spanish phrases Archives - Homeschool Spanish Academy 1-on-1 Online Spanish Lessons. Get to Spanish fluency on your time. Mon, 23 Jun 2025 22:51:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://www.spanish.academy/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-Favicon_V_1-32x32.png spanish phrases Archives - Homeschool Spanish Academy 32 32 25 Essential Spanish Phrases for Everyday Conversations https://www.spanish.academy/blog/25-essential-spanish-phrases-for-everyday-onversations/ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/25-essential-spanish-phrases-for-everyday-onversations/#respond Tue, 01 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.spanish.academy/?p=30551 Learning Spanish as an adult can feel overwhelming at first, especially when you realize that knowing vocabulary lists doesn’t always help you in a real conversation. If you’ve ever found yourself freezing up trying to piece together a sentence, you’re not alone. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to be fluent to start speaking […]

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Learning Spanish as an adult can feel overwhelming at first, especially when you realize that knowing vocabulary lists doesn’t always help you in a real conversation. If you’ve ever found yourself freezing up trying to piece together a sentence, you’re not alone.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to be fluent to start speaking Spanish in real-world situations.

Learning simple, essential phrases can help you build confidence and create natural conversations from day one. Think of these phrases like the building blocks of a conversation; once you have them, you can mix and match to express yourself clearly.

Today, we’ll dive into 25 essential Spanish phrases every beginner should know, complete with pronunciation guides and real-life examples. Let’s get you ready to have those everyday conversations, and no memorization of complicated grammar rules is required.

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Essential phrases are common word combinations that people use in daily interactions. Instead of focusing on single words, you’re learning how people actually speak, and it saves you from having to translate in your head every time you talk.

Think about it this way: when you learned to drive, you didn’t memorize car parts first, you practiced driving. Phrases are like the “practice” of language learning.

Using ready-to-go phrases helps you:

  • Sound more natural
  • Respond faster
  • Avoid awkward pauses

And because Spanish is consistent in pronunciation, once you learn a phrase, you can say it with confidence!

PhrasePronunciationMeaningExample Use
¡Hola!OH-lahHello¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? (Hello! How are you?)
¿Cómo estás?KOH-moh es-TAHSHow are you?¿Cómo estás hoy? (How are you today?)
Bien, gracias.BEE-EN GRAH-syahsFine, thank you.Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (Fine, thank you. And you?)
Por favorPOR fah-BOHRPleaseUna mesa para dos, por favor. (A table for two, please.)
GraciasGRAH-syahsThank youGracias por tu ayuda. (Thank you for your help.)
De nadadeh NAH-dahYou’re welcome¡De nada! (You’re welcome!)
Perdónpehr-DOHNExcuse me / SorryPerdón, ¿dónde está el baño? (Excuse me, where is the bathroom?)
Lo sientolo SEE-EN-tohI’m sorryLo siento por llegar tarde. (I’m sorry for being late.)
¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tahHow much does it cost?¿Cuánto cuesta este libro? (How much is this book?)
¿Dónde está el baño?DOHN-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyohWhere’s the bathroom?¿Dónde está el baño, por favor? (Where’s the bathroom, please?)
No entiendonoh en-TEE-EHN-dohI don’t understandNo entiendo la pregunta. (I don’t understand the question.)
Habla más despacioAH-blah mahs dehs-PAH-syohSpeak more slowlyHabla más despacio, por favor. (Speak more slowly, please.)
¿Puede ayudarme?PWEH-deh ah-yoo-DAR-mehCan you help me?¿Puede ayudarme con esto? (Can you help me with this?)
¿Qué hora es?KEH OH-rah esWhat time is it?¿Qué hora es ahora? (What time is it now?)
Me llamo…meh YAH-mohMy name is…Me llamo Ana. (My name is Ana.)
Mucho gustoMOO-choh GOO-stohNice to meet you¡Mucho gusto! (Nice to meet you!)
Soy de…soy dehI’m from…Soy de Guatemala. (I’m from Guatemala.)
¿podría tener…?poh-DREE-ah teh-NEHRCould I have…?¿Podría tener un vaso de agua? (Could I have a glass of water?)
Estoy perdido/perdidaes-TOY pehr-DEE-doh/pehr-DEE-dahI’m lostEstoy perdida, ¿puedes ayudarme? (I’m lost, can you help me?)
Buenas díasBWEH-nahs DEE-ahsGood morning¡Buenos días! (Good morning!)
Buenas tardesBWEH-nahs TAR-desGood afternoon¡Buenas tardes, señor! (Good afternoon, sir!)
Buenas nochesBWEH-nahs NOH-chesGood evening / night¡Buenas noches, hasta mañana! (Good night, see you tomorrow!)
Salúdsah-LOODBless you / Cheers¡Salúd! (Cheers!)
Hasta luegoAH-stah LWEH-gohSee you laterHasta luego, amigo. (See you later, friend.)
Adiósah-dee-OHSGoodbye¡Adiós y buena suerte! (Goodbye and good luck!)
  • Politeness counts: Adding por favor (please) and gracias (thank you) goes a long way.
  • Match the situation: Use forms for friends and casual settings. Use usted for formal situations.
  • Watch your pronunciation: Spanish vowels are short and crisp, with no gliding sounds like in English.
  • Mistake: Translating literally from English.
    • Fix: Focus on the entire phrase, not individual words.
  • Mistake: Forgetting gender (e.g., perdido vs. perdida).
    • Fix: Use -o if you’re male, -a if you’re female.
  • Mistake: Mixing up formal and informal speech.
    • Fix: Remember usted for formal conversations, for informal ones.

Tip: Practice saying the phrases out loud, muscle memory helps with pronunciation and confidence!

Fill in the blanks:

  1. ¡_____ días!
  2. Me _____ Ana.
  3. ¿_____ cuesta esta camisa?
  4. No _____, ¿puede repetirlo?
  5. ¡Hasta _____!

Answer Key:

  1. Buenos
  2. llamo
  3. Cuánto
  4. entiendo
  5. luego
  • Regional Variations: In some countries, you’ll hear “¡Buenas!” instead of “¡Buenos días!” It’s a casual greeting.
  • Salúd: Depending on context, “salúd” can mean “cheers,” “health,” or “bless you” after a sneeze.

Pay attention to how locals use these phrases; it’s the best way to learn!

Mastering these 25 phrases gives you a solid foundation for real-world conversations in Spanish. They’re your ticket to getting comfortable speaking without overthinking.

Language learning is a marathon, not a sprint, but every step you take gets you closer to your goal. Why not practice these phrases with a native speaker in a real conversation?

At Homeschool Spanish Academy, you can try a free class with a friendly, certified teacher. We’re 100% online, offer flexible scheduling, and specialize in one-on-one lessons for adults.

Ready to make Spanish a part of your everyday life? Click here to book your free trial class!

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“It’s great being able to interact with native speaking people and having a conversation with them not just doing all the work on paper. It’s also an amazing opportunity to speak with native Spanish-speaking people without having to travel to a native Spanish-speaking country.”

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“Getting to know wonderful teachers who care about me and my growth in language and education. Evelyn Gomez and Erick Cacao are two of the most extraordinary people I have ever met, and talking with them in Spanish at the beginning of classes is always so fulfilling and greatly contributes to my happiness, joy, and wellbeing.”

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“I love that my children have the opportunity to speak with a live person. They get to practice Spanish in a 1-1 setting while improve their speaking, writing and reading skills during their lessons. HSA is a great way to learn Spanish for all ages! My children are 6, 9 and 11. My oldest two (9 and 11) have been taking classes with HSA for almost 2 years now. They love seeing their teacher each week. They understand the importance of learning several languages. I’ve seen them grow and learn with HSA. I’m excited to see how they will improve the more classes they take. I highly recommend them. You can’t bet learning and speaking with a live teacher. I’ve tried other programs. It’s just not as motivating.”

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Sana Sana Colita de Rana and Other Fun Sayings in Spanish https://www.spanish.academy/blog/sana-sana-colita-de-rana-and-other-fun-sayings-in-spanish/ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/sana-sana-colita-de-rana-and-other-fun-sayings-in-spanish/#respond Wed, 16 Nov 2022 11:05:00 +0000 https://www.spanish.academy/?p=5486 Have you ever heard the expression sana sana colita de rana in Spanish? It’s a Spanish saying used by parents all over Latin America to deal with physical pain of their children.  However, the interesting part is that the phrase doesn’t make any sense. It has to do with a frog’s tail. It’s a cultural […]

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Have you ever heard the expression sana sana colita de rana in Spanish? It’s a Spanish saying used by parents all over Latin America to deal with physical pain of their children. 

However, the interesting part is that the phrase doesn’t make any sense. It has to do with a frog’s tail. It’s a cultural construct created because it rhymes and has a purpose. 

Learning these cultural products are a great way to keep moving forward on your Spanish progress and, as a bonus, it provides a glimpse of how the culture works. This is no small thing, as languages aren’t only systems of communication, but cultural products themselves. In order to fully master them, you need to understand the culture from which it comes.

If you want to know what other sayings like sana sana colita de rana exist and how you can learn these phrases to your advantage, keep reading! You’ll soon discover that you can learn a language and have fun at the same time!

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Learning Spanish In Many Ways

Learning a new language is a process that has many different aspects. It’s not only about the grammar, the spelling, or the pronunciation. It also has to do with discovering a new culture; the little things that make the language unique and the fun parts that only native speakers seem to understand (such as the sana sana colita de rana saying). 

For that reason, you can learn Spanish (or any other language) in so many ways. Some people like to learn it from books, others look for a tutor or a language partner, some prefer to download an app, while others may like watching videos. 

Tongue Twisters, Jokes, and Fun Sayings

Here at Homeschool Spanish Academy, we believe that the best way to learn Spanish is one that has a balanced approach of different strategies. That’s why we have our own YouTube channel, but also offer one-to-one lessons, and write grammar-related blogs, among many other things. 

By learning tongue twisters, jokes, and fun sayings in Spanish, you give yourself the opportunity not only to have fun while learning the language but also to absorb some of its most specific cultural products. It might seem odd to learn a joke in Spanish instead of a new verb conjugation set, but it’s all about balance. Grammar will only take you so far, and at some point you need to start dealing with the cultural particularities of the Spanish language. Along with sayings like sana sana colita de rana, you’ll know essential phrases that native Spanish speakers say to each other or to little kids. 

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Fun Sayings in Spanish

1. Sana Sana Colita de Rana

Sana sana colita de rana is not only a fun saying, but also a popular song in Spanish for kids. The full saying has two parts: 

Sana sana colita de rana, 
Si no sana hoy, sanará mañana. 

Its literal translation sounds really funny in English and makes no sense whatsoever: 

Heal, heal, little tail of the frog,
If you don’t heal today, you’ll heal tomorrow. 

This is a fun saying in Spanish that adults tell to little kids every time they fall or somehow hurt themselves. By saying something as absurd as this (what does the tail of a frog have to do with anything?), the kids get distracted, stop crying and go back to chasing their friends. If you want to really do it like a native speaker, you should rub the hurt part of the body while saying the magic words: sana sana colita de rana

Parents Love Singing These Bilingual Songs With Their Little Ones!

2. ¡Ponte las Pilas!

I love this one! It literally means “put in your batteries.” You say it to a person who might seem a bit tired or distracted. Back in the day, there was a Mexican luchador (wrestler) called the Súper Muñeco (Super Doll) who inspired this phrase. When he got tired and the other luchadores started getting the best of him, he would go to his corner and his trainer would pretend to put new batteries in him. From that point on, Súper Muñeco would start kicking everyone’s bottoms and win every fight.

I have no idea if that’s the origin of the phrase, but I find the story so funny and the best way to illustrate the meaning of saying ponte las pilas to somebody. Basically, you are saying something like “get yourself together,” but you can also say it in a variety of other contexts. 

3. La Última Coca Cola del Desierto

Imagine a scenario where you are walking across the desert with a group of friends and in the cooler there is one last Coca Cola. Now think, how would that bottle of Coca Cola feel about itself (if it could do such a thing)? It would feel pretty special and entitled. That’s the meaning of this saying. It’s most often used to tell somebody else that he or she thinks too much of himself or herself.

Te crees la última Coca-Cola del desierto. 
You think you are the last Coca-Cola in the desert. 

4. En Boca Cerrada No Entran Moscas

sana sana colita de rana

This one is funny too. “In a shut mouth no flies can get in.” You get the picture, right? It’s simple, and it’s clear, that’s why it works so well. Keep your mouth shut, and you won’t get into trouble. It’s better not to say anything, and to avoid any potential problem. It’s used a lot when people are gossiping.  

5. Ni Tanto que Queme al Santo, Ni Tanto que No lo Alumbre

My abuela (grandmother) used to say this one all the time and I just love its sound and rhythm: 

Ni tanto que queme al santo, 
ni tanto que no lo alumbre. 

Not so much that the saint gets burned, 
But neither so little that it won’t get any light.

The saint is a religious icon, a figure of Saint Joseph for example. With this phrase you are telling someone to put a candle close to the saint not so much that burns it, but not too far that it won’t even light it. It’s about the middle ground and finding the right balance in life, work, or anything actually.

6. Con Paciencia y con Maña, un Elefante se Comió una Araña

I wanted to finish the blog post with this one because it gives the right message. “With patience and skill, an elephant ate a spider.” It’s similar to that of sana sana colita de rana, as in the only reason there is a colita de rana in the first place, is because rana rhymes with sana. Same with the araña; it’s there because it rhymes with maña

The image is beautiful and speaks for itself. With patience and skill, you can achieve anything. Even learning Spanish! 

Which phrase is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

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Spanish Classroom Survival Phrases for Beginners https://www.spanish.academy/blog/spanish-classroom-survival-phrases-for-beginners/ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/spanish-classroom-survival-phrases-for-beginners/#respond Wed, 01 Jul 2020 12:18:00 +0000 https://www.spanish.academy/?p=4789 Are you looking to learn a new language? If you took a Spanish class in high school or college, you may have faint memories of basic vocabulary words and Cinco de Mayo parties. Maybe you’re brand new to the language, or perhaps you’ve decided to brush up and actually learn how to communicate in Spanish. […]

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Are you looking to learn a new language? If you took a Spanish class in high school or college, you may have faint memories of basic vocabulary words and Cinco de Mayo parties. Maybe you’re brand new to the language, or perhaps you’ve decided to brush up and actually learn how to communicate in Spanish. Even though learning a foreign language can be intimidating at first, you’ve made the decision to do it. ¡Felicidades!

Before diving into your first Spanish class, read this post to help get yourself prepared. Discover how to interact with your teacher and classmates, the fundamentals of speaking, and the Spanish classroom survival phrases you need to know. Practice makes perfect!

How to Understand and Interact with Your Spanish Teacher 

With any teacher, it’s always a good idea to listen to and incorporate their suggestions. Let them know what you find confusing or challenging so your teacher can tailor the lessons to your needs. Being a responsible and active learner signifies that you care about exploring Spanish on your own, outside of class as well as in class. 

Asking questions also shows that you are paying close attention and interested in the material. Speaking and asking questions will enable your teacher to get a better idea of your level.

spanish survival phrases help you get more out of your spanish class

If you’re taking immersion-style group classes in-person or one-on-one sessions online (in which no English is spoken), you’ll need to be able to understand and talk to your teacher en español. Read on to learn the Spanish classroom survival phrases you need to know on day 1.

What Will the Teacher Say? 

Classroom instructions and commands in Spanish usually begin with a verb in imperative form. This means that when giving instructions like “open your book,” the teacher will say abran sus libros rather than abren sus libros.

Your teacher could add the word ustedes (you all) before the verb, although it is omitted most of the time. Teachers frequently use the imperative for the pronoun ustedes to refer to the whole class. Let’s take a look at some other imperative verbs your teacher might use!

SpanishEnglishImperative Form (Uds.)
abrirto openabren
seleccionarto select/chooseseleccionen
escucharto listenescuchen
mirarto lookmiren
completarto completecompleten
leerto readlean
buscarto look up/to findbusquen
hablarto talkhablen
discutirto discussdiscutan
responderto answerrespondan
practicarto practicepractiquen
escribirTo writeescriban

Here are some other phrases teachers might use in the first class.

Buenos días, soy el profesor / la profesora. –Good morning, I am your teacher  

¿Cómo te llamas? – What is your name? 

Soy de _______. ¿Y tú, de dónde eres?  – I am from _____. Where are you from? 

¡Estoy feliz de tenerte en mi clase! – I am so happy to have you in class.

Ven, hay un asiento aquí. – Come in, there is a seat right here. 

Spanish Speaking 101

Are you a true beginner in need of a crash course on the basics of speaking Spanish, in addition to learning Spanish classroom survival phrases? Here goes! 

Vowels

Spanish has just five vowel sounds, one for each vowel (vocal in Spanish). Each vowel and most consonants in Spanish retain their characteristic sound.

Letter sounds are one of the first things you’ll learn in Spanish class. Practice pronouncing vocals clearly, and the consonant sounds will follow naturally. 

Try the following:

a = “ahh” as in all

e = “ehh” as in egg

i = “ee” as in gee

o = “oh” as in own

u = “oo” as in boo

Consonants

A few consonants in Spanish differ from English. Luckily, if the English native speaker mispronounces them, the Spanish native speaker will still understand. 

Examples 

Two Ways to Say “You” 

Two forms of “you” exist in Spanish. The first, , is familiar or informal; the other, usted (Ud.), is formal. is used to address students, friends, and family members. In certain regions, children address their parents using usted. Usted is also used to address authority figures and older people in general. 

is used with the second person singular of the verb form, while usted is used with the third person singular. The plural form of both and usted is ustedes

Examples 

Formal 
Usted tiene dos hijas, ¿no? — You have two daughters, right? 

Informal
Tú tienes tres hermanos, ¿no? — You have three brothers, right? 

Plural “you” (formal or informal)
Ustedes trabajan en la biblioteca ¿no? — You all work at the library, right?

How to Ask a Question in Spanish 

To ask a question, place the verb before the subject. 

Examples

¿Hablas español? — Do you speak Spanish? 

 ¿Puedo ir al baño? — Can I go to the bathroom? 

¿Cómo se dice ______ en español? — How do you say _______ in Spanish?

¿Cómo? No entiendo. — What? I don’t get it.

¿Qué significa ______ en inglés? — What does ______ mean in English?

¿Cómo se escribe _______? — How do you write _______? 

Negation in Spanish

To make a negative statement, disagree, or dissent, simply place the word no before the verb. 

Examples

Ella no contesta su celular. — She does not answer her phone. 

Juan no llegó a la clase. — Juan did not come to class. 

Double negatives are used in Spanish! To answer a question in the negative form, no is used twice in the negative response.

¿Llamaste a tu hermana? — Did you call your sister? 

No, no la llamé. — No, I didn’t call her.

Spanish Classroom Survival Phrases 

So, are you feeling more ready for your first class? It’s natural to feel nervous or shy. It might feel like the first day of school in kindergarten all over again. No te preocupes—here are some useful Spanish classroom survival phrases to know as you set off on your journey of Spanish learning!

Habla más despacio, por favor. — Speak more slowly, please. 

Repita por favor. — Repeat please. 

Yo comprendo. — I understand. 

No comprendo. — I don’t understand. 

Tengo una pregunta.—  I have a question. 

Yo sé. — I know. 

No sé. — I don’t know. 

Se me olvidó. — I forgot. 

Lo siento. — I’m sorry. 

Préstame un lápiz, por favor. — Lend me a pencil, please.

Buena suerte. — Good luck. 

Bien hecho. — Well done. 

¡Felicidades! — Congratulations!

Vamos a aprender

I hope these Spanish classroom survival phrases and strategies are helpful to you!

You’ve got what you need to hold your own in basic conversation with your Spanish teacher—now it’s time to practice it in real-time! Homeschool Spanish Academy offers accessible and fun Spanish classes for adult beginners. Our native Spanish-speaking teachers would love to help you start out on the path of learning Spanish and move beyond these basic Spanish classroom survival phrases. Sign up for a free trial class today to see how fast you’ll progress by talking to a professional, certified Spanish teacher!

Want more Spanish tips, tricks, and lessons? Check out these recent posts!

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100+ Spanish Conversation Starters for Casual and Formal Occasions https://www.spanish.academy/blog/100-spanish-conversation-starters-for-casual-and-formal-occasions/ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/100-spanish-conversation-starters-for-casual-and-formal-occasions/#respond Mon, 02 Mar 2020 14:09:17 +0000 https://www.spanish.academy/?p=4134 Do you dream of casually striking up a conversation in Spanish? The thought of doing so is both thrilling and terrifying—will the person you’re talking to understand you? Will the Spanish conversation go smoothly or be completely awkward? The best way to overcome any hesitancy in speaking Spanish with new people is to prepare yourself […]

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Do you dream of casually striking up a conversation in Spanish?

The thought of doing so is both thrilling and terrifying—will the person you’re talking to understand you? Will the Spanish conversation go smoothly or be completely awkward?

The best way to overcome any hesitancy in speaking Spanish with new people is to prepare yourself well.

With these 100+ casual and formal Spanish conversation starters, you have the ultimate cliff notes to express yourself and learn about your friends! Each section is ordered by the type of situation you may find yourself in, and all of the questions are formed using the informal .

If you need a refresher on how to switch them for the formal usted, read up on Spanish pronouns

Let’s start talking!

When You Meet a Person for the First Time

  • Hola, ¿cómo estás? – Hello, how are you?
  • Hola, soy Rachel. ¿Cómo te llamas? – Hello, I’m Rachel. What’s your name? 
  • Hola, no creo que nos hayamos conocido. Soy Martín. – Hello, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Martín.
  • ¿Sabes qué hora es? – Do you know what time it is?
  • ¿De dónde eres? – Where are you from?
  • ¿Eres de por aquí? – Are you from around here?
  • ¿A qué te dedicas? – What do you do for a living?
  • ¿En qué trabajas? – What’s your job?
  • ¿Estudias o trabajas? – Do you study or work?
  • ¿Qué te trae por aquí? – What brings you here?
  • ¿Vienes a menudo por aquí? – Do you come here often?
  • ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas aquí? – How long have you been here?
  • ¿A qué hora llegaste? – What time did you arrive? 
  • ¿A quién conoces aquí? – Who do you know here?
  • ¿Con quién estás aquí? – Who are you here with?
spanish conversation starters

When You Want to Get to Know a New Friend

  • ¿Puedo hacerte una pregunta? – Can I ask you a question?
  • ¿Tienes mascotas? – Do you have any pets?
  • ¿Qué raza es tu perro/gato? – What breed is your dog/cat?
  • ¿Tienes tatuajes? – Do you have any tattoos?
  • ¿Tienes novia o novio? – Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend?
  • ¿Haces algún deporte? – Do you play any sports?
  • ¿Eres religioso? – Are you religious?
  • ¿Sabes conducir? – Do you know how to drive?
  • ¿Estás interesado en la política? – Are you interested in politics?
  • ¿Te gusta el lugar dónde vives? – Do you like where you live?
  • ¿Vas al gimnasio o participas en otras actividades para hacer ejercicio? – Do you go to the gym or do any other activities for exercise?

When You Haven’t Seen a Friend in a While

  • ¡Hola amigo/amiga! ¿Cómo has estado? – Hi friend, how have you been?
  • ¡Tanto tiempo sin saber de tí! – I haven’t heard from you in a while! (not literal translation)
  • ¡Hacía tiempo que no te veía! – I haven’t seen you in a while! (not literal translation)
  • ¿Dónde estabas? – Where have you been?
  • ¿Qué has estado haciendo? – What have you been up to? 
  • ¿Cómo está tu familia? – How’s your family?
  • ¿Cómo están tus hijos? – How are your kids doing?
  • ¿Qué tal están tus padres? – How are your parents?

When You Have a Friend in Common

  • ¿Has escuchado de Sebastián? – Have you heard from Sebastian?
  • ¿Has visto a Rosa últimamente? – Have you seen Rosa lately?
  • ¿Escuchaste lo que pasó con Miguel? – Did you hear about what happened to Miguel?
  • ¿Has visto lo que le pasó a Alberto? – Did you see what happened to Alberto?
  • ¿Cómo conoces a José? – How do you know José?
  • Ayer vi a Mariana. – Yesterday I saw Mariana.
spanish conversation starters

When You Want to Know All Their Favorite Things

  • ¿Cuál es tu comida favorita? – What’s your favorite food?
  • ¿Cuál es tu restaurante favorito? – What’s your favorite restaurant?
  • ¿Cuál es tu película favorita? – What’s your favorite movie?
  • ¿Cuál es tu libro favorito? – What’s your favorite book?
  • ¿Cuál es tu canción favorita? – What’s your favorite song?
  • ¿Cuál es tu color favorito? – What’s your favorite color?
  • ¿Cuál es tu serie favorita en Netflix? – What’s your favorite Netflix show?
  • ¿Cuál es tu día festivo favorito? – What’s your favorite holiday?
  • ¿Te gusta la navidad? – Do you like Christmas?
  • ¿Te gusta bailar? – Do you like to dance?
  • ¿Qué te gusta hacer? – What do you like to do?
  • ¿Qué deportes te gusta ver? – Which sports do you like to watch?

When You Want to Know What They’re Doing or What They Did

  • ¿Qué tienes planeado para el resto del día? – What are you planning for the rest of the day?
  • ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana pasado? – What did you do last weekend?
  • ¿Qué vas a hacer después? – What are you going to do after?
  • ¿Tienes planes para este fin de semana? – Do you have plans for this weekend?
  • ¿Has visto alguna película (peli) últimamente? – Have you seen any movies lately?
  • ¿Qué vas a hacer este feriado? – What are you going to do for the holiday?

When You Want to Know Their Thoughts and Opinions

  • ¿Qué piensas tú sobre…? – What do you think about…?
  • ¿Viste lo que ha pasado en la ciudad de México? – Did you see what’s been happening in Mexico City?
  • En tu opinión, ¿cuál es la solución a los problemas del medio ambiente? – In your opinion, what’s the solution to the environmental problems?
  • Si podrías vivir en cualquier lugar, ¿dónde querrías vivir? – If you could live anywhere, where would you like to live?
  • ¿Qué es la cosa más extraña que has visto en tu vida? – What is the weirdest thing you’ve seen in your life?

When You Want to Learn About Their Home and Family

  • ¿Tienes hermanos? – Do you have any siblings?
  • ¿Tienes hijos? – Do you have children?
  • ¿Qué edad tienen? – How old are they?
  • ¿A qué se dedican tus padres? – What do your parents do for a living?
  • ¿Dónde creciste? – Where did you grow up?
  • ¿Ves a tus abuelos a menudo? – Do you see your grandparents often?
  • ¿Eres cercano/a a tus padres? – Are you close with your parents?
  • ¿Cómo es tu pueblo natal? – What’s your hometown like?
spanish conversation starters

When You Meet While Traveling

  • ¿Te gusta viajar mucho? – Do you like to travel a lot?
  • ¿Dónde sueles ir de vacaciones? – Where do you usually go for holiday?
  • ¿Cuál es el lugar favorito en el que has estado? – What’s your favourite place you’ve been to? 
  • ¿En qué países has estado? – Which countries have you been to?
  • ¿En cuántos países has estado? – How many countries have you been to?
  • ¿Has estado en Paris? – Have you been to Paris?
  • ¿Querrías ir a Praga? – Would you like to go to Prague?
  • ¿Para qué vas a Bogotá? – For what reason are you going to Bogotá?
  • ¿Hablas otros idiomas? – Do you speak any other languages?
  • ¿Cómo aprendiste inglés? – How did you learn English?
  • ¿Cuándo empezaste a aprender español? – When did you start learning Spanish?
  • ¿A dónde fuiste la ultima vez de vacaciones? – Where was the last place you went on holiday?

When You Want to Talk About (or at) Work

  • ¿Qué te hizo convertirte en abogado/a? – Why did you become a lawyer?
  • ¿Te gusta tu trabajo? – Do you like your job?
  • ¿Qué es lo que más te gusta de tu trabajo? – What do you like the most about your job?
  • ¿Qué es la cosa más difícil de tu trabajo? – What’s the most difficult thing about your job?
  • ¿Alguna vez te han despedido de tu trabajo? – Have you ever been fired from a job?
  • ¿Puedes ayudarme con algo? – Can you help me with something?
  • ¿A qué hora es la reunión de hoy? – What time is today’s meeting?
  • ¿Necesitas ayuda con este proyecto? – Do you need help with this project?

When You Want to Talk About School and Learning

  • ¿Qué estudias? – What do you study/What’s your major?
  • ¿Cuál fue el último libro que leíste? – What was the last book you read?
  • ¿Fuiste a la universidad? – Did you go to university?
  • ¿A dónde fuiste al colegio? – Where did you go to school?
  • ¿Trabajas como voluntario/a? – Do you work as a volunteer?
  • ¿Qué clases llevas ahora? – How many classes are you taking?
  • ¿Cuál es tu clase favorita? – What is your favorite class?
  • ¿Te llevas bien con tus maestros? – Do you get along well with your teachers?
  • ¿Te dejan muchas tareas? – Do they give a lot of homework?
  • ¿Haces alguna actividad extra curricular? – Do you do any extracurricular activity?
  • ¿Cómo te va con tus notas? – How are your grades?
  • ¿Cuándo sales de vacaciones? – When do you go on break?

Talk It Out With Friends or Teachers

Now you have a massive list of questions and Spanish conversation starters to choose from. Where will you begin? You may feel confident enough to go out and start talking right away. If you would like to practice these with a native Spanish-speaking teacher from Guatemala, sign up for a free class and become a pro!

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Youth Group Spanish to Go on Outreach https://www.spanish.academy/blog/spanish-to-go-on-outreach-with-your-youth-group/ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/spanish-to-go-on-outreach-with-your-youth-group/#respond Wed, 12 Feb 2020 14:08:09 +0000 https://www.spanish.academy/?p=3637 Have you ever done a service project of some kind? Either with school, family, or an organization? One group that often gives back to the community is the church, so today we’ll be looking at specific service projects that a youth group can do on an outreach trip. When I was younger, I was in […]

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Have you ever done a service project of some kind? Either with school, family, or an organization? One group that often gives back to the community is the church, so today we’ll be looking at specific service projects that a youth group can do on an outreach trip.

When I was younger, I was in youth groups that had outreach projects both locally and abroad. You may not have to travel far, though, to be of service in a project where someone speaks Spanish!

If you do end up traveling abroad, it’s best to be prepared before you leave. Outreach trips offer many different types of projects, but we’re going to look at five common ones.

But waitbefore we begin, let’s go over some basic phrases that you will need to know!

General Questions

SpanishEnglish
¡Hola! Hello!
¿Cómo estás? How are you?
¿Cómo te llamas? What’s your name?
¿Cuántos años tienes? How old are you?
¿Hay algo que necesitas? Is there anything you need? 
¿Puedo orar por ti? Can I pray for you? 
¿Cómo puedo orar por ti? How can I pray for you?
Oremos. Let’s pray.
Cuéntame de ti. Tell me about yourself. 
Cuéntame de tu familia. Tell me about your family. 

These basic questions allow you to get to know another person and pray for them. From my experience, people don’t really mind what language you pray in, but you do need to know how to ask to pray in Spanish before you do so!

Now, what are five common outreach trips you can do with your youth group?

youth group

Ministerio de indigentes

This first outreach ministry is probably one of the most common ways to serve the community, and many groups (not just youth groups!) are working in this area. Through this outreach project, you serve the homeless by visiting them on the streets, bringing them hot beverages, and serving in a soup kitchen. Some keywords and phrases are particularly relevant for this type of service:

SpanishEnglish
La comida Food
La sopa Soup
El café Coffee
El abrigo Coat
La cobija Blanket
La ropa Clothes
Los zapatos Shoes
El albergue Homeless shelter
¿Necesitas más? Do you need more?
¡Aquí tienes! Here you go!
¡Buen provecho! Enjoy!      

Visitar los hospitales y los hogares de ancianos

This next serving opportunity is not for the faint of heart, but it’s a crucial service needed all over the world! Visiting hospitals and nursing homes will present your youth group with a lot of chances to pray with people and keep them company. Some vocabulary you might encounter in these situations are as follows: 

SpanishEnglish
el hospital hospital
el hogar de ancianos nursing home
la medicina medicine
la cirugía surgery
Alzheimer Alzheimer’s
el accidente accident
la pediatría pediatrics
 la maternidad maternity
la sala de emergencia emergency room
la unidad de cuidados intensivos intensive care unit
a sala de espera waiting room
¿Por qué estás en el hospital? Why are you in the hospital? 
¿Estás esperando a alguien? Are you waiting for someone? 
¿Hay alguien aquí contigo? Is there anyone here with you?
¿Cuál es tu memoria favorita? What is your favorite memory? 

Ministerio de niños

Probably the most popular outreach project is working with kids! It doesn’t even feel like work when you get to sing songs, paint faces, and play games with kids from the community. Unfortunately, I can’t give you a complete Sunday School lesson in Spanish, but I can start you with some commands and activities!

SpanishEnglish
¡Juguemos un juego! Let’s play a game.
Hagan un círculo. Make a circle.
¡Cantemos! Let’s sing!
¡Bailemos! Let’s dance!
Repitan después de mí.Repeat after me. 
Les voy a contar una historia. I’m going to tell you a story.
Vamos a aprender sobre… We’re going to learn about…
¿Quieres colorear? Do you want to color? 
¿Quieres que te pinte la cara? Do you want me to paint your face?
¿Qué te gustaría? What would you like?
la pelota Ball
los juegos Games   
dibujar Draw
las canciones Songs
la presentación Presentation
el drama Drama
las actividadesActivities
la refacciónSnack

Evangelismo

Our next outreach activity is evangelism! A lot of people do this differently; you can set up a booth and talk to people that walk by, preach in the streets, or talk to individuals you meet. Whichever way you decide to it, you’ll need some key phrases to help you get to the heart of the matter quickly and with ease. I suggest having a bilingual or Spanish Bible with you to share some passages and messages without having to know all the complex vocabulary.

SpanishEnglish
la calleStreet
el evangelioevangelism
al aire libreopen-air
el micrófonoMicrophone
PredicarPreach
Dios te amaGod loves you
Arrepiéntete Repent
Dios tiene un plan para tu vidaGod has a plan for your life
Dios te perdonaGod forgives you
¿Crees en Dios?Do you believe in God?
¡Te relacionas con Dios?Do you have a relationship with God?

Construcción

Last but not least, we have another incredibly popular service opportunity: construction! Again, this can be done both locally and abroad. I have a list of common tools and phrases to help get you through the construction process without hurting yourself or building something incorrectly!

SpanishEnglish
la construcciónConstructions
construirbuild
la casahouse
el martillohammer
la madera wood
el cerrucho saw
serruchar to saw
el clavonail
la pinturapaint
to paint pintar
foundationlos cimientos
la ventanawindow
la paredwall
la puertadoor
medirmeasure
la cinta métrica measuring tape
la escalera ladder
pulgadas inches
metros meters
centímetros centimeters
pies feet
¿Puedes medir eso por favor? Can you measure that, please?
¿Cuánto mide? How big is it?
Pon eso aquí. Put that here.
Sostén esto. Hold this.
¿Me puedes ayudar? Can you help me?
¡Cuidado! Careful!
¡Cuidado con la cabeza! Watch your head!

Is Your Youth Group Ready to Go Now?

Do you feel ready to go on outreach with your youth group now? Even if you are just doing a service project by yourself, I hope this vocabulary can help you prepare to talk to any Spanish speakers you may run across. Of course, this vocabulary is not at all complete. Thankfully, we have classes with native Spanish speakers who can help you prepare for conversations in Spanish! Try a free class today and enjoy your outreach!

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Ready to learn more Spanish vocabulary? Check these out!

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