Basic Spanish Words: Vocab for Beginners (+PDF)

Here’s the vocabulary that is usually taught in the first 1-3 Spanish lessons!

In fact, this is the vocabulary and grammar I teach my students in their first Spanish lessons with me.

Let’s dive right in!

Greetings and Farewells

• ¡Hola! (Hi!)

• ¿Qué tal? (How are you?)

• ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)

• Buenos días (Good morning / day)

• Buenas tardes (Good afternoon)

• Buenas noches (Good evening / night)

• ¡Adiós! (Goodbye!)

• ¡Hasta luego! (See you later!)

• ¡Hasta pronto! (See you soon!)

Subject Pronouns and Ser

• yo soy (I am)

• tú eres (you are)

• vos sos (you are)

• él es (he is)
• ella es (she is)
• usted es (you are)

• nosotros somos (we are)
• nosotras somos (we are)

• vosotros sois (you are [plural])
• vosotras sois (you are [plural])

• ellos son (they are)
• ellas son (they are)
• ustedes son (you are [plural])

Tú and vos are usually used to talk to family and friends. The use of tú and vos depends on where you are. For example, people from Argentina use vos, while Mexicans use tú.

Usted is usually used to talk to older people or in professional relationships. Usted is used to show respect. However, in certain areas of Colombia and Costa Rica, this pronoun is used with family and friends.

In Latin America, ustedes is used to address several people at once. People in Spain use vosotros or vosotras instead. Vosotros is used to address a group of men or a group of men and women. Vosotras is only used to address a group of women.

Numbers

1. uno
2. dos
3. tres
4. cuatro
5. cinco
6. seis
7. siete
8. ocho
9. nueve
10. diez
11. once
12. doce
13. trece
14. catorce
15. quince
16. dieciséis
17. diecisiete
18. dieciocho
19. diecinueve
20. veinte

Unlike English, numbers from 21 to 29 are expressed as one word in Spanish. Instead of saying veinte uno, Spanish speakers say veintiuno.

Visit The Spanish Numbers (1-1000) for Beginners to learn to count up to 1000!

Personal Data

• ¿Cómo te llamas? (What’s your name?)
• Me llamo… (My name is…)

• ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?)
• De Alemania. (I am from Germany.)

• ¿Eres italiana? (Are you Italian?)
• No, soy argentina. (No, I am Argentine.)

• ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)
• Tengo 23 años. (I am 23 years old.)

• ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? (What’s your phone number?)
• Es el 256 254 123. (It’s …)

• ¿Tienes correo? (Do you have email?)
• Si, es [email protected] (Yes, it’s…)

• ¿En qué trabajas? (What’s your job?)
• Soy profesora de español. (I am a Spanish teacher.)

In the chart below you will find more Spanish words for beginners!