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.
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 |
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
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
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!
:)