Learn phrases by what they help you do: greet someone, ask politely, repair a misunderstanding, or handle a practical need. Choose five to practice first.
Start and end a conversation
A greeting gives you a manageable opening. The next question or reply matters too: practice a greeting together with an answer, so you can keep going when someone responds.
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Hola. | Hello. | Start a conversation. |
| Buenos días. | Good morning. | A morning greeting. |
| Buenas tardes. | Good afternoon. | An afternoon greeting. |
| Buenas noches. | Good evening / good night. | An evening greeting or nighttime farewell. |
| ¿Qué tal? | How’s it going? | A conversational greeting. |
| Bien, gracias. | Fine, thanks. | Answer a greeting. |
| ¿Y tú? | And you? | Return a question informally. |
| Mucho gusto. | Nice to meet you. | Meet someone for the first time. |
| Hasta luego. | See you later. | Say goodbye. |
| Nos vemos. | See you. | A conversational farewell. |
These are useful starting forms, not a ranking of the most frequent expressions. You can compare greeting and introduction functions in the Instituto Cervantes A1–A2 inventory. The point at which people switch time-of-day greetings can vary; follow what you hear locally rather than memorizing a universal clock rule.
Make small requests politely
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Por favor. | Please. | Add courtesy to a request. |
| Gracias. | Thank you. | Acknowledge help. |
| De nada. | You’re welcome. | Respond to thanks. |
| Disculpe. | Excuse me. | Politely get someone’s attention. |
| Con permiso. | Excuse me / may I pass? | Move past someone politely. |
Choose a phrase for the action you need. Disculpe can help get someone’s attention. Con permiso is useful when you need to pass. They are not mechanical replacements for every English use of “sorry.” Tone and context still matter.
For further usage examples, see SpanishDictionary’s guide to basic phrases. Start by using one polite request in a complete situation, rather than adding every formula to the same sentence.
Keep going when you do not understand
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| No entiendo. | I don’t understand. | Explain a communication problem. |
| ¿Puede repetir, por favor? | Could you repeat, please? | Ask one person politely to repeat. |
| Más despacio, por favor. | More slowly, please. | Ask for a slower pace. |
| ¿Cómo se dice esto en español? | How do you say this in Spanish? | Ask for a missing word. |
| ¿Qué significa? | What does it mean? | Ask about meaning. |
These phrases are especially practical because they help you continue learning during a conversation. Say the whole chunk aloud. You do not need to analyze every verb ending before using a request for repetition.
Puede in the examples addresses one person politely. With someone you address as tú, you may hear ¿Puedes repetir? Keep one form ready while you learn how local speakers address one another.
Someone speaks too quickly. Which phrase asks them to slow down?
Check your answer
Más despacio, por favor. If the meaning is still unclear, ask for repetition too.
Handle an everyday need
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much does it cost? | Ask a price. |
| ¿Dónde está el baño? | Where is the bathroom? | Ask for a location. |
| La cuenta, por favor. | The check, please. | Ask to pay at a restaurant. |
| Estoy aprendiendo español. | I’m learning Spanish. | Explain that you are a learner. |
| ¿Me puede ayudar? | Can you help me? | Ask one person politely for help. |
Practice the phrase with a likely answer. If you ask a price, listen for a number. If you ask where the bathroom is, expect a direction rather than another question. This makes the exchange more useful than repeating your own line alone.
For a meal, continue with our Spanish restaurant guide. It includes an original sample conversation and a simple ordering pattern.
Put several phrases together
Try this short practice exchange. The speaker has not understood the first answer and asks for it again:
You: Disculpe. ¿Dónde está el baño?
Excuse me. Where is the bathroom?
Other person: Al fondo, a la derecha.
At the back, on the right.
You: ¿Puede repetir, por favor?
Could you repeat, please?
Other person: Sí. A la derecha.
Yes. On the right.
You: Gracias.
Thank you.
Switch roles and repeat the exchange. Then change the location you are asking about. Keep the useful request for repetition, even when the topic changes.
Practice five phrases before adding more
Pick one greeting, one polite request, two repair phrases and one practical question. Cover the Spanish and try to produce each phrase from its situation. Check your answer immediately, then try again later.
On a later day, mix the situations instead of keeping them in table order. Can you choose a phrase when you need it, rather than only remember the next item on the list? Use our review routine to organize that practice.
You did not understand a reply. How do you say “I don’t understand”?
Check your answer
No entiendo. Follow it with a specific request, such as ¿Puede repetir, por favor?
Quick questions
Should I memorize all 25 phrases at once?
Start with a small set that matches a situation you need. Add more when you can recall the first set without looking.
Do these phrases work everywhere Spanish is spoken?
They are broadly useful starting forms, but local wording, pronunciation and levels of formality vary. Listen to the people around you and adapt.
A new language.
A new horizon.
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