Words You Need to Know: Common Spanish Vocabulary
Common Spanish vocabulary is the cornerstone of effective communication in the Spanish language.
The sooner you learn colloquial words and their use in small phrases, the sooner you can connect with others from a linguistic and emotional perspective.
Whether you’re just starting your Spanish learning journey or looking to enhance your skills, having a solid foundation of essential Spanish words is crucial.
It’ll foster self-confidence in you, ask questions, ask for directions, and start engaging in conversations without batting an eye.
This article will provide a curated list of common Spanish words that can be seamlessly integrated into your everyday conversations.
From casual Spanish vocabulary to essential phrases for various situations, this comprehensive Spanish word list will help you navigate a variety of scenarios with confidence and ease.
This informative, educational, and accessible list of common Spanish vocabulary will be your compass during real-life tests. Thanks to it you’ll prove yourself in writing, listening, speaking, and reading.
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List of Common Spanish Vocabulary
You can print, have on your phone, practice, or learn by heart these following words and phrases as a first deep dive into the Spanish language.
Learn how to greet and say goodbye, talk about food and culinary preferences, converse about your family and close friends, talk about the weather, or make chit-chat.
You can also learn about transport and directions, in case you’re planning a life-changing trip to a Spanish-speaking country.
You’ll also learn about words, how to express your emotions, how to get out of an emergency, and ask for help.
1. Saludos y Despedidas – Greetings and Farewells
Begin conversations with confidence using essential greetings like hola (hello), buenos días (good morning), and ¿cómo estás? (how are you?).
This expanded list of greetings and farewells will allow you to engage in conversations in various ways, depending on the context and familiarity with the person you’re speaking to.
Hi, Hello? – Hola, ¿Aló?
How are you? – ¿Cómo estás?
How’s it going – ¿Cómo te va?
What’s up? (informal) – ¿Qué tal?
How have you been? – ¿Cómo has estado?
How’s everything? – ¿Cómo está todo?
How’s your day? – ¿Cómo va tu día?
How was your day? – ¿Cómo estuvo tu día?
Good, and you? – Bien, ¿y tú?
Good, too – Bien también
Good morning – Buenos días
Good afternoon – Buenas tardes
Good night – Buenas noches
What a pleasure! – ¡Qué gusto!
The pleasure is mine – El placer es mío
Have a good night – Que tengas una buena noche
Have a good trip – Que tengas un buen viaje
Have a good day – Ten un buen día. Que tengas un buen día
Have a great weekend – Que tengas un buen fin de semana
Have a pleasent evening – Que tengas una tarde agradable
Have a safe trip – Buen viaje
Until next time – Hasta la próxima
Sleep well – Que duermas bien
Farewell – Hasta luego
Nice to meet you – Qué gusto conocerte. Mucho gusto.
Pleased to meet you – Encantado, encantada, encantado de conocerte, encantado de conocerle
See you soon – Nos vemos pronto
See you later – Hasta luego, nos vemos luego
See you tomorrow – Hasta mañana
Take care – Cuídate
Goodbye – Adiós
See next: Spanish101: Greeting and Farewells
2. Comida (Food)
Navigate menus and culinary discussions with ease by learning this common Spanish vocabulary.
Discuss a broader range of dishes, ingredients, and culinary preferences in Spanish.
Order at a restaurant, discuss your favorite recipes and converse about condiment inclinations.
Appetizer – El aperitivo, la entrada
Apple – La manzana
Banana – El plátano, el banano, la banana
Beef – La carne de res
Bread – El pan
Butter – La mantequilla
Cheese – El queso
Chicken – El pollo
Coffee – El café
Cutlery – Los cubiertos
Dessert – El postre
Dinner – La cena
Drink, beverage – La bebida
Egg – El huevo
Fish – El pescado
Flour – La harina
Food – La comida
Fork – El tenedor
Fries – Las papas fritas
Fruit – La fruta
Garlic – El ajo
Ham – El jamón
Herbs – Las hierbas
Jam – La mermelada
Juice – El jugo
Ketchup – La catsup
Lemon – La lima
Lime – El limón
Lunch – El almuerzo
Mayonnaise – La mayonesa
Meat – La carne
Milk – La leche
Mustard – La mostaza
Pasta – La pasta
Pear – La pera
Pizza – La pizza
Pork – El cerdo, el puerco
Protein – La proteina
Rice – El arroz
Salad – La ensalada
Salt – La sal
Sandwich – El sándwich
Sauce – La salsa
Seafood – Mariscos
Shrimp – Los camarones
Snack – La botana, la entrada, el tentempié
Soda – El refresco, la gaseosa
Soup – La sopa
Spoon – La cuchara
Sugar – El azúcar
Table – La mesa
Tea – El té
Vegetables – Los vegetales, las verduras
Vinegar – El vinagre
Water – El agua
Watermelon – La sandía
3. Familia – Family
Tell your new Spanish-speaking friends about your family and roots with this common Spanish vocabulary list.
Know more about their families as well and foster lifelong, meaningful friendships!
Aunt – La tía
Brother – El hermano
Cousin – El primo, la prima
Dad – El papá
Daughter – La hija
Family – La familia
Father – El padre
Friend – El amigo, la amiga
Godfather – El padrino
Godmother – La madrina
Grandfather – El abuelo
Grandkids – Los nietos
Grandmother – La abuela
Husband – El esposo, el marido
Mom – La mamá
Mother – La madre
Nephew – El sobrino
Niece – La prima
Parents – Los padres
Sister – La hermana
Son – El hijo
Uncle – El tío
Wife – La esposa, la mujer
4. Tiempo – Weather
This comprehensive list will help you describe various weather conditions and converse about the weather in Spanish-speaking environments.
Calm – La calma
Clear sky – El cielo despejado
Cloud – La nube
Cloudy – Nublado
Cold – Frío
Drizzle – La llovizna
Fog – La neblina
Freezing – Helado, helando
Frost – La escarcha
Hail – El granizo
Heatwave – La ola de calor
Hot – Calor
Humid – Húmedo, húmeda
Mild – Suave
Monsoon – El monzón
Muggy – Sofocante
Overcast – Cubierto
Partly cloudy – Pacialmente nublado
Parasol – La sombrilla
Precipitation – La precipitación
Rain – La lluvia
Rainy – Lluvioso
Showers – Los chubascos
Snow – La nieve
Snowy – Nevado
Storm – La tormenta
Sun – El sol
Sunny – Soleado, soleada
Sunrise – El amanecer
Sunset – El atardecer
Thermometer – El termómetro
Thunderstorm – La tormenta eléctrica
Umbrella – El paraguas
Warm – Templado, templada
Weather – El clima
Weather forecast – El pronóstico del tiempo
Wind – El viento
Windy – Ventoso
5. Transporte – Transport
Use this common Spanish vocabulary to be well-prepared to discuss types of transportation, decide on planned trips, and have an experience of a lifetime!
Communicate effectively whether you’re traveling by train, boat, plane, or bus. Feel easy when engaging in conversations with Spanish-speaking people by practicing them.
Aisle – El pasillo
Airport – El aeropuerto
Arrival – La llegada
Bicycle – La bicicleta
Boat – El bote
Boarding – El embarque, el abordaje
Bus – El autobús
Bus stop – La parada de autobús
Car – El coche, el carro, el auto
Departure – La salida
Flight – El vuelo
Helicopter – El helicóptero
Luggage – El equipaje
Motorcycle – La motocicleta, la moto
Passenger – El pasajero
Passport – El pasaporte
Plane – El avión
Port – El puerto
Public transport – El transporte público
Seat – El asiento
Ship – El barco
Suitcase – La maleta
Taxi – El taxi
Toll – El peaje
Train – El tren
Train station – La estación del tren
Tram – El tranvía
Transport – El transporte
Truck – El camión
Yacht – El yate
6. Direcciones – Directions
With these additional words and phrases, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate and understand directions in various Spanish-speaking contexts.
Are you ready to explore a new city? Fear not of asking for help finding a specific location! This common Spanish vocabulary will be a valuable asset.
All straight – Todo derecho
Alley – El callejón
Behind – Detrás de
Close to – Cerca de
Corner – La esquina
Crosswalk – El paso de peatones, el paso peatonal
Far – Lejos
In front of – En frente de
Inside – Dentro de, adentro de
Intersection – El cruce
Left – La izquierda
Near – Cerca
Next to – A lado de
Outside – Afuera
Pedestrian bridge – El puente peatonal, la pasarela
Right – La derecha
Roundabout – La rotonda
Straight – Derecho
Subway station – La estación de metro
To the left – A la izquierda
To the right – A la derecha
To turn – Girar, dar vuelta
To walk – Caminar
Traffic light – El semáforo
Read this: 1000 Most Common Spanish Words for Beginners
7. Trabajo – Work
Discuss many aspects of work and professional development with this job-related terminology.
Achievement – El logro
Badge – El gafete, la insignia
Battery – La batería
Benefits – Los beneficios
Boss – El jefe, la jefa
Break – El receso
Cable – El cable
Calendar – El calendario
Call – La llamada
Career – La carrera, la profesión
Charger – El cargador
Client – El cliente
Co-worker, colleague – El colega, el compañero de trabajo
Conference – La conferencia
Cover letter – La carta de presentación
Deadline – La fecha límite
Digital tools – Las herramientas digitales
E-mail – El correo electrónico
Employee – El empleado, la empleada
Employer – El empleador, la empleadora
Evaluation – La evaluación
Experience – La experiencia
Fired – Despedido, despedida
Goal – El objetivo, la meta
Hired – Contratado, contratada
Income – Los ingresos
Internship – Las prácticas
Interview – La entrevista
Job – El trabajo
Keyboard – El teclado
Laptop – La computadora portátil
Maternity leave – La licencia por maternidad
Meeting – La reunión
Mentor – El mentor, la mentora
Monitor – El monitor
Mousse – El ratón
Networking – Las redes profesionales
Office – La oficina
Office supplies – Los suministros de oficina
Overtime – Las horas extra
Password – La contraseña
Pay – El pago, el sueldo
Performance – El desempeño, el rendimiento
Presentation – La presentación
Project manager – El gerente de proyecto
Promotion – La promoción, el ascenso
Project – El proyecto
Qualifications – Las cualificaciones
Remote work – El trabajo remoto, trabajo a distancia
Report – El reporte
Results – Los resultados
Resume – El curriculum vitae, el CV
Retirement – La jubilación
Resignation – La renuncia
Salary – El salario
Schedule – El horario
Scholar – El becario
Screen – La pantalla
Shift – El turno
Sick leave – La licencia por enfermedad
Skills – Las habilidades
Task – La tarea
Teamwork – El trabajo en equipo
Telecommuting – El teletrabajo
Training – El entrenamiento
User name – El nombre de usuario
Vacation – Las vacaciones
Work-life balance – El balance entre trabajo y vida personal
Workspace – El espacio de trabajo
Working day – La jornada, el día de trabajo
8. Compras – Shopping
These words will help you navigate various aspects of shopping in Spanish-speaking environments.
Whether browsing for clothes, trying on shoes, or making a payment, this vocabulary will equip you to confidently engage in shopping-related conversations.
Cash – El dinero en efectivo
Cash register – La caja registradora
Cashier – El cajero, la cajera
Clothes – La ropa
Color – El color
Credit card – La tarjeta crédito
Customer – El cliente
Debit card – La tarjeta de débito
Discount – El descuento
Fitting room – El probador
Market – El mercado
Offer – La oferta
Online shopping – Comprar en línea
Payment – El pago
Price – El precio
Price tag – La etiqueta de precio
Receipt – El recibo
Redeemable – Canjeable
Return – La devolución
Shoes – Los zapatos
Shop window – El aparador, el escaparate
Shopping bag – La bolsa de compras
Size – La talla
Store – La tienda
To buy – Comprar
To choose – Escoger
To sell – Vender
To try out – Probarse
Warranty – La garantía
For you: Talk About Your Favorites in Spanish
9. Emociones – Emotions
With these common Spanish vocabulary, you’ll be able to express yourself more accurately and comprehensively when discussing your feelings and understanding the emotions of others.
Feel free to have heartfelt conversations or write about your experiences in Spanish.
Affection – El cariño
Amusement – La diversión
Anger – El enojo
Anxiety – La ansiedad
Astonishment – El asombro
Aversion – La aversión
Compassion – La compasión
Confidence – La confianza
Contempt – El desprecio
Despair – La desesperación
Doubt – La duda
Euphoria – La euforia
Excitement – La emoción
Fear – El miedo
Frustration – La frustración
Guilst – La culpa
Hope – La esperanza
Indifference – La indiferencia
Insecurity – La inseguridad
Irritation – La irritación
Joy – La alegría
Loneliness – La soledad
Pain – El dolor
Pride – El orgullo
Regret – El arrepentimiento
Relaxation – La relajación
Relief – El alivio
Sadness – La tristeza
Satisfaction – La satisfaction
Shame – La vergüenza
Surprise – La sorpresa
Worry – La preocupación
10. Emergencias – Emergencies
Communicate fast and effectively in case of an emergency with this common Spanish vocabulary.
Accident – El accidente
Accident report – El informe de accidente
Admission – La admisión, el ingreso
Ambulance – La ambulancia
Bandage – El vendaje
Bruise – El moretón, el hematoma
Burn – La quemadura
Cast – El yeso
Caution – La precaución
Claim – El reclamo
Compensation – La compensación
CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): RCP (Reanimación cardiopulmonar)
Crutches – Las muletas
Cut – El corte
Danger – El peligro
Discharge – El alta
Doctor – El doctor, el médico
Emergency – La emergencia
Emergency room – La sala de emergencias
Fault – La culpa
First aid – Los primeros auxilios
Fracture – La fractura
Hazard – El peligro
Help – La ayuda
Hospital – El hospital
Injury – La lesión
Insurance – El seguro
Investigation – La investigación
MRI: La resonancia magnética
Operation room – El quirófano
Pain – El dolor
Policeman – La policía
Police car – La patrulla
Shock – El shock
Stitches – Los puntos, los puntos de sutura
Swelling – La hinchazón, está hinchado, está hinchada
Treatment – El tratamiento
Wheelchair – La silla de ruedas
Witness – El testigo
Wound – La herida
X-Ray – Los rayos equis, los rayos X
Medication – La medicación
Prescription – La receta médica
Recovery time – El tiempo de recuperación
Rehabilitation – La rehabilitación
Physical therapy – La terapia física
Negligence – La negligencia
Safety – La seguridad
Prevention – La prevención
Warning – La advertencia
Examples of Everyday Situations
To showcase the utility of this Spanish phrases collection, let’s consider a couple of scenarios where these common Spanish Vocabulary words can be applied:
Coffee Shop Conversation
You: Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hello, how are you?)
Barista: Hola, bien gracias. (Hello, fine, thank you)
You: ¿Podrías darme una bebida? Quiero un café negro. (Could you give me a beverage) I’d like a black coffee)
Barista: Claro, enseguida. ¿Quiere pan dulce? (Sure, right away. Would you like sweet bread?)
You: No gracias. (No, thank you)
Barista: Aquí tiene, el azúcar está a la derecha de las servilletas, en frente de la puerta. (Here you go, the sugar is to the right of the napkins, in front of the door.)
You: Perfecto, gracias. (Perfect, thank you)
Navigating the City
You: Disculpe, ¿Dónde puedo encontrar taxis? (Excuse me, where can I find taxis?)
Policeman: Hay un sitio aquí cerca, ¿a dónde necesita ir? (There is a taxi station nearby, where do you need to go?)
You: A un hospital, mi hermano se fracturó el pie. (To a hospital, my brother broke his foot)
Policeman: Hay un hospital todo derecho de esta calle, detrás de la iglesia. Yo los puedo llevar, ya va a empezar a llover. (There’s a hospital all straight on this street, behind the church. I can take you there; it’s about to start raining.)
Expanding Language Comprehension and Cultural Awareness
Expanding your common Spanish vocabulary offers more than just linguistic benefits. It provides a gateway to deeper cultural understanding.
By learning phrases commonly used in daily interactions, you improve your ability to communicate and gain insight into Spanish culture and etiquette nuances.
When you use the right words at the right time, you convey respect and appreciation for the language and its speakers.
A robust grasp of common Spanish vocabulary is essential for effective communication in everyday situations.
This article has presented a curated list of essential Spanish words that can be seamlessly integrated into your conversations.
As you embark on your journey to learn and use these words, and the context, remember that language learning is a dynamic process.
Embrace opportunities to practice, whether through conversations, writing, or reading.
Incorporating this casual Spanish vocabulary into your daily interactions will enhance your language skills, forge meaningful connections, and deepen your cultural awareness.
So, don’t wait any longer! Start incorporating these common Spanish words into your conversations today!
Each word you learn and use opens doors to a richer language experience and a world of exciting possibilities.
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