100 Common Spanish Phrases To Survive Any Situation + Audio

Whether you’re planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country, looking to learn Spanish, or just wanting to make conversation with friends or family, knowing common Spanish phrases can be incredibly valuable.

Take a look at this video made for you by Juan from Spring Spanish (a project I’m a co-founder):

Not only does it help you navigate daily situations, but it also enriches your experiences and allows you to connect with others more deeply.

From ordering food to making small talk, a foundation of the common Spanish phrases will help you feel more confident and at ease.

1. 25 common Spanish phrases to kickstart any conversation: Spanish greetings

To engage in your first conversation with a native Spanish speaker, greetings are your starting point. And greetings are common Spanish phrases.

We’ve compiled a list of 25 basic Spanish greetings that will help you greet someone warmly.

SpanishEnglish
Hola
Hello
Buenos días
Good morning
Buenas tardes
Good afternoon
Buenas noches
Good evening/Good night
¿Cómo estás?
How are you?
¿Qué tal?
How’s it going?
Mucho gusto
Nice to meet you
¿Cómo te llamas?
What’s your name?
Me llamo
My name is…
Encantado/a
Delighted/Pleased to meet you
¿Cómo ha ido tu día?
How has your day been?
¿Qué haces?
What are you doing?
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from?
Soy de…
I am from…
Hasta luego
See you later
Adiós
Goodbye
Hasta mañana
See you tomorrow
Buenas noches
Good night
¡Qué tengas un buen día!
Have a good day!
¡Hasta pronto!
See you soon!
Bienvenido/a
Welcome
¿Todo bien?
Everything alright?
Nos vemos
See you
Tengo que irme
I have to go
Cuídate
Take care

If you want to learn more Spanish greetings, check out our article on “50 Vital Spanish Sentences“.

And here’s one more tip: Sign up to our Conversation Based Chunking Starter Pack and get access to our full Spanish language learning program! It will give you a chance to learn more common Spanish phrases and chunks!

What better example to show how these common Spanish phrases work than to show you a conversation? Here it goes:

María: “¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?” (Hello! How are you?)
Juan: “¡Buenas tardes! Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? ¿Cómo ha ido tu día?” (Good afternoon! I’m well, thank you. And you? How has your day been?)
María: “Mi día ha sido muy ocupado. Tengo que irme ahora, pero fue un gusto verte.” (My day has been very busy. I have to go now, but it was nice to see you.)
Juan: “Entiendo. Bueno, ¡hasta pronto! Cuídate.” (I understand. Well, see you soon! Take care.)
María: “¡Gracias! Tú también. ¡Qué tengas un buen día! (Thank you! You too. Have a good day!)

2. 10 useful common Spanish phrases when travelling

When you’re going on a trip, it’s essential to have some useful Spanish phrases for travel that can go a long way in making your experience smoother.

Below are 10 Spanish travel phrases to survive any conversation you might encounter on your travels.

SpanishEnglish
¿Dónde está el baño?
Where is the bathroom?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much does it cost?
¿Puede ayudarme?
Can you help me?
Necesito un taxi
I need a taxi
Una mesa para dos, por favor
A table for two, please
¿Habla inglés?
Do you speak English?
No entiendo
I don’t understand
¿Podría repetirlo?
Could you repeat that?
¿Dónde está…?
Where is…?
Me gustaría ir a…
I would like to go to…

Let’s imagine these common Spanish phrases in a situation:

Carlos: “Disculpe, ¿puede ayudarme? ¿Dónde está el baño? (Excuse me, can you help me? Where is the bathroom?)
Elena: “Al final del pasillo a la derecha. ¿Habla inglés? (At the end of the hallway on the right. Do you speak English?)
Carlos: No entiendo bien español. Me gustaría ir a un restaurante.” (I don’t understand Spanish well. I would like to go to a restaurant.)
Elena: “Puedo recomendarle uno. ¿Cuánto cuesta una comida típica, pregunta usted? Los precios varían.” (I can recommend one. How much does a typical meal cost, you ask? Prices vary.)
Carlos: “Gracias. Una mesa para dos, por favor.” (Thank you. A table for two, please.)

3. 10 basic Spanish questions in restaurants

Dining out is a great way to practice Spanish and learn more about the language and culture.

Learn these basic Spanish questions to ask in restaurants and you’ll be able to engage like a local with the common Spanish phrases:

SpanishEnglish
¿Qué me recomienda?
What do you recommend?
¿Tienen alguna especialidad?
Do you have a specialty?
¿Cuál es la sopa del día?
What is the soup of the day?
¿Puedo ver el menú, por favor?
Can I see the menu, please?
¿Qué ingredientes lleva…?
What ingredients does… have?
¿Es picante?
Is it spicy?
¿Puedo tener la cuenta?
Can I have the bill?
¿Aceptan tarjetas de crédito?
Do you accept credit cards?
¿Puedo pedir para llevar?
Can I order this to go?
¿Tienen opciones vegetarianas?
Do you have vegetarian options?

Don’t forget to check out our “Spanish Question Words” article for a deeper dive into asking questions in Spanish.

Curious to see how you can use these Spanish questions in action? Let’s see a real Spanish dialogue with the most common Spanish phrases:

Luisa: ¿Puedo ver el menú, por favor? ¿Qué me recomienda?” (Can I see the menu, please? What do you recommend?)
Camarero: “Nuestra especialidad es el pescado a la parrilla. ¿Tienen opciones vegetarianas? (Our specialty is grilled fish. Do you have vegetarian options?)
Luisa: “Tomaré el pescado. ¿Puedo pedir para llevar la sopa? ¿Aceptan tarjetas de crédito?” (I’ll have the fish. Can I order the soup to go? Do you accept credit cards?)
Camarero: “Sí, aceptamos tarjetas. Enseguida le traigo todo.” (Yes, we accept cards. I’ll bring everything right away.)

4. 10 Spanish phrases to use food and drinks

Talking about food and drinks is a tasty part of learning a new language. Yummy!

These common Spanish phrases will help you discuss your preferences and make orders confidently.

SpanishEnglish
Me gustaría…
I would like…
¿Tienen…?
Do you have…?
Quisiera probar…
I would like to try…
Estoy lleno/a
I’m full
Tengo hambre
I’m hungry
Tengo sed
I’m thirsty
Una cerveza, por favor
A beer, please
Una copa de vino
A glass of wine
Sin hielo, por favor
Without ice, please
El postre, por favor
The dessert, please

Let’s see how ordering drinks in Spanish works:

María: ¿Tienen una copa de vino? (Do you have a glass of wine?)
Carlos: Sí, tenemos. ¿Quisiera probar nuestro vino tinto? (Yes, we do. Would you like to try our red wine?)
María: Me gustaría, pero tengo sed. ¿Tienen cerveza? (I would like to, but I’m thirsty. Do you have beer?)
Carlos: Claro. Una cerveza, sin hielo, por favor. (Of course. A beer, without ice, please.)

5. 10 basic Spanish weather words

Talking about the weather is a universal starter for making small talk. Here are some basic words and phrases you can use to discuss the Spanish weather.

SpanishEnglish
¿Qué tiempo hace?
What’s the weather like?
Hace calor
It’s hot
Hace frío
It’s cold
Hace sol
It’s sunny
Hace viento
It’s windy
Está lloviendo
It’s raining
Está nublado
It’s cloudy
¿Va a llover?
Is it going to rain?
Está nevando
It’s snowing
La temperatura
The temperature

For even more weather-related phrases, see our “Weather in Spanish” article.

And for a real conversation about the weather with the most common Spanish phrases, just read this:

Ana: ¿Qué tiempo hace hoy? (What’s the weather like today?)
Juan: Hace sol, pero también hace viento. (It’s sunny, but it’s also windy.)
Ana: ¿Va a llover más tarde? (Is it going to rain later?)
Juan: No creo. Está nublado, pero la temperatura es agradable. (I don’t think so. It’s cloudy, but the temperature is pleasant.)

6. 10 common Spanish slang to sound like a native

Using slang can make your Spanish sound more natural and can help you connect with native speakers on a different level.

Here’s a list of common Spanish slang expressions.

SpanishEnglish
¡Qué chulo!
How cool!
Tío/Tía
Dude/Guy
Vale
Okay/Alright
Guay
Cool
Chévere
Great/Nice
Guiri
Tourist (informal)
Majo/a
Nice/Kind
Pasta
Money (informal)
Curro
Job/Work (informal)
Chorrada
Nonsense/Stupid thing

Let’s see how these Spanish slangs work in action as the most common Spanish phrases

Miguel: ¡Tío, mira ese guiri con su cámara! ¡Qué chulo! (Dude, look at that tourist with his camera! How cool!)
Sara: Vale, es guay, pero no seas maleducado. (Okay, it’s cool, but don’t be rude.)
Miguel: Tienes razón. Es que me parece chévere ver turistas disfrutando de nuestra ciudad. (You’re right. It’s just that I find it great to see tourists enjoying our city.)
Sara: Sí, son majos. Oye, ¿vamos por una cerveza? Tengo algo de pasta. (Yes, they’re nice. Hey, shall we go for a beer? I have some money.)

7. 15 Spanish expressions for emergencies

It’s crucial to know a few emergency phrases when in a Spanish-speaking country. These can be a lifeline in unexpected situations.

SpanishEnglish
¡Ayuda!
Help!
¡Socorro!
Help!
Necesito ayuda
I need help
Llame a una ambulancia
Call an ambulance
¿Dónde está el hospital?
Where is the hospital?
Me he perdido
I’m lost
¿Puede ayudarme a encontrar…?
Can you help me find…?
Me robaron
I’ve been robbed
Necesito un médico
I need a doctor
Está de emergencia
It’s an emergency
No me siento bien
I don’t feel well
Estoy enfermo/a
I am sick
Necesito hablar con la embajada
I need to speak with the embassy
¿Puede llamar a la policía?
Can you call the police?
No puedo encontrar mi hotel
I can’t find my hotel

It’s always important to stay calm in these kinds of situations. Let’s get prepared with the most common Spanish phrases in a conversation:

Turista: ¡Ayuda! Me he perdido y estoy enfermo. (Help! I’m lost and I’m sick.)
Local: ¿Necesita un médico? ¿Dónde está el hospital? (Do you need a doctor? Where is the hospital?)
Turista: Sí, por favor. No puedo encontrar mi hotel. (Yes, please. I can’t find my hotel.)
Local: Tranquilo, voy a llamar a una ambulancia. (Calm down, I’m going to call an ambulance.)

8. 10 basic Spanish phrases for small talk

Making small talk is an excellent way to practice your Spanish and get to know someone better. These basic phrases will help you get started.

SpanishEnglish
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from?
¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre?
What do you like to do in your free time?
¿Has viajado a otros países?
Have you traveled to other countries?
Me gusta la música
I like music
¿Qué tipo de música te gusta?
What kind of music do you like?
He aprendido español por…
I have been learning Spanish for…
¿Tienes hermanos?
Do you have siblings?
¿Qué te trajo aquí?
What brings you here?
¿Viste el partido anoche?
Did you see the game last night?
¿Tienes mascotas?
Do you have pets?

This is how you make small talk with the most common Spanish phrases:

Elena: ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?)
Marco: Soy de Italia. ¿Qué te trajo aquí? (I’m from Italy. What brings you here?)
Elena: He aprendido español por dos años y quiero practicar. ¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre? (I have been learning Spanish for two years and want to practice. What do you like to do in your free time?)
Marco: Me gusta la música. ¿Qué tipo de música te gusta? (I like music. What kind of music do you like?)

9. Learn more Spanish with Conversation Based Chunking

Conversation Based Chunking is a technique where you learn language in the context of conversations rather than isolated words or grammar rules. By focusing on common Spanish phrases that you’ll use in everyday interactions, you’ll be able to start speaking Spanish without hesitation and understand native speakers better.

These common Spanish phrases are here for you to survive any conversation in Spanish, and are a great place to start learning, but they’re just the beginning. Remember! Language learning is a journey, and the more you practice, the more confident you’ll become.

Use these common Spanish phrases as you start learning Spanish, and with each new phrase, you’ll find yourself more connected to the world of Spanish speakers and their rich culture. Expand your vocabulary, practice regularly, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—each conversation is a step closer to becoming fluent in Spanish.

Similar Posts