useful spanish words for essays

51 Spanish Phrases for Essays to Impress with Words

  • January 7, 2021

Joanna Lupa

Communicating in a foreign language is hard enough, even in everyday situations, when no sophisticated or academic vocabulary is needed. 

Being able to write an actual essay in Spanish requires you not only to have a solid grammar base but also be knowledgeable about specific phrases and words typically used in school and university writing. 

For those of you who study in one of the Spanish speaking countries or are toying with the idea of signing up for an exchange program, I have prepared a summary of useful Spanish phrases for essays. They are divided into the following categories:

  • Connectors (sequence, contrast, cause and effect, additional information, and conclusion)
  • Expressions to give your opinion, agree and disagree with a thesis
  • fancy academic expressions

Spanish Connectors to Use in Essays

Written language tends to be more formal than the spoken one. Ideas get explained in complex sentences showing how they relate to each other. A fantastic tool to achieve that is connectors.

What are some useful Spanish connectors for essays? Let’s have a look at the ten examples below:

  • 🇪🇸 primero – 🇬🇧 first
  • 🇪🇸 segundo – 🇬🇧 second
  • 🇪🇸 el siguiente argumento – 🇬🇧 the next argument
  • 🇪🇸 finalmente – 🇬🇧 finally, last but not least 
  • 🇪🇸 sin embargo – 🇬🇧 however, nevertheless, nonetheless
  • 🇪🇸 por lo tanto – 🇬🇧 therefore, thus
  • 🇪🇸 además – 🇬🇧 besides
  • 🇪🇸 por un lado….por el otro lado – 🇬🇧 on the one hand….on the other hand
  • 🇪🇸 a menos que – 🇬🇧 unless
  • 🇪🇸 a pesar de (algo) – 🇬🇧 despite / in spite of (something)
  • 🇪🇸 aunque / a pesar de que – 🇬🇧 although / even though
  • 🇪🇸 debido a – 🇬🇧 due to
  • 🇪🇸 puesto que / dado que – 🇬🇧 given that
  • 🇪🇸 ya que –  🇬🇧 since
  • 🇪🇸 mientras que – 🇬🇧 whereas
  • 🇪🇸 en conclusión – 🇬🇧 in conclusion
  • 🇪🇸 para concluir – 🇬🇧 to conclude

Do you think you would know how to use these connectors in an essay? Let’s suppose you are writing about ecology:

🇪🇸 Los paises han estado cambiando sus politicas. Sin embargo, aún queda mucho por hacer.  🇬🇧 Countries have been changing their policies. However, there is still a lot to do. 

🇪🇸 Una de las amenazas climáticas es el efecto invernadero. Además está la contaminación del agua que presenta un serio riesgo para la salud.  🇬🇧 One of the climate threats is the greenhouse effect. Besides, there is water pollution that presents a severe health hazard. 

🇪🇸 A pesar de los acuerdos internacionales, varios países no han mejorado sus normas ambientales.  🇬🇧 Despite international agreements, many countries haven’t yet improved their environmental standards. 

🇪🇸 Debido a la restricción en el uso de bolsas de plástico desechables, Chile ha podido reducir su huella de carbono.  🇬🇧 Due to the restrictions in the use of disposable plastic bags, Chile has been able to reduce its carbon print. 

Spanish Phrases to Express Your Opinion in Essays

Essay topics commonly require you to write what you think about something. Or whether you agree or disagree with an idea, a project, or someone’s views. 

The words below will allow you to express your opinion effortlessly and go beyond the typical “creo que ” – “ I think ”:

  • 🇪🇸 (yo) opino que – 🇬🇧 in my opinion
  • 🇪🇸 me parece que – 🇬🇧 it seems to me
  • 🇪🇸 desde mi punto de vista – 🇬🇧 from my point of view
  • 🇪🇸 (no) estoy convencido que  – 🇬🇧 I am (not) convinced that
  • 🇪🇸 no me cabe la menor duda – 🇬🇧 I have no doubt 
  • 🇪🇸 estoy seguro que – 🇬🇧 I’m sure
  • 🇪🇸 dudo que – 🇬🇧 I doubt
  • 🇪🇸 sospecho que – 🇬🇧 I suspect
  • 🇪🇸 asumo que – 🇬🇧 I assume
  • 🇪🇸 estoy (totalmente, parcialmente) de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I (totally, partially) agree
  • 🇪🇸 no estoy de acuerdo en absoluto – 🇬🇧 I absolutely disagree
  • 🇪🇸 opino diferente – 🇬🇧 I have a different opinion
  • 🇪🇸 me niego a aceptar – 🇬🇧 I refuse to accept
  • 🇪🇸 estoy en contra / a favor de – 🇬🇧 I am against / in favor of
  • 🇪🇸 no podría estar más de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I couldn’t agree more
  • 🇪🇸 encuentro absolutamente cierto / falso  – 🇬🇧 I find it absolutely correct / false

Phrases like these can really give shape to your essay and increase its formality level. This time, let’s verify it with views on education: 

🇪🇸 Opino que estudiando remotamente los jóvenes están perdiendo las habilidades sociales.  🇬🇧 In my opinion, remote schooling makes youngsters lose their social skills. 

🇪🇸 Dudo que esta decisión traiga verdaderos cambios para el sistema educacional en mi país.  🇬🇧 I doubt this change will bring any real changes to the educational system in my country. 

🇪🇸 Estoy totalmente de acuerdo con que todos deberían tener acceso a educación de calidad. 🇬🇧 I totally agree that everyone should have access to good quality education. 

🇪🇸 Estoy en contra de escuelas solo para niñas o solo para niños.  🇬🇧 I am against girls-only or boys-only schools. 

Pay attention to certain language differences between English and Spanish versions. The most common mistake that my students make is to say “ I am agree ” ❌ (direct translation from “ Estoy de acuerdo ”) instead of “ I agree ”✔️. 

Fancy Academic Verbs and Expressions for Essays in Spanish

Would you like to impress your professor with sophisticated academic vocabulary or get extra points on your DELE? Grab a pen and take notes:

  • 🇪🇸 afirmar  – 🇬🇧 to state
  • 🇪🇸 refutar – 🇬🇧 to refute, to reject
  • 🇪🇸 argumentar – 🇬🇧 to argue that
  • 🇪🇸 poner en duda  – 🇬🇧 to cast doubt
  • 🇪🇸 poner en evidencia – 🇬🇧 to shed light 
  • 🇪🇸 demostrar – 🇬🇧 to demonstrate
  • 🇪🇸 concentrarse en – 🇬🇧 to focus on
  • 🇪🇸 sostener – 🇬🇧 to sustain
  • 🇪🇸 reflejar – 🇬🇧 to reflect
  • 🇪🇸 considerando (que) – 🇬🇧 considering (that)
  • 🇪🇸 siendo realista – 🇬🇧 realistically speaking
  • 🇪🇸 de cierto modo – 🇬🇧 in a way
  • 🇪🇸 en lo que se refiere a – 🇬🇧 with regards to
  • 🇪🇸 en vista de – 🇬🇧 in view of
  • 🇪🇸 de acuerdo a – 🇬🇧 according to
  • 🇪🇸 no obstante – 🇬🇧 nevertheless

So many great words to work with! And some of them sound really similar to English, right? This is exactly why Spanish is such a good option when you want to learn a second language.

Let’s see how to make all these verbs and phrases work:

🇪🇸 Los resultados de los nuevos estudios ponen en duda la relación entre el consumo de huevos y altos niveles de colesterol.  🇬🇧 The recent study findings cast doubt on the relation between egg consumption and high cholesterol levels. 

🇪🇸 Los autores del estudio argumentan que los azucares y los carbohidratos juegan un rol importante en este asunto.  🇬🇧 The authors of the study argue that sugars and carbs play an important role in this topic. 

🇪🇸 En lo que se refiere al consumo de carne, este influye directamente los niveles de colesterol malo, sobre todo si es carne con mucha grasa. 🇬🇧 Regarding meat consumption, it directly influences the levels of “bad” cholesterol, especially in the case of greasy meat. 

Joanna Lupa

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65 spanish phrases to use in an essay.

If Spanish is not your first language, memorizing specific phrases can help you improve your essay-writing skills and make you sound more like a native speaker. Thus below, you will find a list of useful phrases categorized by groups to help you appear more proficient and take your essays to the next level!

Introductory Phrases

Based on my vast experience as a freelance writer , I can say that starting an essay is undoubtedly the most challenging part of essay writing. Nonetheless, many phrases have proven to help organize my thoughts and form cohesive and intriguing introductions, such as:

• “Para empezar” – To begin with

• “Al principio” – At the beginning… 

• “En primer lugar” – To start… 

• “Empecemos por considerar” – Let’s begin by considering/acknowledging 

• “A manera de introducción” – We can start by saying…

• “Como punto de partida “ – As a starting point

• “Hoy en día” – Nowadays… Notice that these introductory phrases are not exactly the same than those you would use in a conversation. For that, I suggest reading my article about Sentence Starters in Spanish .

You can also use phrase to introduce a new topic in the text such as:

  • En lo que se refiere a – Regarding to
  • Respecto a – Regarding to
  • En cuanto a – Regarding to
  • Cuando se trata de – When it comes to
  • Si pasamos a hablar de – If we go ahead to talk about

Concluding Phrases

It is also crucial that you know how to finish your essay. A good conclusion will allow you to tie all your ideas together and emphasize the key takeaways. Below, a few ways in which you can begin a concluding argument:

• “En conclusion” – In conclusion

• “En resumen/resumiendo…” – In summary

• “Como se puede ver…” – As you can see

• “Para concluir” – To conclude

• “Para finalizar” – To finish

• “Finalmente, podemos decir que…” – We can then say that…

• “ En consecuencia, podemos decir que…” – As a result, one can say that…

• “Por fin” – Finally

Transitional Phrases

Transitions phrases are crucial if you wish your essay to flow smoothly. Thus, I recommend you pay special attention to the following sentences:

• “Además” – Besides

• “Adicionalmente” – In addition…

• “Dado que…” – Given that…

• “Por lo tanto” – Therefore

• “Entonces” – Thus/So

• “Debido a…” – Hence

• “Mientras tanto” – Meanwhile

• “Por lo que” – This is why

• “Desde entonces” – Since then

Argumentative Phrases

When writing essays, it is very common for us to need to include argumentative phrases to get our message across. Hence, if you are looking for new ways to introduce an argument, below a few ideas:

• “Por otro lado…” – On the other hand…

• “En primera instancia…” – First of all 

• “A diferencia de…” – As oppossed to

• “De igual forma” – More so

• “Igualmente” – The same goes for… 

• “En otras palabras” – In other words

• “A pesar de que…” – Although 

• “Aunque” – Even though 

• “En contraste” – By contrast 

• “De hecho…” – In fact… 

• “Sin embargo” – Nevertheless

• “No obstante” – However

Opinion Phrases

There are many formal (and less formal ways) to express your opinions and beliefs in Spanish. Here, a few examples: 

• “Considero que…” – I considerthat…

• “Mi opinión es” – It is my opinion

• “Pienso que…” – I think that…

• “Opino que” – In my opinion…

• “Afortunadamente” – Fortunately

• “ Lamentablemente” – Unfortunately

• “Me parece que…” – It seems to me that…

• “En mi opinión” – I believe that…

• “En mi experiencia” – Based on my experience

• “Como yo lo veo…” – As I see it…

• “Es mi parecer” – My pointview 

General Phrases

Finally, I wanted to include a group of useful common phrases that can enrich your essay’s vocabulary:

•   “En realidad” – In reality

• “Actualmente” – Today/Nowadays 

• “De acuerdo a…” – According to… 

• “Por ejemplo” – For example

• “Cabe recalcar que…” – It is important to note that… 

• “Vale la pena resaltar que…” – It is important to highlight that… 

• “No podemos ignorar que…” – We can’t ignore that… 

• “Normalmente” – Usually/Normally 

• “Por lo general” – In general

• “Es normal que…” – It is normal to…

• “Otro hecho importante es…” – Another relevant factor is… 

• “Podría decirse que…” – One could say that… 

• “Para ilustrar” – To illustrate 

There you have it! A list of 60 useful phrases you can memorize to make your essays sound more professional and become more appealing to readers. However, if you are struggling and need further assistance with your essay, here you can see an Spanish essay example that can help you to structure and edit your work.

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The Advanced Spanish Words You Definitely Need

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Speaking Spanish in casual conversations is a rewarding experience. Sure, native Spanish speakers converse at a really fast pace. But, if you ask them to slow down, they will—and they will probably try to help you understand and be part of the conversation.

At the end of the day, there’s a reason why Spanish-speaking countries are said to have some of the friendliest people!

But what happens when, instead of an informal chat over some wine and tapas, you have to face a doctor’s appointment or a super important business meeting? Formal situations will call for advanced Spanish words, which might be scary for those who are still learning.

Namely, you’ll have to step up your game in order to succeed in conversations related to higher education, business, the law, and even medicine. 

Don’t worry, though! You can be prepared for all those kinds of situations! SpanishPod101 is here to help with this guide to the advanced Spanish words you’ll need to thrive in a variety of contexts. Also, stick around for some bonus expressions that will help you ace your next Spanish essay.

¡Que lo disfrutes! (“Enjoy!”)

A Woman Interviewing for a Job

Do business in Spanish like a pro!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Spanish

  • Advanced Academic Words
  • Advanced Business Words
  • Advanced Medical Words
  • Advanced Legal Words
  • Bonus: Alternative Words for Acing a Spanish Essay
  • Final Thoughts

1. Advanced Academic Words

One of the reasons people move to Spain is to study, whether that means studying the Spanish language itself or pursuing another subject of interest. However, one must keep in mind that the academic environment is much more formal than everyday Spanish life. 

Especially if you have to write essays, compose a thesis, or discuss a topic in class, you’ll need to master some advanced Spanish vocabulary related to the academic world. Of course, if you forget some of the most common classroom phrases in Spanish , you can always head over to SpanishPod101.com to review them!

Here you’ll find the essential words related to studies and training, so you’ll be prepared for everything from exams to seminars. We have also included a section on advanced Spanish words that’ll help you defend your work or thesis.

You’ll notice that many words are similar to their English counterparts, as formal or niche words tend to evolve less in languages. This means you’re one step ahead in mastering advanced Spanish!

1 – Studies and Training

Studies
Training / Studies
is a common word used to describe one’s academic curriculum in formal situations (i.e., a job interview). It’s more generic than , as it applies to both formal and informal training/education. → “He was trained as a mechanic, but he ended up going to university to finish his engineering studies.”
Training course
Conference
Seminar
Exam
Essay
Paper
Assessment
Degree


The word , very similar to the word “career,” does mean the same as its English counterpart in work-related contexts. However, in the academic world, also means “degree”! → “She studied a nursing degree and she later had a meteoric career in the hospital.”
Graduate
PhD
Competences
Syllabus

A Man Studying in a Library

¿Cuál es el plan de estudios de tu carrera? (“What’s the syllabus of your degree?”)

2 – Defending Your Thesis

Research
Researcher
Author
Subject / Exhibit
Sample
Analysis
Experiment
Demonstration / Proof
Verification
Result
Field
Method
Justification
Consideration
Opinion
Argument
Take into account that the Spanish word never refers to a quarrel. 

Instead, if you wanted to indicate that two scholars are having “a heated argument,” you would say they’re having .
Ambiguous
Controversy

three researchers examining and recording data

Los investigadores (“The researchers”)

2. Advanced Business Words

Similar to entering the Spanish academic world, finding a job that requires you to speak fluent Spanish is a challenging opportunity. First things first: You need to learn all the essential words related to the workplace.

You already know the basics, of course. But if you need to review, you can refer to the Spanish Job Vocabulary lesson on SpanishPod101.com.

Here are the advanced words in Spanish that will help you handle business like a pro!

Business / Company
is the most common word used to refer to a business or company. However, you will hear the word more and more frequently due to influence from the English language. 
Multinational company
Consulting
Meeting
Convention
Taxation
Bill
Treasury
Finances / Accounting
Offer
Counteroffer
Strategy
Campaign
Report
Salary / Wage
Collective bargaining
In Spain, there are hundreds of that apply to all kinds of different jobs. They establish a minimum wage, acceptable job conditions, and workers’ rights for each profession. 

Don’t forget to if you’re looking for a job in Spain!
Contract

A Job Applicant and a Hiring Manager Shaking Hands

¡Estás contratado! (“You’re hired!”)

Product
Supply
Service
Sale
Profit
Loss
Audit
Tax return
Worker (of a company)
Self-employed worker / Freelancer
From a fiscal point of view, there are two main types of workers in Spain: those who are employed by a company ( ) and those who are ).
Job market

3. Advanced Medical Words

Some of the most important advanced Spanish words are those related to the field of medicine. You never really think about these words until you urgently need to use them!

Having to visit the doctor is normally an unpleasant (and often unexpected) situation that can make us feel vulnerable, especially if we don’t understand the words he or she is saying. “ Radiografía ? What’s that supposed to mean? It sounds bad…!”

Don’t panic. Here is an advanced Spanish vocabulary word list that will prepare you for any medical situation!

A Man Getting an X-ray

Knowing medical vocabulary in Spanish will definitely help you feel more at ease!

Appointment
X-ray test
Biopsy
Sonogram
General practitioner
Family doctor
or refer to general practitioners who are assigned to the different users of the public healthcare system.

As they know each of their patients and their background, they deal with most of the issues that don’t require a specialist. It’s important to have your own if you live in Spain.
Specialist
Resident doctor
This term applies to doctors who, after graduating medical school and passing a very demanding entry exam, specialize in their field of choice for four years.
Nurse
Nursing assistant
Dentist / Odontologist
Dermatologist
Cardiologist
Orthopedic surgeon
Gynecologist
Urologist
Ambulance
Flu

A Little Girl Who Has the Flu

Tengo la gripe… (“I got the flu…”)

Stomach flu
Urinary tract infection / Cystitis
Sunstroke
Food poisoning
Stroke
Heart attack
Panic attack
Dementia
Coma
Medical prescription
Don’t forget your when going to the pharmacy!

In Spain, many common drugs cannot be bought without a medical prescription.
Drug / Medication
Treatment

4. Advanced Legal Words 

Dealing with legal or bureaucratic situations is a classic example of when you would need to know advanced words in Spanish. Legal vocabulary is highly formal and technical, and it’s easy to feel frustrated if, for example, you can’t tell the difference between the abogado and the procurador .

With this advanced Spanish words list, you’ll learn the most important concepts of the legal world. Knowing these words will prepare you to face any situation involving the public administration or the court system.

Don’t forget to get yourself a good attorney, too!

A Gavel Sitting Atop a Book

¡Silencio en la sala! (“Order in the court!”)

Report
Lawsuit
Request
Legal representative
Attorney
Public defender
In Spain, you have the right to have a defense attorney ( ) assigned to you free of charge. 
Lawyer
Witness
Defendant
Accuser
Prosecutor
Judge
Court
Jury
Trial
Sentence
Appeal
Depending on the legal or bureaucratic process, the appeal will be called a or an .
Approval
Rejection
Bureaucracy
Public administration
Public worker

5. Bonus: Alternative Words for Acing a Spanish Essay 

As promised, here is a bonus list of advanced Spanish words you can use to surprise your Spanish teacher! 

You already know how to describe objects, people, and feelings, and how to maintain a coherent and fluent discourse. The next step is to start introducing some “high-end” words (including helpful connectors) into your vocabulary that can substitute basic everyday words. Using them well can help you score higher on your writing tests.

A Woman Wearing Glasses and Carrying a Load of Books

Connectors can definitely help you seem more clever!

1 – Adjectives

For “big” and “long”:.

Enormous / Tremendous
Noteworthy
Extended
Extensive
Vast

For “important”:

Notable / Prominent
Prominent
Significant
Very, very important

For “small”:

Tiny
Limited / Reduced
Insignificant
Minuscule

Several Tiny Chicks

¡Mira estos diminutos pollitos! (“Look at these tiny chickens!”)

2 – Adverbs

For “only” and “just”:.

Solely
Exclusively
Uniquely
is a phrase that combines two of the words mentioned here. It means basically the same thing but helps reinforce the idea of “only.”

In Spanish, when using an adverb ending in after another, you can ditch the in all adverbs except the last one. Here’s an example: → “She’s sleeping calmly, serenely, and peacefully.”

Positive reinforcers:

Completely
Totally
Entirely
Obviously
Indeed
Evidently
Without a doubt
Of course

Negative reinforcers:

Hardly
Slightly
Insufficiently
Slightly
Poorly
With difficulty

3 – Connectors

For “likewise”:.

Too / Also
Equally
Additionally
So
Precisely
Precisely
Thus

For “however”:

Nevertheless
Although
Even if
Albeit
Despite
In spite of

For “moreover”:

In addition
Moreover / Furthermore

For “regarding”:

With regard to
Regarding / With respect to
In relation to
Concerning

For “to sum up”:

In conclusion
Ultimately
To sum up

A Woman Giving a Speech

¡Qué buen discurso! (“What a great speech!”)

6. Final Thoughts

In this guide to advanced Spanish words, you have learned the most important words in the academic, business, medical, and legal worlds. Also, the bonus section gave you a handful of tools you can use to ace your written exams or essays in Spanish class. You’re now prepared to face any type of formal situation! 

Did you know any of these words already? Which ones? 

Of course, you can still continue your journey of learning advanced Spanish! SpanishPod101.com has plenty of advanced Spanish lessons to help you gain knowledge, skills, and confidence. We will help you dive deeper into Spanish culture and flex your fluency in any situation. And don’t forget to check out the free vocabulary lists and other useful tools on SpanishPod101.com . They will make the path super fun!

¡Hasta pronto! (“See you soon!”)

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93 Useful Spanish Subjunctive Phrases

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November 26, 2016

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3 useful spanish subjunctive phrases

The subjunctive is hardly any Spanish language learner’s favorite topic to discuss, but cheer up! With this list of Spanish subjunctive phrases, plus a previous article which you can access HERE , you can be on your way to surviving---and even kicking ass---on the topic of Spanish subjunctive.

Here’s your list! Feel free to download a copy of the PDF which can be accessed at the end of this article.

Spanish subjunctive phrases related to expressions of feelings or emotions

1Amar queTo love that
2Gustar queTo like that
3Apreciar queTo appreciate that
4Temer queTo fear that
5Vergüenza de queTo be ashamed that
6Deplorar queTo deplore that
7Detestar queTo detest that
8Sorprenderse queTo be surprised that
9Estar feliz queTo be happy that
10Odiar queTo hate that
11Estar triste queTo be sad that
12Es extraño queIt is strange that
13Arrepentirse queTo regret that
14Lamentar queTo be sorry that
15Es útil queIt is useful that
16Es inútil queIt is useless that
17Es bizarro queIt is odd that
18Es confuso queIt is confusing that
19Es gracioso queIt is funny that
20Llorar queTo cry that

Related to expressions of will such as orders, advice or desires

21Preferir queTo prefer that
22Comandar queTo order that
23Demandar queTo ask that
24Desear queTo desire that
25Ordenar queTo order that
26Prevenir queTo prevent that (something from happening)
27Evitar queTo avoid that
28Exigir queTo demand that
29Es de esperarse queIt is to be hoped that
30Es esencial queIt is essential that
31Es importante queIt is important that
32Es natural queIt is natural that
33Es necesario queIt is necessary that
34Es normal queIt is normal that
35Es tiempo queIt is time that
36Es urgente queIt is urgent that
37Es requerido queIt is required that
38Es mejor queIt is better that
39Es peor queIt is worst that
40Restringir queTo restrict that
41Sugerir queTo suggest that
42Insistir queTo insist that
43Querer queTo want that
44Oponerse queTo oppose that

Spanish subjunctive phrases related to expressions of opinion, possibility or doubt

45Aceptar queTo accept that
46Dudar queTo doubt that
47Es conveniente queIt is convenient that
48Es apropiado queIt is appropiate that
49Es posible queIt is possible that
50Es dudoso queIt is doubtful that
51Es imposible queIt is impossible that
52Es probable queIt is probable that
53Es improbable queIt is improbable that
54Es justo queIt is fair that
55Es evidente queIt is evident that
56Es obvio queIt is obvious that
57No es correcto queIt is not correct/right that
58No es verdad queIt is not true that
59Puede ser queIt may be that
60El hecho queThe fact that
61Negar queTo deny that
62Suponer queTo suppose that
63Juzgar queTo judge that
64Concluir queTo conclude that

Negative or interrogatory statements that need the subjunctive

65Es queIt’s that
66Creer queTo believe that
67Decir queTo say that
68Esperar queTo hope that
69Estar seguro de queTo be sure that
70Estar certero queTo be certain that
71Está claro queIt is clear that
72Pensar queTo think that
73Saber queTo know that
74En el sentido queTo mean that
75Encontrar queTo find that
76Es evidente queIt is clear/obvious that

Conjunctive phrases that need the subjunctive

77Siempre queProvided that
78A menos queUnless
79Asumiendo queAssuming that
80Suponiendo queSupposing that
81Así queSo that
82Antes queBefore
83AunqueAlthough
84De modo queSo that
85Por miedo queFor fear that
86Sin queWithout
87Mientras queWhile
88Sin importar queNo matter what
89Proveyendo queProvided that
90PorqueBecause
91Ahora queNow that
92Luego queAfter that
93Sabiendo queKnowing that

That wasn’t so bad, huh? As promised, here’s the downloadable PDF.

Spanish Subjunctive Phrases

About the author 

Anastasia is a Chicago, Illinois native. She began studying Spanish over 10 years ago, and hasn’t stopped since. Living in Spain since 2012, she loves Spanish tortilla, vino tinto, and anything that contains jamón ibérico.

[…] out this article for a list of phrases that trigger the subjunctive. If you put them in the past tense, you trigger […]

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Basic Guidelines For Writing Essays in Spanish

how to write essays in spanish

Students tend to focus on speaking practice while learning Spanish, so they often neglect writing. However, most educators emphasize its importance for mastering the language. They say it’s impossible to become fluent in a particular language if one doesn’t train writing skills. 

Therefore, teachers give a lot of essay assignments to students. This type of homework is a great way to inspire them to think and communicate in Spanish effectively. It may be quite difficult to complete such a task. However, it’s one of the most effective ways to learn Spanish or any other language.

You may be tempted to go online and find the best essay writing service to have your essay written for you. This may be helpful when you’re pressed for time, but in the long run, you’re missing an opportunity to improve your own essay writing skills. That’s why we are going to provide you with some recommendations on how to ease the writing process.

Some tips on writing in Spanish 

  • Be careful with word spelling. Remember that teachers pay special attention to spelling so it can either make or break your student image. Having good spelling makes a positive impression of your writing skills and boosts your grades. 
  • Make your essay coherent with the help of connectors. Use them to explain the relationship between the ideas so your essay doesn’t look like just a list of thoughts and facts. 
  • Pay attention to syntax or the word order. As you need to stick to the academic style, try to keep the traditional order such as “subject + verb + objects”. This will also help you express your opinion in a simpler way, so it’s more clear to the reader.
  • Avoid word repetitions by using synonyms. Frequent repetitions make your text boring and heavy. If you use the same words again and again, your essay will look dull. Hence, try to find synonyms in Spanish thesaurus and replace the most commonly used expressions with them. 
  • Before you create a final version of your essay, let someone read it and give feedback. It’s hard to be objective about your writing, so ask another person to tell you which ideas are less clear if your text contains any confusing phrases, and what are the positive aspects that can be reinforced. 
  • Do not write the essay in your native language first to translate it into Spanish then. This approach is not viable for mastering a foreign language. The only thing that you are doing by translating the text literally is practicing the grammatical structures that you have learned. This doesn’t help you learn new idioms and collocations that don’t follow the general grammatical rules. 

Now that you know how to make your writing better, let’s consider a step-by-step guide to essay writing in Spanish. 

Pick an interesting topic 

If possible, choose a topic you are truly excited about. Unless the specific title was given to you by instructors, find a theme you want to research and write about. True interest is what will drive you towards creating an excellent piece. If you enjoy reading about the subject you are going to analyze in your essay, then you will definitely succeed in writing. Remember that decent work can be done only if you are passionate about it. 

Brainstorm the ideas 

When it comes to any project, brainstorming is an integral stage of the creation process. This is one of the most efficient ways to gain insights and generate new ideas. You can use this technique to think of the main supporting arguments, an approach for a catchy introduction, and paragraph organization. You can also try freewriting and/or make a brief outline to ease the writing process itself. 

Create an introduction 

Probably the main rule about creating an introduction that you have to stick to is adding a clear thesis statement there. It must be included in the first paragraph to give your essay a certain direction and help the readers focus their attention on the topic. Also, your introduction must be catchy and intriguing to evoke the desire to read the essay further and learn more. 

Organize an essay body 

It’s essential to make the body paragraphs organized logically. You need to make sure that each of them is closely related to the main topic and discusses one major point. Each body paragraph must consist of a topic sentence and supporting arguments with evidence. It’s very important to write sentences in a logical sequence so they follow each other orderly. Also, since paragraphs shouldn’t overlap in content, add smooth transitions from one to the other. 

Sum up the content 

The vital requirement to the conclusion is that it must logically relate to the original thesis statement. Generally, it’s not acceptable to introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Instead, you need to sum up the main points mentioned in the essay’s body. It’s also forbidden to add any off-topic ideas to the last paragraph of your paper.

Check content relevance and cohesion 

Once you complete the conclusion, read through the essay for relevance and cohesion. Make sure that the whole piece is on the topic and in the mode required. In particular, check if body paragraphs support the thesis statement and whether the conclusion relates to it. After that, read your paper once again to see whether the parts connect together well. Think if there are logical links between ideas and if you need more transitions. 

Read for clarity and style

Scan your essay to find out whether some sections may be unclear to the reader. Analyze the text to find out if it sounds academic and polished. Check if there are any vague pronouns, excessive wording, or awkward phrases. Don’t forget to make sure that all points are listed in similar grammatical forms.

The last stage of your writing process is final proofreading. Read your paper the last time looking at grammar, spelling, punctuation, verb tense, word forms, and pronoun agreement. Correct all the mistakes to make your work excellent. 

Remember that the most important thing about learning a foreign language is a regular practice. Therefore, you should use any opportunity provided by instructors to polish your skills. Hopefully, the recommendations given above will help you write an excellent essay and master the Spanish language!

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useful spanish words for essays

100 Spanish Words You Should Know

  • History & Culture
  • Pronunciation
  • Writing Skills
  • B.A., Seattle Pacific University

Obviously, you're not going to be able to say everything you want to say with only 100 Spanish words — although you could do surprisingly well with fewer than 1,000. But if you can learn these 100 words and understand how they're used, you'll be a long way toward being able to communicate freely in Spanish.

Definitions below are for quick reference; all the words can be translated in additional ways.

Top 100 Spanish Words

1. gracias (thanks) 2. ser (be) 3. a (to) 4. ir (to go) 5. estar (to be) 6. bueno (good) 7. de (of, from) 8. su (your, her, his, their) 9. hacer (to do, to make) 10. amigo (friend) 11. por favor (please) 12. no (no) 13. en (on, in) 14. haber ("to have" as an auxiliary verb) 15. tener (to have, to possess) 16. un, uno, una (a, one) 17. ahora (now) 18. y (and) 19. que , qué (that, what) 20. por (for, by) 21. amar (to love) 22. quién (who) 23. para (for, to) 24. venir (to come) 25. porque (because) 26. el, la, los, las (the) 27. antes (before) 28. más (more) 29. bien ("well" as an adverb) 30. aquí, allí (here, there) 31. querer (to want, to love) 32. hola (hello) 33. tú (you) 34. poder (to be able) 35. gustar (to be pleasing) 36. poner (to put) 37. casi (almost) 38. saber (to know) 39. como (like, as) 40. donde (where) 41. dar (to give) 42. pero (but) 43. se (itself, herself, himself, themselves) 44. mucho (much) 45. nuevo (new) 46. cuando (when) 47. chico, chica (boy, girl) 48. entender (to understand) 49. si (if) 50.  o (or) 51. feliz (happy) 52. todo (all, every) 53. mismo (same) 54. muy (very) 55. nunca (never) 56. yo , me (I, me) 57. sí (yes) 58. grande, gran  (big, great) 59. deber (to owe, should) 60. usted (you) 61. bajo (low, under) 62. otro (other) 63. salir (to leave) 64. hora (hour; see also lesson on telling time ) 65. desde (from) 66. ver (to see) 67. malo, mal (bad) 68. pensar (to think) 69. hasta (until) 70. tanto, tan (used in making comparisons) 71. entre (between, among) 72. durante (during) 73. llevar (to wear, to carry) 74. siempre (always) 75. empezar (to begin) 76. él, ella, ellos, ellas (he, she, they) 77. leer (to read) 78. cosa (thing) 79. sacar (to take out, to remove) 80. conocer (to know) 81. primero (first) 82. andar (to walk) 83. sobre (over, about) 84. echar (to throw) 85. sin (without) 86. decir (to say) 87. trabajar (to work) 88. nosotros (we, us) 89. también (also) 90. adiós (goodbye) 91. comer (to eat) 92. triste (sad) 93. país (country) 94. escuchar (to listen, to listen to) 95. hombre (man) 96. mujer (woman) 97. le (indirect-object pronoun) 98. creer (to believe, to think) 99. encontrar (to find) 100. beber (to drink)

And a Few More

Here are some other words that very well could have made the list:

101. hablar (to speak) 102. ese, esa (demonstrative "that"; also see the demonstrative pronouns ) 103. baño (bathroom) 104. después (afterwards, later) 105. gente (people) 106. ciudad (city) 106. sentir (to feel) 107. llegar (to arrive) 108. pequeño (small) 109. escribir (to write) 110. año (year) 111. menos (minus, except) 112. lo (various uses) 113. cual (that, which) 114. este, esta (this) 115. dejar (to leave) 116. parte (part) 117. nada (nothing) 118.  cada (each) 119. seguir (to continue, to follow) 120. partir (to divide) 121. ya (still, already) 122. parecer (to seem)

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List of Spanish Connectives

Complete list of spanish connectives, adding connectives.

Connective Meaning Examples
in addition, moreover Me han aceptado en la universidad y, , me han dado una beca. The university accepted me and, in addition, they’ve given me a scholarship.
aside from No quiero ir al cine contigo. , no tengo dinero. I don’t want to go to the cinema with you. Aside from that, I don’t have any money.
also, likewise , los estudiantes deben presentar los certificados originales. Students must also present the original certificates.
also, too He comprado pan y, huevos. I bought bread and eggs, too.
neither, nor, not either No hay fruta ni, , verdura. There’s no fruit, nor any vegetables.
on top of that Hoy he perdido el autobús. me han robado el móvil. Today I missed the bus. On top of that, my phone was stolen.
in fact, furthermore No me gusta mucho el chocolate. , no me gusta el dulce. I don’t really like chocolate. In fact, I don’t like sweets.
together with, added to El nuevo trabajo los nuevos compañeros, te alegrarán el día. The new job together with the new colleagues will brighten your day.
in fact Soy intolerante a la lactosa; , no puedo comer helados. I’m lactose intolerant; in fact, I can’t eat ice cream.
as well, besides Las reformas conseguirán, , mejorar la calidad de las instalaciones. The reforms will manage to improve the quality of the facilities as well.
on the one hand … on the other , la habitación es muy pequeña. , es muy bonita. On the one hand, the room is very small. On the other, it’s really pretty.
as if that weren’t enough Me han robado la bici y, , se ha puesto a diluviar. My bike was stolen and, as if that weren’t enough, it started to pour down.
above all, especially , necesitamos financiación para sacar adelante el proyecto. Above all, we need financing to move forward with the project.

Contrasting Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
but, however El restaurante tiene buena fama; , el cocinero no es excelente. The restaurant has a good reputation, but the chef isn’t great.
on the contrary En Madrid no hace siempre calor. , en invierno hace bastante frío. It’s not always warm in Madrid. On the contrary, it’s quite cold in winter.
still, even so El sueldo de Fátima es bastante alto. , un poco bajo para ser en la capital. Fátima’s salary is quite high. Even so, it’s a bit low for the capital.
even so, in spite of that La directora cuidó todos los detalles. , hubo imprevistos. The boss took care of all the details, but even so there were still surprises.
nonetheless, however Esta receta lleva varias horas. , el resultado es fabuloso. This recipe takes several hours. Nonetheless, the result is fantastic.
however, whereas Laura no puede venir; Virginia, , sí. Laura can’t come whereas Virginia can.
however El menú parece delicioso; , es muy caro. The menu looks delicious, however, it’s very expensive.
on the contrary, on the other hand Yo soy muy bajita. Mi hermana, , es bastante alta I’m very short. My sister, on the other hand, is quite tall.
however No he dormido nada esta noche; , me siento descansada. I didn’t sleep at all last night; however, I feel well-rested.
quite the opposite Me dijeron que la conferencia sería aburridísima. , me pareció la mar de interesante. They told me that the conference would be really boring. Quite the opposite, I found it extremely interesting.

Connectives that Express a Result

Connective Meaning Example
so No he traído dinero; , tienes que invitarme. I haven’t brought any money so you have to treat me.
as a result, consequently La nieve ha cubierto la autopista y, , han cerrado el tráfico. The snow has covered the motorway and, as a result, the traffic has stopped.
as a result, consequently El presidente incumplió su programa electoral y, , tuvo que dimitir. The president didn’t comply with his electoral campaign and as a result he had to step down.
that/this way He pedido una beca al ministerio de educación. , podré estudiar. I applied for a grant from the ministry of education. That way, I will be able to study.
as a result Ha llovido mucho y, , el autobús ha derrapado. It rained a lot and as a result the bus skidded.
so No hay comida en la nevera; podemos pedir una pizza. There’s no food in the fridge, so we can order a pizza.
as a result El alumno ha copiado en el examen; , ha sido expulsado. The student cheated in an exam; as a result he was expelled.
so, as a result Hemos perdido la financiación; hemos paralizado el proyecto. We lost the financing, so we stopped the project.
that’s why Soy vegetariano; , no como carne. I’m vegetarian, that’s why I don’t eat meat.
that’s why Has copiado en el examen. , has suspendido. You cheated in the exam. That’s why you failed.
well, so ¿No te comes la sopa? la tendrás para cenar también. You’re not eating your soup? Well you will have it for dinner as well.

Explanatory Connectives

Connectives Meaning Examples
namely, specifically Aún debemos tomar algunas decisiones sobre el viaje; : hora de salida y punto de encuentro. We still have to make some decisions about the trip; namely the departure time and the meeting point.
that is to say El trabajador rinde estupendamente; , trabaja muy bien. The worker is doing fantastically; that is to say, he works well.
that is La cocina es eléctrica; , no es de fuego. The stove is electric, that is, not gas.
I mean, that is El primer premio ha quedado desierto; , nadie ha ganado. The first place was unclaimed; that is, no one won.
well Baja las persianas, con luz no puedo dormir. Close the blinds, I can’t sleep with light.

Connectives that Express a Concession

Connective Meaning Example
even so Ha dejado de llover; , está el tiempo desagradable. It’s stopped raining; even so the weather is bad.
despite that Hemos recogido el salón durante horas. , sigue pareciendo un circo. We tidied the living room for hours. Despite that it still looks like a circus.
in spite of that, even so He estudiado todo el trimestre. , he suspendido tres asignaturas. I studied all term. Even so I failed three classes.
in any case En abril el tiempo es muy cambiante. , yo siempre llevo un paraguas encima. In April the weather is very changeable. In any case, I always take an umbrella.
in any case, anyway No tengo mucho tiempo, pero, , te ayudaré. I don’t have much time, but I’ll help you anyway.
in any case, anyway Haces mucho ejercicio, pero, , debes alimentarte bien. You do a lot of exercise, but in any case you still have to eat well.

Reformulating Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
in other words El acusado fue absuelto por el jurado. quedó en libertad. The defendant was acquitted by the jury. In other words, he’s free.
in other words, to put it another way Este año han reducido las plazas para la prácticas. , no todo el mundo podrá obtener una. This year they’ve reduced the number of internship places. In other words, not everyone will be able to get one.
in other words Este bizcocho no lleva ni huevos ni leche. , es apto para veganos. This cake doesn’t contain eggs or milk. In other words, it’s suitable for vegans.
in other words Martina es hermana de mi madre. , es mi tía. Martina is my mother’s sister. In other words, she’s my aunt.
to put it simply, to be frank Las legumbres son fuente de proteína vegetal rica en magnesio. , son buenas para la salud. Legumes are a source of vegetable protein rich in magnesium. To put it simply, they are good for your health.

Example Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
in this way, so La diputada repasó punto por punto sus iniciativas; , se refirió a la igualdad salarial o a la lucha contra el cambio climático. The MP went over her initiatives point by point, so she referred to equal pay and to the fight against climate change.
for example Mis gatos hacen cantidad de travesuras. , siempre me roban la tostada del desayuno. My cats get up to a lot of mischief. For example, they always steal my toast at breakfast.
such as, for example La gira incluye varias ciudades europeas, , Madrid, Londres, Amsterdam y Berlín. The tour includes several European cities, such as Madrid, London, Amsterdam and Berlin.

Correcting Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
rather, more like Estoy un poco resfriado. , tengo fiebre y dolor de garganta. I have a bit of a cold. More like a fever and a sore throat.
to put it a better way No me gustan los helados. , no me gustan los helados de frutas. I don’t like ice cream. To put it a better way I don’t like fruit flavoured ice cream.

Summarising Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
at the end of the day Nos hemos mudado de piso. , el antiguo era demasiado pequeño. We moved flats. At the end of the day the old one was too small.
in the end He dejado mi trabajo. , no estaba nada contenta. I quit my job. In the end, I wasn’t happy at all.
in conclusion, in short La empresa a aumentado los ingresos y reducido los costes. , tiene más beneficios. The company has increased profits and reduced costs. In short, it has more benefits.
in short, basically El horno ya no calienta y la nevera no enfría. , tenemos que comprar electrodomésticos nuevos. The oven doesn’t heat and the fridge doesn’t cool. Basically, we have to buy new appliances.
in summary, in short Hoy me ha llamado el jefe a su oficina. , no me renovarán el contrato. The boss called me in to his office today. In short, they aren’t renewing my contract.
in short, to cut a long story short Yolanda está enferma y Sonia ha quedado con su vecina. , solo vamos al cine nosotros dos. Yolanda is sick and Sonia is with her neighbour. To cut a long story short, it’s just the two of us who are going to the cinema.
basically Perdí el último autobús y se puso a diluviar. , llegué a casa a pie y empapada. I missed the last bus and it started to pour down. Basically, I came home on foot and soaked.
to put it in a nutshell El jefe me ha llamado a su despacho. : me ha despedido. The boss called me in to his office. To put it in a nutshell: they let me go.
in short, to sum it up Me ha llegado una carta del ministerio de hacienda. , tengo que hacer la declaración de la renta. I got a letter from the ministry of finance. In short, I have to do a tax declaration.
in the end, in short El autobús ha llegado tarde y había mucho tráfico. , no he llegado a tiempo a la reunión. The bus was late and there was a lot of traffic. In the end, I didn’t make it to the meeting on time.

Sequencing Connectives

Connective Meaning Ejemplos
first of all , me gustaría dar las gracias a la organización por invitarme. First of all, I would like to thank the organisation for inviting me.
firstly Para instalar una bombilla, , hay que cortar la luz. To change a lightbulb, you firstly have to turn off the power.
initially En este piso vivimos cuatro personas. , éramos tres. Four people live in this flat. Initially there were only three.
to start La receta es muy fácil. , hay que pelar las patatas. The recipe is very easy. To start you have to peel the potatoes.
before, previously Leticia dimitió ayer. , había informado a sus compañeros. Leticia resigned yesterday. She had told her colleagues beforehand.
now , se pone el agua a hervir. Now the water is starting to boil.
currently Quiero mudarme pero , no hay pisos en alquiler. I want to move, but currently there are no flats to rent.
at this/that point El ladrón salió de la joyería y, apareció la policía. The thief came out of the jewellery shop and, at that point, the police showed up.
at that exact moment Salimos del cine y, empezó a llover. We came out of the cinema and, at that exact moment, it started to rain.
then Me metí en la ducha y, sonó el teléfono. I got in the shower and then the phone rang.
meanwhile Yo estudio, y tú, , sales a pasear. I’ll study and meanwhile you can go out for a walk.
suddenly , el motor del coche se paró. Suddenly, the car’s engine stopped.
suddenly recordé la respuesta. Suddenly, I remembered the answer.
after Primero, recogí la habitación. , pasé la aspiradora. First, I tidied the room. After that, I vacuumed.
finally , se aplica un barniz protector. Finally, a protective varnish is applied.
finally , se deja secar el mueble doce horas. Finally, leave the furniture to dry for twelve hours.
to finish , hay que decorar la tarta con la crema. To finish, decorate the tart with cream.
after that, subsequently Diana consiguió un ascenso y, , se compró una casa. Diana got a promotion and, after that, she bought a house.

Supporting Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
that said, having said that El director manifestó su inconformidad con la política de la empresa. , presentó su dimisión. The boss expressed his disagreement with the company’s policies. Having said that, he handed in his resignation.
in light of that Ha llovido toda la semana. , vamos a cancelar la excursión del domingo. It rained all week. In light of that, we’re going to cancel our day out on Sunday.
so, well Muchas personas han tenido problemas para enviar la solicitud. , se ha habilitado otro correo electrónico para completar el trámite. Lots of people had problems sending the application. So they set up another email address to complete the process.

Digressing Connectives

Connective Meaning Examples
by the way, incidentally Han comenzado las obras del metro. , el portero no funciona. They’ve started the construction on the metro. By the way, the intercom doesn’t work.
by the way Esta mañana he perdido el autobús. , ¿sabes que han subido el precio del abono transportes? This morning I missed the bus. By the way, do you know that they’ve increased the price for the monthly transport ticket?
by the way Las aceras están en muy mal estado y, , resbalan tanto que son peligrosas. The pavements are in a very bad state. And, incidentally, they are so slippy that it’s dangerous.
as an aside La conferencia fue un éxito. Yo espero, , que la próxima vez se organice mejor. The conference was a success. I hope, as an aside, that the next one will be better organised.
by the way Los gatos no han parado de maullar toda la mañana. , hay que comprar pienso. The cats haven’t stopped meowing all morning. By the way, we have to buy cat food.

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75 Common Spanish Transition Words to Connect Your Thoughts

Transition words are the knots that hold sentences together. They help things blend together and smooth out our sentences:

Fui al parque, luego al gimnasio y finalmente a la tienda. ( I went to the park, then the gym and finally the store.)

Without them, our speech would sound choppy and oversimplified.

What Are Transition Words?

Types of spanish transition words, 1. transition words for time, 2. transition words for location, 3. transition words for explaining, 4. transition words for add-ons, 5. transition words for results, 6. transition words for emphasis, 7. transition words for comparison and contrast, 8. transition words for summarizing, quiz on spanish transition words, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Transition words in Spanish are words and phrases that help us connect ideas between sentences .

When we connect sentences with transition words, we add only a couple of words, but we make the meaning of what we are saying much clearer. Have a look:

No tengo mucho tiempo. Voy a ir a la fiesta. (I don’t have much time. I will go to the party.)

The sentences may be correct, but what is the relation between them? By adding transition words to the mix, everything starts to make sense:

No tengo mucho tiempo pero voy a ir a la fiesta. (I don’t have much time but I’ll go to the party.)

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useful spanish words for essays

Aunque no tengo mucho tiempo, voy a ir a la fiesta. ( Although I don’t have much time, I’ll go to the party.)

No tengo mucho tiempo. Además , voy a ir a la fiesta. (I don’t have much time. Besides , I’m going to the party.)

Depending on the meaning of your sentence, you’ll want to use a different set of transition words to help you with it.

They’re classified into different groups depending on the resource, but here are the eight types of transition words often referred to:

• Time • Location • Explanation • Add-ons • Result • Emphasis • Comparison and c ontrast • Summary

If you pay attention to how native speakers converse, you’ll notice how these transition words can come into play and help a sentence flow.

The first type of transition words have to do with time, whether we’re talking about something that already happened, will happen or maybe just constructing a timeline:

Already/now hemos llegado.
(We've already arrived.)

.
(I'm going to finish this work now.)
Still tengo tiempo.
(I still have time.)
/ Not yet lo entiendo.
(I don't understand it yet.)

he terminado el libro .
(I haven't finished the book yet.)
Firstly, first , pela la cebolla.
(First, peel the onion.)
First of all , quiero dar las gracias a mi hermano.
(First of all, I'd like to thank my brother.)
Secondly córtala en cubos.
(Secondly, cut it into cubes.)
Then, later, next revisa la gramática.
(Then, review the grammar.)
After(wards) calienta la sartén.
(Afterwards, heat up the pan.)
Later
(I'll return later.)
Then, at that moment entendió que estaba solo.
(At that moment, he understood he was alone.)
Soon .
(They'll arrive soon.)
At/in the end , cerró la puerta.
(At the end, he closed the door.)
Finally
(You've come at last!)

, meta el pastel en el horno. (Finally, put the cake in the oven.)
Next, further quiero mostraros mi próximo proyecto.
(Next, I want to show you my next project.)
Lastly escuchemos esta canción.
(Lastly, let's listen to this song.)
Lastly debemos analizar los resultados.
(Lastly, we should analyze the results.)
When lo vea.
(I'll tell him when I see him.)
Once, no sooner than, as soon as llegue, lo llamaré.
(Once I arrive, I'll call him.)
As soon as llegue, lo llamaré.
(As soon as I arrive, I'll call him.)
While, as long as cocinas.
(I'll study Spanish while you cook.)
In the meantime, meanwhile Juan estaba llamando a su mamá.
(Meanwhile, Juan was calling his mom.)
At the same time que yo cocinaba.
(He was studying at the same time I was cooking.)

Note that luego, después and más tarde can be used interchangeably when describing a succession of events or giving instructions.

If we’re looking at where one thing is relative to another, we can use these transitional phrases:

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useful spanish words for essays

/ Here
(Let's go. There's no one here.)
There tienes.
(There you go.)
/ Over there voy.
(There I go.)
/ Outside del banco.
(I'm outside the bank.)
Next to un hermoso parque (My house is next to a beautiful park.)

If we need some help in explaining something smoothly, we can use these words to provide context:

For example : lápices, bolígrafos, cuadernos y papel.
(We sell stationary, for example pencils, pens, notebooks and paper.)
That is to say, that is , estoy muy cansado.
(I've worked out for three hours, that is, I am very tired.)
Since no había clientes, cerré la tienda.
(Since there were no clients, I closed the shop.)
/ Including el amarillo y el naranja.
(I like warm colors, including yellow and orange.)
Since tú no quieres ir.
(I'm going alone, since you don't want to go.)
/ Among others .
(There are many different fruits: apples, pears, grapes among others.)

If you’ve made one statement, but have additional details to add, you can tack them on with these words:

And me duele la cabeza.
(I'm tired and I have a headache.)
In addition (to), furthermore, moreover, besides me dijo que no tenía dinero.
(In addition, he told me he didn't have any money.)
Also, as well, too
(I want the red one, too.)
Also, similarly, likewise, furthermore , deberíamos llamar al cliente.
(We need to finish the project. Also, we should call the client.)
Similarly, likewise, furthermore , el contrato será firmado por todas las partes.
(Likewise, the contract will be signed by all the parties.)
Similarly, likewise, by the same token , todos los estudiantes deben aprobar el examen.
(By the same token, all students must past the test.)
On the other hand, what's more , todavía estamos esperando su respuesta.
(What's more, we're still waiting for his answer.)
Moreover, on the other hand , me gustaría volver a París.
(On the other hand, I'd like to go back to Paris.)
Besides , olvidé mi cartera.
(We can stop by the house, besides, I forgot my wallet.)

Just remember that y can only connect two words, phrases or sentences of the same category. This is called coordination, and y is a coordinating conjunction.

When referring to cause and effects, you can use these phrases to transition from one to the other:

As a result , se mudó a Polonia.
(As a result, he moved to Poland.)
As a consequence, accordingly , desde ahora hablaremos solo en español.
(Accordingly, we'll only speak Spanish from now on.)
As a consequence of ello, no pude ver a mi hermano.
(I arrived late and, as a consequence of that, I wasn't able to see my brother.)
/ / Therefore, for this reason, that's why llegué tarde.
(I overslept, that's why I arrived late.)
Therefore, thus , debemos tomar medidas preventivas.
(Therefore, we have to take preventive measures.)
Therefore, thus , el resultado será publicado mañana.
(Therefore, the result will be published tomorrow.)
For this reason , las botellas de plástico están prohibidas.
(For this reason, plastic bottles are forbidden.)
So volvimos a casa.
(The shop was closed, so we went back home.)
So, thus pude aprobar el examen.
(I studied a lot and thus I could pass the exam.)

Using these transition words correctly will really strengthen whichever part of your phrase that you emphasize it with:

Particularly, especially, above all para niños.
(That's very dangerous, especially for children.)
Especially en agosto.
(We go to the beach very often, especially in August.)
Effectively, indeed, actually, really, truly , los estudiantes nuevos no han venido.
(Indeed, the new students haven't come.)
Effectively, indeed, actually, really, truly te ves cansado.
(You really look tired.)
In fact, indeed, as a matter of fact , nunca he estado allí.
(It wasn't me. In fact, I've never been there.)
Especially, particularly, mainly para exportar.
(We use them mainly for export.)
Indeed creo que deberías decirle.
(Indeed, I think you should tell her.)

Comparing and contrasting requires lots of transition words in order to flow and make sense:

Like una vaca.
(She's strong like a cow.)
Conversely, vice-versa
(He takes care of her and vice-versa.)
But lo compraré.
(I don't need it, but I'll buy it.)
But tres.
(There weren't two but three.)
Although, while, even though, even if llueva.
(We'll go even if it rains.)
However, nevertheless, notwithstanding , no podemos estar juntos.
(I love her. However, we can't be together.)
Still, even so, nevertheless , fui a la fiesta.
(I was very tired. Still, I went to the party.)
However, nevertheless la semana pasada compró un coche nuevo.
(He says he doesn't have any money. However, last week he bought a new car.)
Despite, in spite of la lluvia, fuimos al zoo.
(In spite of the rain, we went to the zoo.)
On the contrary , nunca dijo la verdad.
(On the contrary, he never told the truth.)
Contrary to, as opposed to lo esperado, ganamos el partido.
(Contrary to expectations, we won the match.)
By contrast, on the other hand , cualquier violación del contrato será castigada.
(On the other hand, any contract violation shall be punished.)

Sometimes we need some help transitioning into a concluding statement, which is why these terms can come in handy:

In short, in a nutshell, in summary, in essence , es uno de los mejores coches del mercado.
(In essence, it's one of the best cars in the market.)
To sum up veamos nuestras notas una vez más.
(To sum up, we'll look at our notes one more time.)
In general , podemos decir que la campaña no fue un éxito.  
(In general, we can say the campaign was not a success.)
After all, all in all , seguimos juntos.
(All in all, we're still together.)
In conclusion este año ha sido muy bueno.
(In conclusion, this has been a very good year.)

Now that you’ve learned some Spanish transition words, it’s time to test your knowledge! Choose the best option to complete each sentence in the quiz below. To retake the quiz, just refresh the page. 

These small but powerful words help us to convey exact meaning we want and sound more fluent, so be sure to practice them!

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useful spanish words for essays

The best way to learn how to use these Spanish transition words properly is by seeing and hearing them used in context.

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1,000 Most Common Spanish Words for Beginners

Put on your learning cap, grab a cup of coffee, and get comfy because we’re about to cover the 1,000 most common Spanish words for beginners! There are nearly a million words in the Spanish language, but luckily you don’t need to memorize them all to speak Spanish.

We’ve picked out the 1,000 most common Spanish words and created this categorized vocabulary guide so that you can effectively communicate in Spanish—even as a beginner!

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The Essentials

For any Spanish beginner, it’s always important to know the essentials. These are must-know words and phrases if you’ve just started learning. Take a look at these first words in our guide of the 1,000 most common Spanish words. 

  • no — no 
  • ¿entiende(s)? — do you understand?
  • no entiendo — i don’t understand
  • no (lo) sé — i don’t know
  • no tengo ni idea — i have no idea
  • no hablo español — i don’t speak spanish
  • estoy perdido(a) — i’m lost

Introduce Yourself

Introducing yourself is always one of the best ways to start speaking Spanish! That’s why we included these essential conversation starters into our list of the 1,000 most common Spanish words. 

  • me llamo — my name is
  • mi nombre es — my name is 
  • soy…  — i’m…
  • ¿cómo te llamas? — what is your name?
  • (yo) soy de… — i am from…

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– Erica P. Parent of 1

  • ¿cómo está usted? — how are you? (formal)
  • ¿cómo estás? — how are you? (informal)
  • ¿qué tal? — how are you? (informal) / what’s up?
  • ¿cómo te va? — how ‘s it going?
  • ¿qué haces? — what are you doing?
  • ¿qué pasa? — what ‘s happening?

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These common Spanish words and versatile replies make for an easy response to dozens of questions!

  • ¿y tú? — and you?
  • muy bien — very well
  • así, así — so, so
  • como siempre — as always

Etiquette Words

  • ¡de nada! — you’re welcome! / no problem!
  • por favor — please
  • ¡perdon! — excuse me!
  • ¡disculpe! — excuse me!
  • ¡lo siento! — sorry! 
  • gracias   — thank you
  • salud — bless you

Question Words

  • ¿qué…? — what?
  • ¿quién…? — who?
  • ¿cuándo…? — when?
  • ¿dónde…? — where?
  • ¿por qué…? — why?
  • ¿cuál? — which?
  • ¿cómo…? — how?

Spanish Pronouns

  • tú (informal) — you
  • usted (formal) — you
  • nosotros/nosotras — we
  • ustedes — you all
  • ellos — they
  • ellas(females) — they 
  • hola — hello
  • buenos días — good morning
  • buenas tardes — good afternoon
  • buenas noches — good evening / good night

Talking About Age

  • (yo) tengo … años — i am … years old.
  • old — viejo/a
  • young — joven
  • middle-aged — de mediana edad
  • youthful — juvenil
  • nuevo/a – new  
  • ¡feliz cumpleaños! — happy birthday!
  • ¡felicitaciones! — congratulations!
  • ¡diviértete! — have fun!
  • ¡buen provecho! — bon appetit!
  • ¡bienvenidos! / ¡bienvenidas! — welcome!
  • salud! — cheers!

Say Good-Bye

  • adiós — goodbye
  • chao — goodbye
  • hasta luego — see you later (most likely today)
  • hasta mañana — see you tomorrow
  • nos vemos — see you (informal)
  • ¡cuídate mucho! — take care!
  • ¡tenga un buen día! — have a nice day!
  • ¡hasta luego! — see you soon!
  • ¡buen viaje! — have a good trip!

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No list of the 1,000 most common Spanish words would be complete without time words. 

Days of the Week

  • Domingo — Sunday
  • Lunes — Monday
  • Martes — Tuesday
  • Miércoles — Wednesday
  • Jueves — Thursday
  • Viernes — Friday
  • Sabado — Saturday

Months of the Year

  • Enero — January
  • Febrero — February
  • Marzo — March
  • Abril — April
  • Junio — June
  • Julio — July
  • Agosto — August
  • Septiembre — September
  • Octubre — October
  • Noviembre — November
  • Diciembre — December

Other Time Words

  • anteayer — day before yesterday
  • ayer — yesterday
  • el año — year
  • el día — day
  • el mes — month
  • el siglo — century
  • la hora — hour
  • hoy — today
  • la semana — week
  • madrugada — dawn, very early in the morning
  • mañana — tomorrow
  • mañana — morning
  • medianoche — midnight
  • mediodia — noon
  • el minuto — minute
  • la noche — night
  • el pasado mañana — day after tomorrow
  • los segundos — seconds
  • la tarde — afternoon

Family Words

This Spanish vocab helps you talk about your relatives.

Nuclear Family

  • el padre — father
  • el papá —  dad
  • la madre  — mother
  • la mamá — mom
  • el hermano —  brother
  • la hermana — sister
  • el hijo  — son
  • la hija  — daughter
  • la familia cercana —  close family

Extended Family

  • el abuelo  — grandfather
  • la abuela  — grandmother
  • el bisabuelo — great-grandfather
  • la bisabuela — great-grandmother
  • la nieta — granddaughter
  • el nieto — grandson
  • el tío — uncle
  • la tía — aunt
  • el tío abuelo — great-uncle
  • la tía abuela — great-aunt
  • el primo — cousin (male)
  • la prima — cousin (female)
  • mis parientes — my relatives

Family Verbs

  • abrazar — to hug
  • amar — to love
  • reír — to laugh
  • perdonar — to forgive

Action Verbs

  • empezar —  to start
  • seguir — to follow
  • abrir —  to open
  • buscar — to search
  • cantar — to sing
  • cerrar — to close
  • destruir — to destroy
  • dormir — to sleep
  • encontrar — to find
  • esconder — to hide
  • esperar — to wait
  • faltar — to miss
  • hacer — to do  
  • intentar — to try
  • llamar — to call
  • llevar — to take
  • llorar — to cry
  • luchar — to fight
  • mentir — to lie
  • odiar — to hate
  • recibir — to receive
  • reconocer — to recognize
  • robar — to steal
  • salvar — to save
  • sonreír — to smile
  • soñar — to dream
  • tomar — to take
  • Vivir — to live

The Five Senses

Spice up your Spanish with these common words for your senses. 

  • tranquilo/a – quiet
  • ruidoso/a – loud
  • gritar — to shout
  • escuchar — to hear
  • silencio — silence
  • alto — loud
  • bajo — soft
  • ensordecedor — deafening
  • agudo — sharp, high-pitched
  • grave — low-pitched
  • melodioso — melodious
  • armónico — harmonic
  • zumbido — buzz
  • sordo — deaf
  • duro de oíd — hard of hearing
  • oído fino — acute hearing
  • problemas de audición — hearing-impaired
  • fuera de alcance —   out of earshot
  • ver — to see
  • mirar — to look
  • de colores— colorful
  • blanco y negro — black and white
  • brillante — bright
  • apagado — dim
  • claro — light
  • oscuro — dark
  • ciego — blind
  • mirar fijamente — to stare
  • echar un vistazo — to glance
  • bizquear — to squint
  • guiñar — to wink
  • parpadear — to blink
  • tocar — to touch
  • agarrar — to grab
  • suave — soft
  • áspero(a) — rough
  • liso(a) — smooth
  • rugoso(a) — wrinkled
  • pegajoso(a) — sticky
  • punzante — sharp
  • sedoso(a) — silky
  • esponjoso(a) — spongy
  • mullido(a) — fluffy
  • hormigueo — tingle
  • entumecido(a) — numb
  • rozar — to touch gently
  • acariciar — to caress
  • olor — smell
  • el perfume — scent
  • la fragancia — fragrance
  • el hedor — stench
  • apestoso(a) — smelly
  • fresco(a)   — fresh
  • acre — pungent
  • húmedo(a) — musty
  • podrido(a) — rotten
  • ahumado(a) — smoky
  • apestar — to stink
  • gusto —- taste
  • sabor — flavor
  • probar — try
  • sabroso  — está sabrosa
  • delicioso —   delicious  
  • perfecto  —   perfect
  • apetitoso  — appetizing
  • dulce  — sweet
  • dulzón —   sugary 
  • soso  — bland

Describing Words

  • abierto/a – open 
  • ancho/a – wide
  • estrecho/a – narrow
  • lejano/a – far
  • cercano/a – close

Personality and Emotions

  • alegre – joyful
  • gracioso/a – funny, amusing
  • serio/a – serious
  • tímido/a – shy
  • valiente – brave
  • loco/a – crazy
  • contento(a) — content
  • feliz — happy
  • preocupado(a) — worried
  • nervioso(a) — nervous
  • tranquilo(a) — tranquil
  • calmado(a) — calm
  • emocionado(a) — excited

Physical Adjectives

  • largo/a — long
  • corto/a — short
  • liso/a — straight
  • rizado/a — curly
  • ondulado/a — wavy
  • castaño/a — brown
  • rubio/a — blonde
  • pelirrojo/a — red
  • negro/a — black
  • canoso/a — grey
  • abundante — thick
  • fino/a — thin
  • escalado/a — layered
  • teñido/a — dyed
  •  saludable — healthy
  • claro/a — light
  • encrespado/a — frizzy
  • brillante — shiny
  • calvo/a — bald
  • grande – big
  • pequeño/a – small  
  • enorme – huge 
  • delgado/a — lean
  • esbelto/a — slender
  • flaco/a — skinny
  • menudo/a — petite
  • alto/a — tall
  • bajo/a — short
  • hermoso/a — beautiful 
  • guapo/a — handsome 
  • feo/a — ugly  
  • adorable — cute  
  • bonita — pretty  
  • impresionante — stunning
  • poco atractivo/a — plain  
  • promedio/a — average  
  • atractivo/a — attractive  
  • negro —  black
  • marrón / café —   brown
  • gris — grey
  • blanco — white
  • amarillo —  yellow
  • anaranjado — orange
  • rosado —  pink
  • morado / púrpura — purple
  • azul —  blue
  • verde — green

Arts and Crafts

  • colorear — to color
  • construir — to construct
  • cortar — to cut
  • coser — to sew
  • dibujar — to draw
  • pintar — to paint
  • cero — zero
  • tres — three
  • cuatro — four
  • cinco —  five
  • siete — seven
  • ocho —  eight
  • nueve — nine

This animal vocab will help you talk about animals both on land and in the ocean!

Farm Animals

  • el gato — cat
  • el perro — dog
  • el conejo — rabbit
  • el pollo — chicken
  • la gallina — hen
  • el gallo —  rooster
  • la vaca —  cow
  • el toro —  bull
  • la oveja —  sheep
  • el caballo — horse
  • el cerdo — pig
  • la cabra —  goat
  • el burro —  donkey
  • el ratón —  mouse

Forest Animals

  • el ciervo —  deer
  • el mapache —  raccoon
  • la ardilla -— squirrel
  • el búho —  owl
  • el zorro —  fox
  • el lobo —  wolf
  • el oso —  bear

Ocean Animals

  • el cangrejo — crab
  • la medusa — jellyfish
  • el delfín —  dolphin
  • la ballena —  whale
  • el tiburón —  shark
  • la foca —  seal
  • el lobo marino —  sea lion
  • la morsa —  walrus
  • el pingüino — penguin
  • el viaje — trip
  • el equipaje  — bags
  • la salida — exit
  • la llegada — arrival
  • los documentos de identidad — id papers
  • el billete de avión — boarding pass
  • el hotel — hotel
  • el permiso de conducir — driver’s license
  • echar gasolina — to get gas
  • viajar — to travel
  • volver — to return
  • salir — to leave
  • parar — to stop
  • partir — to depart
  • porter(a) — doorman
  • hostia — hostess
  • botones — bellhop
  • anfitriona— airline hostess

Transportation

  • el avión —  airplane
  • el coche —  car
  • la bicicleta — bicycle
  • la motocicleta — motorcycle
  • el tren —  train
  • el metro/subte —  subway
  • el autobús — bus
  • el barco — ship
  • taxista — taxi driver
  • revisor(a) — train conductor
  • dependiente de gas — gas station attendant
  • conductor(a) — driver, chauffeur 
  • camionero(a) — truck driver
  • el sol —  the sun
  • las nubes —  the clouds
  • la niebla — the fog
  • la neblina — the mist
  • la lluvia —  the rain
  • la llovizna — the drizzle
  • la tormenta —  the storm
  • el tornado —  the tornado
  • el trueno — the thunder
  • el relámpago — the lightning strike
  • el rayo — the lightning bolt
  • el viento — the wind
  • la brisa — the breeze
  • el granizo — the hail
  • el hielo — the ice
  • la nieve —  the snow
  • el calor —  the heat
  • el frío —  the cold
  • la humedad — the humidity
  • la temperatura — the temperature
  • el pronóstico — the forecast

Weather Verbs

  • llover  —  to rain
  • lloviznar  —  to drizzle
  • diluviar  — to pour down
  • granizar  — to hail
  • nevar  —  to snow
  • el invierno  —  winter
  • la primavera  —  spring
  • el verano —  summer
  • el otoño  —  fall
  • carta de motivación  — cover letter
  • el cv  — resume
  • la firma  — firm
  • el negocio  — business
  • la compañía  — company
  • el jefe  — boss
  • el empleado  — employee
  • trabajar  — to work
  • negociar — to negotiate
  • consultor(a) —  consultant
  • dueño(a) — owner
  • abogado(a) — lawyer
  • arquitecto(a) — architect
  • bombero(a) — fireman
  • campesino(a) — farm worker
  • carpintero(a) — carpenter
  • cartero(a) — postal worker
  • casero(a) — landlord
  • científico(a) — scientist
  • cocinero(a) — cook, chef
  • consejero (a) — counselor  
  • constructor (a) — construction worker
  • contador(a) — accountant/bookkeeper 
  • doméstico(a) —  maid
  • detective — detective
  • director, revisor, redactor(a) — editor
  • electricista — electrician
  • escritor / autor(a) — writer / author
  • vaquero, tropero(a) — cowboy
  • manejador(a) — manager
  • granjero(a) — farmer
  • ingeniero(a) — engineer
  • jardinero(a) — gardener
  • jefe — boss
  • juez — judge
  • lavandero(a) — laundry person
  • marinero(a) —  merchant marine
  • mecánico (a) — mechanic
  • camarero(a) — waiter
  • padre — priest
  • panadero(a) — baker
  • pastor(a) — pastor/minister
  • periodista — reporter / journalist
  • pescador(a) — fisherman
  • pintor(a) — painter
  • plomero(a) — plumber
  • Policía — policeman
  • programador(a) — computer programmer 
  • químico(a) — chemist
  • ranchero(a) — rancher
  • rebuscador(a) — researcher
  • reparador(a) — repairman
  • técnico(a) de laboratorio — lab technician
  • trabajador(a) de fábrica — factory worker
  • veterinario(a) — veterinarian
  • ir al gimnasio — go to the gym
  • ir de caminata — go hiking
  • levantar pesas — lift weight
  • mantenerse en forma — to stay in shape
  • practicar — to practice
  • nadar — to swim
  • el yoga — yoga
  • el fútbol — soccer
  • el fútbol americano — football
  • el béisbol — baseball
  • el baloncesto — basketball
  • el golf — golf
  • el hockey — hockey
  • el tenis — tennis
  • el voleibol — volleyball
  • luchar — to wrestle/to fight
  • correr — to run
  • esquiar — to ski
  • el partido — game/match
  • la carrera — race
  • el torneo — tournament

Sports Verbs

  • patear — to kick
  • saltar — to jump
  • parar — to stop/to block
  • balancear — to swing
  • servir — to serve
  • rematar — to spike
  • pegar — to hit
  • driblar — to dribble
  • tirar — to throw
  • agarrar — to catch
  • ganar — to win
  • perder — to lose
  • empatar — to tie
  • caminar — to walk
  • bailar — to dance
  • jugar — to play
  • competir — to compete

Time to Eat!

These common Spanish words for food will leave you hungry for more Spanish!

Food and Drink

  • la comida — food 
  • las bebidas — drinks
  • las verduras — vegetables
  • las frutas — fruits
  • cocinar — to cook
  • tengo hambre — i’m hungry
  • tengo sed — i’m thirsty
  • la res —   beef
  • la gallina — chicken 
  • el cordero —   lamb
  • la barbacoa —   grilled
  • el cerdo — pork
  • el perrito caliente — hot dog
  • el jamón — ham
  • la hamburguesa — hamburger
  • el tocino —   bacon
  • el pescado — fish
  • la zanahoria —   carrot
  • la lechuga —   lettuce
  • el tomate — tomato
  • la maíz — corn
  • la papa — potato
  • la patata  — potato
  • las papas —   french fries
  • las patatas fritas —   french fries
  • el brocoli —   broccoli
  • la espinaca —   spinach
  • la cebolla —   onion
  • la col —   cabbage
  • la ensalada — salad
  • la aceituna —   olive
  • las calabacitas —   squash
  • el hongo —   mushroom
  • el pepino —   cucumber
  • la manzana —   apple
  • la pera —   pear
  • la fresa —   strawberry
  • la frambuesa —   raspberry
  • la zarzamora — blackberry
  • el arándano —   blueberry
  • el arándano rojo — cranberry
  • la naranja —   orange
  • la mandarina —   tangerine
  • la toronja —   grapefruit
  • el limón —   lemon
  • la lima —   lime
  • el plátano —   banana
  • la piña —   pineapple
  • el coco —   coconut
  • el mango —   mango
  •  la papaya — papaya
  • la cerveza —  beer
  • el refresco —  pop, soft drink
  • el té —   tea
  • el té helado —   iced tea
  • el café —   coffee
  • la leche —   milk
  • el agua —   water
  • el jugo — juice
  • el batido —  milkshake
  • el chocolate —   chocolate
  • los dulces —   candy
  • el pastel —   cake
  • las galletas —   cookies
  • el helado —   ice cream
  • el churros con chocolate —   chocolate churros
  • el basque cheesecake —   cheesecake
  • el plato —   plate
  • el plato hondo —   bowl
  • el vaso —   glass
  • la copa —  cup
  • el tenedor —   fork
  • la cuchara —   spoon
  • el cuchillo —   knife
  • la servilleta —   napkin
  • dulce — sweet
  • salado(a) — savory
  • rico(a) — delicious
  • el desayuno — breakfast
  • el almuerzo — lunch
  • la cena — dinner
  • el tentempié — snack
  • la prenda, la ropa — clothes
  • los zapatos — shoes
  • el pantalón — pants
  • la camiseta / la camisa — shirt
  • la chaqueta — jacket
  • la falda — skirt
  • el suéter — sweater
  • el vestido — dress

Holidays and Parties

  • la navidad — christmas
  • el año nuevo— new year
  • la pascua —  easter
  • el día de san valentín — valentine’s day
  • el día de la madre — mother’s day
  • el día del padre — father’s day
  • el día de la independencia — independence day
  • el día de acción de gracias — thanksgiving
  • el cumpleaños — birthday
  • la fiesta — the party
  • la boda — the wedding

Parts of the Body

  • el cuerpo humano — the human body
  • la cabeza — head
  • el pecho — chest
  • el oído / la oreja — ear
  • el ojo — eye
  • la cara — face
  • la mano — hand
  • la boca — mouth
  • el pie —  foot
  • la espalda —  back
  • el pelo  —  hair
  • el codo — elbow
  • el dedo — finger
  • la pantorrilla — calf
  • la pierna — leg
  • la muñeca — wrist
  • el talón — heel
  • el brazo — arm
  • el cuello — neck
  • el tobillo — ankle
  • la frente — forehead
  • el muslo — thigh
  • la barba — beard
  • el bigote — mustache
  • la lengua — tongue
  • el dedo del pie — toe
  • la cintura — waist
  • la cadera — hip
  • las nalgas — buttocks
  • el pulgar — thumb
  • la rodilla — knee
  • la nariz — nose
  • la mejilla, el cachete — cheek
  • los labios — lips
  • el hombro — shoulder
  • la barbilla, el mentón — chin
  • las cejas — eyebrows
  • las pestañas — eyelashes
  • el ombligo  — belly button
  • la piel  — skin
  • el vientre — stomach
  • la garganta — throat
  • los dientes/las muelas — teeth

Transition Words

Connect your Spanish ideas with these transition words and your sentences will begin to flow with ease!

Time and Place

  • al principio — at the beginning
  • en primer lugar — firstly
  • para comenzar — to start
  • antes — before
  • después — after
  • a continuación  — in continuation
  • mientras tanto — meanwhile
  • al final — at the end

Add an Idea

  • además — additionally
  • aparte de — apart from
  • asimismo — at the same time
  • también — also
  • de igual manera  — in the same way

Compare contrast

  • pero  — but
  • sin embargo  — however
  • no obstante  — nevertheless
  • por otro lado  — on the other hand
  • aunque  — even though
  • a pesar de  — despite

Location Words

Wherever you are, you’ll want to be able to talk about your location in Spanish. 

Prepositions

  • dentro de — inside of
  • encima de/sobre — on top of
  • debajo de — underneath of
  • delante de — in front of
  • detrás de — behind
  • entre — between
  • en — in/on/at
  • fuera de — outside of
  • arriba de — above
  • en medio de — in the middle of
  • cerca de — close to
  • lejos de — far from
  • al lado de — next to
  • alrededor de — around
  • a la izquierda de — to the left of
  • a la derecha de — to the right of

Location Verbs

  • estar — to be
  • colocar — to place
  • ubicar — to position
  • poner — to put
  • situar — to place

Here and There

  • aquí, acá — here
  • ahí — there
  • allí — there
  • allá — over there
  • el este — east
  • el norte — north
  • el oeste — west
  • el sur — south

Classroom Objects

Check out this classroom vocabulary for some of the 1,000 most common Spanish words.

  • la clase — classroom
  • el aula — classroom
  • la pizarra — blackboard
  • el pizarrón — whiteboard
  • la tiza — chalk
  • el marcador — marker
  • el borrador — eraser 
  • el escritorio — desk
  • el pupitre — desk
  • la silla — chair
  • la mochila —   backpack
  • el libro — book
  • el cuaderno — notebook
  • el papel — paper
  • el lápiz — pencil
  • los lápices de colores — coloring pencils
  • el sacapuntas — pencil sharpener
  • el bolígrafo — pen
  • la goma — eraser 
  • las tijeras — scissors
  • la cola/el pegamento — glue
  • la regla — ruler
  • la grapadora — stapler
  • el estuche — pencil case

Classroom Activities

  • estudiar — to study
  • repasar — to revise
  • aprender —   to learn
  • saber — to know
  • hacer los deberes — to do homework
  • hacer la tarea  — to do homework
  • leer — to read
  • escribir — to write
  • hablar — to speak
  • decir — to say
  • preguntar — to ask
  • charlar — to chat
  • dictar — to dictate
  • deletrear —   to spell
  • contar — to count
  • faltar — to miss school
  • aprobar —   to pass a subject/a test
  • reprobar— to fail a subject/a test
  • prestar —   to lend
  • tomar prestado — to borrow
  • traer — to bring
  • enseñar — to teach
  • mostrar — to show
  • nombrar — to name
  • ayudar — to help

Places in a School

  • la escuela — school
  • el colegio — school
  • el gimnasio — gym
  • el patio — playground
  • el baño — restroom
  • el pasillo — hallway
  • la biblioteca — library
  • la oficina   —  office
  • la sala de profesores — staff room
  • el comedor — cafeteria
  • la cocina — kitchen
  • la enfermería — infirmary
  • el laboratorio — lab

People in a School

  • maestro/a — teacher (primary school)
  • profesor/a — teacher (secondary school)
  • entrenador/a — coach
  • enfermero/a — nurse
  • director/a —  principal
  • alumno/a — student
  • estudiante —  student

More School Words

  • el almuerzo —  lunch
  • el recreo —  recess
  • las vacaciones —  vacations
  • la comida —  food
  • el casillero —  locker
  • la materia —  subject
  • la matemática —  math
  • la biología —  biology
  • la química —  chemistry
  • la física —  physics
  • la educación física —  physical education
  • la historia —  history
  • la literatura —  literature
  • la prueba — test
  • el examen —  exam
  • la nota — grade
  • la calificación — grade
  • un ordenador (Spain)  — a computer
  • una computadora (Latin America) —  a computer
  • una tableta  —  a tablet
  • una impresora  —   a printer
  •  el ratón  —   the mouse
  • apagar  —   to turn on
  • encender  —   to turn off
  • el disco duro    —  the hard drive
  • el teclado    —  the keyboard
  • la tecla  —   the key
  • los auriculares    —  headphones
  • el micrófono  —   the mic
  •  la pantalla  —   the screen
  •  la cámara  —   the camera
  • los altavoces  —  the speakers
  • una aplicación  —   an app
  •  base de datos  —   database
  • las redes sociales  —   social networks
  • el enlace   —  the link
  • subir  —   to upload
  • guardar  —   to save
  • borrar  —   to delete
  • hacer click  —   to click
  • bajar/descargar    —  to download
  • buscar en Google    —  search on Google
  • pirata informático —   hacker
  • contraseña   —  password

Home Sweet Home!

Household vocabulary is an important part of the 1,000 most common Spanish words so that you can talk about the place where you spend most of your time.

  • la casa — house, home
  • el hogar — home
  • la habitación  — bedroom
  • el cuarto  — bedroom
  • el dormitorio  — bedroom
  • la sala  — living room 
  • el comedor  — dining room
  • la cocina  — kitchen
  • el baño  — bathroom
  • el pasillo  — hallway 
  • el jardín  — yard, garden
  • el garaje  — garage
  • cómodo/a  — comfortable   
  • acogedor  — cozy
  • desordenado/a  — messy
  • limpio/a  — clean 

Bathroom 

  • la pasta de dientes — toothpaste
  • el cepillo de dientes — toothbrush
  • el jabón — soap
  • el secador de pelo — hair dryer
  • el champú — shampoo
  • el cepillo — brush
  • el papel higiénico — toilet paper
  • la toalla — towel
  • el agua jabonosa — soapy water
  • la bolsa de basura — trash bag
  • el cubo de basura — trash can
  • el cesto de la ropa sucia — laundry basket
  • la navaja de afeitar — razor
  • la maquinilla de afeitar eléctrica — electric razor
  • la crema de afeitar — shaving cream
  • el enjuague bucal — mouthwash
  • el cepillo de pelo — hair brush
  • el peine — comb
  • el limpiador facial — facial cleanser
  • la balanza — scale
  • el pañuelo de papel — tissue
  • los juguetes de baño — bath toys
  • la alfombra de baño — bath mat
  • la ducha — shower
  • la bañera — bathtub
  • el fregadero — sink
  • el inodoro — toilet
  • el grifo — faucet
  • el espejo — mirror
  • peinar — to comb

Kitchen Verbs

  • cocinar —  to cook
  • comer — to eat
  • adobar —  to marinate
  • sazonar —  to season
  • lavar — to wash
  • cortar —  to cut
  • pelar —  to peel
  • picar —  to chop
  • moler —  to grind
  • incorporar — to add
  • mezclar — to mix
  • catir —   to whisk
  • licuar —  to blend
  • combinar —  to combine
  • freír — to fry
  • hervir —  to boil  
  • colar — to strain
  • cocer — to cook
  • hornear — to bake 
  • asar —  to grill / roast
  • saltear — to saute
  • preparar — to prepare
  • descongelar — to defrost
  • quemar —  to burn
  • tostar —  to toast
  • derretir — to melt
  • rodajear —  to slice
  • calentar —  to warm up / heat
  • rellenar —  to fill / stuff
  • lavar —  to wash
  • limpiar —  to clean
  • desayunar — to have breakfast
  • cenar — to have dinner

Bedroom 

  • la puerta —  the door
  • el armario — the wardrobe
  • la estantería — t he shelf
  • la ventana — t he window
  • las cortinas —  the curtains
  • el escritorio —  the desk
  • el ordenador —  the computer
  • la cama — the bed
  • el cojín — the pillow
  • el edredón — the quilt
  • las sábanas — the bedding
  • la almohada — the pillowcase
  • la lámpara — the lamp
  • la mesilla de noche — the night table or nightstand
  • el espejo — the mirror
  • el cuadro — the painting

Living Room

  • la puerta — the door
  • el armario —  the wardrobe
  • la estantería —   the shelf
  • la ventana —  the window
  • las cortinas — the curtains
  • la mesa —  the table
  • la silla — the chair
  • el sillón — armchair
  • la alfombra — the carpet or rug
  • la planta — the plant
  • las flores — the flowers
  • la chimenea — the chimney
  • el suelo — the ground
  • el techo — the ceiling
  • dependiente/a — shop assistant
  • caja — checkout
  • rebajas — sales
  • ocasión — bargain
  • recibo — receipt
  • probadores — dressing room
  • tamaño — size
  • tienda de ropa — clothing store
  • zapatería — shoe store
  • librería — bookstore
  • almacén — department store
  • supermercado — supermarket
  • joyería — jeweler
  • juguetería —  toy store
  • almacenero(a) — grocer
  • comerciante (a) — merchant
  • tendero(a) — shopkeeper
  • dependiente — clerk
  • cajero(a) — cashier

Talk About Your Health in Spanish

If you ever get sick abroad or have an emergency in a Spanish-speaking country, these health words will come in handy! Health vocabulary is an essential part of the 1,000 most common Spanish words.

Healthcare Professionals

  • los cuidados de la salud — healthcare
  • el dentista — dentist
  • el doctor/a — doctor
  • el enfermero/a — nurse
  • el médico general — general practitioner
  • el médico de cabecera — general practitioner
  • el médico especialista — specialist
  • el/la nutricionista — nutritionist
  • el/la paciente — patient
  • el/la paramédico — paramedic
  • quiropráctico(a) — chiropractor 
  • el/la pediatra — pediatrician 
  • el psicólogo/a — psychologist
  • los primeros auxilios — first aid
  • la salud — health

Healthcare Services

  • la ambulancia — ambulance
  • la aseguradora — insurance carrier
  • el centro de salud — clinic
  • la clínica — clinic
  • la farmacia — drug store
  • droguería — drug store
  • el hospital — hospital
  • el pabellón — ward
  • la sala de espera — waiting room
  • la sala de operaciones — operating room
  • el sanatorio — sanatorium

Illnesses and Injuries

  • la alergía — allergy
  • la  asfixia — suffocation
  • el asma — asthma
  • el ataque al corazón/paro cardiaco — heart attack
  • el calambre — muscle cramp
  • el cancer — cancer
  • el chinchón— head bump
  • el corte — cut
  • la deshidratación — dehydration
  • la diabetes — diabetes 
  • la diarrea — diarrhea
  • el dolor — ache/pain
  • el dolor de cabeza — headache
  • el dolor de garganta — sore throat 
  • el dolor de estómago — stomach ache
  • el dolor de diente — toothache
  • la enfermedad — disease
  • la enfermedad cardiaca — heart disease 
  • la enfermedad infecciosa — infectious disease
  • los escalofríos— shaking chills
  • la fractura — fracture
  • la fiebre — fever
  • la gripe — flu
  • la herida — wound
  • la hipotermia — hypothermia
  • la infección — infection
  • el malestar — discomfort
  • el morete/moretón — bruise
  • la náusea — nausea
  • el raspón — graze
  • el resfriado — cold
  • el sangrado — bleeding
  • la tos — cough
  • el virus — virus
  • el vomito — vomit

Start Today!

You now have the 1,000 most common Spanish words in your language toolbox! Start practicing these new words with a professional teacher today. Sign up for a free trial class and find out for yourself just how easy it is to learn Spanish. Our friendly, native-speaking teachers are experienced at working with beginners and will have you speaking Spanish in no time! 

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135 Basic Spanish Words for Beginners: Essential Vocabulary

useful spanish words for essays

Knowing basic Spanish words can help you build a solid foundation to understand and communicate in different scenarios since daily conversations rely on essential vocabulary. In fact, many of these fundamental terms can be used in multiple contexts. 

Since vocabulary is the backbone of communication, in this article, you’ll find a curated list of basic words in Spanish that all learners should know. To make things easier, I’ve classified these terms into: 

  • Starting Point: Essential Words
  • Basic Spanish Pronouns 
  • Common Words for Relationships
  • Basic Spanish Words for Places & Things
  • Spanish Basic Descriptive Words  
  • Spanish Question Words
  • Spanish Must-Know Verbs 
  • Download PDF

I’ve included examples for you to use how to use this Spanish vocabulary.

Most Essential Words in Spanish

Expressions of politeness and Spanish greetings are some basic words you’ll need in most situations. Here are some of the terms you should focus on: 

  • Adiós : Goodbye
  • Buenos días : Good morning
  • Buenas noches : Good night
  • Buenas tardes : Good afternoon
  • De nada : You’re welcome
  • Disculpe : Excuse me
  • Gracias : Thank you
  • Perdón : Sorry / Excuse me
  • Por favor : Please
  • Salud : Bless you / Cheers 

Basic Pronouns in Spanish

Spanish pronouns are essential words we use to refer to people or things. As a beginner , you should learn subject pronouns first: 

  • Tú : You ( informal )
  • Ellos / Ellas : They
  • Nosotros : We
  • Usted : You (formal)
  • Ustedes : You (plural)
  • Vosotros : You (plural Spain)

These common Spanish words can be combined with verbs to express the action a person is doing or with adjectives to describe them. Here are some simple phrases:

Yo soy Daniela.  I am Daniela. 

Ella es maestra.  She is a teacher. 

Ustedes parecen muy amables.  You guys seem very nice.

On top of subject pronouns, you should also know these basic Spanish pronouns: 

  • Me : Myself / Me
  • Te : Yourself / You
  • Se : Herself / Himself / Yourself
  • Lo / La : It / Him / Her
  • Le : Him / Her / You (formal)
  • Nos : Us / Ourselves 
  • Os : You (Spain)
  • Los / Las : Them 
  • Les : You / Them 

Tina se despierta muy tarde.  Tina wakes up very late. 

Te llamé pero no me contestaste.  I called you but you didn’t answer me . 

Check my guide to pronouns in Spanish to learn when and how to use each one of these words. 

Spanish Words for People & Relationships

  • El amigo : Friend
  • La chica : Girl
  • El chico : Boy / Guy
  • El compañero : Classmate / Coworker 
  • El esposo / La esposa : Husband / Wife
  • La familia : Family
  • La gente : People
  • El hermano / La hermana : Brother / Sister
  • Los hermanos : Siblings
  • El hijo / La hija : Son / Daughter 
  • El hombre : Man 
  • La mamá : Mom
  • La mujer : Woman
  • Los niños : Kids
  • El novio / La novia : Boyfriend / Girlfriend 
  • El papá : Dad
  • La persona : Person
  • El señor : Mr. / Sir / Man
  • La señora : Mrs. / Madam / Woman
  • La señorita : Miss
  • El vecino : Neighbor 

From a grammar point of view, these words are considered nouns. Spanish nouns are often followed by adjectives to describe how someone is or verbs to express what someone does. 

No tengo vecinos .  I don’t have neighbors . 

¿Tienes hermanos ? Do you have siblings ?

Esa mujer es mi vecina .  That woman is my neighbor . 

Take Note : Nouns in Spanish have gender and plural forms . In other words, they change to express whether the person or thing we refer to is singular, plural, masculine, or feminine. 

Common Spanish Words for Places, Things & Time

  • El agua : Water
  • El banco : Bank
  • El año : Year
  • El árbol : Tree
  • El calor : Heat
  • La calle : Street
  • La casa : House
  • La ciudad : City
  • El clima : Weather
  • La comida : Food
  • El día : Day
  • La edad : Age
  • La escuela : School
  • La estación : Station
  • El frío : Cold
  • La habitación / el cuarto : Room
  • La hora : Hour / Time
  • El hospital : Hospital
  • La mañana : Morning
  • El mes : Month
  • La mesa : Table
  • La noche : Night
  • La oficina : Office
  • El país : Country
  • El parque : Park
  • La película : Movie
  • El restaurante : Restaurant
  • La ropa : Clothes
  • La semana : Week
  • La silla : Chair
  • El sol : Sun
  • La taza : Cup
  • La tarde : Afternoon / Evening
  • La tienda : Store
  • El vaso : Glass / Cup

And here are some examples using this Spanish vocabulary:

La silla es roja.  The chair is red.

Quiero un vaso de agua .  I want a glass of water . 

Los niños están en su cuarto .  The kids are in their bedroom . 

Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño ? Excuse me, where is the bathroom ?

Take Note : El and la are Spanish definite articles . They’re often used in vocabulary lists to express if a word is masculine (el) or feminine (la). Articles are not the only words that can be placed before nouns . 

Spanish Vocabulary to Describe People & Things

The Spanish words below are basic terms that can help you describe people and things ( adjectives ) or actions ( adverbs ). 

  • Ahora : Now
  • Amable : Kind / Nice
  • Alto : Tall
  • Allí : There
  • Aquí : Here
  • Ayer : Yesterday
  • Bien : Well / Good
  • Bonito : Pretty
  • Bueno : Good
  • Cerca : Near
  • Difícil : Difficult
  • Ese / Esa : That
  • Este / Esta : This
  • Fácil : Easy
  • Grande : Big
  • Hoy : Today
  • Interesante : Interesting
  • Mal : Bad / Badly
  • Mucho : Much
  • Lejos : Far
  • Lento : Slow
  • Pequeño : Small
  • Poco : Little
  • Rápido : Fast
  • Siempre : Always
  • Tarde : Late
  • Viejo : Old

Check these sentences:

Hoy hace mucho calor.  Today is very hot.

Tu hermano es muy amable .  Your brother is very nice . 

Ellas siempre hablan rápido .  They always speak fast . 

No tengo mucho tiempo.  I don’t have much time. 

La tienda está lejos de aquí .  The store is far from here . 

Take Note : In Spanish, adjectives are subject to adjective agreement , meaning that they must change to agree with the gender and number of the words they describe. Spanish adverbs , on the other hand, don’t have these types of changes. 

Basic Question Words in Spanish

These are the basic Spanish interrogative words you can use to ask information questions: 

  • ¿Cómo? – How?
  • ¿Cuándo? – When?
  • ¿Dónde? – Where? 
  • ¿Qué? / ¿Cuál? – What? / Which?
  • ¿Quién? – Who?
  • ¿Por qué? – Why?
  • ¿Cuánto? – How much?

¿ Qué es eso? What is that?

¿ Cómo te llamas? What’s your name?

¿ Quién es ella? Who is she?

¿ Dónde está la estación de tren? Where is the train station?

Keep in mind that question words in Spanish have particular uses that may not align with their English equivalents. So, make sure you understand how and when to use each term. 

Spanish Basic Verbs 

These are some of the most common verbs in Spanish you need to know: 

  • Hacer : Do / Make
  • Hablar : Talk / Speak
  • Hay (haber) : There is / There are
  • Gustar : Like
  • Llamarse : Be named / Be called
  • Poder : Can 
  • Querer : Want
  • Saber : Know
  • Tener : Have
  • Vivir : Live

Check these simple sentences using these verbs:

Él se llama Sebastián.  His name is Sebastian. 

Esas señoras viven en Madrid. Those women live in Madrid. 

Tú tienes un perro y un gato.  You have a dog and a cat. 

Me gustan mucho las películas.  I like movies very much. 

Nosotros vamos a ir al doctor.  We’re going to the doctor. 

Your Next Steps to Level Up From Basic Words in Spanish

Now that you’ve learned the most common, basic words in Spanish, you should also check some basic questions and simple phrases that can help you kickstart your conversations. 

When you’re ready, you should also check how to conjugate verbs in Spanish and a more thorough list of common verbs you must know. This list was meant to provide you with the most important terms. As a result, you may want to expand your Spanish vocabulary by learning the following set of words: 

  • Common body parts in Spanish
  • Words for animals
  • Most Common Spanish Adjectives
  • Vocabulary for Food in Spanish
  • Spanish House Vocabulary

Download the Basic Spanish Words PDF

Congratulations, you’ve now learned the top most common Spanish words beginners should know. The trick to recalling these words when you need them is through practice and repetition. That’s why I’ve created a PDF for this guide which you can download for free. It contains all 135 basic words with their translations which you can use as cheat sheets when you need them!

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

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Using Transition Words in Spanish

To sound natural when writing in Spanish, it is important to use conectores ( transition words ). Transition words link your ideas together, allowing them to flow smoothly from one sentence to the next.

There are many types of transition words you can use when you are writing in Spanish. Let’s take a closer look!

Sequence and Order

The following transition words help us arrange ideas, events, and reasons according to their order of importance or to the order in which they happened chronologically .

or
/
/ /
/ /
/ /
/
/
/
/
/
/

Let’s put some of these into context!

examples
, el uso excesivo de los antibióticos ha llevado al desarrollo de bacterias resistentes. En segundo lugar, los médicos deberían explorar alternativas naturales.
, mi hermanastro y yo no nos llevábamos bien.

Cause and Effect

Use these transition words to make a connection between cause and effect .

/ /
/
/ /

Let’s take a look at some examples!

examples
la sequía severa, muchos agricultores quebraron.
como consecuencia, el gasto de los consumidores se redujo.

Addition and Agreement

The following transition words add information , express agreement , and reinforce relationships and ideas that came before .

SpanishEnglish
/ /
/
/
/
/
/

Check out these examples!

examples
sino también muy elegante.
De igual modo, los estudiantes universitarios dinamarqueses no tienen que pagar matrícula.

Examples, Emphasis, and Clarification

The following transitions are used to introduce examples as support , emphasize a particular fact , or explain a point .

SpanishEnglish
/
/
/
/
examples
concretamente la delincuencia.
En otras palabras, el señor Johnson será un hombre libre.

Use these transition words to connect two things by focusing on their differences .

SpanishEnglish
/
/
/
/
/

Here are some examples!

examples
por otro lado, es una gran responsabilidad.
Sin embargo, sigue siendo una opción popular para el tratamiento del dolor crónico en el Lejano Oriente.

Summarizing and Concluding

These transition words can be used to conclude an argument or to summarize ideas .

/
/
/
/
examples
, el mundo sería un lugar mejor sin redes sociales.
, la fiesta salió bien.

Want more tips on writing in Spanish? Check out these articles!

  • Spanish Punctuation
  • Advanced Spanish Punctuation
  • Spanish Words to Use in an Essay
  • How to Write a Letter in Spanish
  • Ace the AP Spanish Exam

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  • 285+ Common Spanish Nouns and How to Use Them (With Examples!)

Woman walking down street in Spain identifying Spanish nouns

Spanish nouns, which are Spanish words that identify a person, place, thing, or idea, are indispensable building blocks of communication. Sentences in Spanish might contain several nouns, allowing you to name what you’re referring to. That’s why the Spanish word for “noun” is el nombre (name), but you may also hear it called sustantivo/substantivo. 

In this guide, we’ll share several Spanish nouns lists, explain how to know if nouns are feminine or masculine, and give you some tips for using them in sentences. Ready to learn even more? Rosetta Stone can teach you how to learn Spanish no matter what level you’re already at, with bite-sized lessons and an immersive learning environment!

Table of Contents

Identifying spanish nouns.

Within the general category of naming words, Spanish nouns also come in several types. Knowing the attributes of these different categories can help you put together sentences following Spanish grammar rules and understand the language at a deeper level. 

(proper noun)the specific name of an individual, a place, or a unique thing; begins with a capital letter

a specific basilica in Barcelona
(common noun) the generic name for a class or category of person, place, thing, or concept; does not refer to a specific individual or unique thing (the woman)
(the country) 
(the basilica) 
(countable noun) a quantity of the noun can be determined; it can be preceded by a cardinal number (e.g., six, fourteen, ninety)  (three men) 
(fifty stars) 
(a thousand pesos) 
(uncountable noun/mass noun) cannot be counted or preceded by a number since it is abstract, or can be divided infinitely; not a countable noun (water) 
(sand) 
(happiness) 
(compound noun) can be divided into two or more distinct words; the combination of these words forms a new meaning (the can opener; literally “open cans”) 
(the puzzle; literally “break heads”) 
(the windshield wiper; literally “clean stop breezes”) 
(masculine noun) a noun having masculine grammatical gender (the knife) 
 (the car) 
(the newspaper) 
(feminine noun) a noun having feminine grammatical gender (the spoon) 
(the strawberry) 
(the bottle) 
(singular noun) refers to only one person or thing, or a collective noun treated as a single unit (the king) 
(the queen) 
(the team) 
(plural noun) refers to more than one person or thing  (the kings) 
(the queens) 
(the players)
(concrete noun) refers to something you can experience with your senses, including material or physical objects (the piano) 
(the lamp) 
(the bed) 
(abstract noun) refers to a quality or non-material concept; something intangible (peace) 
(childhood) 
(love) 

Feminine nouns in Spanish

The categories of feminine or masculine Spanish nouns seldom have much to do with gender. They are best thought of as arbitrary grammatical categories and a remnant of Latin, from which Spanish and other Romance languages have evolved. 

Still, since grammatical gender is often important for following Spanish gender rules , it’s critical to be able to identify feminine vs. masculine nouns in Spanish.

While there are exceptions, one of the easiest guidelines is that if a noun ends in “-a” it’s most likely a feminine noun. 

joy
the camera
the girl
the school
the sheet of paper
the time
the brand
the caterpillar
the door
laughter
the window
life

There are exceptions, though! As you learn Spanish, take note of when Spanish nouns don’t follow expected patterns. These, for example, end in “-o,” so it’d be easy to incorrectly categorize them as masculine, but they are decidedly feminine nouns in Spanish. 

the demo
the photograph
the hand
the motorcycle
the radio
the soprano

When nouns don’t end in “-a” or “-o,” it’s important to simply memorize their grammatical gender. Nouns that end in “-e” can be either masculine or feminine. 

meat
class
people
youth
the key
light
the woman
night
blood
the afternoon
@profesoramacias This is an easy way to remember when a noun is masculine or feminine. Masculine nouns have el/los as their article and feminine nouns have la/las. #spanish #spanish1 #spanishtiktok #spanishteacher #gender #noun #noungender ♬ original sound – Brenna Macias

Masculine nouns in Spanish

Knowing if a noun is masculine or feminine in Spanish is important for following grammar rules, such as choosing the correct Spanish pronouns so you avoid repetition. 

Generally, if you encounter a Spanish noun that ends in “-o,” your safest assumption is that it’s a masculine Spanish noun. 

the year
the pen
the school
the future
the game 
the world
the business
the price
the feeling
sleep/the dream
the weather
the work

Most words ending in “-a” appear to be feminine nouns in Spanish, but many words ending in “-ma,” “-pa,” and “-ta” are the exception. Being of Greek origin, they remain in the masculine category, even though they end in “-a.” 

Words with the suffix “-ista” can also be masculine if they refer to a male. It’s best to think of these as exceptions and not the rule! 

the soul
the athlete
the weather/the climate
the language
the planet
the poet
the problem
the theme/topic
the dentist
the sportsman
the electrician
the journalist

When Spanish nouns end in something other than “-o” or “-a,” it’s important to learn their gender as you’re learning the word.

the oil
the chocolate
the car
the pencil
the fish
the watch/the clock
the pan
the shark

Spanish nouns that change meaning with gender

Most of the time, you’ll probably be understood even if you make a mistake in a noun’s gender. For example, if you order el pizza instead of la pizza (pizza), you’ll probably still be served without a second thought. However, a few nouns in Spanish actually change meaning depending on the gender. When in doubt, the Spanish Dictionary can help you determine the correct noun for your situation.

(the capital of a country or state) (the money/financial capital)
(the coma; state of unresponsiveness) (the comma; punctuation)
(the comet) (the kite) 
(the cut)  (the court)
(the priest) (the cure/treatment) 
(the ending)  (the final; last game in a tournament) 
(the front; war or meteorological)  (the forehead) 
(the Pope)  (the potato) 

Spanish nouns that differ from English in number

Sometimes we use nouns in the singular in Spanish that are typically used in the plural in English, and vice versa. Here are a few examples to keep in mind. 

Typically plural in Spanish but singular in English

  • los celos (jealousy) 
  • los consejos (advice)
  • los muebles (furniture) 
  • las vacaciones (vacation) 

Typically singular in Spanish but plural in English

  • la batería (the drums) 
  • el contenido (the contents) 
  • la escalera (the stairs) 
  • la gente (people)
  • la ropa (clothes) 
  • la vajilla (dishes)

Spanish nouns lists for everyday words

When you start to master the basics of Spanish and put your own sentences together, you’ll need a lot of vocabulary for people, places, and things. Most of our everyday interactions will center around these common Spanish nouns. 

The more nouns you know in Spanish, the better you’ll be able to hold a conversation, make plans, get directions, and identify items in your immediate environment. There are plenty more categories to be sure, but these lists will help give you a foundation of common people, places, and things.

Common Spanish nouns: people

Family cooking together discussing Spanish nouns

Spanish nouns for people typically come in two forms—one masculine and one feminine. There are exceptions, however, such as la persona (the person) and la gente (people), which are always masculine nouns in Spanish. 

the friend
the boy/the girl
the man
the people
the young person
the teenager
the woman
the child
the person
the adult man/woman
the neighbor

Common Spanish nouns: places in the city

When you’re traveling or making plans, knowing Spanish nouns for common places and buildings can help you get directions and gain access to services. Some of the most common Spanish nouns for buildings and locations can help you build your itinerary.

the airport
the apartment
the avenue
the bank
the pub/the bar
the library
the street
the butcher
the house
the city center
the movie theater
the city
the school
the post office
the school
the station
the pharmacy
the hospital
the hotel
the book store
the market
the museum
the office
the bakery
the park
the hairdresser/the salon
the pool
the square
the restaurant
the supermarket
the workshop
the theater
the store/the shop
the university/college

Common Spanish nouns: house and home 

If you have the opportunity to visit a Spanish speaker at home, stay with a host, or even if you’re just browsing real estate listings, it’s important to be able to identify various home items in Spanish using the correct nouns. 

the rug/the carpet
the pillow
the wardrobe/the closet/the cupboard
the attic
the bath/the tub
the bathroom
the bed
the kitchen
the dining room
the bedroom
the shower
the stairs
the kitchen sink
the garage
the toilet
the lamp
the sink
the washing machine
the dishwasher
the table
the living room
the dryer
the chair
the armchair
the sofa/the couch
the basement

Common Spanish nouns: classroom and office objects

Specific nouns for everyday classroom and office objects may vary according to the regional dialect of Spanish , but the standard words are usually understood. 

the flag
the pen
the folder/the binder
the computer
the notebook
the dictionary
the (large) desk
the student/the pupil
the pencil
the book
the map
the marker
the screen
the paper
the glue
the whiteboard
the teacher
the student desk
the homework
the scissors

Common Spanish nouns: nature

Woman hiking in Spain looking at a lake in the distance

This list of common Spanish nouns will help you identify your outdoor surroundings. Explore the landscape and plan an excursion with the correct nouns for these nature nouns. 

the tree
the forest
the countryside
the sky
the desert
the star
the flower
the leaves
the lake
the moon
the sea
the mountain
the ocean
the landscape
the plant
the beach
the reserve
the river
the sun
the land
the Earth
the valley

Common Spanish nouns: money and payment

These common money-related nouns can help you with basic transactions in Spanish. 

a ticket
the cash register/the till
the ATM
the change
the check
the discount
the money
cash
the tag
coin
the price
the tip
the receipt
the rate/the fare/the fee
the credit card
the gift card

Common Spanish nouns for learning Spanish

You’ll probably pay more attention to the specifics when you’re learning Spanish than in your first language. Breaking down the details of each language skill can improve your communication. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

the accent (regional way of pronouncing)
comprehension
conversation
the sentence
the language
reading
word
the paragraph
the question
pronunciation
meaning
the accent (written punctuation)
the translation

Master common Spanish nouns with Rosetta Stone

Vocabulary lists are helpful when you’re learning a language, especially when you’re learning lists of Spanish nouns to help you communicate. 

To truly solidify your ability to comprehend and use Spanish nouns, Rosetta Stone uses a natural method of introducing each noun in meaningful contexts, meaning you won’t need to rely solely on memorizing long lists to learn a new language. Find out how Rosetta Stone works to help you keep growing your exciting new vocabulary!

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Jamie Edwards is a Spanish and French teacher and loves learning and writing about Italian. Her “places to explore” list never gets shorter because she always wants to return! Her sights are set on Scotland and Italy next.

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    Obviously, you're not going to be able to say everything you want to say with only 100 Spanish words — although you could do surprisingly well with fewer than 1,000. But if you can learn these 100 words and understand how they're used, you'll be a long way toward being able to communicate freely in Spanish.

  16. List of Spanish Connectives

    en este/ese momento. at this/that point. El ladrón salió de la joyería y, en ese momento, apareció la policía. The thief came out of the jewellery shop and, at that point, the police showed up. en ese preciso instante. at that exact moment. Salimos del cine y, en ese preciso instante, empezó a llover.

  17. 75 Common Spanish Transition Words to Connect Your Thoughts

    Depending on the meaning of your sentence, you'll want to use a different set of transition words to help you with it. They're classified into different groups depending on the resource, but here are the eight types of transition words often referred to: • Time. • Location. • Explanation.

  18. 1,000 Most Common Spanish Words for Beginners

    Check out this classroom vocabulary for some of the 1,000 most common Spanish words. la clase — classroom. el aula — classroom. la pizarra — blackboard. el pizarrón — whiteboard. la tiza — chalk. el marcador — marker. el borrador — eraser. el escritorio — desk.

  19. 135 Basic Spanish Words for Beginners: Essential Vocabulary

    Expressions of politeness and Spanish greetings are some basic words you'll need in most situations. Here are some of the terms you should focus on: Adiós: Goodbye. Buenos días: Good morning. Buenas noches: Good night. Buenas tardes: Good afternoon. De nada: You're welcome.

  20. Using Transition Words in Spanish

    The following transition words help us arrange ideas, events, and reasons according to their order of importance or to the order in which they happened chronologically. al final. in the end. al principio. at/in the beginning or to begin with. antes. before. ante todo. first of all / first and foremost.

  21. PDF 1000 Spanish Words & Phrases Workbook

    el dolor de diente — toothache. la enfermedad — disease. la enfermedad cardiaca — heart disease. la enfermedad infecciosa — infectious disease. los escalofríos— shaking chills. la fractura — fracture. la fiebre — fever. la gripe — flu. la herida — wound.

  22. 167 Essential Basic Spanish Words & Phrases

    Basic Spanish Words: Jumpstart your adventure into the Spanish language and culture. Learn essential phrases that open doors to new experiences and friendships! Whether you're planning a vacation in sunny Spain, have friends who speak Spanish, or just want to add another skill to your repertoire, learning some basic Spanish words and phrases ...

  23. 285+ Common Spanish Nouns and How to Use Them (With Examples!)

    362. Spanish nouns, which are Spanish words that identify a person, place, thing, or idea, are indispensable building blocks of communication. Sentences in Spanish might contain several nouns, allowing you to name what you're referring to. That's why the Spanish word for "noun" is el nombre (name), but you may also hear it called sustantivo/substantivo.