson and your pronunciation will being to flow much more naturally. We have included speaking exercises were ever possible. Listening to conversations in real life situations that you will expect to find whilst travelling around Spanish speaking countries will be your greatest asset.

Common Spanish vocabulary

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The advantage of learning the most common Spanish words first is that you will have a better chance of understanding parts of the conversations going on around you, helping you to pick up more Spanish word patterns.

To become fluent in Spanish you will need to learn around 5% of all available words which equates to 10,000 words. We can break this down into smaller steps: Learning just 100 of the most common words will enable you to understand half of the words you can expect to read in a book or online in a blog. Learn 1000 words and you will start to understand 75% of what you read.

Now consider, when you learn a word, how many words which sound similar are related?

On average, for every word you learn you will be able to work out 50 other words. Suddenly the world is a smaller place!