"Quien tiene un amigo tiene un tesoro" (He who has a friend has a treasure) – this popular Spanish saying perfectly captures how friendship is valued across the Spanish-speaking world. While amigo is the most universally recognized word for "friend" in Spanish, the richness of this language offers a colorful variety of terms that reflect unique cultural identities and relationship dynamics.
In this lesson, we'll explore 16 different ways to say "friend" in Spanish, from standard terms used across countries to regional expressions that will help you sound like a local. Understanding these friendship terms won't just improve your vocabulary – it will give you insight into the cultural nuances of different Spanish-speaking communities.
Amigo (male friend) and amiga (female friend) are the most basic and widely recognized terms for "friend" in Spanish. These words are understood everywhere Spanish is spoken and appear in textbooks worldwide.
¡Basta, y no le hables así a mi amigo Sam!
Stop it, and don't talk like that to my friend Sam!
Caption 40, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 4: Sam busca un trabajo - Part 6
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In plural form, you'd use amigos for a group of male friends or a mixed-gender group, while amigas refers exclusively to female friends. It's a completely neutral term that can describe any level of friendship, from an acquaintance you occasionally chat with to your closest confidant.
One important cultural note: In many Spanish-speaking countries, people may call you amigo or amiga even when they've just met you. Waiters, taxi drivers, or shop attendants might use these terms as a friendly gesture, not because they consider you an actual friend.
While hermano literally means "brother" and hermana means "sister," these terms are widely used across Spanish-speaking countries to refer to very close friends who aren't blood relatives. Using hermano or hermana to address a friend emphasizes the family-like bond you share with them. Many Spanish speakers will shorten these to mano or use the diminutive forms hermanito/hermanita to add affection.
Hermanito, ¿yo qué hago? Yo me considero su mejor amigo,
Brother, what can I do? I consider myself his best friend,
Caption 12, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 2
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Traditionally, compadre and comadre refer to a child's godparents or the relationship between parents and godparents. However, these terms have evolved to describe trusted friends, especially in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Calling someone your compadre implies a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. It's often used among men of similar age and social standing. The shortened form compa is also very common, particularly in Mexico.
¡Órale compadre, échese un trago!
Come on, pal, throw down a drink!
Caption 5, El Ausente Acto 1 - Part 7
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The word compañero/a literally means "companion" and is often used in contexts where people share activities, spaces, or goals. This term is particularly common in educational and professional settings. The affectionate shortened form compi is frequently used in Spain to refer to classmates or coworkers with whom you have a friendly relationship.
Mexico has several unique and colorful terms for friends. One of the most distinctive is cuate, which comes from the Nahuatl language, where coatl originally meant "twin" or "snake." In modern Mexican Spanish, calling someone your cuate implies a close friendship, often between men. You might hear expressions like Ese es mi cuate (That's my buddy) or Voy con mis cuates (I'm going with my friends).
Sí iba con mi cuate, con mi patineta.
I was with my buddy, with my skateboard.
Caption 29, Amigos D.F. El secuestrar
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Carnal (derived from carne, meaning "flesh") is another popular Mexican term that equates friendship with family bonds. It's similar to calling someone your "blood brother" in English. This term is predominantly used among men and suggests a deep, loyal friendship that goes beyond ordinary companionship. When someone says Es mi carnal, they're indicating a friend they consider as close as a sibling.
O sea normalmente a los hermanos se les dicen "carnales". Pero yo, pues ahora sí que a mis amigotes, yo les digo "carnales"... -Sí. -porque vienen siendo,
I mean, normally, we call siblings "carnales." But I, well, now, my friends, I do, I call them "carnales"... -Yes, because they are,
Captions 53-55, Pipo Mexicanismos - Part 1
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Güey (sometimes spelled wey) is incredibly versatile in Mexican Spanish. While it can be used as an insult in some contexts, among friends it's a casual way to address each other, similar to "dude" or "man" in English. This term has become such a fundamental part of Mexican Spanish that it's often used as a filler word in casual conversation, much like "like" or "you know" in English.
Esa es una forma también de decirle "¿qué onda, güey?" o algo así.
That's also a way of saying, "what's up, dude?" or something of the sort.
Caption 18, La Banda Chilanguense El habla de México - Part 2
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In Colombia, particularly in Medellín and surrounding regions, parcero (male) or parcera (female) are common terms for friends. These are often shortened to parce in casual conversation. This distinctly Colombian expression became internationally known through music, movies, and TV shows from the region. Saying ¿Qué más, parce? is a typical Colombian greeting between friends.
Parce, venga, yo le digo una cosa, hermano, vea
Friend, come, I'll tell you something, brother, look
Caption 1, Juanes La Plata
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Another uniquely Colombian expression is llave (literally "key"), implying that a friend has the key to your trust. This term is especially common in Bogotá and other regions of Colombia. When someone calls you their llave, they're indicating a high level of trust and confidence in your friendship.
Ay, llave, ese man nos va a dar en la jeta.
Oh, pal, that guy is going to punch us in the face.
Caption 1, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 2
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Peru has its own distinctive friendship vocabulary. Pata (literally "leg" or "paw") is a widely used colloquial term for a friend. You might hear expressions like Es mi pata del colegio (He's my friend from school) or Mis patas vienen a la fiesta (My friends are coming to the party).
Another uniquely Peruvian term is causa, which can be made more affectionate as causita with the diminutive. These terms are especially common among male friends. The origin of this slang term is debated, but it's one of the most distinctive features of Peruvian Spanish.
In Venezuela, pana is one of the most popular words for friend. It's used for both male and female friends without changing form. The term carries a sense of closeness and trust, and you'll hear it frequently in casual conversation throughout Venezuela and neighboring countries.
¡Muévete, pana, que mientras más rápido hagamos esto vamos a tener más tiempo con las nenas!
Move, friend, as the faster we do this we are going to have more time with the girls!
Captions 80-81, NPS No puede ser 1 - El concurso - Part 10
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Venezuelans also use chamo (male) or chama (female) to refer to friends, especially among younger people. These terms can also mean "kid" or "young person" but are often used between friends of any age. These expressions have become emblematic of Venezuelan Spanish and are immediately recognizable as part of the country's linguistic identity.
En Venezuela, se saluda: "¡Épale, chama!"
In Venezuela, people greet each other saying: "Hey, girl!"
Caption 13, Español en las calles Varias expresiones
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Spain has its own distinctive friendship vocabulary. Tío (uncle) and tía (aunt) are perhaps the most widely used casual terms among friends in Spain, equivalent to "dude" or "man" in English. Colega (colleague) has evolved in Spain from its formal meaning to become an everyday term for "buddy" or "mate." Tronco/tronca (literally "trunk") is another distinctly Spanish term, especially popular in Madrid and central Spain.
¡Eh, tío! ¡Qué divertido!
Hey, man! How fun!
Caption 22, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 5: Ha nacido una estrella - Part 9
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In Chile, weón (sometimes spelled huevón or hueón) is an extremely common term used between friends. While it can be offensive in certain contexts, between friends it's a sign of closeness and trust. Be careful with this term, as it requires understanding the proper context and pronunciation. Used incorrectly, it could be perceived as an insult rather than a term of endearment.
In Cuba, asere or acere (with origins in African languages brought to the island) is a friendly and warm way to address a close friend. This distinctly Cuban expression is one of the first slang terms visitors to the island will hear, and it carries a sense of camaraderie and cultural identity.
Understanding the different words for "friend" in Spanish gives you insight into the rich cultural variations in how relationships are perceived and expressed across the Spanish-speaking world. While the basic concept of friendship is universal, the language used to describe it reflects unique cultural perspectives and values.
The next time you're speaking with Spanish-speaking friends, try incorporating some of these regional terms into your conversation. Not only will you impress them with your cultural knowledge, but you'll also create a more authentic connection through language. What about you? Do you know any other words to refer to friends in Spanish? Which one is your favorite? Let us know and don't forget to send us your comments and questions.
Have you ever been traveling in a Spanish-speaking country and suddenly needed to explain that you weren't feeling well? Or perhaps you're preparing for a trip and want to make sure you can communicate effectively if you experience any health issues? Today, we're going to explore the various ways to express pain and discomfort in Spanish, from physical ailments to emotional distress.
Before we explore how to describe pain intensity and discuss medical treatments in Spanish, let's learn how to express immediate pain reactions. In English, we often say 'ouch!' when we feel sudden pain, but what do Spanish speakers say?
The most common pain exclamation in Spanish is "¡Ay!" (pronounced like the English word "eye"). This versatile expression is used throughout the Spanish-speaking world when someone experiences sudden pain:
¿Estás bien ahí? -Sí. Ay, ay... Acá.
Are you OK there? -Yes. Ouch, ouch... Here.
Captions 23-24, Yago 12 Fianza - Part 4
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The intensity of pain is often reflected by repeating "ay" multiple times or extending it:
Mild pain: "¡Ay!"
Moderate pain: "¡Ay, ay!"
Severe pain: "¡Ayyyyy!" (elongated)
Apart from the above expressions, some people may use the interjection "ayayay," to express pain. This common exclamation perfectly captures the experience of pain in Spanish-speaking cultures:
¡Ay, ayayay, ayayay, Flor! ¡Ouch!
Ay, ayayay, ayayay, Flor! Ouch!
Caption 13, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 2 - Part 1
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While "¡Ay!" is universal across Spanish-speaking countries, you might also hear these regional variations:
"¡Ouch!" (pronounced like English "ouch") - Used especially in Mexico and parts of Central America
"¡Uy!" - Used for both pain and surprise
"¡Ay Dios!" or "¡Ay Dios mío!" (Oh God! or Oh my God!) - Used for more intense pain
Ouch. Me quemé.
Ouch. I burned myself.
Caption 73, Recetas de cocina Arepas colombianas
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These exclamations are often followed by descriptions of the pain using the structures we've learned (me duele or tengo dolor de).
In Spanish, there are two main structures used to express physical pain:
This is the most common way to express pain in Spanish. The verb doler (to hurt) is used with the following structure:
Me duele + [singular body part]
Me duelen + [plural body part]
Let's see some examples from our video clips:
Me duele la cabeza.
My head hurts.
Caption 13, Raquel Expresiones para un festival de música.
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Y cuando me duelen las piernas de tanto jugar, mi abuelito me hace masajes con aceite de coco.
And when my legs hurt from playing for so long, my grandpa gives me massages with coconut oil.
Captions 48-49, Guillermina y Candelario Experimentos en la cocina
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Notice that the verb doler agrees with the body part (the thing that hurts), not with the person experiencing the pain. This is because grammatically, the body part is the subject of the sentence.
Another common structure is using the phrase tengo dolor de followed by the body part:
Tengo dolor de cabeza, ¿sí? -¡Ay, Fabiolita!
I have a headache, OK? -Oh, Fabiolita!
Caption 20, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 1 - Part 11
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Aún tengo dolor y uso de vez en cuando
I still have pain, and I wear, once in a while,
Caption 43, Aprendiendo con Silvia Vacaciones y urgencias - Part 2
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Being able to describe the type and intensity of pain you're experiencing can help others understand your situation better:
La salud, muy mal. Me duele mucho la cabeza
My health, very badly. My head hurts a lot
Captions 34-35, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y condicional
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"¿Por qué no llevas tú la moto? Me duele mucho la mano".
"Why don't you drive the motorcycle? My hand really hurts."
Caption 16, Fermín y Manuel El verbo "llevar" - Part 3
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From our video with Raquel and the doctor, we can learn important phrases for a medical consultation:
Usted dirá: ¿Qué le ocurre? Verá, no me encuentro muy bien. He dormido mal porque he estado toda la noche tosiendo. Y me puse el termómetro y marcaba treinta y ocho grados. Tengo fiebre. ¿Y desde cuándo tiene usted estos síntomas? Mal, mal, desde el lunes. Pero el domingo por la noche, ya me dolía la cabeza. ¿Tiene usted tos fuerte? ¿Le rasca la garganta? Sí, me pica. Sobre todo cuando toso fuerte.
Will you tell me: What's going on with you? You see, I don't feel very well. I have slept badly because I was coughing all night. And I used the thermometer and it read thirty-eight degrees [Celsius]. I have a fever. And since when have you had these symptoms? Badly, badly, since Monday. But on Sunday night, my head was already hurting. Do you have a strong cough? Is your throat scratchy? Yes, it itches me. Especially when I cough strongly.
Captions 8-19, Raquel Visitar al Médico
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Similarly, in Cleer's consultation, we see how to describe symptoms:
Cleer, cuénteme, ¿qué puedo hacer por usted? Doctora, hace cuatro días tengo mucha tos y dolor en todo el cuerpo.
Cleer, tell me, what can I do for you? Doctor, for four days now I've had a bad cough and pain in my whole body.
Captions 6-7, Cita médica La cita médica de Cleer - Part 2
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In both doctor consultations, we see vocabulary related to medications:
From Cleer's visit:
Le voy a recetar Paracetamol. Esto le ayudará para el dolor en el cuerpo y por si le sube fiebre. También le recetaré un jarabe. El Paracetamol se lo toma cada seis horas durante siete días y el jarabe se lo toma tres veces al día hasta que lo termine. Intente beber agua por favor.
I'm going to prescribe Paracetamol. This will help for your body pain and in case you get a fever. I will also prescribe you a syrup. You take the Paracetamol every six hours for seven days and you take the syrup three times a day until you finish it. Try to drink water, please.
Captions 24-29, Cita médica La cita médica de Cleer - Part 2
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From Raquel's visit:
Se va a tomar usted este antibiótico. Durante siete días. Si usted ve que al tercer o cuarto día se encuentra mejor, no suspenda el tratamiento.
You are going to take this antibiotic. For seven days. If you see that by the third or fourth day you feel better, don't stop the treatment.
Captions 28-31, Raquel Visitar al Médico
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Once you have a prescription, you'll need to find a pharmacy. Here are some useful phrases:
"¿Dónde queda la farmacia más cercana?"
"Where's the nearest pharmacy?"
Caption 48, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 1
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o, "Disculpe, ¿hay una farmacia por aquí?"
or, "Excuse me, is there a pharmacy around here?"
Caption 11, Curso de español Direcciones en la ciudad
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When communicating about pain or discomfort in Spanish, having a rich vocabulary can help you explain your symptoms more precisely. Here's a comprehensive list of terms to help you describe different types of pain and related medical conditions:
Dolor agudo - Acute/sharp pain
Dolor crónico - Chronic pain
Dolor punzante - Stabbing pain
Dolor palpitante - Throbbing pain
Dolor sordo - Dull pain
Dolor ardiente - Burning pain
Calambres - Cramps
Hormigueo - Tingling
Entumecimiento - Numbness
Picazón - Itching
Dolor de muelas - Toothache
Dolor de oídos - Earache
Fiebre - Fever
Náuseas - Nausea
Mareos - Dizziness
Vómitos - Vomiting
Diarrea - Diarrhea
Estreñimiento - Constipation
Tos - Cough
Congestión - Congestion
Fatiga - Fatigue
Erupciones - Rashes
Inflamación - Inflammation
Hinchazón - Swelling
Estornudar - To sneeze
Toser - To cough
Vomitar - To vomit
Sentirse mareado/a - To feel dizzy
Tener escalofríos - To have chills
Me siento débil - I feel weak
No puedo dormir - I can't sleep
Estoy resfriado/a - I have a cold
Tengo gripe - I have the flu
Estoy enfermo/a - I'm sick
Necesito descansar - I need to rest
¿Es contagioso? - Is it contagious?
In most Spanish-speaking countries, you'll find pharmacies (farmacias) quite easily in urban areas. They often have a green cross sign that may be illuminated at night. Some medications that require prescriptions in countries like the United States are available over the counter in many Spanish-speaking countries, though this varies by country and medication. When visiting a doctor, you might encounter terms like:
médico de cabecera (primary care physician)
consulta (doctor's appointment or office)
urgencias (emergency room)
seguro médico (health insurance)
Being able to express pain in Spanish is an essential skill, especially when traveling. Remember the two main structures: "Me duele/duelen + body part" and "Tengo dolor de + body part." With these structures and the vocabulary we've covered, you'll be well-prepared to communicate any discomfort you might experience and seek appropriate medical help.
Do you have any experiences with expressing pain in Spanish? Have you ever needed to visit a doctor or pharmacy while traveling in a Spanish-speaking country? Let us know and don't forget to send us your comments and questions.
Have you ever been at a Spanish restaurant trying to order a slice of cake or bread but weren't sure which word to use? Do you know the difference between pedazo, tajada, and rodaja? Today, we'll explore the various Spanish words used to describe portions, slices, and pieces, along with their specific contexts and uses.
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Let's start with pedazo and trozo, two of the most common words for "piece" in Spanish. Both terms refer to a part of something that's considered separately from the rest. Let's see them in context:
Vamos a cortar en pedazos pequeños también la lechuga,
Let's also cut the lettuce into small pieces,
Caption 16, Ana Carolina Receta para una picada
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tengo también un trozo de limón.
I also have a piece of lemon.
Caption 34, Soledad Ensalada de alcachofa
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These words have also given rise to some common Spanish expressions. For instance, "ser un pedazo de pan" or "ser un trozo de pan" (literally "to be a piece of bread") describes someone who is kind and good-natured:
Cuando decimos que "es más bueno que el pan" o "es un trozo de pan", nos referimos a una persona buena, bondadosa.
When we say that [he or she] "is better than bread" or "is a piece of bread," we're referring to a good, kind-hearted person.
Captions 17-19, Beatriz Modismos con alimentos - Part 1
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Finally, in colloquial Spanish, "pedazo de" followed by a noun or adjective can be used to intensify its meaning. Let's see an example:
Qué pedazo de mina, ¿no?
What a hot chick, right?
Caption 33, Carlos y Cyndy Comentario sobre Muñeca Brava
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While tajada literally refers to a slice or portion cut from something (especially cooked meat or fruits), this word has developed some interesting figurative meanings in Spanish. Let's look at this clip:
Usted lo único que quería era quedarse con una tajada de eso
The only thing that you wanted was to keep a piece of that,
Caption 72, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 4 - Part 13
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In this context, tajada isn't referring to a literal slice, but rather to a share or cut of profits - often with a negative connotation suggesting questionable dealings. This usage is common in colloquial Spanish throughout Latin America.
The word can also be used more literally when talking about food portions:
si se llevan la tajada más grande del pastel.
if they take the biggest piece of the cake.
Caption 4, Andrés Manuel López Obrador Publicidad de TV - Part 2
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Additionally, in many parts of Latin America, tajada is commonly used to refer to fried plantain slices, showing how versatile this word can be.
The word rebanada specifically refers to a thin, wide, and long portion cut from something, especially bread, slicing from one end to the other:
Ahora esperamos que estén un poco frías; se le quita la concha y después se corta en rebanada.
Now we wait for them to cool down a bit; the peel is removed from it and then it's cut into slices.
Captions 54-56, Zully y Cleer Guisado de ternera
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When you need to describe a circular slice or wheel of food, rodaja is your word. It's commonly used for vegetables and fruits:
Cortamos el tomate en rodajas,
We cut the tomato into slices,
Caption 36, La cocina de Fermín Ensalada mixta
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For very small amounts, Spanish speakers use "pizca" (pinch):
También vamos a utilizar un... una pizca de vainilla,
We're also going to use a... a pinch of vanilla,
Caption 27, Otavalo Proyecto familiar Kawsaymi - Part 5
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1. For general pieces of anything: Use pedazo or trozo
2. For bread slices: rebanada is your best choice
3. For circular food items like tomatoes or onions: Use rodaja
4. For cooked meat or specific food slices: tajada works well
5. For tiny amounts of ingredients: Go with pizca
Remember that usage of these terms can vary across different Spanish-speaking regions. The key is to listen to native speakers and note which terms are most commonly used in your area.
We hope this lesson has helped you understand the various ways to describe pieces and slices in Spanish. Don't forget to practice these terms in context, and remember that, like many aspects of language, usage can vary by region. And don't forget to send us your questions and comments. ¡Hasta la próxima!
Whether you're planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country or visiting a local Spanish restaurant, knowing how to order food in Spanish is an essential skill. This comprehensive guide covers everything from making a reservation to paying the bill.
When calling to make a reservation, here's what you'll need:
¿En qué puedo ayudarle? A continuación debes indicar el número de personas que iréis a cenar, a qué hora iréis y en ocasiones podéis decir qué mesa preferís. Quería hacer una reserva para dos esta noche a las nueve.
How can I help you? Next, you must indicate the number of people who will go to dine, at what time you will go and, on [certain] occasions, you can say which table you prefer. I wanted to make a reservation for two tonight at nine.
Captions 7-12, Raquel Reserva de Restaurante
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- Hola, quisiera hacer una reserva/reservación (Hello, I would like to make a reservation)
- Para esta noche (For tonight)
- Para dos/tres/cuatro personas (For two/three/four people)
- ¿Tienen mesa libre? (Do you have a table available?)
- La reserva/reservación está a nombre de... (The reservation is under the name...)
- ¿Tienen disponibilidad entre las ocho y las nueve? (Do you have availability between eight and nine?)
- Preferiblemente una mesa junto a la ventana (Preferably a table by the window)
- ¿Es necesario dejar un depósito? (Is a deposit necessary?)
- Necesito modificar/cancelar mi reserva/reservación (I need to modify/cancel my reservation)
- ¿Tienen algún menú especial esta noche? (Do you have any special menu tonight?)
When you first arrive, you'll need these greeting phrases:
Muy buenas tardes, ¿mesa para uno? Sí, por favor. Tome asiento por favor. Gracias.
[Very] good afternoon, [a] table for one? Yes, please. Take a seat please. Thanks.
Captions 8-11, Cata y Cleer En el restaurante
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- Buenos días/tardes/noches (Good morning/afternoon/evening)
- Tengo una reserva/reservación (I have a reservation)
- Mesa para dos/tres/cuatro (Table for two/three/four)
- Sin reserva/reservación (Without reservation)
- Disculpe, tengo una reserva/reservación a nombre de... (Excuse me, I have a reservation under...)
- ¿Hay mucha espera? (Is there a long wait?)
- Somos parte del grupo de... (We're part of the group of...)
- ¿Podemos esperar en el bar? (Can we wait at the bar?)
- ¿Está el restaurante completo? (Is the restaurant full?)
Once they're showing you to your table:
Eh... ¿Me puede traer agua por favor? Claro, ¿embotellada o de la llave? De la llave está bien. Entonces, eh... la voy a dejar un momento para que mire el menú
Um... Can you bring me water please? Of course, bottled or tap? Tap is fine. So, um... I am going to leave you for a moment so that you can look at the menu
Captions 15-19, Cata y Cleer En el restaurante
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- ¿Podemos sentarnos allí? (Can we sit there?)
- Aquí está bien (Here is fine)
- Mesa para no fumadores (Non-smoking table)
- Junto a la ventana (By the window)
- ¿Podría traernos una silla alta para el bebé? (Could you bring us a high chair for the baby?)
- Necesitamos más espacio (We need more space)
- ¿Tienen una mesa más tranquila? (Do you have a quieter table?)
- Preferiríamos una mesa interior/exterior (We would prefer an indoor/outdoor table)
Time to review the menu options:
¿Puedo ver el menú por favor? Claro, por supuesto. Aquí lo tiene.
Can I see the menu please? Sure, of course. Here you have it.
Captions 12-13, Cata y Cleer En el restaurante
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- La carta, por favor (The menu, please)
- ¿Tienen menú del día? (Do you have a daily menu?)
- ¿Cuál es el especial? (What's the special?)
- Necesito unos minutos (I need a few minutes)
- ¿Tienen el menú en inglés? (Do you have the menu in English?)
- ¿Qué incluye el menú completo? (What does the complete menu include?)
- ¿Me puede explicar este plato? (Could you explain this dish?)
- ¿Tienen sugerencias del chef? (Do you have chef's suggestions?)
- ¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa? (What's the house specialty?)
Here's how to have a natural conversation about food choices with your dining companions:
¿Sabes? Antes de pensar en los postres, deberíamos pensar en la entrada. ¿Qué te gustaría comer? Ah... No sé, me encantan los aros de cebolla. ¿A ti? A mí los deditos de pescado y también los deditos de mantequilla; son deliciosos. Sí, son muy ricos.
You know? Before thinking about the desserts, we should think about the appetizer. What would you like to eat? Oh... I don't know, I love onion rings. You? I love fish sticks and also butter fingers [a type of pastry]; they are delicious. Yes, they are very delicious.
Captions 54-60, Sofy y Caro Comida en un restaurante
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- ¿Qué tienes ganas de comer? (What do you feel like eating?)
- ¿Ya sabes qué vas a pedir? (Do you know what you're going to order?)
- ¿Qué te apetece? (What appeals to you?)
- ¿Quieres compartir algo? (Do you want to share something?)
- ¿Te gustaría pedir un poco de vino? (Would you like to order some wine?)
- ¿Qué quieres tomar? (What would you like to drink?)
- ¿Pedimos una botella para compartir? (Shall we order a bottle to share?)
- ¿Prefieres tinto o blanco? (Do you prefer red or white?)
- ¿Qué tal si probamos...? (How about we try...?)
- He escuchado que aquí... (I've heard that here...)
- ¿Te parece si pedimos...? (What do you think about ordering...?)
- Podríamos compartir... (We could share...)
Don't hesitate to ask about unfamiliar dishes:
¿Está lista? ¿Ya sabe lo que le gustaría ordenar? Todavía estoy tratando de decidir. ¿Tiene alguna pregunta? Sí, ehm... ¿La lasaña tiene carne? Sí, tiene carne de res.
Are you ready? Do you know what you would like to order yet? I'm still trying to decide. Do you have any questions? Yes, um... Does the lasagna have meat? Yes, it has beef.
Captions 25-30, Cata y Cleer En el restaurante
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- ¿Qué lleva este plato? (What's in this dish?)
- ¿Es picante? (Is it spicy?)
- ¿Es grande la porción? (Is the portion big?)
- ¿Qué acompañamientos tiene? (What sides does it come with?)
- Soy alérgico/a a... (I'm allergic to...)
- ¿Tienen opciones vegetarianas/veganas? (Do you have vegetarian/vegan options?)
- ¿Cómo está preparado? (How is it prepared?)
- ¿Se puede hacer sin...? (Can it be made without...?)
- ¿Los mariscos son frescos? (Is the seafood fresh?)
Now it's time to order:
¿Tiene algún platillo con pollo bajo en calorías? Sí, tenemos una ensalada del chef que tiene pollo. Mmm... Eso suena muy bien. ¿Puedo ordenarla sin cebolla y con el aderezo aparte? Por supuesto.
Do you have any low-calorie chicken dish? Yes, we have a chef's salad that has chicken. Mmm... That sounds great. Can I order it without onions and with the dressing on the side? Of course.
Captions 41-45, Cata y Cleer En el restaurante
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- Para mí... (For me...)
- Quiero... (I want...)
- Para beber... (To drink...)
- De postre... (For dessert...)
- ¿Me puede traer la carne poco/muy hecha? (Can you bring the meat rare/well done?)
- Sin/Con... (Without/With...)
- El aderezo/la salsa aparte (Dressing/sauce on the side)
- Primero queremos compartir... (First we want to share...)
- ¿Puede recomendar un vino? (Can you recommend a wine?)
When you're ready to finish:
Mesera, ¿puede traerme la cuenta por favor? Gracias.
Waitress, can you bring me the check, please? Thank you.
Captions 49-50, Natalia de Ecuador Ordenar en un restaurante
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- La cuenta, por favor (The check, please)
- ¿Aceptan tarjetas? (Do you accept cards?)
- ¿Pueden dividir la cuenta? (Can you split the check?)
- Gracias, estuvo delicioso (Thank you, it was delicious)
- ¿Está incluido el servicio? (Is service included?)
- ¿Me puede explicar la cuenta? (Can you explain the bill?)
- Hay un error en la cuenta (There's an error in the bill)
- ¿Puedo pagar en efectivo/con tarjeta? (Can I pay in cash/with card?)
- Quédese con el cambio (Keep the change)
- ¿Puedo hacer una reserva? - Can I make a reservation?
- Quisiera reservar una mesa - I would like to reserve/book a table
- Para esta noche/mañana - For tonight/tomorrow
- ¿A qué hora tienen disponibilidad? - What time do you have availability?
- Mesa para [número] personas - Table for [number] of people
- A nombre de... - Under the name of...
- ¿Tienen mesas disponibles? - Do you have tables available?
- ¿Hay que hacer reserva? - Do we need to make a reservation?
- Buenos días/tardes/noches - Good morning/afternoon/evening
- Tengo una reserva a nombre de... - I have a reservation under...
- Sin reserva - Without reservation
- ¿Hay mucha espera? - Is there a long wait?
- ¿Podemos esperar en el bar? - Can we wait at the bar?
- ¿Está el restaurante completo? - Is the restaurant full?
- Somos parte del grupo de... - We're part of the group of...
- ¿Podemos sentarnos allí? - Can we sit there?
- Junto a la ventana, por favor - By the window, please
- En la terraza/al aire libre - On the terrace/outside
- Mesa para no fumadores - Non-smoking table
- ¿Tienen una mesa más tranquila? - Do you have a quieter table?
- Necesitamos una silla alta para el bebé - We need a high chair for the baby
- Preferiríamos una mesa interior - We would prefer an indoor table
- Para beber quisiera... - To drink I would like...
- ¿Qué vinos tienen? - What wines do you have?
- Una botella de... - A bottle of...
- Agua con/sin gas - Sparkling/still water
- ¿Tienen bebidas sin alcohol? - Do you have non-alcoholic drinks?
- Un café solo/con leche - Black coffee/coffee with milk
- ¿Me puede traer más agua? - Can you bring me more water?
- ¿Puedo ver la carta/el menú? - Can I see the menu?
- ¿Tienen menú del día? - Do you have a daily menu?
- ¿Cuál es el especial de hoy? - What's today's special?
- ¿Qué me recomienda? - What do you recommend?
- ¿Tienen el menú en inglés? - Do you have the menu in English?
- Necesito unos minutos más - I need a few more minutes
- ¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa? - What's the house specialty?
- ¿Qué contiene este plato? - What does this dish contain?
- ¿Es picante? - Is it spicy?
- ¿Cómo está preparado? - How is it prepared?
- ¿Es grande la porción? - Is the portion big?
- ¿Qué acompañamientos tiene? - What sides does it come with?
- ¿Los mariscos son frescos? - Is the seafood fresh?
- ¿Se puede hacer sin...? - Can it be made without...?
- Soy alérgico/a a... - I'm allergic to...
- No como... - I don't eat...
- Soy vegetariano/a - I'm vegetarian
- Soy vegano/a - I'm vegan
- Sin gluten, por favor - Gluten-free, please
- ¿Tienen opciones sin lácteos? - Do you have dairy-free options?
- ¿Pueden prepararlo sin...? - Can you prepare it without...?
- Estoy listo/a para ordenar - I'm ready to order
- Para empezar... - To start...
- De primer plato... - For the first course...
- De segundo... - For the second course...
- Para mí... - For me...
- Quisiera... - I would like...
- Lo mismo para mí - The same for me
- Sin cebolla/ajo - Without onion/garlic
- La carne poco/muy hecha - The meat rare/well done
- El aderezo/la salsa aparte - Dressing/sauce on the side
- Con extra... - With extra...
- ¿Puede cambiarse la guarnición? - Can the side dish be changed?
- Sin sal/azúcar - Without salt/sugar
- Tibio/caliente, por favor - Warm/hot, please
- ¿Me puede traer...? - Can you bring me...?
- Falta... - We're missing...
- Necesitamos más... - We need more...
- ¿Pueden rellenar los vasos? - Can you refill the glasses?
- La comida está fría/caliente - The food is cold/hot
- Esto no es lo que pedí - This isn't what I ordered
- Está delicioso - It's delicious
- La cuenta, por favor - The check, please
- ¿Puede traerme la cuenta? - Can you bring me the bill?
- ¿Aceptan tarjetas? - Do you accept cards?
- ¿Pueden dividir la cuenta? - Can you split the check?
- ¿Está incluido el servicio? - Is service included?
- Hay un error en la cuenta - There's an error in the bill
- Quédese con el cambio - Keep the change
- Gracias - Thank you
- Por favor - Please
- Con permiso - Excuse me
- Disculpe - Excuse me (to get attention)
- Buen provecho - Enjoy your meal
- Estuvo delicioso - It was delicious
- Hasta luego - See you later
That's it for today's complete guide on how to order food in Spanish! Whether you're dining in Spain or Latin America, these essential Spanish restaurant phrases will help you handle any dining situation with confidence. Practice these expressions before your next visit to a Spanish-speaking restaurant - they're your key to a smooth dining experience. Remember, learning how to order food in Spanish takes practice, so don't be afraid to use these phrases whenever you can. Don't forget to write us with your questions and comments!
Welcome to our beginner-friendly guide to the parts of the house in Spanish! Whether you’re a new learner or brushing up on your vocabulary, this lesson will teach you the Spanish words for different rooms and areas in a house. Plus, you’ll learn how to pronounce each term clearly and naturally.
Knowing the names of the rooms and parts of the house in Spanish is essential for describing your daily life, discussing where things are located, or even giving a house tour. This vocabulary is practical, especially if you’re traveling, living abroad, or interacting with Spanish-speaking friends and family.
But before we dive into all the different parts of the house, let's start with the most important word - do you know how to say "house" in Spanish?
Todo el mundo tiene afán de llegar a la casa por lo del toque de queda.
Everyone is eager to get home because of the curfew thing.
Caption 3, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 3 - Part 9
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Let’s start with the basics! Below is a list of key rooms and parts of the house in Spanish, along with video clips for each term. Listen carefully to each clip, then try saying the word out loud to get comfortable with the pronunciation.
Mire, joven, esta es la sala,
Look, young man, this is the living room,
Caption 18, Otavalo Departamento
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Ay, pues, mija, déjesela ahí en la cocina.
Oh, well, dear, leave them there for him in the kitchen.
Caption 27, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 6
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En este vehículo en concreto, el baño es muy característico
In this particular vehicle, the bathroom is very distinctive
Caption 46, Viajando con Fermín Caravaning - Part 3
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"Usa el dormitorio exclusivamente para dormir.
"Use the bedroom exclusively for sleeping.
Caption 27, Aprendiendo con Silvia Consejos para dormir mejor - Part 1
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Aquí tenemos el comedor;
Here we have the dining room;
Caption 55, Otavalo Proyecto Hayni - Part 2
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Below are additional important parts of the house in Spanish, each accompanied by a video clip to help you learn the correct pronunciation.
Yard/Garden | el jardín (el har-DEEN)
Hábleme de ese dinero que tiene usted enterrado en el jardín.
Talk to me about that money you have buried in the garden.
Caption 93, Los casos de Yabla El examen - Part 3
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Balcony | el balcón (el bal-KOHN)
Tomo unos mates en el balcón
I have some servings of mate on the balcony
Caption 10, GoSpanish La rutina diaria de Sol
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Garage | el garaje (el gah-RAH-heh)
se quedaba en el garaje de la casa de él.
was staying in the garage at his house.
Caption 27, Tu Voz Estéreo Embalsamado - Part 5
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Roof | el tejado (el teh-HAH-doh) or el techo (el TEH-cho)
Please, keep in mind that tejado refers to the exterior roof, especially in Spain, while techo generally means ceiling or roof, commonly used across Latin America.
Entonces, toda, eh... las ventanas, las escaleras, el tejado
So, all, um... the windows, the staircases, the roof
Caption 22, Sevilla, España Hotel Kivir - Part 1
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Ahorita, bueno, le faltó el techo...
Right now, well, the roof is missing...
Caption 75, Playa Adícora Francisco - Part 6
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Basement | el sótano (el SOH-tah-noh)
y ni siquiera sabía porqué estaba entrando en el sótano.
and I didn't even know why I was entering the basement.
Caption 11, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 7 - Part 1
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Wall | la pared (lah pah-RED)
solo por culpa de una humedad en la pared.
just because of a damp patch on the wall.
Caption 45, Tu Voz Estéreo Feliz Navidad - Part 6
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Floor | el suelo (el SWEH-lo) or el piso (el PEE-soh)
In Spain, "floor" (of a house) is typically referred to as suelo. In Latin America, while suelo is also used for floor surfaces, piso is often the preferred term to describe the floor of a house or a building.
"El que tiene muchas sillas para sentarse acaba sentándose en el suelo".
"He who has many chairs to sit on ends up sitting on the floor."
Captions 8-9, Soledad Refranes - Part 2
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Había una cantidad de fotos en el piso
There were a bunch pictures on the floor
Caption 5, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 2 - Part 8
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Window | la ventana (lah ven-TAH-nah)
Y mi hermana y yo corríamos a la ventana
And my sister and I would run to the window
Caption 27, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 1
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Door | la puerta (lah PWEHR-tah)
No. -Ni pa abrir la puerta. Hm!
No. -Not even to open the door. Hmm!
Caption 8, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 6
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Stairs | las escaleras (lahs eh-skah-LEH-rahs)
ya que las escaleras interiores son muy estrechas y empinadas.
since the interior stairs are very narrow and steep.
Caption 21, Viajando con Fermín Ámsterdam - Part 3
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Here are some common ways to talk about different parts of the house in Spanish. Practice these sentences for everyday conversation:
Mi cocina es grande.
My kitchen is big.
La sala tiene un sofá.
The living room has a sofa.
El jardín está detrás de la casa.
The garden is behind the house.
El balcón tiene una vista hermosa.
The balcony has a beautiful view.
El baño está al final del pasillo.
The bathroom is at the end of the hallway.
El comedor es perfecto para cenas familiares.
The dining room is perfect for family dinners.
Mi dormitorio tiene una cama cómoda.
My bedroom has a comfortable bed.
Congratulations! You now know the vocabulary for different parts of the house in Spanish and how to pronounce each word naturally. Practice using these terms in daily conversations to reinforce what you’ve learned. Remember, every time you use these words, you’ll sound more confident and fluent! And don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
If you find yourself a bit lost in a Spanish-speaking country or simply need to know where the closest restaurant, train station, landmark, etc., is located, it's important to know how to ask for directions in Spanish. Today's lesson will teach you some important phrases and vocabulary for doing so.
To approach a stranger, you might say some polite equivalent of "Excuse me," like Permiso, Disculpe or Mande in certain countries, or perhaps some greeting like Hola (Hello) or Buenos días (Good Morning), Buenas tardes (Good afternoon) or Buenas noches (Good evening), depending upon the time of day. We also recommend that, of the many ways to say "you" in Spanish, you choose the more formal one: usted, and/or address the person as señor (sir), señora (ma'am) or señorita (miss). Armed with this information, let's learn some fixed expressions that you could use as openers, all of which essentially mean "Can/could you tell me...?"
¿(Usted) me puede/podría decir...?
¿(Usted) me puede/podría indicar...?
¿(Usted) me puede/podría señalar...?
Now let's hear one of the aforementioned phrases connected to a typical way to ask about the location of something in Spanish:
Eh... ¿Me puede decir dónde está la calle Güemes?
Um... Can you tell me where Güemes Street is?
Caption 33, Español para principiantes Saludos y encuentros
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As we hear, ¿Dónde está(n)...? (Where is/are...?) is one of the most common ways to ask about location in Spanish. Let's learn some more useful phrases to do so:
¿Cómo llego a...? (How do I get to...?)
¿Hay un/a... cerca de aquí? (Is there a... around here?)
¿Sabe si está por aquí...? (Do you know if... is around here?)
¿Cuál es la mejor forma de llegar/ir a...? (What's the best way to get to...?)
Busco/Estoy buscando... (I'm looking for...)
¿Me puede mostrar en el mapa...? (Can you show me on the map...?)
Now, let's hear some of these, on their own or in combination, in action:
Disculpe, ¿hay un aeropuerto por aquí?
Excuse me, is there an airport around here?
Caption 11, Curso de español ¿Disculpe, hay un aeropuerto por aquí?
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Eh... ¿Podría decirme cómo llegar al aeropuerto?
Um... Could you tell me how to get to the airport?
Caption 13, Curso de español ¿Disculpe, hay un aeropuerto por aquí?
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Por cierto, ¿cómo llego a la cascada?
By the way, how do I get to the waterfall?
Caption 69, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Pidiendo direcciones
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¿Usted sabe dónde está el museo del Prado? Usted.
Do you [formal] know where the Prado Museum is? "Usted."
Caption 15, Fundamentos del Español 6 - Tú y Usted
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Next, let's learn some useful vocabulary in anticipation of some answers we might receive upon asking for directions in Spanish.
Let's start with the basic directions, right and left, as well as the cardinal and ordinal directions in Spanish:
la izquierda: left
la derecha: right
el norte: north
el sur: south
el este: east
el oeste: west
el noreste/nordeste: the northeast
el noroeste: the northwest
el sudeste/sureste: the southeast
el sudoeste/suroeste: the southwest
Note that when indicating directions, these words are usually used with the prepositions a (to) or hacia (to/toward). Let's see some examples:
está situado al este de la bahía.
is located to the east of the bay.
Caption 22, Viajando con Fermín Pasajes (Pasaia) - Part 1
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Por ejemplo, si tenemos que ir hacia la derecha, deberemos girar el volante hacia la derecha y si queremos ir hacia la izquierda, deberemos girar el volante hacia la izquierda.
For example, if we have to go right, we will have to turn the steering wheel to the right and if we want to go left, we will have to turn the steering wheel to the left.
Captions 38-41, Raquel y Marisa Aprender a conducir - Part 2
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Interestingly, all of the above-mentioned nouns can also function as adjectives, for example, la punta norte (the northern tip) or el lado izquierdo ("the left side," noting the change from a final "a" to an "o" to agree grammatically with the singular masculine noun). Another example of this is the fact that, like in English, Spanish uses the word mano (hand) to talk about "the right" or "left hand side":
Ve, entrá y la primera oficina que encontrás a mano derecha; ahí es.
Go, go in, and the first office you'll find on the right hand side; it's there.
Caption 74, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 1 - Part 12
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Let's take a look at some additional directional words and phrases.
abajo: down
arriba: up
al lado de: next to
cerca de: close to
enfrente de: in front of/across from
derecho: straight/straight ahead/right
detrás de: behind
recto: straight/straight ahead
todo derecho/recto: straight ahead
As we already learned that the adjective derecho means "right," you may have been surprised to see in the list above that it can also mean "straight" or "straight ahead." Let's see examples of each usage:
¿Sigo derecho y no lo saludo?
Keep going straight and not say hi to him?
Caption 26, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 12
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"Mi guitarra está al lado derecho mío".
"My guitar is on my right side."
Caption 17, Kowy Vocabulario
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Let's take a look at many oft-used verbs for talking about how to get places in Spanish, a few of which we've already seen:
estar: to be located
quedar: to be located
llegar: to get there
seguir: to continue, keep going
doblar: to turn
girar: to turn
tomar: to take
pasar: to pass
cruzar: to cross
Now, let's see a couple of these in clips from the Yabla Spanish video library:
Señora, ¿y usted sabe dónde queda esa whiskería?
Ma'am, and do you know where that whisky bar is?
Caption 82, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 3 - Part 1
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debo girar por la calle de la izquierda.
I should turn down the street on the left.
Caption 50, Raquel Las direcciones
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Finally, we'll look at just a few of the many directions-related nouns that might come up as things to keep your eyes out for on your way to some destination:
el edificio: the building
la señal de pare/alto: the stop sign
el semáforo: the stop light:
el camino: the road
la carretera: the highway
la calle: the street
la esquina: the corner
la intersección: the intersection
Let's conclude today's lesson with a little blurb that includes several of the terms we have learned today:
Cuando salgas, caminas a la derecha, cruzas el semáforo y a tu derecha verás un edificio blanco grande.
When you leave, you walk to the right, you cross the traffic light, and to your right, you'll see a big white building.
Captions 22-24, Cleer y Lida Llegando a una nueva ciudad
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We hope that this vocabulary will help you to feel more confident both asking for directions in Spanish and understanding many potential answers when you do... and don't forget to write us with your questions and suggestions!
How do you say thank you and you're welcome in Spanish? Even most non-Spanish speakers know that gracias is the common, standard way to say "thank you" in Spanish, while the most common response is de nada (you're welcome). Today's lesson will help you spice up your spoken Spanish by learning some additional ways to say thank you and you're welcome in Spanish.
Before going any further, let's hear the Spanish word gracias pronounced, paying particular attention to the way that Spanish speakers pronounce the vowels (it should not sound like "grassy a--"). Then, we suggest you practice it yourself!
Gracias.
Thank you.
Caption 39, Cristina Primeros auxilios
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Note that if you want to say what you are thanking someone "for" in Spanish, you should use the Spanish preposition por (rather than para) as we see here:
Así que gracias por su atención
So, thank you for your attention,
Caption 68, Carlos comenta La sucursal del cielo - Part 1
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This brings us to another common Spanish expression, which is equivalent to the English "Thanks for everything":
Gracias por todo.
Thank you for everything.
Caption 86, Tu Música El Ensamble Latino - Part 3
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Now, let's hear a common way to say "Thank you very much" in Spanish:
Muchas gracias.
Thank you very much.
Caption 96, Casabermeja Gastronomía - Part 2
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If you wish to say "Thank you very much" in Spanish even more emphatically, you might choose the following expression, which includes the augmentative form of muchas, muchísimas:
Muchísimas gracias
Thank you very much
Caption 63, Venezolanos por el mundo Karina en Barcelona - Part 3
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Yet another rough equivalent of "thank you very much" or "thanks so much" is the common Spanish expression mil gracias, which literally means "a thousand thanks":
Mm... no, no, mil gracias. No me gusta el café.
Um... No, no, thanks so much [literally "a thousand thanks"]. I don't like coffee.
Caption 3, Tu Voz Estéreo Embalsamado - Part 8
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In addition to the expressions we just learned, certain verbs or verb phrases can be used to convey gratitude. Below, you'll find several, with examples from our Yabla Spanish library.
Agradecer (to thank/be grateful)
Así que, te agradezco, Fredy,
So, I thank you, Fredy,
Caption 49, Viajando con Carlos El año viejo en Colombia - Part 2
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The direct object pronoun lo is often included in the fixed expression te lo agradezco (I appreciate it, I thank you for it, I'm grateful to you for it) when referring to a specific thing or situation:
Y te lo agradezco, pero la verdad,
And I thank you for it, but honestly,
Caption 17, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 8 - Part 8
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Dar las gracias (to thank/give thanks)
Te vengo a dar las gracias.
I'm coming to thank you.
Caption 7, Club 10 Capítulo 2 - Part 7
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Apreciar (to appreciate)
Bueno... pues le aprecio mucho gobernador que me haya contestado.
Well... I really appreciate you, Governor, for answering me.
Caption 17, ¡Tierra, Sí! Atenco - Part 1
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Estar agradecido (to be grateful)
estoy contenta, estoy agradecida,
I'm happy, I'm grateful,
Caption 64, Amaya Recordando - Part 1
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If you wish to say thank you in a more formal setting, you could choose to address the person you are thanking with usted instead of tú or vos, the more formal of the different Spanish ways to say "you." The expression te lo agradezco would hence change as follows:
Bueno, se lo agradezco.
Well, I thank you for it.
Caption 84, Muñeca Brava 48 - Soluciones - Part 3
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The abbreviated Muy agradecido can also function as an alternative to "Thank you very much" in more formal settings:
Muy agradecido, Don Kevin.
Very grateful, Mister Kevin.
Caption 34, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 3 - Part 7
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Finally, the expression Muy amable (literally "very kind") is often used in place of or along with another way of saying "thank you," as we see in the following two captions:
Eh... Sí, señorita, ya voy para allá. Muy amable.
Um... Yes, miss, I'm going there now. [You're] very kind.
Captions 44-45, Tu Voz Estéreo Laura - Part 15
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Bueno, muchas gracias. Muy amable.
Well, thank you very much. [You're] very kind.
Caption 19, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 4 - Part 10
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As we mentioned in the introduction, de nada (literally "of nothing") is the standard equivalent of "you're welcome" in Spanish. Let's hear it a caption that includes both thank you and you're welcome in Spanish:
¡Ay, muchísimas gracias por tu amabilidad! ¡De nada!
Oh, thank you so much for your kindness! You're welcome!
Captions 37-38, Cleer y Carolina En la estación de buses
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Note that an alternative, albeit less common way to say de nada is por nada.
Let's explore a few different ways to say something similar to "you're welcome" in Spanish, starting with one that literally means something along the lines of "There's no reason (to thank me)."
Yo también. Muchas gracias por admitirme. No hay de qué. Es un placer tenerla con nosotros.
Me too. Thank you very much for accepting me. You're welcome. It's a pleasure to have you with us.
Captions 10-11, Negocios Empezar en un nuevo trabajo - Part 2
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Like in English, "My pleasure" is also a suitable response to someone thanking you, as is simply (it's) "a pleasure":
El placer es mío, Adolfo.
The pleasure is mine, Adolfo.
Caption 39, Yago 6 Mentiras - Part 4
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Gracias por venir, Luis. Un placer, Mónica,
Thank you for coming, Luis. A pleasure, Monica,
Captions 2-3, Escribiendo un libro Algunos consejos sobre cómo comenzar - Part 1
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And, finally, as in English, we could thank the person right back!
Muchas gracias. Gracias a ti.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Captions 50-51, El Aula Azul Los profesores de la escuela - Part 1
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With this in mind, we hope that this lesson has given you a lot of ideas about ways to say thank you and you're welcome in Spanish, beyond just gracias and de nada. Muchísimas gracias por su atención... and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Do you know vocabulary to talk about winter in Spanish? This lesson should get you up to speed on Spanish terms to talk about all things winter... depending upon what part of the world you are in, of course!
First off, do you know how to say "winter" in Spanish? Let's find out in a clip from our Yabla Spanish video library, which also mentions the name of the first of the winter months in Spanish:
En diciembre, empieza el invierno.
In December, winter starts.
Caption 25, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses
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Now let's hear the pronunciation of the next three winter months:
Enero. Febrero. Marzo.
January. February. March.
Captions 2-4, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses
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Having said that, bear in mind that in countries in the southern hemisphere of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the colder, winter months are the opposite:
Junio. Julio. Agosto. Septiembre.
June. July. August. September.
Captions 7-10, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses
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Now that you know how to say "winter" in Spanish and the names of the various months in which it can fall, don't forget to learn or brush up on the terms for the additional seasons in Spanish.
Of course, since some countries are warm year-round, what constitutes "winter clothes" varies depending upon where one lives, as Ana Carolina explains in the following clip:
El Ecuador, al igual que el resto de países latinoamericanos, se encuentra en la zona tórrida, es decir, que acá nunca cae nieve.
Ecuador, just like the rest of Latin American countries, is located in the tropical zone; in other words, snow never falls here.
Captions 34-37, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad
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With this in mind, let's learn some vocabulary to describe Spanish articles of clothing in regions with colder winter climates:
el abrigo: the coat
las botas: the boots
la bufanda: the scarf
el gorro/el sombrero: the hat/cap
los guantes: the gloves
los mitones: the mittens
las orejeras: the earmuffs
el jersey/el suéter: the sweater
el traje de nieve: the snowsuit
Now, let's hear a few of these in a catchy proverb:
"En enero bufanda, abrigo y sombrero".
"In January, scarf, coat, and hat."
Caption 29, Aprendiendo con Silvia Dichos populares - Part 1
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Next, let's go over several additional nouns that are often associated with the winter season:
la bola de nieve: the snowball
el carámbano/el témpano: the icicle
la chimenea/el hogar: the fireplace
el copo de nieve: the snowflake
el esquí: skiing
el frío: the cold
el hombre de nieve/el muñeco de nieve: the snowman
la nieve: the snow
el patinaje sobre hielo: ice skating
los patines de hielo: the ice skates
la pelea de bolas de nieve: the snowball fight
la pista de patinaje sobre hielo: the ice skating rink
la tabla de snowboard: the snowboard
la tormenta de nieve: the snowstorm
el trineo: the sled
Let's listen to a few of these pronounced in excerpts from Yabla Spanish videos:
Sin embargo, la nieve y los muñecos de nieve
However, snow and snowmen
Caption 38, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad
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Cuando tengo una pelea de bolas de nieve, tengo que llevar guantes.
When I have a snowball fight, I have to wear gloves.
Captions 13-14, Aprendiendo con Zulbany Piensa rápido - Part 1
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Up next are some winter verbs for talking about sports, activities, and weather phenomena:
andar en trineo: to sled
calentarse: to get warm
congelarse: to freeze
derretirse: to melt
deslizarse: to slip
encender una hoguera/un fuego: to build a fire
esquíar: to ski
hacer frío: to be cold
hacer snowboard: to snowboard
hacer un muñeco de nieve: to build a snowman
hibernar: to hibernate
lanzar bolas de nieve: to throw snowballs
nevar: to snow
patinar sobre hielo: to ice skate
resfriarse: to catch a cold
To learn more ways to talk about catching a cold in Spanish, check out our lesson on sickness and health in Spanish. In the meantime, let's hear a few of these winter verbs in context along with some of our previously mentioned winter nouns:
La nieve es muy molesta cuando se empieza a derretir, pero también es muy emocionante cuando empieza a nevar.
The snow is very annoying when it starts to melt, but it is also very exciting when it begins to snow.
Captions 39-40, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2
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y por la tarde encendíamos un fuego en la chimenea.
and in the afternoon, we would light a fire in the fireplace.
Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3
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Let's conclude by learning some wintery adjectives!
blanco: white
brillante/reluciente: sparkling, glittering
gélido/glacial: icy, frosty
cubierto de nieve/nevado/níveo: snowy
congelado/helado: frozen, freezing, chilly, frosty
derretido: melted
encapotado/nublado/nubloso: cloudy
escurridizo/resbaladizo: slippery
frío: cold/chilly
fundente: melting
gris: gray, dreary
medio derretido: slushy
mojado: wet
neblinoso: misty, foggy
Let's hear two of these in context. Note that in the first caption, the singular masculine adjective níveo has been modified to the plural feminine form níveas to agree with the plural feminine noun las blancuras. This is due to the fact that there must be gender and number agreement in Spanish between adjectives and the nouns they modify.
Entre las blancuras níveas
Among the snowy whiteness
Caption 38, Acercándonos a la Literatura José Asunción Silva - "Nocturno III"
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Si el invierno se hace helado me prendo
If the winter gets freezing, I turn myself on
Caption 11, Jorge Celedón, Vicentico Si Me Dejan
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That's all for this lesson, which we hope has helped you to feel more confident to talk in Spanish about many things you might do, wear, feel, or see during the winter season. For more seasonal vocabulary, be sure to check out our lessons on Spanish vocabulary for autumn, expressions for summer, and words for spring! And don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Generally speaking, there are three main meals that many people eat each day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Do you know how to say the names of those three meals in Spanish? Let's see how the answer to that question depends upon where you happen to be in the Spanish-speaking world.
If you are in Spain or Mexico, the following are the names of the three main daily meals:
es la hora del desayuno
it's breakfast time,
Caption 7, Clase Aula Azul Acciones habituales y en este momento - Part 1
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Todos los días, hago la comida a mediodía
Every day, I make lunch at midday
Caption 24, Ariana Mi Casa
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y normalmente cuando llego a casa, me hago la cena,
and usually when I get home, I make myself dinner,
Caption 30, El Aula Azul Actividades Diarias
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In the following clip, our Mexican friend Karla mentions all three of these daily meals as she tells us how, in her country, tacos can be eaten at any time of the day!
Eh... Puedes encontrar tacos en todas las esquinas, en todas las ciudades de todo México y puedes comerlo, en realidad, de desayuno, de comida o de cena,
Um... You can find tacos on every corner, in every city throughout Mexico, and you can eat it, actually, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner,
Captions 37-39, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y los tacos - Part 2
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In contrast, in most Latin American countries, the names of the three main meals are as follows:
Hoy es domingo y vamos a hacer el desayuno.
Today is Sunday, and we're going to make breakfast.
Captions 6-7, Quito Desayuno con Julia
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Al mediodía, preparo el almuerzo.
At noon, I make lunch.
Caption 14, GoSpanish La rutina diaria de Maru
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While some places use the word comida (e.g. Colombia), others use the term cena (e.g. Argentina). Let's hear a couple of clips:
¿Qué es la comida?
What's for dinner?
Caption 9, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 1 - Part 3
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Bueno, espero que lleguemos justo para la cena porque tengo un hambre que me muero.
Well, I hope that we are arriving just [in time] for dinner because I am dying of hunger.
Caption 49, Muñeca Brava 44 El encuentro - Part 6
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As we have just seen, the main difference between the meals of the day in Spain and Mexico vs. other Latin American countries is the term people use to talk about lunch. However, if you happen to hear the word almuerzo in Spain, you should be aware that, in that country, almuerzo refers to a mid-morning snack. In addition, it is very common for Spanish people to enjoy an afternoon snack called la merienda. Let's hear Raquel and Marisa explain this in detail:
El almuerzo es lo que tomamos entre el desayuno y la comida. Pero además tenemos la merienda y la cena. La merienda suele ser a las seis de la tarde. Y la cena es la última comida del día.
The mid-morning snack is what we have between breakfast and lunch. But in addition, we have the afternoon snack and dinner. The afternoon snack is usually at six in the afternoon. And dinner is the last meal of the day.
Captions 30-33, Raquel Presentaciones
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That's all for this lesson. We hope you learned some new words today, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.
Now that you've learned how to introduce yourself in Spanish, let's go over some basic questions and answers when telling others about ourselves or asking about them.
Asking someone where they are from might be a common introductory question when getting to know someone. Let's take a look at both the tú (informal "you") and usted (formal "you") forms of this question:
O, ¿de dónde eres? ¿De dónde es?
Or, where are you from? [with "tú"]. Where are you from? [with "usted"].
Captions 13-14, Karla e Isabel Tú y Usted
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And, what if someone asks you this question? You might use the construction Yo soy de (I'm from) to say the city, country, etc. you come from. Let's see some examples:
Yo soy de San Fernando, Cádiz.
I am from San Fernando, Cádiz.
Caption 27, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 21
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Yo soy de Argentina, de la provincia de Córdoba, eh... exactamente de un pueblito que se llama Río Ceballos,
I'm from Argentina, from the province of Córdoba, um... precisely from a little town called Río Ceballos;
Captions 8-9, Luana y Fede Viajes
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Alternatively, you might say your nationality, particularly when talking about yourself in a foreign country:
Yo soy argentina.
I'm Argentine.
Caption 53, Carlos y Cyndy Uso del Voseo en Argentina
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soy español,
I'm Spanish,
Caption 2, Madrid Un recorrido por la capital de España
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To learn more about how to talk about nationalities in Spanish, check out this lesson on Adjectives of Nationality in Spanish. Let's explore some additional common questions/answers when getting acquainted with someone in Spanish.
Another is common question you might ask or get asked is, "What do you do (for a living)"? Let's explore a few ways to ask this question:
Bueno, perdón. ¿Tú a qué te dedicas?
Well, sorry. What do you do?
Caption 48, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 5 - Part 9
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¿En qué trabajas tú, Inmaculada?
In what [field] do you work, Inmaculada?
Caption 31, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 12
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The usted versions would be "¿Usted a qué se dedica?" and "¿En qué trabaja usted?" Another possible way to ask this question is:
¿Cuál es tu/su trabajo?
What's your job?
Now, let's look at some possible responses.
Me dedico a vender la leche.
I sell milk for a living.
Caption 2, Milkman Milk Seller, Nicaragua
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Yo trabajo en una tienda de ropa de segunda mano... -Ah...
I work at a second hand clothing store... -Oh...
Caption 69, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 14
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No, yo soy azafata.
No, I'm a flight attendant.
Caption 49, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 5 - Part 9
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Note that when talking about your profession in Spanish, the appropriate verb is ser ("to be" for fixed characteristics) rather than estar ("to be" for more temporary states) and that, in Spanish, unlike English, you don't include the article. For that reason, the aforementioned example reads soy azafata rather than soy una azafata.
The ways to say "How old are you?" in Spanish are "¿Cuántos años tienes?" when using tú and "¿Cuántos años tiene?" with addressing someone with usted. Let's hear the tú version in action:
¿Tú cuántos años tienes, Mariano?
How old are you, Mariano?
Caption 69, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 6
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To answer this question, we use the verb tener años, which literally means "to have years," inserting the correct number of years between these two words. This is the Spanish equivalent of "being (a certain number) of years old." Let's take a look:
Tengo dieciséis años.
I'm sixteen years old.
Caption 7, Cleer Entrevista a Lila
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If you'd like to learn or refresh your Spanish numbers, check out the lesson The Numbers from One to One Hundred in Spanish.
In this caption, you will hear both the question and answer to this question.
¿Y eres casado o soltero? Estoy casado con una mujer italiana de Nápoles.
And are you married or single? I'm married to an Italian woman from Naples.
Captions 8-9, Carlos y Xavi Part 2 Ustedes y Vosotros
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You might notice that in the example above, the first speaker uses the verb ser, saying "¿Y eres casado...?" instead of "¿Y estás casado?" while the second speaker uses the verb estar to answer. Although the adjective casado/a (married) is traditionally used with the verb estar, you might hear it used with ser in some Spanish-speaking regions. For more on the nuances of these two verbs, check out Ser vs. Estar- Yo Soy and Ser vs. Estar- Yo Estoy.
We ask both of these questions with the Spanish verb tener (to have), which is conjugated as tiene with usted and tienes with tú. Let's hear how to ask these two questions with tú:
¿Tienes hijos? -No.
Do you have children? -No.
Caption 87, Adícora, Venezuela El tatuaje de Rosana
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¿Tienes hermanos o hermanas?
Do you have brothers or sisters?
Caption 5, Carlos y Xavi Part 2 Ustedes y Vosotros
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It is worth noting that, as the plural masculine noun los hermanos could refer to either just "brothers" or to both "brothers and sisters" or "siblings," you could simply say "¿Tienes hermanos?" when asking if someone has brothers and/or sisters. Similarly, los hijos could specifically mean "sons" or include both male and female "children." The singular and plural feminine nouns la(s) hermana(s) and la(s) hijas, on the other hand, refer to specifically female "sister(s)" and "daughter(s)." With that in mind, let's look at some potential answers to these questions:
Yo tengo dos hijos pequeños y...
I have two small children, and...
Caption 66, El Aula Azul Un día de surf
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Y, bueno, eh... tengo una hija de ocho años, ya sabéis.
And, well, um... I have an eight-year-old daughter, you already know.
Caption 26, Clase Aula Azul La segunda condicional - Part 1
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Sí, tengo una hermana más pequeña que tiene tres años menos.
Yes, I have a younger sister who is three years younger.
Caption 6, Carlos y Xavi Part 2 Ustedes y Vosotros
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Let's move on to our last common question when getting to know someone in Spanish.
Here are some possible ways to broach the topic of what people like to do when they aren't working.
¿qué te gusta hacer?
what do you like to do?
Caption 24, Cleer Entrevista a Lila
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¿Qué cosas te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Caption 15, El Aula Azul Los profesores de la escuela - Part 1
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Or, you could simply say: "¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre?" A good formula for answering what you like to do is to say (a mí) me gusta (I like) or (a mí) me encanta (I love) plus a verb in the infinitive. Let's see some examples:
Me gusta salir a rumbear...
I like to go out dancing...
Caption 15, Zoraida Lo que gusta hacer
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Pues, me gusta escuchar música, eh... pintar, y me gusta viajar mucho.
Well, I like to listen to music, um... paint, and I like to travel a lot.
Captions 25-26, Cleer Entrevista a Lila
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y me encanta ir a la playa con mis amigos.
and I love going to the beach with my friends.
Caption 39, Clara y Cristina Saludar
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We hope that this lesson has helped you learn some basic questions/answers for getting to know someone and telling them about yourself. Can you think of any other preliminary question you would like to learn to ask or answer in Spanish? Feel free to let us know with your suggestions and comments.
Are you preparing for your first conversation in Spanish? Learning how to introduce yourself properly is the foundation of making connections in any language. This comprehensive guide will walk you through all the essential Spanish introduction phrases you need to make a great first impression.
The first step in any introduction is the greeting. Spanish offers several options depending on the time of day and level of formality:
Like in English, you would often begin introducing yourself in Spanish by saying hello to the person:
¡Hola!
Hello!
Caption 66, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 16
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This simple greeting works in any situation, but you can also use time-specific greetings:
¡Buenos días!
Good morning!
Caption 2, Amaya La historia de Lukas
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Note that in some countries, like Argentina, it is more common to hear the singular version, Buen día. If it's later in the day (from about noon to sunset), you'd more likely hear Buenas tardes (Good afternoon/evening):
Buenas tardes.
Good afternoon.
Caption 31, Cita médica La cita médica de Cleer - Part 1
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And later than that, you might hear Buenas noches (literally "good night"). Note that in contrast to "Good night" in English, Buenas noches can be used as a greeting rather than just to send someone off to bed or say goodbye. That said, "Good evening" might be a more appropriate translation in that context.
Muy buenas noches, bienvenida. -Hola, buenas noches.
Good evening, welcome. -Hello, good evening.
Caption 32, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 5 - Part 2
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After greeting someone, it's customary to ask how they're doing. The phrasing depends on whether you're using the formal or informal "you":
¿Cómo está usted?
How are you?
Caption 25, Cleer y Lida Saludar en español
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Of course, because there are several ways to say "you" in Spanish (usted is the singular, more formal form), this phrase might be adjusted to "¿Cómo estás tú?" or "¿Cómo estás vos?" to address one person informally. And while there are additional ways to say "you" to more than one person in Spanish, for the purposes of today's lesson, we will stick to the singular forms.
Let's see another way to say "How are you?"
¿Y cómo te va?
And how are you?
Caption 38, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 8 - Part 1
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The more formal alternative with usted would be: "¿Y cómo le va (a usted)?" However, regardless of the formality of the situation or to how many people you are speaking, you can always use the following simple phrase:
Hola, ¿qué tal?
Hello, how are you?
Caption 1, Amaya Apertura del refugio
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As the person to whom you are speaking will most likely respond by asking you how you are, we should give you some common answers to the aforementioned questions. Let's start with an answer to "¿Cómo está(s)?"
Muy bien, ¿y tú?
Very well, and you?
Caption 17, Español para principiantes Saludos y encuentros
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If you are addressing one another with usted, you would instead say "¿y usted?"
In contrast, if someone asks you '¿Cómo te/le va?" you might answer: "Bien, ¿y a ti?" or "Bien, ¿y a usted?"
Although bien (well) or muy bien (very well) are by far the most common ways to answer the question of how you are, particularly when meeting someone for the first time, if you are interested in learning more about ways to say you are just OK, we recommend this lesson entitled ¿Qué tal? Ni bien ni mal (How Are You? Neither Good Nor Bad).
Now that we have gotten some formalities out of the way, it's time to say your name! Here are three common ways to do so:
Yo me llamo Lida.
My name is Lida.
Caption 12, Cleer y Lida Saludar en español
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Mi nombre es Diego Velázquez.
My name is Diego Velázquez.
Caption 9, Adícora, Venezuela Los fisioterapeutas
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Hola, yo soy Cleer.
Hello, I'm Cleer.
Caption 1, Recetas de cocina Arepas colombianas
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And now, the moment has arrived to ask the other person their name:
¿Y cómo te llamas tú?
And, what's your name?
Caption 11, Cleer y Lida Saludar en español
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¿Cómo se llama usted?
What is your name?
Caption 97, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 10
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¿Cuál es tu nombre?
What's your name?
Caption 10, Cleer y Lida Llegando a una nueva ciudad
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The usted form is: "¿Cuál es su nombre?"
When introducing yourself in Spanish, as in English, you should probably say something along the lines of "Nice to meet you." Here are several options:
Mucho gusto, Samuel.
Nice to meet you, Samuel.
Caption 29, Conversaciones en el parque Cap. 3: ¿De quién es esta mochila?
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Un placer, Mónica,
A pleasure, Monica,
Caption 3, Escribiendo un libro Algunos consejos sobre cómo comenzar - Part 1
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Hola, guapa. -Hola. -Encantada. -Encantada de conocerte.
Hello, beautiful. -Hello. -[A] pleasure. -[A] pleasure to meet you.
Caption 8, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 2
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And, if someone says one of those things to you, you might respond by saying "Igualmente" or "Yo también" (Me too).
Hola Cristóbal, encantada. -Igualmente.
Hello, Cristobal. Pleased [to meet you]. -Me too.
Caption 35, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 2
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Now let's see how to combine all these elements into complete introductions:
"¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? Me llamo Carlos. ¿Y tú, cómo te llamas? [...] Mucho gusto, Laura. ¿Cómo estás? [...] Yo estoy muy bien, gracias."
Translation: "Hello! How are you? My name is Carlos. And you, what's your name? [...] Nice to meet you, Laura. How are you? [...] I'm very well, thank you."
"Buenos días. Mi nombre es Ana Gómez. ¿Cómo se llama usted? [...] Encantada de conocerle, Señor Martínez. ¿Cómo está usted? [...] Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y usted?"
Translation: "Good morning. My name is Ana Gómez. What is your name? [...] Pleased to meet you, Mr. Martínez. How are you? [...] I'm well, thank you. And you?"
Learning how to introduce yourself in Spanish opens doors to meaningful conversations and connections. Practice these phrases until they become second nature, and soon you'll be ready to move beyond introductions to having more in-depth conversations.
If you'd like to hear many of these phrases in the context of both informal and formal conversations, we recommend the video Saludar en español (Greeting in Spanish). We hope you have enjoyed this lesson on how to introduce yourself in Spanish, and don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
Do you know how to say years in Spanish? Whether you're discussing historical events or talking about recent years, knowing how to express years correctly in Spanish is essential. In English, we know that 1985 is written "nineteen eighty-five." What about saying years in Spanish? Let's explore the rules you need to know for writing and pronouncing years in Spanish correctly. Make sure you listen carefully to the clips in this lesson so you master how to say years in Spanish with proper pronunciation.
If you want to learn how to say years in Spanish, you must first master cardinal numbers in Spanish from 1 to 1,000. There's simply no way around this fundamental requirement for expressing years in Spanish.
Do you want to refresh your knowledge of Spanish numbers from 1 to 100? If you do, please check out the following lesson:
Now, let's recall the hundreds in Spanish. For numbers from 101 to 199, you will need to use the word "ciento." Let's check out some examples of how to say these numbers in Spanish:
Madrid AB ciento treinta y cinco con destino Nueva York, John F. Kennedy.
Madrid AB one hundred thirty-five to New York, John F. Kennedy."
Captions 32-33, Raquel Avisos de Megafonía
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Cuenta con una vista privilegiada de toda la ciudad de alrededor de ciento ochenta grados.
It has an extraordinary one-hundred-eighty-degree view of the whole city.
Caption 65, Quito El Panecillo
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For expressing years in Spanish from 200 to 999, you will need to use the multiples of 100 in Spanish. Let's review them:
doscientos (two hundred)
trescientos (three hundred)
cuatrocientos (four hundred)
quinientos (five hundred)
seiscientos (six hundred)
setecientos (seven hundred)
ochocientos (eight hundred)
novecientos (nine hundred)
And, of course, let's not forget about mil (one thousand)!
Now that we have reviewed these numbers, let's see how to write and pronounce some historical years in Spanish.
Learning to say historical years in Spanish is crucial for discussing important events. Here are some examples of how to express historical years in Spanish:
Cristóbal Colón descubrió América en mil cuatrocientos noventa y dos.
Christopher Columbus discovered America in fourteen ninety-two.
Caption 34, Carlos explica El pretérito Cap. 1: Perfecto simple o Indefinido
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Mil seiscientos noventa y siete, invasión francesa a Cartagena,
Sixteen ninety-seven, French invasion of Cartagena,
Caption 12, Cartagena de Indias Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas
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El ingenio más antiguo de Europa, que data del año mil setecientos veintiocho,
The oldest factory in Europe, which dates back to the year seventeen hundred twenty-eight,
Captions 36-37, Viajando con Fermín Frigiliana, Málaga
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The twentieth century was one of the most defining centuries in human history. For this reason, we often need to express years from that century in Spanish. If you want to write and pronounce those years in Spanish correctly, you will need to use the following formula for saying years in Spanish:
mil + novecientos + the number
Let's examine some examples of how to say twentieth-century years in Spanish:
y fue construida en el año mil novecientos.
and was built in nineteen hundred.
Caption 77, Viajando con Fermín Mijas Pueblo
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Fue realizado en mil novecientos veintidós
It was made in nineteen twenty-two
Caption 37, Marisa en Madrid Parque de El Retiro
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En mil novecientos ochenta y cinco, sucedieron muchas cosas buenas.
In nineteen eighty-five, many good things happened.
Caption 2, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 1 - Part 2
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If you want to know how to say years in Spanish after the year 2000, you need to use this simple formula for modern years in Spanish:
dos + mil + the number
Let's look at some examples to see just how easy it is to express these contemporary years in Spanish:
y murió hace algunos años en el dos mil dos.
and died some years ago in two thousand two.
Caption 9, San Sebastián Peine del viento
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En dos mil trece, recibió más de cuatro millones de visitantes,
In two thousand thirteen, it received more than four million visitors,
Captions 6-7, Marisa en Madrid Parque de El Retiro
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Y este dos mil veinte, que es un año bisiesto,
And this two thousand twenty, which is a leap year,
Caption 7, El coronavirus Introducción y vocabulario
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As you can see, learning how to say years in Spanish is quite manageable once you understand the patterns! By mastering Spanish cardinal numbers and these simple formulas, you'll be able to express any year in Spanish with confidence. We hope this comprehensive guide on how to say years in Spanish has been helpful, and please feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions you might have! ¡Hasta la próxima!
Do you ever feel like practicing your Spanish over the phone? In this lesson, we would like to share with you the most important verbs you need to know when making or talking about a phone call. Also, we will show you the words you can use if you are wondering how to answer the phone in Spanish.
This is probably the most important verb when you want to indicate that you are making a call. Let's see some useful sentences.
When you are about to call someone:
Un momento, voy a llamar por teléfono.
One moment, I'm going to call [them].
Caption 6, Ariana - Cita médica
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When you want to say that you called someone:
Cuando llamé por teléfono, era para hablar con Lucio.
When I called on the phone, it was to talk to Lucio.
Caption 23, Yago - 14 La peruana
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When you want to indicate that someone called someone:
La primera vez que tu papá me llamó, no fue a la casa.
The first time your dad called me, it was not to the house.
Caption 42, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 5
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Of course, when you call someone, you expect an answer. Let's see this verb in action.
Disculpa, estaba en una reunión y no pude responder tu llamada.
Sorry, I was in a meeting and I couldn't answer your call.
You can also use the verb contestar (to answer) in this situation:
Que pena, discúlpame.
I'm sorry, excuse me.
Tengo que contestar esta llamada.
I have to answer this call.
Captions 8-9, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3 - Part 1
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The example above also provides us with another very useful noun: llamada (a call).
By the way, do you know how to answer the phone in Spanish? In English, we say 'hello' but what's about in Spanish? There are several options:
Literally, bueno means 'fine' or 'well'. However, in this context, you can take bueno as a simple 'hello'. This way of answering the phone is very common in Mexico.
This is the Spanish equivalent of 'hello'.
Literally, this means 'yes'. It is also a very normal way of answering the phone in Spanish.
The translation of this is 'tell me'. A very common way of answering the phone in Spain.
This way of answering the phone is very popular in Colombia. It works as a simple 'hello'.
Some people prefer to answer the phone according to the time of the day so you can say buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon) or buenas noches (good night).
This is the verb you use when you need to get off the phone.
When you want to tell someone that you need to go:
Oye, tengo que colgar porque vamos a comer.
Listen, I have to hang up because we're going to eat.
Captions 56-57, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 8
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When you want to say that someone hung up on you or someone else:
Una mina llamó por teléfono a tu celular.
A girl called your cell phone.
Elena atendió, ella preguntó por vos y entonces Elena le dijo,
Elena answered, she asked for you and then Elena said to her,
"¿Quién habla?"
"Who is it?"
Y la mina colgó.
And the girl hung up.
Captions 43-45, Yago - 11 Prisión
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From the example above, you can also see that the verb atender (to respond) is another verb you can use instead of responder (to answer). Also, keep in mind that when talking about a smartphone you use the word celular throughout Latin America and the word móvil in Spain. If you prefer, you can also use the word teléfono (telephone).
Of course, you talk over the phone so if you want to express that action, you can say it like our friend Silvia from El Aula Azul:
Estoy hablando por teléfono.
I'm talking on the telephone.
Yo hablo por teléfono.
I talk on the telephone.
Captions 49-50, El Aula Azul - Actividades diarias: En casa con Silvia
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A phone call is about listening to someone else so this is a very important verb especially when you want to make sure the other person is able to listen to you.
Me puedes escuchar?
Can you hear me?
You can also use the verb oir (to hear) in this context:
¿Qué tal?
How are you?
Muy bien.
Very well.
Y ahora que te oigo, de maravilla.
And now that I hear you, wonderful.
Captions 33-35, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3 - Part 13
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And that's it for today. Are you ready to make a phone call in Spanish? We hope so. And don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions.
How many question words in Spanish are you familiar with? Do you know how to write a question in Spanish? Asking questions is one of the most important skills you need to master in the language you are learning. In this lesson, we will learn the most important interrogative words in Spanish. However, before we explore those words, let's discuss a couple of things about asking questions in Spanish.
'Pregunta' is how you say the word 'question' in Spanish. 'Pregunta' is a feminine noun and its plural form is 'preguntas'. Let's practice the pronunciation of this term:
Kevin, la pregunta es:
Kevin, the question is:
Caption 13, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 1
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Los voy a dejar con cuatro preguntas.
I am going to leave you with four questions.
Caption 48, Carlos explica - Tuteo, ustedeo y voseo: Ustedes y vosotros
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Do you know how to write a question in Spanish? Let's take a look at the basic structure of a question in Spanish.
To begin with, you need to stick to the rules of Spanish punctuation. Because of that, when you write a question in Spanish you need to remember that question marks are always double-sided. In other words, you need to start the question with an opening question mark (¿) and end it with a closing one (?):
¿Cómo es Japón?
What's Japan like?
¿Qué te gusta de Japón?
What do you like about Japan?
Captions 69-70, Clase Aula Azul - Pedir deseos
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Let's start with simple questions. Believe it or not, for these kinds of questions your intonation is what matters the most. You basically make Yes/No questions by transforming a statement into a question. The Spanish question structure for these kinds of questions is the following:
¿ + (subject) + conjugated verb + (additional information) + ?
Please note that the terms in parenthesis are optional. Let's see a couple of examples:
A Pedro le gusta comer pizza. (Pedro likes to eat pizza.)
¿A Pedro le gusta comer pizza? (Does Pedro like to eat pizza?)
For negative questions, you just need to place a "no" before the conjugated verb.
No quieres estudiar. (You don't want to study.)
¿No quieres estudiar? (Don't you want to study?)
Go ahead and play the following clips so you can hear the intonation of the following Yes/No questions. Notice how the pitch of the speaker's voice gets higher at the end of the sentence when asking questions in Spanish:
Mmm... ¿Quieres ir al cine?
Mmm... Do you want to go to the movies?
-Sí, ¡buena idea!
-Yes, good idea!
Captions 45-46, Conversaciones en el parque - Cap. 5: Me gusta mucho este parque.
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¿Necesitas ayuda?
Do you need help?
-Mmm... Sí.
-Mmm... Yes.
Captions 9-10, Español para principiantes - La hora
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¿No conoces Manhattan?
You don't know Manhattan?
Caption 37, Yago - 2 El puma
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As you can see, it is very common to start Yes/No questions with a conjugated verb.
The following is the Spanish question structure you need to keep mind when your question is aimed at getting some sort of information:
¿ + (preposition) + question word + conjugated verb + (additional information) + ?
Please note that the terms in parenthesis are optional. Let's see a couple of examples:
¡Oh! ¿Dónde está el cajero automático?
Oh! Where's the ATM?
Caption 36, Natalia de Ecuador - Palabras de uso básico
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In the example above, we have the following structure:
¿ + question word (dónde) + conjugated verb (está) + additional information (el cajero automático) + ?
Let's listen to another clip:
¿Desde cuándo tienes este piso?
Since when have you had this apartment?
Caption 35, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos
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In this last example, the Spanish question structure is the following:
¿ + preposition (desde) + question word (cuándo) + conjugated verb (tienes) + additional information (este piso) + ?
Now that we have seen the structure of a question, let's take a look at some Spanish question words in sentences.
It's time to review the most important interrogative words in Spanish. If you are thinking about WH questions, you are right. Let's find out what the Spanish question words are for 'what', 'which', 'when', 'where', 'who', 'why' and 'how'.
For your reference, here's a list of the top question words in Spanish.
What / Which (Qué / Cuál)
When (Cuándo)
Where (Dónde)
Who (Quién)
Why (Por qué)
How (Cómo)
Now, let's see each one of these question words in action with a list of some of the most basic Spanish questions you can ask.
And now, let's dive into our list.
What / Which (Qué / Cuál)
Diremos, "¿Qué hora es?"
We'll say, "What time is it?"
Caption 49, Español para principiantes - La hora
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O, ¿A qué te dedicas?
Or, What do you do? [with "tú"].
Caption 17, Karla e Isabel - Tú y Usted
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Oye, y ¿en qué trabajas?
Hey, and what do you do [for a living]?
Caption 82, Ricardo - La compañera de casa
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Por supuesto; ¿cuál es su dirección de correo?
Of course; what is your e-mail address?
Caption 69, Negocios - Empezar en un nuevo trabajo
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¿Recuerdas cuál era la copa para servir vino?
Do you remember which cup was the one for serving wine?
Caption 36, Ana Carolina - El comedor
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When (Cuándo)
¿Y cuándo hizo el "check-in"?
And when did he check-in?
Caption 13, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3
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¿Cuándo terminas de estudiar?
When do you finish studying?
Caption 72, Carlos explica - Tuteo, ustedeo y voseo: Conjugación
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Where (Dónde)
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from?
Caption 36, Curso de español - ¿De dónde eres?
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Y ¿en dónde vives?
And where do you live?
Caption 8, Cleer - Entrevista a Lila
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Let's see a couple of clips from Raquel to see the kind of questions you ask when you want to find out where something is located:
¿Me podrías decir dónde está el baño?
Could you tell me where the bathroom is?
Caption 7, Raquel - Expresiones para un festival de música.
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¿Sabes dónde hay alguna farmacia?
Do you know where there's a pharmacy?
Caption 24, Raquel - Expresiones para un festival de música.
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Who (Quién)
We use 'who' when we want to find out someone's identity. Let's see a couple of examples:
Mi jugador favorito juega en el Real Madrid.
My favorite player plays for Real Madrid.
¿Quién es?
Who is it?
Captions 19-20, El Aula Azul - Las Profesiones
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¿Usted quién es?
Who are you?
Roberto. Un amigo.
Roberto. A friend.
Captions 24-25, Yago - 9 Recuperación
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Why (Por qué)
¿Por qué dices eso? -No...
Why are you saying that? -No...
Caption 14, Cortometraje - Beta
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How (Cómo)
Para saludar, podemos decir: "Hola. ¿Cómo estás? ¿Todo bien?"
To greet (people), we can say: "Hello. How are you? (Is) everything good?"
Caption 7, Español en las calles - Varias expresiones
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Keep in mind that the word 'cómo' is not always translated as the English word 'how'. In fact, one of the most basic Spanish questions you can ask is a good example of that:
Buenos días, ¿cómo te llamas?
Good morning, what's your name?
Caption 8, La rutina diaria - La mañana
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When we want to find out someone's age or the price of an object, we combine 'how' with other words such as 'old' or 'much'. When we want to get that kind of information, we use other interrogative words in Spanish. Let's take a look:
Ah, lindo.
Oh, nice.
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much does it cost?
Captions 33-34, Natalia de Ecuador - Palabras de uso básico
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¿Cuántos años tienes?
How old are you?
Caption 6, Cleer - Entrevista a Lila
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Ah, vale. ¿Cuántos hijos tienes?
Oh, OK. How many sons do you have?
Caption 39, Clase Aula Azul - El verbo parecer
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¿Y cuántas botellas de agua hay aquí?
And how many bottles of water are there here?
Caption 78, Español para principiantes - Los números del 1 al 100
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And that's it for now. We hope you use this review of the most important Spanish question words as the perfect excuse to start asking questions in Spanish. Are you ready? We encourage you to do that and don't forget to send us your questions and comments.
If you want to engage in everyday conversation in Spanish, knowing how to talk about the weather is essential. Whether you're making small talk with locals, discussing your day, or planning activities, weather vocabulary will prove indispensable. In this practical guide, we'll explore the most common and useful expressions to discuss weather conditions in Spanish.
In Spanish, there are two main terms used to refer to "weather":
El tiempo and el clima both refer to weather, but with subtle differences:
El tiempo generally refers to the current atmospheric conditions
El clima typically describes the weather patterns of a region over time
incluso, cuando el tiempo es bueno, se puede ver Gibraltar y África.
including, when the weather is good, one can see Gibraltar and Africa.
Caption 9, Mijas perla dell'Andalucia
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El clima es fantástico y la comida, aún mejor.
The weather is fantastic and the food, even better.
Caption 46, Feria de Vinos Españoles en Londres Bodegas Castell D'Age
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The weather forecast is called el pronóstico del tiempo. You might say "Según el pronóstico del tiempo, mañana va a llover" (According to the weather forecast, it's going to rain tomorrow).
les informo que el pronóstico del tiempo dice que las lluvias llegarán pronto.
I inform you that the weather forecast says that the rains will come soon.
Captions 25-26, Kikirikí Agua - Part 8
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In Spanish, we use specific structures to talk about temperature. Let's explore the most common expressions you'll need for everyday conversations:
The most common structure for describing weather is "hace + [adjective]":
Hace calor. (It's hot.)
Hace frío. (It's cold.)
Hace fresco. (It's cool.)
Hace buen tiempo. (It's good weather.)
Hace mal tiempo. (It's bad weather.)
Hace viento. (It's windy.)
Los países donde hace calor.
Countries where it's hot.
Caption 81, Clase Aula Azul El verbo gustar - Part 5
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Another important structure uses "está + [condition]":
Está nublado. (It's cloudy.)
Está despejado. (It's clear.)
Está soleado. (It's sunny.)
Está lloviendo. (It's raining.)
Está nevando. (It's snowing.)
Está lloviendo muy fuerte hoy. Voy a ponerme mis botas de agua.
It's raining really hard today. I'm going to put on my rain boots.
Captions 48-49, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 1
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To express how you personally feel regarding temperature:
Tengo frío. (I'm cold.)
Tengo calor. (I'm hot.)
Estoy congelado/a. (I'm freezing.)
Estoy sudando. (I'm sweating.)
Remember, in Spanish we say "tengo frío/calor" (literally "I have cold/heat") rather than "estoy frío/calor" (literally "I am cold/hot"). This is an important distinction to make as a Spanish learner, since it's different from how we express this feeling in English.
¡Ay, tengo calor! -Vale.
Oh, I'm hot! -OK.
Caption 106, El Aula Azul Ester y Paula
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Rain vocabulary is essential in Spanish, especially for countries with rainy seasons:
Llueve - It's raining
Está lloviendo - It's raining
Llovizna - It's drizzling
Chispea - It's sprinkling
Llueve mucho - It's raining a lot
Ha dejado de llover - It has stopped raining
Va a llover - It's going to rain
"Creo que más tarde va a llover".
"I think that it's going to rain later."
Caption 34, Carlos explica Cómo expresar opiniones en español - Part 1
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Here's how to describe sunny and clear weather:
Hace sol - It's sunny
Hay sol - There's sun
Está soleado - It's sunny
Está despejado - It's clear
El cielo está despejado - The sky is clear
Hay mucho sol - There's a lot of sun
El sol está fuerte - The sun is strong
El día está precioso. El cielo está superdespejado.
The day is beautiful. The sky is totally clear.
Captions 42-43, Eduardo y Luciana de Argentina Historia del Rio
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For cloudy and foggy conditions:
Está nublado - It's cloudy
Hay nubes - There are clouds
El cielo está nublado - The sky is cloudy
Está parcialmente nublado - It's partly cloudy
Hay niebla - There's fog
Está brumoso - It's foggy
Mi amiga Amaya os habló de este lugar maravilloso que hoy está un poco nublado, pero una temperatura ideal.
My friend Amaya talked to you about this wonderful place, which today, is a bit cloudy but an ideal temperature.
Captions 7-9, Montserrat El burrito Luz
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Hace viento - It's windy
Hay viento - There's wind
El viento está fuerte - The wind is strong
No hay viento - There's no wind
Hay brisa - There's a breeze
Hoy hace tanto viento que casi me deja caer.
Today it is so windy that it almost makes me fall [over].
Caption 22, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2
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Hay tormenta - There's a storm
Está tronando - It's thundering
Hay relámpagos - There's lightning
Hay truenos - There's thunder
Está granizando - It's hailing
Hay granizo - There's hail
Knowing how to talk about the seasons in Spanish is important for discussing weather patterns:
La primavera - Spring
El verano - Summer
El otoño - Fall/Autumn
El invierno - Winter
You might say:
En primavera, hace más calor y llueve menos. (In spring, it's warmer and it rains less.)
En verano, hace mucho calor y está muy soleado. (In summer, it's very hot and sunny.)
En otoño, hace fresco y el clima es variable. (In fall, it's cool and the weather is variable.)
En invierno, hace frío y a veces nieva. (In winter, it's cold and it sometimes snows.)
y después vamos por todos los pueblos de Málaga, en primavera y en otoño, haciendo mercado todos los sábados y domingos.
and then we go through all the towns of Málaga, in spring and in autumn, doing a market every Saturday and Sunday.
Captions 12-14, Casabermeja Gastronomía - Part 1
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Here are the most common ways to ask about weather in Spanish:
¿Qué tiempo hace? (What's the weather like?)
¿Cómo está el tiempo? (How's the weather?)
¿Qué tal hace afuera? (How is it outside?)
¿Llueve? (Is it raining?)
¿Hace frío? (Is it cold?)
¿Hace calor? (Is it hot?)
¿Y cómo es el tiempo en el sur? Pues, el tiempo en el sur es muy bueno en general.
And how is the weather in the south? Well, the weather in the south is very good in general.
Captions 27-28, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades
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Hace buen tiempo. (The weather is good.)
Hace mal tiempo. (The weather is bad.)
Sí, está lloviendo. (Yes, it's raining.)
No, no hace frío. (No, it's not cold.)
Está nublado pero no llueve. (It's cloudy but it's not raining.)
Hace mucho calor hoy. (It's very hot today.)
Here are some example conversations about the weather:
Conversation 1:
¡Buenos días! ¿Qué tiempo hace hoy?
Good morning! What's the weather like today?
Hace frío y está nublado. Creo que va a llover más tarde.
It's cold and cloudy. I think it's going to rain later.
¿Necesito un paraguas?
Do I need an umbrella?
Sí, llévalo por si acaso.
Yes, take it just in case.
Conversation 2:
¿Hace calor afuera?
Is it hot outside?
Sí, hace mucho calor y está muy soleado. Ponte protector solar.
Yes, it's very hot and sunny. Put on sunscreen.
Gracias por el consejo. Tengo mucho calor.
Thanks for the advice. I'm very hot.
Conversation 3:
¿Qué tiempo hace en tu ciudad?
What's the weather like in your city?
En general, en verano hace calor y en invierno hace frío, pero no nieva.
In general, in summer it's hot and in winter it's cold, but it doesn't snow.
¿Llueve mucho?
Does it rain a lot?
Sí, especialmente en primavera.
Yes, especially in spring.
Weather often determines what activities we can do. Here are some useful phrases:
Si hace buen tiempo mañana, podemos ir al parque. (If the weather is good tomorrow, we can go to the park.)
Como está lloviendo, mejor quedémonos en casa. (Since it's raining, let's better stay home.)
Hace demasiado calor para caminar. Tomemos el autobús. (It's too hot to walk. Let's take the bus.)
¿Hace frío afuera? Necesito saber si llevo un abrigo. (Is it cold outside? I need to know if I should bring a coat.)
Yo creo que después del video nos vamos a ir tú y yo a tomar algo, ¿no? -Sí, Adriana, mañana, si hace buen tiempo, tenemos que ir a la playa, que {todavía}... -¿Buen tiempo? Seguro. -Sí, aquí el tiempo está garantizado.
I think that after the video, we're going to go, you and I, to have a drink, right? -Yes, Adriana, tomorrow, if the weather is good, we have to go to the beach, as still... -Good weather? For sure. -Yes, here the weather is guaranteed.
Captions 102-105, Adriana y Laura Mijas
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That's it for our practical guide to talking about the weather in Spanish! With these expressions, you'll be able to discuss weather conditions confidently in your everyday conversations. Remember to practice these phrases regularly.
¿Qué tiempo hace donde vives? (What's the weather like where you live?) Let us know, and don't forget to send us your questions and suggestions!
¡Hasta la próxima!
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