Word in spanish that starts with you

How do you say «you» in Spanish? The answer isn’t as simple as it may appear: That’s because Spanish has 13 pronouns you can use to address other people, all of which can be translated by «you.»

Distinguishing Between Types of ‘You’

First and most obviously, there are singular and plural forms, which aren’t distinguished in the English word except through context. (In other words, you can use «you» when talking to one person or to more than one.) Learning these should be straightforward for most English speakers, since we’re already used to singular and plural forms for other pronouns.

But Spanish also has formal and informal (also called «familiar») ways of saying «you,» the usage depending on the person you’re talking to and/or the circumstances. Again, the difference doesn’t come across in translating to English, but if you use the informal «you» where the formal is required, you run the risk of sounding presumptuous or even arrogant.

Also, the English «you» can be used not only the subject of a sentence, but also as a object of a verb or preposition. In Spanish, the corresponding word used can vary among those functions as shown in this chart:

Formal or Informal ‘You’?

An easy-to-understand way of looking at formal-vs.-informal forms—although keep in mind that there are exceptions—is that when speaking with one person you can use the informal forms under roughly the same circumstances where you can use a person’s first name in English. Of course, when that is can vary with age, social status, and the country or culture you are in.

More specifically, the singular informal tú (as the subject of a sentence) is used when speaking with family members, children, pets, friends, or close acquaintances, while usted is used when speaking with others. In Christianity, tú also is used when addressing God in prayer. When speaking to anyone else, use usted.

Tú can also be used contemptuously when speaking to a stranger; for example, a criminal may use the informal in addressing a victim as a way of belittling. An authority figure might also use tú as a way of reinforcing the idea of who is in charge.

Obviously, the common uses of tú suggest a certain amount of intimacy. But the degree of intimacy varies with region. In some places, people of similar social status will start using tú upon meeting, while in other areas doing so might seem presumptuous. If you’re uncertain which to use, it is usually better to use usted unless or until the person starts speaking to you using tú, in which case it is usually OK to reciprocate. Spanish even has a verb, tutear, meaning to address someone using tú. The verb for speaking to someone formally is ustedear.

The plural forms (for sentence subjects) are the informal vosotros and the formal ustedes. Generally, in most of Spain the difference between formal and informal when speaking to more than one person is the same as specified above. However, in most of Latin America, the formal ustedes is used regardless of the persons you’re speaking to. In other words, vosotros is seldom used in everyday life for most Latin Americans.

Here are simple examples of how these pronouns might be used:

• Katrina, ¿quieres tú comer? (Katrina, do you want to eat?)
• Señora Miller, ¿quiere usted comer? (Mrs. Miller, do you want to eat?)
• Spain: Katrina y Pablo, ¿queréis vosotros comer? (Katrina and Pablo, do you want to eat?)
• Latin America: Katrina y Pablo, ¿quieren ustedes comer? (Katrina and Pablo, do you want to eat?)
• Señora Miller y señor Delgado, ¿quieren ustedes comer? (Mrs. Miller and Mr. Delgado, do you want to eat?)

In the above sentences, the pronouns have been included for clarity. In real life, the pronouns are often omitted because the context would make clear who the subject of each sentence is.

Translating ‘You’ As an Object

As shown in the chart above usted, vosotros, and ustedes are used as objects of prepositions as well as subjects. In the singular familiar form, however, ti (not tú) is used. Note that there is no accent mark on ti.

• Voy a andar desde aquí hasta usted. (I’m going to walk from here toward you. «You» is singular and formal.)
• Voy a votar por ti. (I’m going to vote for you, singular informal.)
• El libro está ante ustedes. (The book is in front of you, plural formal.)
• Este es para vosotros. (This is for you, plural informal.)

Direct objects meaning «you» are differentiated by gender when «you» is formal but not when informal:

• Lo veo. (I see you, singular masculine formal.)
• La encontré. (I found you, singular feminine formal.)
• Te quiero. (I love you, singular informal.)
• Los veo. (I see you, plural masculine formal.)
• Las encontré. (I found you, plural feminine formal.)
• Os quiero. (I love you, plural informal.)

The informal indirect objects are the same as the informal indirect objects. Le and les are used for the formal indirect objects.

• Te compré un regalo. (I bought you a gift, singular informal.)
• Le hice una galleta. (I made you a cookie, singular formal.)
• Les compró dos boletos. (I bought you two tickets, plural formal.)
• Os doy un coche. (I am giving you a car, plural informal.)

Using Vos

In some parts of Latin America, particularly Argentina and parts of Central America, the pronoun vos replaces or partly replaces tú. In some areas, vos implies greater intimacy than tú does, and in some areas it has its own verb forms. As a foreigner, however, you’ll be understood using tú even where vos is common.

Key Takeaways

• Spanish has formal and informal equivalents of «you,» the choice varying with the nature of the relationship with the person or persons being spoken to.
• Spanish distinguishes between singular and plural forms of «you.»
• In the plural form, Latin Americans normally use the formal ustedes where Spaniards would use the informal vosotros.

One of the first things that a beginner Spanish language learner might be confused about is the presence in many words of what looks to be an “N” or “n” with a peculiar squiggly line over it.

This strange-looking N is actually another letter that is part of the Spanish alphabet. 

The letter Ñ is the 15th letter in the Spanish alphabet and there are

about 15,700 Spanish words that use this letter. It was a letter that was invented by Spanish speakers as it isn’t part of the Latin alphabet. 

 Ñ represents what is called a voiced palatal nasal, which is a type of consonant used in certain spoken languages. When you want to refer to Ñ, it is pronounced “eh-nyeh”, when you are using Ñ in a word, you pronounce it “ny”.

You may encounter many words that have Ñ in them, including a few words that start with Ñ. To help you learn about this particular Spanish letter, we’ve compiled a list of Spanish words that begin with Ñ for you to study.

1. Ño 

Pronunciation guide: nyoh

Meaning: Mr.

This is basically the shortened version of Señor. It is placed in front of the name of an older male. You are more likely to hear this when conversion with Spanish speakers in South America.

2. Ña 

Pronunciation guide: nyah

Meaning: Mrs.

Similar to the word above, this is the shortened version of a common form of address. In this case, it’s used in the place of Doña. Again, this is more commonly used in South America.

3. Ñaño

Pronunciation guide: nyah-nyoh

Meaning: Close Friend, Spoiled, Homosexual, Brother, Kid

This is another of those Spanish words that start with ñ that you are more likely to hear when traveling through the South American countries, and it can mean different things depending on where you are:

• Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru – close friend

• Colombia and Panama – spoiled child

• Panama – homosexual

• Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador – brother (the term
  for family member)

• Peru — child

4. Ñoño 

Pronunciation guide: nyoh-nyoh

Meaning: Bland, Dull, Boring

This is one of those Spanish words that start with Ñ that is used as an adjective. You use it to refer to people, things, or situations that are uninteresting

5. Ñomblo

Pronunciation guide: nyohm-bloh

Meaning: Obese

This Spanish adjective is mostly used in Nicaragua. It’s the word they use to describe someone who is obese.

6. Ñato

Pronunciation guide: nyah-to 

Meaning: Pug-nosed

This is a Spanish adjective used mostly in the Latin American countries to describe someone we would refer to as “pug-nosed”. Outside of Latin America, people with this feature are described as “chato”.

If you are in Uruguay, however, this word is used to mean a boxer or someone who participates in the sport of boxing. 

7. Ñongo

Pronunciation guide: nyoh-ngo

Meaning: Intrusive

If you want to talk about someone nosy or intrusive, who tends to get involved with other people’s business, you can use this Spanish word to describe them. This is most commonly used in Cuba.

8. Ñoñería

Pronunciation guide: nyoh-nyeh-ria

Meaning: Insipid

This is a Spanish word that is used to describe someone as dull or uninteresting. It can also be used to say that someone is “spineless”. 

9. Ñangotarse

Pronunciation guide: nyan-goh-tarseh

Meaning: Squat or crouch down

This Spanish verb is mostly used by speakers of
the Caribbean Spanish dialect. It can also be used to describe someone who is discouraged or has “lost heart”. 

10. Ñáñara

Pronunciation guide: nyah-nyah-rah

Meaning: Laziness

If you are traveling in Honduras, you might encounter this Spanish word that starts with Ñ. This is what they say when they want to refer to the state of “laziness” or “pereza”.

11. Ñamería

Pronunciation guide: nyah-mer-ah

Meaning: Madness

If you are traveling in Panama, you could hear this Spanish word with an Ñ. It’s used the same way an English speaker would use “madness” to describe someone who was acting crazy or off. Other Spanish speakers might use “locura” instead.

12. Ñangué

Pronunciation guide: nyahng-ge

Meaning: Way back

This Spanish word is the equivalent of the English phrase “way back”. So, when someone who is talking about a time or an incident uses this, they are describing something that happened in the “distant past”.  

13. Ñeque

Pronunciation guide: nyeh-keh

Meaning: Strength or courage

This Spanish word is usually used to mean “strength” in Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua, and Peru. It can also mean courage or bravery in Bolivia, Peru, and Nicaragua as well as for
Spanish-speakers in Venezuela and Ecuador. 

14. Ñafiar

Pronunciation guide: nyah-fyar

Meaning: Pilfer

This is a Spanish verb, mostly used in the Caribbean, that means to pilfer or take without permission. 

15. Ñique

Pronunciation guide: nyih-keh

Meaning: Headbutt

If you are traveling in Central American, you might hear this word used if someone is describing a fight. It can mean a headbutt or even a punch. 

16. Ñácara

Pronunciation guide: nyah-kara

Meaning: Ulcer or sore

This is a Spanish word that you’re more likely to hear in Central America. It refers to the medical condition of having an ulcer or a sore.

17. Ñangado

Pronunciation guide: nyahng-gado

Meaning: Bow-legged

This is a Spanish word that is mostly used in the Caribbean region to refer to someone who is bow-legged. 

18. Ñango

Pronunciation guide: nyah-ngo

Meaning: Wimpy 

This is a Mexican slang word used to describe someone, usually a man or boy, as weak in body and also weak-willed.  

It is also used in some Latin American countries to describe someone as being awkward or clumsy. 

19. Ñaque

Pronunciation guide: nyahke

Meaning: Junk

This is a Spanish word that can be used to describe something that is worthless or has been discarded as no longer useful.

20. Ñiquiñaque

Pronunciation guide: nyih-qwi-nyah-keh

Meaning: Worthless

This is used as another word for trash or junk, however, it can also be used as an insult to say that someone is a “worthless individual”.

21. Ñapa

Pronunciation guide: nyah-pah

Meaning: Freebie

This word that starts with a Ñ is mostly used in Latin America. It’s basically the equivalent of a “freebie” or something you got extra for no extra price. 

22. Ñangada

Pronunciation guide: nyahn-gadah

Meaning: Nip

This is a word that is mostly used in the Central American countries that means to take a nip or a small bit. 

23. Ñame

Pronunciation guide: nyah-meh

Meaning: Yam

This is the Spanish word for the root crop known in English as the yam.

24. Ñau

Pronunciation guide: nyaw

Meaning: Meow

In Latin American countries, the cat says this instead of “meow”. 

25. Ñauar

Pronunciation guide: nyaw-ar

Meaning: To meow

If you want to talk about the act of “meowing”, this is the Spanish verb for it. 

26. Ñandú

Pronunciation guide: nyahn-doo

Meaning: Rhea

This is a big flightless bird similar to an ostrich or an emu. You can find these in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Patagonia, and Uruguay. 

27. Ñu 

Pronunciation guide: nyoo

Meaning: Wildebeest, Gnu

This is the Spanish word for a species of antelope found in Eastern and Southern Africa. 

28. Ñorba

Pronunciation guide: nyohr-ba

Meaning: Passionflower

This is the Andean Spanish word for the flowering plant known as the passionflower. 

29. Ñandutí

Pronunciation guide: nyahn-du-tih

Meaning: Paraguayan lace

This is a
handicraft from Paraguay which is created by using threads of cotton or silk to draw a pattern on a piece of fabric. The word is actually Guarani, which is an indigenous language in Paraguay that refers to a “spider web”. 

30. Ñapango

Pronunciation guide: nyah-pang-oh

Meaning: Mixed race

In Columbia, this is the Spanish word for “mulatto” or “mestizo” which are the terms used to refer to someone of mixed ancestry. 

31. Ñaca

Pronunciation guide: nyah-kah

Meaning: Ha or So, there

This word is used as an exclamation, to put some emphasis or feeling on a statement of triumph. It’s like saying “ha” or “so, there” in English after you were proven right or correct.

32. Ñaco

Pronunciation guide: nyah-koh

Meaning: Popcorn

This is what Mexican Spanish speakers call “popcorn”. 

33. Ñam

Pronunciation guide: nyahm

Meaning: Yum

In Spanish, this is an informal exclamation that you can use to say that something is tasty. Similar to English, it’s usually repeated so “ñam ñam” or “yum yum”.

34. Ñutir

Pronunciation guide: nyuh-tireh

Meaning: To grunt

In the Andean Spanish dialect, this is the verb that denotes the action of grunting. 

35. Ñangara

Pronunciation guide: nyahn-gara

Meaning: Guerrila

This is another of those Spanish words that start with Ñ that is more commonly used by speakers of Caribbean Spanish. It refers to “guerrilla fighters” who engage in guerrilla warfare. 

36. Ñoco

Pronunciation guide: nyoh-ko

Meaning: Lacking a finger

This is a Spanish adjective you might hear when traveling through Latin America. It is used to describe someone who has lost a finger.

37. Ñata

Pronunciation guide: nyah-ta

Meaning: Death

In the Andean Spanish dialect, this is the word for death. 

Conclusion

As you can see from the words we listed above, many of them are region or dialect-specific. This means that you might only hear them if you are traveling to a region where a particular Spanish dialect is spoken.

These regional differences are why it’s important to make sure that, you book a few lessons with a native-speaking online tutor in the particular Spanish dialect that you want to learn. 

Sure, most Spanish dialects are largely the same, you can probably make yourself understood quite well in Peru or Valenzuela even if you speak Peninsular Spanish. But, if you really want to communicate well, it’s something of an advantage to be familiar with the particular dialect of the region. That way, you can ensure that you can better follow along with daily conversations and not end up confused when running into one of these Spanish words that start with ñ.

Put on your learning cap, grab a cup of coffee, and get comfy because we’re about to cover the 1,000 most common Spanish words for beginners! There are nearly a million words in the Spanish language, but luckily you don’t need to memorize them all to speak Spanish.

We’ve picked out the 1,000 most common Spanish words and created this categorized vocabulary guide so that you can effectively communicate in Spanish—even as a beginner!

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The Essentials

For any Spanish beginner, it’s always important to know the essentials. These are must-know words and phrases if you’ve just started learning. Take a look at these first words in our guide of the 1,000 most common Spanish words. 

• sí — yes
• no — no 
• ¿entiende(s)? — do you understand?
• no entiendo — i don’t understand
• no (lo) sé — i don’t know
• no tengo ni idea — i have no idea
• no hablo español — i don’t speak spanish
• estoy perdido(a) — i’m lost

Introduce Yourself

Introducing yourself is always one of the best ways to start speaking Spanish! That’s why we included these essential conversation starters into our list of the 1,000 most common Spanish words. 

• me llamo — my name is
• mi nombre es — my name is 
• soy…  — i’m…
• ¿cómo te llamas? — what is your name?
• (yo) soy de… — i am from…

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What’s Up

• ¿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?

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Responses

These common Spanish words and versatile replies make for an easy response to dozens of questions!

• ¿y tú? — and you?
• muy bien — very well
• así, así — so, so
• mal — bad
• como siempre — as always

Etiquette Words

• ¡de nada! — you’re welcome! / no problem!
• por favor — please
• ¡perdon! — excuse me!
• ¡disculpe! — excuse me!
• ¡lo siento! — sorry! 
• gracias  — thank you
• salud — bless you

Question Words

• ¿qué…? — what?
• ¿quién…? — who?
• ¿cuándo…? — when?
• ¿dónde…? — where?
• ¿por qué…? — why?
• ¿cuál? — which?
• ¿cómo…? — how?

Spanish Pronouns

• Yo — I
• tú (informal) — you
• usted (formal) — you
• él — he
• ella — she
• nosotros/nosotras — we
• ustedes — you all
• ellos — they
• ellas(females) — they 

Greetings

• hola — hello
• buenos días — good morning
• buenas tardes — good afternoon
• buenas noches — good evening / good night

Talking About Age

• (yo) tengo … años — i am … years old.
• old — viejo/a
• young — joven
• middle-aged — de mediana edad
• youthful — juvenil
• nuevo/a – new  

Celebrate!

• ¡feliz cumpleaños! — happy birthday!
• ¡felicitaciones! — congratulations!
• ¡diviértete! — have fun!
• ¡buen provecho! — bon appetit!
• ¡bienvenidos! / ¡bienvenidas! — welcome!
• salud! — cheers!

Say Good-Bye

• adiós — goodbye
• chao — goodbye
• hasta luego — see you later (most likely today)
• hasta mañana — see you tomorrow
• nos vemos — see you (informal)
• ¡cuídate mucho! — take care!
• ¡tenga un buen día! — have a nice day!
• ¡hasta luego! — see you soon!
• ¡buen viaje! — have a good trip!

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Time Words

No list of the 1,000 most common Spanish words would be complete without time words. 

Days of the Week

• Domingo — Sunday
• Lunes — Monday
• Martes — Tuesday
• Miércoles — Wednesday
• Jueves — Thursday
• Viernes — Friday
• Sabado — Saturday

Months of the Year

• Enero — January
• Febrero — February
• Marzo — March
• Abril — April
• Mayo — May
• Junio — June
• Julio — July
• Agosto — August
• Septiembre — September
• Octubre — October
• Noviembre — November
• Diciembre — December

Other Time Words

• anteayer — day before yesterday
• ayer — yesterday
• el año — year
• el día — day
• el mes — month
• el siglo — century
• la hora — hour
• hoy — today
• la semana — week
• madrugada — dawn, very early in the morning
• mañana — tomorrow
• mañana — morning
• medianoche — midnight
• mediodia — noon
• el minuto — minute
• la noche — night
• el pasado mañana — day after tomorrow
• los segundos — seconds
• la tarde — afternoon

Family Words

This Spanish vocab helps you talk about your relatives.

Nuclear Family

• el padre — father
• el papá —  dad
• la madre  — mother
• la mamá — mom
• el hermano —  brother
• la hermana — sister
• el hijo  — son
• la hija  — daughter
• la familia cercana —  close family

Extended Family

• el abuelo  — grandfather
• la abuela  — grandmother
• el bisabuelo — great-grandfather
• la bisabuela — great-grandmother
• la nieta — granddaughter
• el nieto — grandson
• el tío — uncle
• la tía — aunt
• el tío abuelo — great-uncle
• la tía abuela — great-aunt
• el primo — cousin (male)
• la prima — cousin (female)
• mis parientes — my relatives

Family Verbs

• abrazar — to hug
• amar — to love
• reír — to laugh
• perdonar — to forgive

Action Verbs

• empezar —  to start
• seguir — to follow
• abrir —  to open
• buscar — to search
• cantar — to sing
• cerrar — to close
• destruir — to destroy
• dormir — to sleep
• encontrar — to find
• esconder — to hide
• esperar — to wait
• faltar — to miss
• hacer — to do 
• intentar — to try
• llamar — to call
• llevar — to take
• llorar — to cry
• luchar — to fight
• mentir — to lie
• odiar — to hate
• recibir — to receive
• reconocer — to recognize
• robar — to steal
• salvar — to save
• sonreír — to smile
• soñar — to dream
• tomar — to take
• Vivir — to live

The Five Senses

Spice up your Spanish with these common words for your senses. 

Sound

• tranquilo/a – quiet
• ruidoso/a – loud
• gritar — to shout
• escuchar — to hear
• silencio — silence
• alto — loud
• bajo — soft
• ensordecedor — deafening
• agudo — sharp, high-pitched
• grave — low-pitched
• melodioso — melodious
• armónico — harmonic
• zumbido — buzz
• sordo — deaf
• duro de oíd — hard of hearing
• oído fino — acute hearing
• problemas de audición — hearing-impaired
• fuera de alcance —  out of earshot

Sight

• ver — to see
• mirar — to look
• de colores— colorful
• blanco y negro — black and white
• brillante — bright
• apagado — dim
• claro — light
• oscuro — dark
• ciego — blind
• mirar fijamente — to stare
• echar un vistazo — to glance
• bizquear — to squint
• guiñar — to wink
• parpadear — to blink

Touch

• tocar — to touch
• agarrar — to grab
• suave — soft
• áspero(a) — rough
• liso(a) — smooth
• rugoso(a) — wrinkled
• pegajoso(a) — sticky
• punzante — sharp
• sedoso(a) — silky
• esponjoso(a) — spongy
• mullido(a) — fluffy
• hormigueo — tingle
• entumecido(a) — numb
• rozar — to touch gently
• acariciar — to caress
• agarrar — to grab

Smell

• olor — smell
• el perfume — scent
• la fragancia — fragrance
• el hedor — stench
• apestoso(a) — smelly
• fresco(a)  — fresh
• acre — pungent
• húmedo(a) — musty
• podrido(a) — rotten
• ahumado(a) — smoky
• apestar — to stink

Taste

• gusto —- taste
• sabor — flavor
• probar — try
• sabroso  — está sabrosa
• delicioso —  delicious 
• perfecto  —  perfect
• apetitoso  — appetizing
• dulce  — sweet
• dulzón —  sugary 
• soso  — bland

Describing Words

Distance

• abierto/a – open 
• ancho/a – wide
• estrecho/a – narrow
• lejano/a – far
• cercano/a – close

Personality and Emotions

• alegre – joyful
• gracioso/a – funny, amusing
• serio/a – serious
• tímido/a – shy
• valiente – brave
• loco/a – crazy
• contento(a) — content
• feliz — happy
• preocupado(a) — worried
• nervioso(a) — nervous
• tranquilo(a) — tranquil
• calmado(a) — calm
• emocionado(a) — excited

Physical Adjectives

Hair

• largo/a — long
• corto/a — short
• liso/a — straight
• rizado/a — curly
• ondulado/a — wavy
• castaño/a — brown
• rubio/a — blonde
• pelirrojo/a — red
• negro/a — black
• canoso/a — grey
• abundante — thick
• fino/a — thin
• escalado/a — layered
• teñido/a — dyed
•  saludable — healthy
• claro/a — light
• encrespado/a — frizzy
• brillante — shiny
• calvo/a — bald

Size

• grande – big
• pequeño/a – small  
• enorme – huge 
• delgado/a — lean
• esbelto/a — slender
• flaco/a — skinny
• menudo/a — petite
• alto/a — tall
• bajo/a — short

Looks

• hermoso/a — beautiful 
• guapo/a — handsome 
• feo/a — ugly  
• adorable — cute  
• bonita — pretty  
• impresionante — stunning
• poco atractivo/a — plain  
• promedio/a — average  
• atractivo/a — attractive  

Colors

• negro —  black
• marrón / café —  brown
• gris — grey
• blanco — white
• amarillo —  yellow
• anaranjado — orange
• rojo — red
• rosado —  pink
• morado / púrpura — purple
• azul —  blue
• verde — green

Arts and Crafts

• colorear — to color
• construir — to construct
• cortar — to cut
• coser — to sew
• dibujar — to draw
• pintar — to paint

Numbers

• cero — zero
• uno — one
• dos — two
• tres — three
• cuatro — four
• cinco —  five
• seis — six
• siete — seven
• ocho —  eight
• nueve — nine
• diez — ten

Animals

This animal vocab will help you talk about animals both on land and in the ocean!

Farm Animals

• el gato — cat
• el perro — dog
• el conejo — rabbit
• el pollo — chicken
• la gallina — hen
• el gallo —  rooster
• la vaca —  cow
• el toro —  bull
• la oveja —  sheep
• el caballo — horse
• el cerdo — pig
• la cabra —  goat
• el burro —  donkey
• el ratón —  mouse

Forest Animals

• el ciervo —  deer
• el mapache —  raccoon
• la ardilla -— squirrel
• el búho —  owl
• el zorro —  fox
• el lobo —  wolf
• el oso —  bear

Ocean Animals

• el cangrejo — crab
• la medusa — jellyfish
• el delfín —  dolphin
• la ballena —  whale
• el tiburón —  shark
• la foca —  seal
• el lobo marino —  sea lion
• la morsa —  walrus
• el pingüino — penguin

Travel

• el viaje — trip
• el equipaje  — bags
• la salida — exit
• la llegada — arrival
• los documentos de identidad — id papers
• el billete de avión — boarding pass
• el hotel — hotel
• el permiso de conducir — driver’s license
• echar gasolina — to get gas
• viajar — to travel
• volver — to return
• ir — to go
• salir — to leave
• parar — to stop
• partir — to depart
• porter(a) — doorman
• hostia — hostess
• botones — bellhop
• anfitriona— airline hostess

Transportation

• el avión —  airplane
• el coche —  car
• la bicicleta — bicycle
• la motocicleta — motorcycle
• el tren —  train
• el metro/subte —  subway
• el autobús — bus
• el barco — ship
• taxista — taxi driver
• revisor(a) — train conductor
• dependiente de gas — gas station attendant
• conductor(a) — driver, chauffeur 
• camionero(a) — truck driver

Weather

• el sol —  the sun
• las nubes —  the clouds
• la niebla — the fog
• la neblina — the mist
• la lluvia —  the rain
• la llovizna — the drizzle
• la tormenta —  the storm
• el tornado —  the tornado
• el trueno — the thunder
• el relámpago — the lightning strike
• el rayo — the lightning bolt
• el viento — the wind
• la brisa — the breeze
• el granizo — the hail
• el hielo — the ice
• la nieve —  the snow
• el calor —  the heat
• el frío —  the cold
• la humedad — the humidity
• la temperatura — the temperature
• el pronóstico — the forecast

Weather Verbs

• llover  —  to rain
• lloviznar  —  to drizzle
• diluviar  — to pour down
• granizar  — to hail
• nevar  —  to snow

Seasons

• el invierno  —  winter
• la primavera  —  spring
• el verano —  summer
• el otoño  —  fall

Business

• carta de motivación  — cover letter
• el cv  — resume
• la firma  — firm
• el negocio  — business
• la compañía  — company
• el jefe  — boss
• el empleado  — employee
• trabajar  — to work
• negociar — to negotiate
• consultor(a) —  consultant
• dueño(a) — owner

Careers

• abogado(a) — lawyer
• arquitecto(a) — architect
• bombero(a) — fireman
• campesino(a) — farm worker
• carpintero(a) — carpenter
• cartero(a) — postal worker
• casero(a) — landlord
• científico(a) — scientist
• cocinero(a) — cook, chef
• consejero (a) — counselor  
• constructor (a) — construction worker
• contador(a) — accountant/bookkeeper 
• doméstico(a) —  maid
• detective — detective
• director, revisor, redactor(a) — editor
• electricista — electrician
• escritor / autor(a) — writer / author
• vaquero, tropero(a) — cowboy
• manejador(a) — manager
• granjero(a) — farmer
• ingeniero(a) — engineer
• jardinero(a) — gardener
• jefe — boss
• juez — judge
• lavandero(a) — laundry person
• marinero(a) —  merchant marine
• mecánico (a) — mechanic
• camarero(a) — waiter
• padre — priest
• panadero(a) — baker
• pastor(a) — pastor/minister
• periodista — reporter/journalist
• pescador(a) — fisherman
• pintor(a) — painter
• plomero(a) — plumber
• Policía — policeman
• programador(a) — computer programmer 
• dueño(a) — owner
• químico(a) — chemist
• ranchero(a) — rancher
• rebuscador(a) — researcher
• reparador(a) — repairman
• técnico(a) de laboratorio — lab technician
• trabajador(a) de fábrica — factory worker
• veterinario(a) — veterinarian

Sports

• ir al gimnasio — go to the gym
• ir de caminata — go hiking
• levantar pesas — lift weight
• mantenerse en forma — to stay in shape
• practicar — to practice
• nadar — to swim
• el yoga — yoga
• el fútbol — soccer
• el fútbol americano — football
• el béisbol — baseball
• el baloncesto — basketball
• el golf — golf
• el hockey — hockey
• el tenis — tennis
• el voleibol — volleyball
• luchar — to wrestle/to fight
• correr — to run
• esquiar — to ski
• el partido — game/match
• la carrera — race
• el torneo — tournament

Sports Verbs

• patear — to kick
• saltar — to jump
• parar — to stop/to block
• balancear — to swing
• servir — to serve
• rematar — to spike
• pegar — to hit
• driblar — to dribble
• tirar — to throw
• agarrar — to catch
• ganar — to win
• perder — to lose
• empatar — to tie
• caminar — to walk
• bailar — to dance
• jugar — to play
• competir — to compete

Time to Eat!

These common Spanish words for food will leave you hungry for more Spanish!

Food and Drink

• la comida — food 
• las bebidas — drinks
• las verduras — vegetables
• las frutas — fruits
• cocinar — to cook
• tengo hambre — i’m hungry
• tengo sed — i’m thirsty

Meats

• la res —  beef
• el pollo — chicken
• la gallina — chicken 
• el cordero —  lamb
• la barbacoa —  grilled
• el cerdo — pork
• el perrito caliente — hot dog
• el jamón — ham
• la hamburguesa — hamburger
• el tocino —  bacon
• el pescado — fish

Vegetables

• la zanahoria —  carrot
• la lechuga —  lettuce
• el tomate — tomato
• la maíz — corn
• la papa — potato
• la patata  — potato
• las papas —  french fries
• las patatas fritas —  french fries
• el brocoli —  broccoli
• la espinaca —  spinach
• la cebolla —  onion
• la col —  cabbage
• la ensalada — salad
• la aceituna —  olive
• las calabacitas —  squash
• el hongo —  mushroom
• el pepino —  cucumber

Fruits

• la manzana —  apple
• la pera —  pear
• la fresa —  strawberry
• la frambuesa —  raspberry
• la zarzamora — blackberry
• el arándano —  blueberry
• el arándano rojo — cranberry
• la naranja —  orange
• la mandarina —  tangerine
• la toronja —  grapefruit
• el limón —  lemon
• la lima —  lime
• el plátano —  banana
• la piña —  pineapple
• el coco —  coconut
• el mango —  mango
•  la papaya — papaya

Drinks

• la cerveza —  beer
• el refresco —  pop, soft drink
• el té —  tea
• el té helado —  iced tea
• el café —  coffee
• la leche —  milk
• el agua —  water
• el jugo — juice
• el batido —  milkshake

Desserts

• el chocolate —  chocolate
• los dulces —  candy
• el pastel —  cake
• las galletas —  cookies
• el helado —  ice cream
• el churros con chocolate —  chocolate churros
• el basque cheesecake —  cheesecake

Utensils

• el plato —  plate
• el plato hondo —  bowl
• el vaso —  glass
• la copa —  cup
• el tenedor —  fork
• la cuchara —  spoon
• el cuchillo —  knife
• la servilleta —  napkin

Taste

• dulce — sweet
• salado(a) — savory
• rico(a) — delicious

Meals

• el desayuno — breakfast
• el almuerzo — lunch
• la cena — dinner
• el tentempié — snack

Clothing

• la prenda, la ropa — clothes
• los zapatos — shoes
• el pantalón — pants
• la camiseta / la camisa — shirt
• la chaqueta — jacket
• la falda — skirt
• el suéter — sweater
• el vestido — dress

Holidays and Parties

• la navidad — christmas
• el año nuevo— new year
• la pascua —  easter
• el día de san valentín — valentine’s day
• el día de la madre — mother’s day
• el día del padre — father’s day
• el día de la independencia — independence day
• el día de acción de gracias — thanksgiving
• el cumpleaños — birthday
• la fiesta — the party
• la boda — the wedding

Parts of the Body

• el cuerpo humano — the human body
• la cabeza — head
• el pecho — chest
• el oído / la oreja — ear
• el ojo — eye
• la cara — face
• la mano — hand
• la boca — mouth
• el pie —  foot
• la espalda —  back
• el pelo  —  hair
• el codo — elbow
• el dedo — finger
• la pantorrilla — calf
• la pierna — leg
• la muñeca — wrist
• el talón — heel
• el brazo — arm
• el cuello — neck
• el tobillo — ankle
• la frente — forehead
• el muslo — thigh
• la barba — beard
• el bigote — mustache
• la lengua — tongue
• el dedo del pie — toe
• la cintura — waist
• la cadera — hip
• las nalgas — buttocks
• el pulgar — thumb
• la rodilla — knee
• la nariz — nose
• la mejilla, el cachete — cheek
• los labios — lips
• el hombro — shoulder
• la barbilla, el mentón — chin
• las cejas — eyebrows
• las pestañas — eyelashes
• el ombligo  — belly button
• la piel  — skin
• el vientre — stomach
• la garganta — throat
• los dientes/las muelas — teeth

Transition Words

Connect your Spanish ideas with these transition words and your sentences will begin to flow with ease!

Time and Place

• al principio — at the beginning
• en primer lugar — firstly
• para comenzar — to start
• antes — before
• después — after
• a continuación  — in continuation
• mientras tanto — meanwhile
• al final — at the end

Add an Idea

• además — additionally
• aparte de — apart from
• asimismo — at the same time
• también — also
• de igual manera  — in the same way

Compare contrast

• pero  — but
• sin embargo  — however
• no obstante  — nevertheless
• por otro lado  — on the other hand
• aunque  — even though
• a pesar de  — despite

Location Words

Wherever you are, you’ll want to be able to talk about your location in Spanish. 

Prepositions

• dentro de — inside of
• encima de/sobre — on top of
• debajo de — underneath of
• delante de — in front of
• detrás de — behind
• entre — between
• en — in/on/at
• dentro de — inside of
• fuera de — outside of
• arriba de — above
• en medio de — in the middle of
• cerca de — close to
• lejos de — far from
• al lado de — next to
• alrededor de — around
• a la izquierda de — to the left of
• a la derecha de — to the right of

Location Verbs

• estar — to be
• colocar — to place
• ubicar — to position
• poner — to put
• situar — to place

Here and There

• aquí, acá — here
• ahí — there
• allí — there
• allá — over there

Directions

• el este — east
• el norte — north
• el oeste — west
• el sur — south

School

Classroom Objects

Check out this classroom vocabulary for some of the 1,000 most common Spanish words.

• la clase — classroom
• el aula — classroom
• la pizarra — blackboard
• el pizarrón — whiteboard
• la tiza — chalk
• el marcador — marker
• el borrador — eraser 
• el escritorio — desk
• el pupitre — desk
• la silla — chair
• la mochila —  backpack
• el libro — book
• el cuaderno — notebook
• el papel — paper
• el lápiz — pencil
• los lápices de colores — coloring pencils
• el sacapuntas — pencil sharpener
• el bolígrafo — pen
• la goma — eraser 
• las tijeras — scissors
• la cola/el pegamento — glue
• la regla — ruler
• la grapadora — stapler
• el estuche — pencil case

Classroom Activities

• estudiar — to study
• repasar — to revise
• aprender —  to learn
• saber — to know
• hacer los deberes — to do homework
• hacer la tarea  — to do homework
• leer — to read
• escribir — to write
• hablar — to speak
• decir — to say
• preguntar — to ask
• charlar — to chat
• dictar — to dictate
• deletrear —  to spell
• contar — to count
• faltar — to miss school
• aprobar —  to pass a subject/a test
• reprobar— to fail a subject/a test
• prestar —  to lend
• tomar prestado — to borrow
• traer — to bring
• enseñar — to teach
• mostrar — to show
• nombrar — to name
• ayudar — to help

Places in a School

• la escuela — school
• el colegio — school
• el gimnasio — gym
• el patio — playground
• el baño — restroom
• el pasillo — hallway
• la biblioteca — library
• la oficina  —  office
• la sala de profesores — staff room
• el comedor — cafeteria
• la cocina — kitchen
• la enfermería — infirmary
• el laboratorio — lab

People in a School

• maestro/a — teacher (primary school)
• profesor/a — teacher (secondary school)
• entrenador/a — coach
• enfermero/a — nurse
• director/a —  principal
• alumno/a — student
• estudiante —  student

More School Words

• el almuerzo —  lunch
• el recreo —  recess
• las vacaciones —  vacations
• la comida —  food
• el casillero —  locker
• la materia —  subject
• la matemática —  math
• la biología —  biology
• la química —  chemistry
• la física —  physics
• la educación física —  physical education
• la historia —  history
• la literatura —  literature
• la prueba — test
• el examen —  exam
• la nota — grade
• la calificación — grade

Technology

• un ordenador (Spain)  — a computer
• una computadora (Latin America) —  a computer
• una tableta  —  a tablet
• una impresora  —   a printer
•  el ratón  —   the mouse
• apagar  —   to turn on
• encender  —   to turn off
• el disco duro   —  the hard drive
• el teclado   —  the keyboard
• la tecla  —   the key
• los auriculares   —  headphones
• el micrófono  —   the mic
•  la pantalla  —   the screen
•  la cámara  —   the camera
• los altavoces  —  the speakers
• una aplicación  —   an app
•  base de datos  —   database
• las redes sociales  —   social networks
• el enlace   —  the link
• subir  —   to upload
• guardar  —   to save
• borrar  —   to delete
• hacer click  —   to click
• bajar/descargar   —  to download
• buscar en Google   —  search on Google
• pirata informático —   hacker
• contraseña   —  password

Home Sweet Home!

Household vocabulary is an important part of the 1,000 most common Spanish words so that you can talk about the place where you spend most of your time.

• la casa — house, home
• el hogar — home
• la habitación  — bedroom
• el cuarto  — bedroom
• el dormitorio  — bedroom
• la sala  — living room 
• el comedor  — dining room
• la cocina  — kitchen
• el baño  — bathroom
• el pasillo  — hallway 
• el jardín  — yard, garden
• el garaje  — garage
• cómodo/a  — comfortable  
• acogedor  — cozy
• desordenado/a  — messy
• limpio/a  — clean 

Bathroom 

• la pasta de dientes — toothpaste
• el cepillo de dientes — toothbrush
• el jabón — soap
• el secador de pelo — hair dryer
• el champú — shampoo
• el cepillo — brush
• el papel higiénico — toilet paper
• la toalla — towel
• el agua jabonosa — soapy water
• la bolsa de basura — trash bag
• el cubo de basura — trash can
• el cesto de la ropa sucia — laundry basket
• la navaja de afeitar — razor
• la maquinilla de afeitar eléctrica — electric razor
• la crema de afeitar — shaving cream
• el enjuague bucal — mouthwash
• el cepillo de pelo — hair brush
• el peine — comb
• el limpiador facial — facial cleanser
• la balanza— scale
• el pañuelo de papel — tissue
• los juguetes de baño — bath toys
• la alfombra de baño — bath mat
• la ducha — shower
• la bañera — bathtub
• el fregadero — sink
• el inodoro — toilet
• el grifo — faucet
• el espejo — mirror
• peinar — to comb

Kitchen Verbs

• cocinar —  to cook
• comer — to eat
• adobar —  to marinate
• sazonar —  to season
• lavar — to wash
• cortar —  to cut
• pelar —  to peel
• picar —  to chop
• moler —  to grind
• incorporar — to add
• mezclar — to mix
• catir —  to whisk
• licuar —  to blend
• combinar —  to combine
• freír — to fry
• hervir —  to boil  
• colar — to strain
• cocer — to cook
• hornear — to bake 
• asar —  to grill / roast
• saltear — to saute
• preparar — to prepare
• descongelar — to defrost
• quemar —  to burn
• tostar —  to toast
• derretir — to melt
• rodajear —  to slice
• calentar —  to warm up / heat
• rellenar —  to fill / stuff
• lavar —  to wash
• limpiar —  to clean
• desayunar — to have breakfast
• cenar — to have dinner

Bedroom 

• la puerta —  the door
• el armario — the wardrobe
• la estantería — the shelf
• la ventana — the window
• las cortinas —  the curtains
• el escritorio —  the desk
• el ordenador —  the computer
• la cama — the bed
• el cojín — the pillow
• el edredón — the quilt
• las sábanas — the bedding
• la almohada — the pillowcase
• la lámpara — the lamp
• la mesilla de noche — the night table or nightstand
• el espejo — the mirror
• el cuadro — the painting

Living Room

• la puerta — the door
• el armario —  the wardrobe
• la estantería —  the shelf
• la ventana —  the window
• las cortinas — the curtains
• la mesa —  the table
• la silla — the chair
• el sillón — armchair
• la alfombra — the carpet or rug
• la lámpara — the lamp
• la planta — the plant
• las flores — the flowers
• la chimenea — the chimney
• el suelo — the ground
• el techo — the ceiling

Shopping

• dependiente/a — shop assistant
• caja — checkout
• rebajas — sales
• ocasión — bargain
• recibo — receipt
• probadores — dressing room
• tamaño — size
• tienda de ropa — clothing store
• zapatería — shoe store
• librería — bookstore
• almacén — department store
• supermercado — supermarket
• joyería — jeweler
• juguetería —  toy store
• almacenero(a) — grocer
• comerciante (a) — merchant
• tendero(a) — shopkeeper
• dependiente — clerk
• cajero(a) — cashier

Talk About Your Health in Spanish

If you ever get sick abroad or have an emergency in a Spanish-speaking country, these health words will come in handy! Health vocabulary is an essential part of the 1,000 most common Spanish words.

Healthcare Professionals

• los cuidados de la salud — healthcare
• el dentista — dentist
• el doctor/a — doctor
• el enfermero/a — nurse
• el médico general — general practitioner
• el médico de cabecera — general practitioner
• el médico especialista — specialist
• el/la nutricionista — nutritionist
• el/la paciente — patient
• el/la paramédico — paramedic
• quiropráctico(a) — chiropractor 
• el/la pediatra — pediatrician 
• el psicólogo/a — psychologist
• los primeros auxilios — first aid
• la salud — health

Healthcare Services

• la ambulancia — ambulance
• la aseguradora — insurance carrier
• el centro de salud — clinic
• la clínica — clinic
• la farmacia — drug store
• droguería — drug store
• el hospital — hospital
• el pabellón — ward
• la sala de espera — waiting room
• la sala de operaciones — operating room
• el sanatorio — sanatorium

Illnesses and Injuries

• la alergía — allergy
• la  asfixia — suffocation
• el asma — asthma
• el ataque al corazón/paro cardiaco — heart attack
• el calambre — muscle cramp
• el cancer — cancer
• el chinchón— head bump
• el corte — cut
• la deshidratación — dehydration
• la diabetes — diabetes 
• la diarrea — diarrhea
• el dolor — ache/pain
• el dolor de cabeza — headache
• el dolor de garganta — sore throat 
• el dolor de estómago — stomach ache
• el dolor de diente — toothache
• la enfermedad — disease
• la enfermedad cardiaca — heart disease 
• la enfermedad infecciosa — infectious disease
• los escalofríos— shaking chills
• la fractura — fracture
• la fiebre — fever
• la gripe — flu
• la herida — wound
• la hipotermia — hypothermia
• la infección — infection
• el malestar — discomfort
• el morete/moretón — bruise
• la náusea — nausea
• el raspón — graze
• el resfriado — cold
• el sangrado — bleeding
• la tos — cough
• el virus — virus
• el vomito — vomit

Start Today!

You now have the 1,000 most common Spanish words in your language toolbox! Start practicing these new words with a professional teacher today. Sign up for a free trial class and find out for yourself just how easy it is to learn Spanish. Our friendly, native-speaking teachers are experienced at working with beginners and will have you speaking Spanish in no time! 

Ready to learn more Spanish vocabulary? Check these out!

As Spanish learners know, the word for «and» is y, which is pronounced like the «ee» in the English word «see.» You’ll see y almost as soon as you start studying Spanish in phrases like café y pan (coffee and bread), tú y yo (you and I), and el búho es grande y me da miedo (the owl is large and it scares me).

But as you learn more Spanish, you’ll find another way to say «and»: e, which is pronounced like the «ay» in English «say.» ¿¿Y y e?? What’s going on here?

When do you use y in Spanish?

In nearly all cases, y is the way you’ll say «and» in Spanish. Think of it as the default!

When do you use e in Spanish?

There is one exception when it comes to «and»: If the next word also starts with an «ee» sound, use e instead.

So for example, if you want to say that the book is fun and interesting, you’ll use the word interesante (interesting). Since interesante starts with i (which makes that same «ee» sound), you’ll use e before it:

• El libro es divertido e interesante. (The book is funny and interesting.)
• El libro es interesante y divertido. (The book is interesting and funny.)

That’s the whole rule! Just the one exception, before words that also start with the «ee» sound. That’ll include words that start with the letter «i» (like interesante), words that start with «hi» (like hijo, «son») because the «h» is silent in Spanish, and occasionally some words that have «y» as a vowel at the beginning (like the name Ysabel).

Why does Spanish have two words for «and»?

All languages have rules about what sounds can go next to each other in words and sentences. In English, we have the rule that we don’t put «a» in front of words that start with «a.» That’s why we say «an apple» but «a banana.» There’s not an especially good reason why, besides breaking up similar sounds… it’s just how the language works!

The same is true for Spanish y and e: in Spanish, you just don’t say y before words that start with the «ee» sound! Instead, use e.

There’s a similar rule about the words for «or» in Spanish: o is the default word, but when it comes before a word that starts with the same sound (like otros «others»), you instead use u instead. So you say otros edificios o casas (other buildings or houses), but casas u otros edificios (houses or other buildings).

And… that’s all there is to it!

There’s an easy rule for remembering when to use y and e (and o and u) in Spanish, but some patterns are trickier to learn. For more tips about Spanish grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, read the Duolingo Blog, or submit your own question to our language-learning column, Dear Duolingo!

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