Words You Need to Know: Common Spanish Vocabulary Nicole Canún Homeschool Spanish Academy

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.

The best way to do it is through genuine human connection. Ask the experts: HSA offers native, authentic Spanish instruction, an expert-certified curriculum, and flexible scheduling.

Navigate our innovative, human-centered learning strategies to achieve your learner-specific language goals. Benefit from our student-tailored Spanish programs and discover why students love our 5-star instruction. 

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​Read More 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
The post Words You Need to Know: Common Spanish Vocabulary appeared first on Homeschool Spanish Academy. 

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