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A1 Beginner · level 1 of 80
35 Spanish words and 2 grammar points, in the order Huerta teaches them. Each word has an example sentence and a memory hook.
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Bueno (good) changes its ending to match the word it describes. Día is masculine, so it's buenos días. Tarde (afternoon) and noche (night) are feminine, so they take buenas: buenas tardes, buenas noches. The -s is there because the greetings are plural.
Sí means yes and always has an accent: without it, si means "if". No means both "no" and "not". Muy (very) goes before the word it strengthens: muy bien. Y joins things, pero contrasts them.
holahello, hi
Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hello, how are you?
The h is silent: say 'OH-la'. Picture someone gasping 'Oh, la!' as you walk in.
graciasthank you, thanks
Muchas gracias por todo.Thank you very much for everything.
Sounds like 'grass-ee-us': you thank the gracious person who mowed your grass.
por favorplease
Un café, por favor.A coffee, please.
'For favour': you ask 'for a favour', por favor.
adiósgoodbye, bye
Adiós, hasta mañana.Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
A-dios = 'to God'. A farewell meaning 'go with God'.
buenos díasgood morning
Buenos días, señora.Good morning, ma'am.
Bueno = good, días = days (think 'diary'). Good days to you.
lo sientoI'm sorry, sorry, I am sorry
Lo siento mucho.I'm very sorry.
Sentir = to feel. 'I feel it': you feel sorry.
perdónexcuse me, pardon, sorry
Perdón, ¿dónde está el baño?Excuse me, where is the bathroom?
Sounds like 'pardon'. Same meaning, same face.
de nadayou're welcome, you are welcome
—Gracias. —De nada.'Thanks.' 'You're welcome.'
'Of nothing': it was nothing.
síyes
Sí, gracias.Yes, thank you.
Sí keeps its accent mark like a little hat raised to say yes. Without it, si means "if".
nono, not
No, gracias.No, thank you.
The same word as English, and it also means 'not': no sé is 'I don't know'.
yand
Pan y agua, por favor.Bread and water, please.
A single letter joining two things, like a Y-junction where two roads meet.
muyvery
Muy bien, gracias.Very well, thanks.
Muy sounds like "mooey": a cow that is very, very happy.
bienwell (in a good way), fine
Estoy bien.I'm fine.
Bien is close to "benefit" and "benign": things going well.
malbadly, bad
Hoy estoy mal.I'm not well today.
Mal as in malfunction and malware: something going badly.
tambiénalso, too, as well
Yo también.Me too.
También is tan + bien, "so well": as well, also.
perobut
Es grande, pero es bonito.It's big, but it's pretty.
Pero looks like "pear-o": you wanted an apple, but you got a pear.
buenas tardesgood afternoon, good evening
Buenas tardes, señora.Good afternoon, ma'am.
Tarde is "late": the late part of the day. Buenas, not buenos, because tarde is feminine.
buenas nochesgood night, good evening
Buenas noches, hasta mañana.Good night, see you tomorrow.
Noche, like nocturnal: the night-time greeting and goodbye.
hasta luegosee you later, bye
Adiós, hasta luego.Goodbye, see you later.
Hasta is "until", luego is "later": until later.
qué talhow are you, how's it going
Hola, ¿qué tal?Hi, how are you?
A quick, friendly 'what's up?': qué is 'what'.
mucho gustonice to meet you, pleased to meet you
Mucho gusto, soy Ana.Nice to meet you, I'm Ana.
Mucho is "much", gusto is pleasure (think gusto, enjoying with gusto).
el señorsir, gentleman, mister
Buenos días, señor.Good morning, sir.
Señor, like senior: a polite word for an older gentleman.
la señoralady, madam
Gracias, señora.Thank you, ma'am.
The feminine of señor: a polite way to address a lady.
túyou (informal)
¿Y tú?And you?
Tú: you, to a friend. With an accent; tu without one means your.
ustedyou (formal)
¿Cómo está usted?How are you?
Usted: you, politely. It comes from vuestra merced, "your grace".
élhe, him
Él es mi amigo.He's my friend.
Él: he. With an accent; el without one means the.
ellashe, her
Ella es muy simpática.She's very nice.
Ella: she, the feminine of él.
nosotroswe, us
Nosotros somos de aquí.We're from here.
Nosotros: we. Nos- (us) + otros (others): us lot.
ellosthey (male or mixed), them
Ellos viven en Madrid.They live in Madrid.
Ellos: they, for a group of men or a mixed group.
ellasthey (female), them
Ellas son hermanas.They're sisters.
Ellas: they, when they are all women.
ustedesyou (plural)
¿Ustedes son de aquí?Are you from here?
Ustedes: you, to more than one person. In Latin America it’s the only plural you.
bienvenidowelcome
¡Bienvenido a casa!Welcome home!
Bienvenido: welcome. Bien (well) + venido (come).
encantadodelighted, pleased
Encantado de conocerte.Pleased to meet you.
Encantado: enchanted, so pleased to meet you.
muchas graciasthank you very much, many thanks
¡Muchas gracias!Thank you very much!
Muchas gracias: many thanks.
hasta mañanasee you tomorrow
¡Hasta mañana, Ana!See you tomorrow, Ana!
Hasta mañana: until tomorrow.