Spanish is a beautiful language, full of culture and history. It is spoken by millions of people around the world, making it one of the most widely spoken languages. Learning Spanish can open up opportunities to communicate with more people and gain access to new cultures. Whether you are just starting out or have been studying for some time, let’s break down some of the most often used words and phrases in Spanish speaking countries.
1. Greetings
Here are a few ways to properly greet someone in Spanish.
Hello – Hola (oh-lah)
Good morning – Buenos días (bweh-nohs dee-ahs)
Good afternoon – Buenas tardes (bweh-nahs tahr-dehs)
2. Farewell
After enjoy a conversation with someone in Spanish, here are several examples on how to with them a proper farewell.
Goodbye – Adiós (ah-dyohs)
Goodnight – Buenas Noches(beun-as know-chez)
See you later – Hasta luego (ahs-tah lweh-goh)
See you tomorrow – Hasta mañana (ahs-tah mah-nyah-nah)
Have a good day – Que tengas un buen dia (keh tehn-gahs oon bwehn dee-ah)
Have a great day – Que tengas un gran día
Have a nice day – Que tengas un buen día
3. Small Talk
If you want to try a more informal way to greet someone, here are a few Spanish phrases you can say.
How are you? (Informal) – ¿Cómo estás? (koh-moh ehs-tahs)
What’s up? – ¿Qué pasa? (keh pah-sah)
I am very well. – Estoy muy bien. (ehs-toy mwee byehn)
4. Courtesy Words
Spanish culture is big on being courteous to one another. Try some of these phrases to show your respect.
Thank you – Gracias (grah-syahs)
You’re welcome – De nada (deh nah-dah)
I’m sorry – Lo siento (loh syehn-toh)
Sorry – Disculpe (dees-kool-peh)
Excuse me – Con permiso (kohn pehr-mee-soh)
5. Common Phrases
Learn other common Spanish phrases you’ll often here locals using.
Do you speak English? – ¿Hablas inglés? (ah-blahs eeng-glehs)
Where is the bathroom? – ¿Dónde está el baño? (dohn-deh ehs-tah ehl bah-nyoh)
Cheers – Salud (sah-lood)
6. Colors
If you need to describe an object, it’s good to know how to say all the colors in Spanish.
7. Days of the Week
Learn how to say all the days of the week from Monday thru Sunday.
8. Curse Words
Although these curse words probably aren’t things you should be saying out loud, they are phrases you will hear by the younger generation or sometimes at bars.
9. Other Random Words
Okay – Bien (byehn)
Come here – Ven acá (behn ah-kah)
My love – Mi amor (mee ah-mohr)
What are you doing? – ¿Qué haces? (keh ah-sehs)
Very good – Muy bueno (mooee bweh-noh)
Months of the Year
Top 10 Most Used Spanish Phrases
1) Hola – “Hello/Hi” This simple greeting is used all over the world when meeting someone new or saying hello in passing. It’s an important phrase to learn as it will be heard often!
2) ¿Cómo estás? – “How are you?” Another everyday phrase used frequently between friends and family, this question allows you to show interest in how someone else is doing on any given day.
3) Mucho gusto – “Nice to meet you” A polite way of introducing yourself when meeting someone for the first time, this phrase shows respect while still being friendly.
4) Por favor – “Please” A staple phrase not just in Spanish but many other languages too; please has multiple uses across different contexts so make sure you get familiar with it early on!
5) Gracias – “Thank You” Showing appreciation goes a long way and learning this basic yet powerful word will help build relationships quickly with those around you who speak Spanish fluently.
6) Lo siento – “I’m sorry / Excuse me” This versatile expression can be used both as an apology (I’m sorry!) or as a polite request (Excuse me!). Knowing how to use this properly will come in handy often!
7) Buenos días/tardes/noches – “Good morning/afternoon/evening” Depending on what time it is, these three phrases serve as a great way to greet anyone throughout your day without having to worry about using incorrect words at wrong times!
8) Hasta luego – “See You Later” When leaving from seeing friends or family members informally, hasta luego serves well as an appropriate goodbye instead of using complicated terms like adiós which may seem too formal depending on context.
9) ¡Salud! – “Cheers” A fun bit of vocabulary that can easily fit into almost any situation involving drinks; salud also works fantastically when celebrating good news within social circles among friends & family alike!
10) ¡Buena suerte! – “Good luck” Commonly said before embarking upon something difficult such as exams or job interviews; buena suerte conveys wishes for success no matter what comes ahead during tough times