Introduction
Have you learned a little Spanish, but still do not dare to chat with natives?
- It is perfectly normal to feel that insecurity, but there are ways to overcome it and gain new skills and more self-confidence.
- In this guide I will provide you with practical tools to break the ice and keep the conversation going, so to can speak conversational Spanish effortlessly.
How will this Spanish communication guide help you?
Many students point out that the most challenging part of the learning journey is to carry on a conversation.
This difficulty is especially common among students who learn Spanish using only an app on their smartphone.
- Although all input to learn a language can be helpful, apps do not usually prepare the ground for communication in real life.
- Apps expose you to a limited number of phrases, and these are not always relevant phrases.
- These phrases are also not taught in a context, but in an isolated and random manner.
For these and many more reasons, apps are useful to memorize words and phrases in a pleasant way. Apps are useful as a learning aid, but it is not advisable to rely solely on them to learn a language.
- To reach fluency in Spanish or any other language you need systematic and varied didactic resources that allow you to express yourself spontaneously.
If you learn the basics of the language, the logic of its internal structure, you are much closer to being able to communicate naturally.
With that goal in mind, you will find free materials to learn Spanish in this blog and you also have a free online course.
It is an introduction to the language that will allow you to start thinking in Spanish. Try it out, because the course is free and you have no commitments or obligations. You will obtain the certificate of completion at no cost. Sign up with just two clicks!
And with the aim of helping you to have simple conversations in Spanish you also have this guide. I hope you like it!
Who this guide is for and what you will learn here
This guide consists of:
A video with the 106+ most relevant phrases to start a simple conversation in Spanish and resources to keep this conversation going (in English, with captions).
The same content is available in a Spanish video with Spanish/English captions, if you prefer to do linguistic immersion. You also have the material in Spanish (available for free).
PDF + MP3 + quiz + flashcards to practice this content for free.
All this material is available just below.
Below you will find the phrases of the video with audio.
Free material from this Spanish conversation guide for English-speaking beginners
In this for English-speaking beginners you will find for free:
The tables with all the phrases of the video with audio.
The PDF that is used as the basis for the explanation you saw in the video. The PDF includes theory, summary, exercises, and answers. You can download it for free.
The audio with all the phrases of the guide in MP3 format to download (Spanish + English). You can download it for free.
The audio with all the phrases in MP3 (only in Spanish). You can download it for free.
A free quiz to practice what you learned here (at the end of the post).
Interactive flashcards to learn the 106+ phrases of the guide (in Spanish + English). You can choose your favorite learning or game mode. You can practice on your smartphone with the free Quizlet app.
To learn Spanish from scratch, you also have a mini-course, which is totally FREE, no strings attached!
- The online self-study course is an introduction to the new language with video lessons and varied materials so that you learn at your own pace, in an enjoyable and productive way.
- The mini-course includes a certificate and a gift so you can continue learning Spanish in a totally flexible way.
If you want more content to learn Spanish online and for free, with many tips to optimize your learning, take a look at this guide for beginners (contains a preview of the online course, which you can check out without having to sign up).
How to introduce yourself in Spanish: Useful phrases for English-speaking beginners
You will learn these phrases starting on minute 01:11 of the video.
| ĀæCĆ³mo te llamas? ĀæCĆ³mo se llama usted? | What is your name? |
| Yo me llamo X. | My name is X. |
| Mi nombre es X. | My name is X. |
| Soy X. | I am X. |
| Te presento a X. / Le presento a X. | Let me introduce you to X. |
| Este es X. , Esta es X. | This is X. |
| Mucho gusto. = Encantado. , Encantada. | Nice to meet you. |
| Igualmente. | Likewise. |
| El gusto es mĆo. | The pleasure is mine. |
In this short video you will learn more useful phrases so that you can be friendly and you can introduce yourself in Spanish. The videos are part of a series of videos with free material to practice that will teach you the basics of conversational Spanish.
The main polite phrases in Spanish:
How to introduce yourself in Spanish:
How to ask and answer "how are you?" in Spanish: Helpful phrases for English-speaking beginners
You will learn these phrases starting on minute 05:23 of the video.
| Ā”QuĆ© alegrĆa verte por aquĆ! | Great to see you here! |
| Ā”CuĆ”nto tiempo sin verte! | Long time, no see! |
| ĀæQuĆ© hay de nuevo? | Whatās new? |
| ĀæSabes algo de X? | Have you heard anything from X? |
| ĀæQuĆ© tal la familia? | How is your family doing? |
| ĀæQuĆ© tal el trabajo? | How are things at work? |
| ĀæQuĆ© tal tu dĆa? | How was your day? |
| Normal. | Normal. |
| Tranquilo. | Quiet. |
| Estresante. | Stressful. |
| ĀæQuĆ© hiciste hoy? | What did you do today? |
| TrabajƩ. | I worked. |
| DescansƩ. | I rested. |
| No hice nada. | I did not do anything. |
In this free guide (starting on minute 18:03), you will find alternative ways to ask "how are you?" in Spanish and varied ways to answer. It includes colloquial and slang expressions for you to speak Spanish like a native! It includes free material to practice and download. Full greetings
How to meet new people in Spanish: Useful phrases for English-speaking beginners
You will learn these icebreakers starting on minute 10:55 of the video.
| ĀæDe dĆ³nde eres? / ĀæDe dĆ³nde es usted? | Where are you from? |
| Soy de X (ciudad, paĆs). | I am from X (city, country). |
| ĀæEres de aquĆ? / ĀæEs usted de aquĆ? | You are from around here? |
| Yo (no) soy de aquĆ. | I am (not) from here. |
| ĀæDĆ³nde vives? / ĀæDĆ³nde vive usted? | Where do you live? |
| Yo vivo en X (ciudad, paĆs). | I live in X (city, country). |
| ĀæVives aquĆ? / ĀæVive usted aquĆ? | Do you live here? |
| Yo (no) vivo aquĆ. | I do (not) live here. |
| Yo estoy aquĆ de vacaciones. | I am here on vacation. |
| ĀæCuĆ”ntos aƱos tienes? / ĀæCuĆ”ntos aƱos tiene usted? | How old are you? |
| Yo tengo X aƱos. | I am X years old. |
| ĀæQuĆ© haces (profesionalmente)? / ĀæQuĆ© hace usted (profesionalmente)? | What do you do (for a living)? |
| ĀæTe gusta tu trabajo? | Do you like your job? |
| ĀæEstudias o trabajas? | Do you study or do you work? |
| Soy X. | I am X. |
| Ahora no estoy trabajando. | Currently, I am not working. |
| ĀæMe puedes dar tu nĆŗmero de telĆ©fono? | Can you give me your phone number? |
| Mi telƩfono es X. | My phone number is X. |
In this guide with the 81 most important questions and answers in Spanish you have more useful phrases to make conversation with someone you just met (video: starting on minute 11:37). You have free material to practice and download.
How to chat with people you just met: Helpful phrases for English-speaking beginners
You will learn these phrases starting on minute 18:43 of the video.
| Hace calor, Āæno? | It is hot, isnāt it? |
| Hace frĆo, Āæno? | It is cold, isnāt it? |
| Ā”QuĆ© horror de trĆ”fico!, Āæno? | Traffic was horrible, am I right? |
| ĀæSupiste las noticias? | Have you seen the news? |
| ĀæQuieres bailar? | Do you want to dance? |
| ĀæEstĆ”s soltero? , ĀæEstĆ”s soltera? | Are you single? |
| ĀæTienes fuego? | Do you have a lighter? |
| ĀæTienes hora? | Do you know what time is it? |
| ĀæTe apetece tomar un cafĆ©? | Would you like to have a coffee? |
| No, lo siento. | No, I am sorry. |
| No tengo ganas de charlar. | I do not feel like talking. |
| No me molestes. | Do not bother me. |
| No hablo espaƱol. | I do not speak Spanish. |
| No tengo tiempo. | I do not have time. |
| No tengo dinero. | I do not have money. |
You can learn useful phrases to talk about pleasant topics (hobbies, family, weather, holidays) with strangers in these videos. They are part of a very practical series, so you do not run out of conversation topic in Spanish. Includes free material to practice.
How to talk about hobbies in Spanish:
How to talk about family in Spanish:
How to talk about the weather in Spanish:
How to talk about holidays in Spanish:
How to talk about work and languages in Spanish:
How to ask personal questions in Spanish: Helpful phrases for English-speaking beginners
You will learn these phrases starting on minute 28:39 of the video.
| ĀæTienes hijos? | Do you have children? |
| No, no tengo. | No, I do not have. |
| SĆ, tengo un hijo. , SĆ, tengo una hija. | Yes, I have a son. , Yes, I have a daughter. |
| ĀæCuĆ”ndo es tu cumpleaƱos? ĀæCuĆ”l es tu signo del zodĆaco? | When is your birthday? What is your zodiac sign? |
| Mi cumpleaƱos es el dĆa X de X. Soy X. | My birthday is the X of X. I am X. |
| He oĆdo que te gusta X. | I heard you like X . |
| ĀæQuĆ© lenguas hablas? | What languages do you speak? |
| ĀæTienes aficiones? | Do you have hobbies? |
| SĆ, me gusta X. | Yes, I like X. |
| En mi tiempo libre X . | In my spare time X. |
| ĀæTe gusta el deporte? | Do you like sports? |
| ĀæTe gusta salir de fiesta? | Do you like to party? |
| ĀæTe gusta viajar? | Do you like to travel? |
| ĀæDĆ³nde pasaste tus Ćŗltimas vacaciones? | Where did you go on your last vacation? |
| Estuve en X. | I was in X . |
| ĀæQuieres hacer algo el fin de semana? | Do you want to do something on the weekend? |
| ĀæTienes planes para el fin de semana? | Do you have plans for the weekend? |
| Si, estoy ocupado. , SĆ, estoy ocupada. | Yes, I am busy. |
| TodavĆa no tengo planes. | I have no plans yet. |
| ĀæQuĆ© hiciste el Ćŗltimo fin de semana? | What did you do last weekend? |
| Yo salĆ con amigos. | I went out with friends. |
| Yo me quedƩ en casa. | I stayed at home. |
| ĀæTienes mascota? | Do you have a pet? |
| SĆ, tengo un perro. | Yes, I have a dog. |
| SĆ, tengo un gato. | Yes, I have a cat. |
| ĀæTocas un instrumento? | Do you play an instrument? |
| SĆ, toco X. | Yes, I play X. |
| Me gusta X. ĀæY a ti? | I like X. What about you? |
| No me gusta X. ĀæY a ti? | I do not like X. What about you? |
| ĀæTe gusta leer? | Do you like to read? |
| ĀæTe gusta escuchar mĆŗsica? | Do you like to listen to music? |
| ĀæTe gusta ir al cine? | Do you like going to the movies? |
| ĀæTe gusta ver series? | Do you like to watch series? |
| ĀæQuĆ© (no) te gusta comer? | What do you (not) like to eat? |
In this guide with the 81 most important questions and answers in Spanish you have more useful phrases to invite someone and to propose a meeting (video: starting on minute 49:36). You have free material to practice and download.
How to talk to strangers on the street in Spanish: Useful phrases for English-speaking beginners
You will learn these phrases starting on minute 41:49 of the video.
| ĀæHay un buen restaurante aquĆ cerca? | Is there a good restaurant nearby? |
| ĀæDĆ³nde se come bien por aquĆ? | Where can you have a good meal around here? |
| ĀæQuĆ© comida es tĆpica de aquĆ? | What food is typical here? |
| ĀæCĆ³mo voy a X? | How can I get to X? |
| ĀæEl bus X pasa por aquĆ? | Does the bus X passes here? |
| Ā”QuĆ© bonito tu X!, Ā”QuĆ© bonita tu X! | What a nice X! |
| Me encanta tu X . | I love your X . |
In this guide with the 81 most important questions and answers in Spanish you have more useful phrases to ask for information on the street (video: starting on minute 41:46). You have free material to practice and download.
Filler words in Spanish: Helpful words for English-speaking beginners
You will learn this vocabulary starting on minute 46:27 of the video.
| Ah, ĀæsĆ? | Oh, really? |
| ĀæEn serio? | Seriously? |
| SĆ, Āæno? | Right? |
| Ā”Vaya! | Wow! |
| Pues sĆ. | Indeed. |
| Ā”Madre mĆa! | Oh my! |
| Ā”Guay! (EspaƱa) = Ā”Chido! = Ā”Padre! (MĆ©xico) = Ā”ChĆ©vere! (Caribe/SudamĆ©rica) = Ā”BacĆ”n! = Ā”Brutal! (Caribe) (informal) | cool |
| Ā”QuĆ© bonito! , Ā”QuĆ© bonita! = Ā”QuĆ© lindo! , Ā”QuĆ© linda! | That is beautiful! |
| Ā”QuĆ© cuqui! = Ā”QuĆ© lindo! , Ā”QuĆ© linda! | That is cute! |
It is also important that you know Spanish words that show interest during a conversation.
- These words are not content-rich in terms of meaning, that is, they do not provide valuable information.
- However, they are very useful from a pragmatic point of view, because they indicate that you are paying attention and getting involved in the conversation.
A free quiz so you can practice all these new interactions in Spanish
In the quiz there are questions such as "fill in gapsā ("___"), "action ā ā ā > reaction" and "true" / "false".
More free material and courses to learn Spanish!
āØYou have a FREE ONLINE mini-course for English speakers to learn the basics of communication in Spanish, starting from scratch. You have 5 lessons with video, PDF, MP3, flashcards, and quiz, and you will obtain the completion certificate.
You have a sneak peek of the mini-course that you can access without having to enroll. You will also find in the link FREE tips and resources to learn Spanish.
āØYou have a comprehensive Spanish self-study online course (level A1 ā beginners) with webinars and certificate of completion. Each of the 42 lessons has a video class, PDF (theory, exercises, answers), MP3, quiz, and flashcards. šThere is a free trial lesson available.
About the author: I am Alicia, your Spanish teacherš. I was born in SĆ£o Paulo, Brazil, and I was raised trilingual, since my mother is German and my father, Spaniard. I did my undergraduate and Ph.D. studies in Madrid and Berlin. After completing my Masters in Didactics in 2010, I applied my knowledge to foreign language teaching. I worked at the Popular University in Berlin with group classes until 2018. Since then, I have specialized in online teaching and the creation of digital learning content.
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