100 Essential Spanish Phrases for Conversational Fluency

You’ve studied all those grammar lessons and learned tons of new and strange vocabulary words. You’ve got the knowledge—now you have to put it into practice. 

That’s a bit scary, right?

It’s like when in theory you know how to ride a bicycle, swim, or drive a car. You know it in your mind, but you haven’t actually done it yet. 

It’s time to have a conversation in Spanish and apply everything you’ve learned! So, let’s take a look at 100 essential Spanish phrases that will help you apply everything you already know!

Basic Spanish Phrases

Learning Spanish is a process that involves many aspects, such as vocabulary, grammar, memorizing conjugations, and mastering the use of weird verbs or commands. However,  developing conversational skills in the language is arguably the most important skill to attain. 

To achieve this goal, we’re going to study 100 essential Spanish phrases for all contexts and learning levels. If you are looking for context-specific phrases, you can read this post about medical vocabulary, or visit this post of Spanish phrases for beginners.

Greetings in Spanish 

The first key to any conversation in Spanish is the greeting. You can’t start a conversation in any language, actually, without saying some kind of greeting first. So, I think this is the perfect starting point. 

In Latin America, unless you’re talking to your closest friends or family members, communication is more formal than in other countries, and greetings are a big part of this formality. In practice, this means that you’ll have to say many buenos días/tardes/noches throughout your day. 

Farewells in Spanish

Since we started with the key to beginning conversations, it’s logical to follow it with the closure of conversations: farewells. True, not every conversation ends with farewell words, but they usually do, and that’s an excellent reason for us to explore some parting Spanish phrases. 

Pleasantries and Politeness in Spanish

The following Spanish phrases are used in just about every conversation. Sometimes you don’t even notice you are using them, but they are always there. They function as reminders of the formality and respect with which we treat each other. 

• Gracias. – Thank you.

• Por favor. – Please. 

• De nada. – You’re welcome. 

• Perdón. Lo siento. – I’m sorry. 

• Disculpe. – Excuse me. (As in: “Excuse me, do you know…?)

• Con permiso. – Excuse me. (As in: you need someone to move, so you can pass by.)

• ¡Salud! – Cheers!

• Buen provecho. – Enjoy your meal. 

• ¡Buena suerte! – Good luck!

• Cuídate. – Take care. 

Getting to Know You Better

Now, let’s take this a step further, for those conversations when you actually want to get to know the other person better. This is no longer for the casual conversation with the guy that sells you the paper every morning. Here you have time to talk and engage in a proper conversation. 

• ¿Cómo te llamas?, ¿Cuál es tu nombre? – What’s your name? 

• Me llamo _________ . – My name is __________ . 

• Mucho gusto. – Nice to meet you. 

• Un placer. – A pleasure. 

• El placer es mío. – My pleasure. 

• Encantado/Encantada – Charmed

• ¿De dónde eres? – Where are you from?

• Soy de ____________ . – I’m from ___________ .

• ¿Qué edad tienes?, ¿Cuántos años tienes? – How old are you? 

• ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? – When is your birthday? 

Jobs and Interests 

If you are getting to know somebody, the following Spanish phrases will help you to ask questions—and answer them.  

• ¿A qué te dedicas? – What do you do? (for a living, for work)

• Soy (astronauta, ingeniero, maestro). – I’m an (astronaut, engineer, teacher). 

• ¿En qué trabajas? – What’s your job?

• Trabajo en… – I work at…

• ¿Qué te gusta hacer? – What do you like to do?

• Me gusta / No me gusta… – I like /  I don’t like…

• Me encanta… – I love…

• ¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre? – What do you do in your free time?

• ¿Cuáles son tus pasatiempos? – What are your hobbies? 

• ¿Cuál es tu (libro, película, banda) favorita? – What’s your favorite (book, movie, band)?

• Mi (libro, película, banda) favorito(a) es… – My favorite (book, movie, band) is… 

Common Questions in Spanish

All kinds of common questions exist in Spanish. From inquiring about the location of the bathroom to asking for the time and date, the following questions are helpful. 

• ¿Qué haces aquí? – What are you doing here? 

• ¿Quién eres? – Who are you? 

• ¿Cuánto cuesta? – How much is it?

• ¿Dónde está el baño? – Where is the bathroom? 

• ¿Quieres tomar algo? – Do you want to have a drink? 

• ¿Qué hora es? – What time is it? 

• ¿Qué día es hoy? – What’s the date today?

• ¿Habla inglés? – Do you speak English?

• ¿Puedo pasar? – May I come in? 

• ¿Pasa algo malo? – Is something wrong?

Holidays, Exclamations, and Celebrations

Every language has exclamations, and they play a big part in our conversations. Some of the most common in Spanish include:

• ¡Feliz cumpleaños! – Happy birthday!

• ¡Feliz navidad! – Merry Christmas!

• ¡Feliz año nuevo! – Happy new year!

• ¡Felicidades!, ¡Enhorabuena! – Congratulations!

• ¡Salud! – Bless you! (after someone sneezes)

• ¡Bienvenido(a)! – Welcome!

• ¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip!

• ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte! – Long time no see!

• ¡Bien hecho! – Well done!

• ¡Diviértete!, ¡Que te diviertas! – Have fun!

Other Useful Spanish Phrases

The following Spanish phrases are harder to classify, but that doesn’t mean that you are not going to need them. Basically, it’s a mixed bag of everything else. 

• No te preocupes. – Don’t worry.

• Lamento interrumpir. – I’m sorry to interrupt. 

• Es una lástima. – That’s a shame. 

• No sé. / No lo sé. – I don’t know. 

• No hay problema. – No problem. 

• Necesito ayuda. – I need help. 

• Necesito ir a… – I need to go to… 

• ¡Dios mío! – Oh my god!

• ¿Lo entiendes? – Do you understand? 

• No entiendo. / No lo entiendo. – I don’t understand. 

• Me voy a casa. – I’m going home. 

• ¿Cómo llego a…? – How do I get to…? 

• No tengo idea. / I have no idea. 

• ¿Me puede traer (la carta, una bebida, etc.)? – Can you bring me a (menu, drink, etc.)?

• La cuenta por favor. – Check, please. 

• ¿Puede hablar más despacio? – Can you speak slowly, please? 

• ¿Cómo se dice…? – How do you say…? 

• ¿Qué es esto? – What is this?

• ¿Verdad (que sí)? – Right? 

• Estoy de acuerdo. – I agree. 

• Por supuesto. – Of course. 

• Llámame cuando llegues. – Call me when you get there. 

• ¿Estás listo? – Are you ready?

• Te amo., Te quiero. – I love you. 

• Todo está bien. – It’s all right. 

• Tengo hambre. – I’m hungry.

• Tengo sed. – I’m thirsty. 

• Una mesa para dos, por favor. – A table for two, please. 

• ¿Tiene…? – Do you have…? 

• Me gustaría…, Quisiera… – I would like to…

¡Eso es todo, amigos!

That’s all folks! Wow, that was intense! One hundred essential Spanish phrases in just one sitting! Now is the time to put them to practice in a conversation with a native Spanish-speaking teacher from Guatemala at Homeschool Spanish Academy. Sign up today for a free trial lesson and take your conversation fluency to the next level with one of our certified Spanish teachers!

Get more Spanish conversation tips and tricks! Check out these posts:

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• Learn Castilian Spanish with this List of Free Resources
• Your Ultimate Guide to Basic Spanish for Beginners
• 15 Ways to Speak Spanish with Someone Online
• The Ultimate Resource for Intermediate Spanish Listening Practice
• How Do Latinos Celebrate Thanksgiving in the US and Canada?
• Conversational Spanish for Kids of All Ages: Your Starter Kit
• A Spanish Vocab Guide to Guatemala Geography