15 Common Spanish Filler Words (Muletillas) To Sound Like A Native

Filler words… We all know them, and we all have our opinions about them. Sometimes, they come in handy, sometimes, they are annoying. But the truth is: they are natural parts of any language.

Spanish filler words are no different! Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded) made a great, in-depth video about the Spanish filler words that natives use all the time:

This blog post is all about explaining these Spanish filler words, and ultimately, explaining why they are useful in the Spanish language.

Why are Spanish filler words useful?

They’re basically the same as ‘ums and ahs’ in English. And if you’re speaking English, you know that these filler words make you sound more like a native speaker because it’s actually natural to think while you speak.

Let’s think of these Spanish filler words as words that work as a glue that holds conversations together. They give you a moment to think, emphasize what you’re saying, or just keep the conversation flowing smoothly.

In this blog post, we’ll list the 15 most common Spanish filler words that don’t really have a direct translation but they certainly help you out in your speech.

Let’s explore them one-by-one!

1. Pues (Well)

“Pues” is like the Swiss Army knife of Spanish filler words.

It’s incredibly versatile and can be used in both formal and informal situations.

You’ll hear it at the beginning of sentences, where it’s similar to saying “well” in English.

It’s great for buying time when you’re thinking about what to say next, or to soften the start of a response. In informal settings, you can use it freely, while in formal meetings, it’s still acceptable but use it sparingly.

María: “Pues, no sé qué decirte sobre ese proyecto.” (Well, I don’t know what to tell you about that project.)
Javier: “Ah, venga. Pues dime lo que piensas sin más.” (Oh, come on. Just tell me what you think without hesitation.)

2. Este/Esta (Um, Uh)

“Este” or “esta” (depending on the gender of the noun you’re thinking of) is perfect for those moments when you’re searching for the right word.

It’s like saying “um” or “uh” in English.

This filler is more common in informal conversations and shouldn’t really be used in formal settings. It’s useful when you’re trying to remember a name or a specific term.

Carlos: “Necesito hablar con… este… ¿cómo se llama? ¡Ah sí, Lucía!” (I need to talk to… um… what’s her name? Oh yes, Lucía!)
Elena: “Tranquilo, Carlos. Tómate tu tiempo para recordar.” (Take it easy, Carlos. Take your time to remember.)

3. O sea (I mean, That is to say)

“O sea” is used to clarify or rephrase something you’ve just said.

It’s similar to saying “I mean” or “that is to say” in English.

This filler is quite common in casual conversations but can also be used in more formal settings when you need to explain something more clearly.

It’s a great tool for ensuring your listener understands your point.

Ana: “No quiero ir a la fiesta. O sea, me encantaría, pero estoy muy cansada.” (I don’t want to go to the party. I mean, I’d love to, but I’m very tired.)
Pablo: “Entiendo, Ana. O sea, prefieres quedarte en casa, ¿no?” (I understand, Ana. So, you prefer to stay at home, right?)

4. Bueno (Well, Okay)

“Bueno” is a chameleon in the world of Spanish fillers.

While it literally means “good,” it’s often used at the beginning of sentences to mean “well” or “okay.”

It’s acceptable in both formal and informal settings and can be used to start a response, change the subject, or indicate that you’re about to wrap up a conversation.

Pedro: “Bueno, ¿qué te parece si vamos al cine mañana?” (Well, what do you think about going to the movies tomorrow?)
Laura: “Bueno, Pedro, no es mala idea. ¿A qué hora?” (Okay, Pedro, that’s not a bad idea. What time?)

5. Eh (Huh, Right)

“Eh” is a another little filler that can be used in different ways.

It’s often added to the end of sentences to ask for agreement or confirmation, similar to “right?” or “huh?” in English.

It’s more common in informal settings and can help make your speech sound more natural and engaging.

Roberto: “Hace un día precioso, ¿eh, Sofía?” (It’s a beautiful day, huh, Sofía?)
Sofía: “Sí, Roberto, perfecto para ir a la playa, ¿eh?” (Yes, Roberto, perfect for going to the beach, right?)

6. Entonces (So, Then)

“Entonces” is a great filler to use when you’re drawing a conclusion or moving a conversation forward.

It’s similar to saying “so” or “then” in English. You can use it in both formal and informal settings, making it a great choice for different situations.

Luis: “Entonces, ¿qué hacemos con el problema del presupuesto?” (So, what do we do about the budget problem?)
Carmen: “Entonces, yo diría que tenemos que reducir gastos, ¿no?” (Then, I’d say we need to reduce expenses, right?)

7. Sabes (You know)

“Sabes” is a friendly, conversational filler that’s great for creating a connection with your listener.

It’s similar to saying “you know” in English. While it’s more common in informal settings, it can also be used in casual business conversations to create rapport.

Martín: “Sabes, creo que deberíamos cambiar de estrategia.” (You know, I think we should change our strategy.)
Isabel: “Sí, sabes que estoy de acuerdo contigo.” (Yes, you know I agree with you.)

8. Mira (Look)

“Mira” is used to draw attention to what you’re about to say.

It’s like saying “look” or “listen” in English. This filler works well in both formal and informal contexts when you want to emphasize a point or introduce a new idea.

Diego: “Mira, entiendo tu punto de vista, pero no estoy de acuerdo.” (Look, I understand your point of view, but I disagree.)
Elena: “Mira, Diego, quizás podamos llegar a un compromiso.” (Listen, Diego, maybe we can reach a compromise.)

9. Digamos (Let’s say)

“Digamos” is useful when you’re providing an example or hypothetical situation. It’s equivalent to “let’s say” in English.

This filler is versatile and can be used in both casual and professional settings.

Alejandro: “Digamos que tenemos un millón de euros para invertir. ¿Qué harías?” (Let’s say we have a million euros to invest. What would you do?)
Lucía: “Digamos que invertiría la mitad en bienes raíces y el resto en acciones.” (Let’s say I would invest half in real estate and the rest in stocks.)

10. Como (Like)

“Como” can be used similarly to “like” in English, as a filler or to introduce an example. It’s more common in informal speech but can also be used in relaxed professional settings.

Raúl: “Estoy como muy cansado hoy, ¿sabes?” (I’m like really tired today, you know?)
Marta: “Sí, yo también. Es como si no hubiéramos dormido en días.” (Yes, me too. It’s like we haven’t slept in days.)

11. Vale (Okay, Right)

“Vale” is the ultimate Spanish filler word that’s used to show agreement or understanding.

It’s basically the same as saying “okay” or “alright” in English. While it’s more common in informal settings, it’s also acceptable in many professional contexts, especially in Spain.

Jorge: “¿Te parece bien si nos reunimos mañana a las 10?” (Is it okay if we meet tomorrow at 10?)
Sara: “Vale, perfecto. Nos vemos entonces.” (Okay, perfect. See you then.)

12. Venga (Come on, Alright)

“Venga” is a lively filler that can express encouragement, agreement, or even mild impatience.

It’s similar to “come on” or “alright” in English. It’s more common in informal settings but can be used in casual work environments too.

Antonio: “Venga, vamos a terminar este proyecto de una vez.” (Come on, let’s finish this project once and for all.)
Claudia: “Venga, sí. Ya estamos cerca del final.” (Alright, yes. We’re close to the end.)

13. Hombre/Mujer (Man/Woman – used as interjections)

“Hombre” (for men) and “Mujer” (for women) are friendly interjections used to emphasize what you’re saying or to soften a statement.

They’re similar to saying “man” or “woman” in English conversations. These are quite informal and best used with friends or close colleagues.

Pablo: “Hombre, no me digas que te olvidaste de la reunión.” (Man, don’t tell me you forgot about the meeting.)
Laura: “Mujer, claro que no. Estaba en camino cuando me llamaste.” (Woman, of course not. I was on my way when you called.)

14. Claro (Of course, Sure)

“Claro” is a filler used to express agreement or to confirm something.

It can be used in both formal and informal settings, making it a perfect choice in these situations.

Ernesto: “¿Puedes enviarme el informe cuando lo termines?” (Can you send me the report when you finish it?)
Silvia: “Claro, te lo mando en cuanto esté listo.” (Of course, I’ll send it to you as soon as it’s ready.)

15. Vamos (Come on, Let’s see)

“Vamos” is a dynamic filler that can express encouragement, impatience, or be used to move a conversation along.

It’s similar to “come on” or “let’s see” in English. It’s more common in casual settings but can be used in relaxed work environments.

Miguel: “Vamos, cuéntame qué pasó en la reunión.” (Come on, tell me what happened in the meeting.)
Ana: “Vamos a ver… fue bastante productiva, la verdad.” (Let’s see… it was quite productive, actually.)

Practice Spanish filler words with a Practice Worksheet

Time to practice the filler words in action:

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Learn common Spanish filler words with Conversation Based Chunking

Now, the thing about these Spanish filler words that you don’t even really have to learn them. They’ll come to you naturally if you use the Conversation Based Chunking method.

If you’re really curious how others use these Spanish filler words, you can check Reddit’s biggest Spanish learning subreddit on people’s views.

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