Everyday basics
Small words and phrases that keep ordinary conversations moving.
- hola
- hello
- gracias
- thank you
- por favor
- please
- ahora
- now
- también
- also
- entonces
- so / then
Spanish vocabulary guide
Learn the Spanish words you’ll actually use.
Build your vocabulary around real situations, your current level, and the words that appear again and again. Every Spanish term comes with an English meaning and enough context to help it stick.
- English meanings
- Real Spanish examples
- A1–C2 learning paths
A useful foundation
Start with high-utility Spanish verbs.
The best first words are not always the easiest to translate. These verbs appear in countless everyday sentences, so learn the example alongside the meaning.
Notice ser and estar. Both can mean “to be,” but Spanish uses them in different situations. Context is part of the word.
| Spanish | English | In context |
|---|---|---|
| ser | to be | Soy de Canadá.I’m from Canada. |
| estar | to be | Estoy listo.I’m ready. |
| tener | to have | Tengo una pregunta.I have a question. |
| hacer | to do / make | ¿Qué haces hoy?What are you doing today? |
| ir | to go | Vamos al centro.We’re going downtown. |
| querer | to want / love | Quiero aprender español.I want to learn Spanish. |
| poder | can / to be able to | ¿Puedes repetir?Can you repeat that? |
| decir | to say / tell | ¿Cómo se dice?How do you say it? |
Vocabulary by topic
Learn words for the life you want to describe.
Topic groups create useful connections between words. Choose a real situation, learn a compact set, and make one sentence about your own life with each new term.
01
Everyday basics
Small words and phrases that keep ordinary conversations moving.
See starter words ↓ 02Food & restaurants
Order, ask about a dish, and handle the check with more confidence.
See starter words ↓ 03Travel & directions
Useful language for stations, tickets, arrivals, and finding your way.
See starter words ↓ 04Family & people
Talk about the people close to you and the relationships between them.
See starter words ↓ 05Home & routines
Describe where you live and the actions that shape a normal day.
See starter words ↓ 06Work & study
Handle common tasks, classes, meetings, and deadlines in Spanish.
See starter words ↓ 07Feelings & personality
Move beyond bien and say how someone feels or what they are like.
See starter words ↓ 08Health & the body
Explain how you feel and understand basic language at a pharmacy or clinic.
See starter words ↓Food & restaurants
Order, ask about a dish, and handle the check with more confidence.
- el agua
- water
- el desayuno
- breakfast
- el plato
- dish / plate
- pedir
- to order / ask for
- rico / rica
- tasty
- la cuenta
- the check / bill
Travel & directions
Useful language for stations, tickets, arrivals, and finding your way.
- la estación
- station
- el billete / boleto
- ticket
- llegar
- to arrive
- salir
- to leave / go out
- todo recto
- straight ahead
- cerca
- nearby
Family & people
Talk about the people close to you and the relationships between them.
- la madre
- mother
- el padre
- father
- los hermanos
- siblings / brothers
- la pareja
- partner
- el amigo / la amiga
- friend
- conocer
- to know / meet
Home & routines
Describe where you live and the actions that shape a normal day.
- la casa
- home / house
- despertarse
- to wake up
- vestirse
- to get dressed
- cocinar
- to cook
- limpiar
- to clean
- descansar
- to rest
Work & study
Handle common tasks, classes, meetings, and deadlines in Spanish.
- el trabajo
- work / job
- la reunión
- meeting
- la tarea
- task / homework
- aprender
- to learn
- explicar
- to explain
- entregar
- to hand in / deliver
Feelings & personality
Move beyond bien and say how someone feels or what they are like.
- feliz
- happy
- cansado / cansada
- tired
- preocupado / preocupada
- worried
- tranquilo / tranquila
- calm
- emocionado / emocionada
- excited
- amable
- kind
Health & the body
Explain how you feel and understand basic language at a pharmacy or clinic.
- la cabeza
- head
- el estómago
- stomach
- doler
- to hurt
- la cita
- appointment
- la farmacia
- pharmacy
- sentirse
- to feel
Vocabulary by CEFR level
Choose words that match what you can do now.
Levels keep the next step manageable. Open a graded reading to meet appropriate vocabulary inside a complete story—not as an isolated list.
Browse all graded readings A1 Beginner Names, numbers, family, food, and the verbs behind simple sentences. A2 Elementary Routines, shopping, travel, health, and everyday descriptions. B1 Intermediate Opinions, work, experiences, emotions, and useful connectors. B2 Upper intermediate More precise language for society, culture, and abstract topics. C1 Advanced Nuance, register, idiomatic language, and professional expression. C2 Proficient Fine distinctions, literary language, and flexible word choice.
A simple learning loop
Turn a word you recognize into a word you can use.
- 01
Meet it in context
Read a sentence or short story and notice what the word is doing—not only its translation.
Find a story → - 02
Save what matters
Keep the unfamiliar words that are useful for your own conversations, work, travel, or study.
View saved words → - 03
Use it again
Write a personal sentence, say it aloud, and return to the word after a short gap.
Learn the study method →
Common questions
A clearer way to build Spanish vocabulary.
Keep the system simple: useful words, meaningful context, and regular reuse.
How many Spanish words should a beginner learn?
Start with a focused set you can actually use: common verbs, question words, greetings, numbers, and vocabulary for your daily life. Add words in small groups and revisit them in sentences instead of chasing a large total.
Should I learn Spanish nouns with el and la?
Yes. Learning the article with the noun helps you remember grammatical gender and makes agreement easier later. Store la mesa, not simply mesa, and el viaje, not simply viaje.
Why learn vocabulary in context?
A direct translation rarely shows the whole job a word does. Context reveals common pairings, prepositions, tone, and meaning changes—like quedar meaning to remain, to fit, or to arrange to meet.
Which variety of Spanish does PinSpanish teach?
The goal is broadly understandable Spanish. When a common word changes by region, the variation is made visible—for example, billete in Spain and boleto in much of Latin America for ticket.