Perhaps you want to learn the basic Spanish words for greetings, or some survival Spanish words for your vacation, like directions, time, numbers, shopping, the weather, food, the days and months, your country and nationality, how to travel to places and some simple words for getting around when you're there...

If you’re traveling to a Spanish-speaking country or you're in a Spanish-speaking environment, you need to know some basic everyday Spanish words for those times when you’ve got something to say or questions to ask and the people around you speak only Spanish!

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Being surrounded by a foreign language can be challenging, but learning some basics--such as this simple vocabulary--will make a huge difference to your experience. It's a fast and easy way to start interacting with Spanish-speaking people, who will be delighted by your attempts and help you build on the Spanish you already know.

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Learn Basic Spanish Words

Greetings and words for basic conversations in Spanish

adiós goodbye
bien, gracias / muy bien well, thanks / very well
bienvenidos welcome
buenas noches good evening, good night
buenas tardes good afternoon
buenos días good morning
chao - goodbye
¿cómo está Ud.? how are you? (formal)
¿cómo estás? how are you? (familiar)
¿cómo se llama Ud.? - what’s your name? (formal)
¿cómo te llamas? what’s your name? (familiar)
con permiso pardon me, excuse me
conversación (la) conversation
¿de dónde eres? where are you from? (familiar)
¿de dónde es Ud.? where are you from? (formal)
de nada you’re welcome
el gusto es mío the pleasure is mine
encantado pleased to meet you
gracias / muchas gracias thank you / thank you very much
hasta la vista see you later, until we see one another again
hasta luego see you later
hasta mañana see you tomorrow
hasta pronto see you soon
hola hello, hi
igualmente likewise
le presento a— I would like to introduce you to— (formal)
lo siento I’m sorry
me llamo my name is
mucho gusto pleased to meet you
no hay de qué no worries, nothing to worry about
no muy bien not very well
nos vemos see you
perdón pardon me, excuse me
¿qué hay de nuevo? what’s new?
¿qué hora es? what time is it?
¿qué pasa? what’s happening?
¿qué tal? what’s going on? how’s it going?
saludos greetings
señor, Sr. (el) gentleman, sir, Mr.
señora, Sra. (la) lady, adult woman, Mrs.
señorita, Srta. (la) young lady, Miss
soy de— I’m from—
te presento a— I would like to introduce to you to (familiar)
¿y tú? and you? (familiar)
¿y Ud.? and you? (formal)

Numbers in Spanish - Part 1

Numbers los números
0 cero
1 uno
2 dos
3 tres
4 cuatro
5 cinco
6 seis
7 siete
8 ocho
9 nueve
10 diez
How many do you want? (polite) ¿Cuántos quiere?
I want one. Quiero uno.
How many bread rolls do you want? (polite) ¿Cuántos panes quiere?
I want one bread roll. Quiero un pan.
How many tickets do you want? (polite) ¿Cuántos boletos quiere?
I want three tickets. Quiero tres boletos.
How many siblings do you have? (polite) ¿Cuántos hermanos tiene?
I have two siblings. Tengo dos hermanos.
1 + 1 = 2 (One plus one equals two. ) Uno más uno es dos.
1.5 (one point five) uno punto cinco

Numbers in Spanish - Part 2

10 diez
11 once
12 doce
13 trece
14 catorce
15 quince
16 dieciséis
17 diecisiete
18 dieciocho
19 diecinueve
20 veinte
30 treinta
40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta
60 sesenta
70 setenta
80 ochenta
90 noventa
100 cien
200 doscientos
300 trescientos
400 cuatrocientos
500 quinientos
600 seiscientos
700 setecientos
800 ochocientos
900 novecientos
1000 mil
2000 dos mil
3000 tres mil
4000 cuatro mil
5000 cinco mil
6000 seis mil
7000 siete mil
8000 ocho mil
9000 nueve mil
1,000,000 un millón
How old are you? (polite) ¿Cuántos años tienes?
I’m 21 years old. Tengo veintiún años de edad.
How much does it cost? ¿Cuánto cuesta?
It costs twenty dollars. Cuesta veinte dólares.
dollars dólares
cents centavos
It costs $19.95. Cuesta diecinueve dólares y noventa y cinco centavos.

Words for telling the time in Spanish

¿a qué hora? at what time?
antes (de) before
de la mañana in the morning
de la noche in the evening, at night
de la tarde in the afternoon
después afterwards, then
después de after
durante during
en punto on the dot, exactly, sharp
entonces then
es la una it’s one o’clock
hora (la) hour
jamás never, not ever
luego afterwards, then
más tarde later
medianoche (la) midnight
mediodía (el) noon (literally, midday)
menos cuarto / menos quince quarter to
nunca never, not ever
por último finally
¿qué hora es? what time is it?
siempre always
son las— it’s — o’clock
tarde afternoon, late
tiempo (el) time
y cuarto / y quince quarter after
y media / y treinta thirty (minutes past the hour)

Spanish words for seasons, days of the week and periods of time

anoche last night
anteayer day before yesterday
año pasado (el) last year
ayer yesterday
día (el) day
época (la) period, time, season
estación (la) season
fin de semana (el) weekend
futuro (el) future
hoy today
hoy es today is
mañana (la) tomorrow, morning
mes (el) month
pasado (el) past
presente (el) present
semana (la) week
semana pasada (la) last week
lunes Monday
martes Tuesday
miércoles Wednesday
jueves Thursday
viernes Friday
sábado Saturday
domingo Sunday
primavera (la) spring
otoño (el) autumn, fall
verano (el) summer
invierno (el) winter

Nationalities and countries in Spanish

alemán, alemana German
canadiense Canadian
chino Chinese
ecuatoriano Ecuadorian
español (el) Spanish
estadounidense (el, la) American (from the U.S.)
francés, francesa French
inglés, inglesa English
italiano Italian
japonés, japonesa Japanese
mexicano Mexican
nacionalidad (la) nationality
norteamericano North American (from the U.S.)
puertorriqueño Puerto Rican
ruso Russian
Alemania Germany
América del Norte North America
América del Sur South America
Canadá Canada
Escocia Scotland
España Spain
Estados Unidos (Los), also EE.UU. United States
Europa Europe
Francia France
Gran Bretaña Great Britain
Inglaterra England
Irlanda Ireland
Italia Italy
México Mexico
Nueva Zelanda New Zealand
país (el) country
Rusia Russia

How to describe people in Spanish

alto tall
amable friendly
antipático unpleasant
bajo short
bonito pretty
brillante bright
casado married
chistoso funny
contento happy
delgado thin, slender
enfermo sick
feo ugly
fuerte strong
gordo fat
guapo handsome, good-looking
hermoso beautiful
inteligente intelligent
joven young
loco crazy
pobre poor
rico rich
rubio blond
saludable healthy
simpático nice, likeable
soltero single
tonto silly, foolish
viejo old

Directions in Spanish

a la derecha to the right
a la izquierda to the left
al lado beside
atrás behind, ago
cerca near
debajo below, under
delante de in front of
desde … a from … to
detrás behind
¿dónde está…? where is?
en in, on
encima on top
entre between, among
lejos far away, distant
sobre on, over

Spanish words for the weather

clima (el) climate, weather
¿cómo está el tiempo/el clima? how’s the weather?
contaminación smoggy
está despejado it’s clear
está fresco it’s fresh/cool
está lloviendo it’s raining
está nevando it’s snowing
está nublado it’s cloudy
hace buen/mal tiempo it’s nice/bad weather
hace calor it’s hot
hace frío it’s cold
hace sol it’s sunny
hace viento it’s windy
helado icy, frozen
hielo ice
lluvia rain
neblina fog
nieve snow
¿qué tiempo hace? what’s the weather like?

Spanish Words for Places

la agencia de viajes travel agency
el almacén department store
el banco bank
los baños públicos public bathrooms
la cafetería café
el cambio de monedas currency exchange
la carnicería butcher
el centro comercial mall, shopping center
el centro histórico historic district
el centro turístico tourist center
la comisaría police station
el correo post office
la embajada embassy
la estación de tren train station
la farmacia pharmacy
el hospital hospital
la iglesia church
la lavandería laundromat
la librería bookstore
el mercado market
el museo museum
el palacio real royal palace
la panadería bakery
la parada de buses bus stop
la parada de taxis taxi stop
el parque park
la piscina swimming pool
el restaurante restaurant
los servicios higiénicos restrooms
el supermercado supermarket
la tienda store, shop

Some basic Spanish words to know on vacation

acampar to camp
agencia de viajes (la) travel agency
agente de viajes (el, la) travel agent
ascensor (el) elevator
autobús (el) bus
cabaña (la) cabin
cama (la) bed
cancelar to cancel
carpa (la) tent
confirmar to confirm
descansar to rest
empleado (el) employee
equipaje (el) luggage
estación (la) station, season
estación de autobuses, del metro, de tren (la) bus, subway, train station
estadía (la) stay
estar de vacaciones to be on vacation
habitación individual, doble (la) single, double room
hacer las maletas to pack one’s suitcases
hacer turismo to go sightseeing
hacer un viaje to take a trip
hacer una excursión to go on a hike, to go on a tour
huésped (el, la) guest
inspector de aduanas (el) customs inspector
ir de compras to go shopping
ir de pesca to go fishing
ir de vacaciones to go on vacation
ir en autobús, auto(móvil), avión, barco, motocicleta, taxi to go by bus, car, plane, boat, motorcycle, taxi
jugar a las cartas to play cards
llave (la) key
llegada (la) arrival
maleta (la) suitcase
montar a caballo to ride a horse
pasaje (de ida y vuelta) (round-trip) ticket
pasaporte (el) passport
pasar por la aduana to go through customs
pescar to fish
piso (el) floor (of a building)
planta baja (la) ground floor
recorrer to tour an area
reservación reservation
sacar/tomar fotos to take photos
salida (la) departure, exit
turístico touristy
viajar to travel
viajero (el) traveler

Spanish words for colors

amarillo yellow
anaranjado, color
tomate/naranja orange
arco iris (el) rainbow
azul blue
blanco white
claro light
color (el) color
gris gray
marrón, color café brown
morado purple
negro black
oscuro dark
rojo red
rosado pink
verde green

Basic Spanish words to know when shopping

abrigo (el) coat
almacén (el) department store
barato cheap
blusa (la) blouse
bolsa (la) purse; bag
bota (la) boot
bueno good
caja (la) box, cash register
camisa (la) shirt, blouse
caro expensive
cartera (la) wallet, handbag
centro comercial (el) shopping mall, commercial center
chaqueta (la) jacket
cinturón (el) belt
cliente (el) customer, client
comprar to buy
compras (las) shopping (the things you buy)
corbata (la) tie
corto short (in length)
costar to cost
de segunda mano secondhand
dinero (el) money
elegante elegant
falda (la) skirt
gafas (las) glasses (such as sunglasses)
gastar to spend (money)
guantes (l0s) gloves
impermeable (el) raincoat
juego (el) set (as in a set of sheets), game
largo long (in length)
lentes (los) glasses (such as corrective lenses)
lentes de contacto (los) contact lenses
llevar to wear, to carry
medias (las) socks, pantyhose
mercado (el) market
nuevo new
pagar to pay
pantalones (los) pants, trousers
pantalones cortos (los) shorts
par (el) pair
precio (fijo) (el) (fixed or set) price
prestar to lend, to loan
rebaja (la) sale
regalo (el) gift
regatear to bargain
ropa (la) clothing, clothes
ropa interior (la) underwear
sandalias (las) sandals
sombrero (el) hat
suéter (el) sweater
tarjeta de crédito (la) credit card
tienda (la) shop, store
tintorería (la) dry cleaners
traje (de baño) (el) (bathing) suit
traje (el) suit
vendedor (el) salesperson
vender to sell
vestido (el) dress
zapatos de tenis (los) (tennis) shoes

Spanish words for food

aceite de olivo (el) olive oil
agua (mineral) (el) (mineral) water
ajo (el) garlic
almorzar to have lunch
almuerzo (el) lunch
arroz (el) rice
arvejas (las) peas
atún (el) tuna
azúcar (el) sugar
beber to drink
bebida (la) drink
bistec (el) steak
café (el) coffee
camarero (el), mesero (el) waiter
camarones (los) shrimp
caracol del mar (el) sea snail
carne (la) meat
carne de res (la) beef
cebolla (la) onion
cena (la) meal, dinner
cenar to have dinner, to have a meal
cereales (los) cereal, grains
cerveza (la) beer
champiñón (el) mushroom
chuleta (de cerdo) (la) (pork) chop
comer to eat
comida (la) food, meal
delicioso delicious
desayunar to have breakfast
desayuno (el) breakfast
ensalada (la) salad
espárragos (los) asparagus
frijoles (los) beans
frutas (las) fruits
hamburguesa (la) hamburger
huevo (el) egg
jamón (el) ham
jugo (el) juice
langosta (la) lobster
leche (la) milk
lechuga (la) lettuce
limón (el) lemon
maíz (el) corn
mantequilla (la) butter
manzana (la) apple
margarina (la) margarine
mariscos (los) seafood
mariscos (los) shellfish
mayonesa (la) mayonnaise
me gustaría I would like
melocotón (el) peach
menú (el) menu
naranja (la) orange
pan (tostado) (el) (toasted) bread
papas/patatas (fritas) (las) (fried) potatoes; French fries
pavo (el) turkey
pedir to order (food)
pera (la) pear
pescado (el) fish
pimienta (la) black pepper
plátano (el) banana
plato (principal) (el) (main) dish
pollo (asado) (el) (roast) chicken
probar to taste, to try
queso (el) cheese
recomendar to recommend
refresco (el) soft drink
rico delicious, yummy
sabroso tasty, delicious
sal (la) salt
salchicha (la) sausage
sándwich (el) sandwich
sección de fumar (la) smoking section
servir to serve
sopa (la) soup
té (helado) (el) (iced) tea
tomate (el) tomato
uva (la) grape
verduras (las) vegetables
vinagre (el) vinegar
vino (blanco/tinto) (el) (white/red) wine
yogur (el) yogurt
zanahoria (la) carrot

Adios

Mauricio Evlampieff: Rocket Spanish