Most Essential Vocabulary #1
I decided to compile a list of some of the most basic and essential vocab for Spanish since I couldn’t totally find a lot.
These are going to be the words that you’re going to be using and seeing the most for Spanish, so it will come across as very basic for some
I decided to do this in multiple parts because there are lots of topics - so if you have suggestions on certain topics, please let me know! There probably will be words repeated for different “categories”
nosotros = we [m+m, m+f]
nosotras = we [f+f]
ustedes = you all [for Spain it’s formal, for Latin America it’s formal and informal]
vosotros = you all [m+m, m+f; informal, Spain]
vosotras = you all [f+f; informal, Spain]
elle = they
[no specified gender; this is not considered “proper” Spanish, but it is used in many queer communities for someone non-binary; “proper” Spanish only really has “he” or “she” or refers to someone of unknown or unspecified gender in vague terms like alguien “someone” or una persona “a person” and conjugates them with 3rd person singular]
qué = what
que = that [connecting clauses]
lo que = what, “the thing that”, that which [a stand in for a noun]
por qué = why
el por qué = “the reason why”, “the motive”
porque = because [connecting clauses]
cuál, cuáles = which, which ones
dónde = where
donde = where [connecting clauses]
cuándo = when
cuando = when [connecting clauses]
cómo = how
como = as, like [connecting clauses]
cuánto/a = how much/many
cuanto = so much [or en cuanto “insomuch” or “as far as”]
cuánto/a is used with countable objects
For using “how + adj/adv” you have to use a separate expression; in more literary Spanish this is cuán which is not used very much now except in some lyrics and poetry. For everyday Spanish there’s a separate word/phrase:
qué tan = how + adj/adv [Latin America]
¿Qué tan rápido es? = How fast is it?
¿Qué tan larga es la historia? = How long is the story?
¿Qué tan profundo es el océano? = How deep is the ocean?
cómo de = how + adj/adv [Spain]
¿Cómo de grande es? = How big is it?
¿Cómo de alta es la montaña? = How high is the mountain?
¿Cómo de ancho es el río? = How wide is the river?
Please be aware certain prepositions are used differently than others. The main ones to be very aware of are: a, de, en, por, para, and con
…By far, a is the most versatile and has the most uses, followed by de
Primarily this is just a list of things to know, but some of them require proper context to fully understand in my opinion
para = for / up to / in order to
sobre = on, upon / about, pertaining to
acerca de = about, pertaining to
bajo = under
debajo (de) = under, underneath
enfrente (de) = in front of, facing
junto/a = together
junto a = next to, beside
durante = for (a period of time) / during
a través de = through
a lo largo de = throughout
alrededor de = around, surrounding
mediante = through, via, by means of
por medio de = through, via, by means of
versus = versus [exactly like English… because it’s Latin; the pronunciation is different obviously]
contra = against, versus/vs / against, up against [e.g. contra la pared “(up) against the wall”]
Standard Spanish 101 Vocab
nada = nothing
la nada = nothingness
el hombre = man
el caballero = gentleman / man [lit. “knight” or “horseman”]
el señor = sir, gentleman / lord / Mr.
la mujer = woman [potentially “wife”]
la dama = lady / woman
la señora = lady / madame, Mrs.
la señorita = miss, (young/unmarried) lady
flaco/a = skinny, thin
delgado/a = skinny, thin
inteligente = intelligent
(ser) listo/a = (to be) smart
(estar) listo/a = (to be) ready
lindo/a = cute, good-looking
bonito/a = cute, good-looking
mayor = older, elder / major
injusto/a = unjust, unfair
difícil = hard, difficult
apenas = hardly, barely
a duras penas = just barely
veloz = quick
rápido/a = fast [adj]
rápido = quickly, fast [adv]
lento/a = slow [adj]
lento / lentamente = slow, slowly [adv]
trabajador(a) = hard-working
ingenioso/a = ingenious, clever
equivocado/a = wrong, incorrect
genial = wonderful, amazing
maravilloso/a = wonderful / wondrous, marvelous
pésimo/a = really bad, awful
asustado/a = surprised / scared
mejor = better
el/la mejor = the best
peor = worse
el/la peor = the worst
Note: All days of the week and all months are masculine
el fin de semana = weekend
el finde = weekend [regional slang]
el horario = schedule, timeframe
la fecha = date (calendar)
la cita = appointment / date (romantic)
ayer = yesterday
anteayer = the day before yesterday
mañana = tomorrow
pasado mañana = the day after tomorrow
la tarde = afternoon / evening
el atardecer = evening, dusk
la mañana = morning
el amanecer = morning, daybreak, sunrise
la madrugada = the early morning, “wee hours of the morning” [when it’s morning but still dark]
el alba [f] = dawn
la salida del sol = daybreak, sunrise
la puesta del sol = sunset
ponerse el sol = for the sun to set
el crepúsculo = twilight / dusk
diario/a = daily [adj]
a diario = daily, happening every day [adv]
cotidiano/a = daily, everyday
temprano/a = early
temprano = soon [adv]
siguiente = following
al día siguiente = the next day, the following day
primer, primera / primero = first
tercer, tercera / tercero = third
el/un tercio = a third / one-third, 1/3
octavo/a = eighth (or “octave”)
décimo/a = tenth
el décimo = decimal
la quincena = fortnight, two weeks
nuevo/a = new
la luna nueva = new moon
lleno/a = full
la luna llena = full moon
la medialuna = half moon / crescent
creciente = growing
la luna creciente = crescent moon
la fiesta = holiday [or “party”]
la Nochebuena = Christmas Eve
el Año Nuevo = New Year’s
la Nochevieja = New Year’s Eve
la víspera = eve / evening [with holidays it’s used as “the day before”, or sometimes “vigil”; so la Nochevieja is also sometimes la víspera del Año Nuevo]
Día de los Reyes Magos = Three Kings Day / The Epiphany
San Valentín / el Día de San Valentín = Valentine’s Day
Miércoles de Ceniza = Ash Wednesday
el Carnaval = Carnival / Mardi Gras
la Semana Santa = Holy Week
el Día de (los) Muertos = Day of the Dead
(el) Halloween = Halloween
el Día de Acción de Gracias = Thanksgiving [North America; sometimes just called Thanksgiving or Sangiving]
el Día de Todos (los) Santos = All Saints Day
Día de (la) Independencia = Independence Day
Other countries have their own holidays like Día de la Constitución “Constitution Day” or Día de la Revolución “Revolution Day”, or something more regional like la Tomatina in Spain, or Día de los Santos Inocentes which is “the Day of Holy Innocents” but sometimes translated as “April Fool’s Day”
This is also not counting certain religious holidays or folk holidays, which can vary from country to country
For dates in Spanish, you typically use the number + the month: el diecisiete de marzo for example reads as “the 17th of March” or “March 17th”
The ONLY exception is the 1st of every month is el primero instead of saying el uno. As an example: el primero de enero is “January 1st” or “the 1st of January”; this is done because it would be awkward to say “the one of January”
For days of the week you will see something like Viernes 13 [trece] “Friday the 13th” or Martes 13 “Tuesday the 13th” (which is the day of bad luck in Spanish)
el bosque = woods, forest
el mar = ocean [sometimes feminine]
la sierra = mountain range [or “saw” in tools]
la piedra = stone
la roca = rock
el tiempo = time / weather [or “grammatical tense”]
el granizo = hail / hailstone
la niebla = fog, mist
la neblina = mist, haze
el relámpago = lightning [commonly refers to “the flash of lightning” specifically]
el rayo = lightning, bolt (of lightning) [commonly “lightning” or “lightning strike”]
el trueno = thunder [refers to “the sound” specifically]
el monte = wilderness / mountain, mount
la hierba = grass / herb
las malas hierbas = weeds [lit. “bad grasses”]
alto/a = tall, high
la altura = height
profundo/a = deep
poco profundo/a = shallow
la profundidad = depth
la altura = height
la estatura = height, stature
la columna (vertebral) = spine / spinal column
el espinazo = backbone, spine
el dedo = finger
el pulgar = thumb
el índice = index finger, pointer finger
el dedo medio = middle finger
el dedo anular = ring finger
el meñique = pinky
el tronco = torso [or “trunk” for trees]
el seno = breast / bosom
[in everyday speech - and vulgar speech - this is la teta “boob” or “tit”]
la barriga = belly / gut
la panza = belly
los intestinos = intestines, bowels
la tripa, las tripas = “stomach” / innards, entrails
las entrañas = innards, entrails, “one’s insides”
el dedo de pie = toe
el dedo gordo = big toe
el meñique (de pie) = pinky toe
[the other toes are known as el segundo dedo “second toe”, el tercer dedo “third toe”, and el cuarto dedo “fourth toe”]
el tejido = tissue (medical)
la uña = nail (finger/toe)
el pelo = hair (any kind)
el cabello = hair (specifically on the head)
los sentidos = the senses
la vista = eyesight, sight
el oído = hearing, sense of hearing
el olfato = smell, sense of smell
el gusto = taste, sense of taste
el tacto = touch, sense of touch
el apartamento = apartment
el piso = floor
[el piso in Spain is typically “apartment”, most commonly translated as “flat” for British English]
el techo = ceiling / roof
la silla = chair
el sillón = large chair / armchair
el sofá [m] = sofa, couch
los muebles = furniture [el mueble is one piece]
el reloj = clock / watch, stopwatch
el estante, los estantes = shelf, shelves / shelving
el refrigerador / la refrigeradora = refrigerator
la nevera = refrigerator
la tarea = task, chore [commonly meaning “homework”]
los deberes = chores / duties
los quehaceres = chores
la sala = room
el salón = room / large room
la habitación = bedroom
el dormitorio = bedroom [lit. “dormitory” or “sleep-room”]
el cuarto = bedroom, personal room
la sala de estar = living room
el salón = living room [again, just “big room”]
la sala = living room [again, just “room” but it’s any kind of room you might invite someone into]
[some places have other words for it]
la cocina = kitchen [also “cuisine” or “cooking”]
el comedor = dining room [or “mess hall”; but any room for “eating”]
la lavandería = laundry room / laundromat
el vestíbulo = foyer, vestibule
la escalera = staircase / stairwell
las escaleras = steps, stairs
el baño = bathroom [lit. “bath”]
el cuarto de baño = bathroom
el inodoro = toilet bowl
[sometimes el váter]
el clóset / el armario = closet / armoire, wardrobe
el ático = attic
el desván = attic
la despensa = pantry / cupboard
el almacén = storeroom, storage closet
[you might see this as “warehouse” for buildings; it means a “storage area” literally]
la luz = light
las luces = light
encender = to turn on (electronics) [otherwise it’s “to kindle” or “to set on fire”]
apagar = to turn off (electronics) [others it’s “to extinguish” or “snuff out (fire/candles)]
la televisión / la tele = television / TV
el teléfono = telephone, phone
el celular = cellphone [more Latin America]
el móvil = mobile, cellphone [more Spain]
el tazón = bowl
el bol = bowl
el cuenco = bowl
la estufa = stove, stovetop
el vaso = glass [for water]
la taza = cup / mug [for tea/coffee]
la copa = glass [for wine]
los trastes = “the dishes” [regional, I think]
la plancha = iron (for clothes) [lit. la plancha is a metal thing you use to “press” on either food or clothes; not to be confused with el hierro “iron” the metal in English]
la ropa = clothes, clothing
la prenda = garment, item of clothing
la ropa interior = underwear
el calzón / los calzoncillos = underwear
las bragas = panties, female underwear
el sostén, el sujetador = bra
las medias = socks
[las medias can also mean “stockings” or “tights”]
los pantalones = pants, trousers
los zapatos = shoes
los tacones = heels
las botas = boots
el abrigo = coat, overcoat [usually a “warm coat” or sometimes “winter coat”; a coat specifically to keep you warm outside]
el guante, los guantes = glove, gloves
la cartera / el monedero = wallet
las gafas / los lentes = glasses
las gafas de sol = sunglasses
[the older word for “glasses” is los anteojos - it comes across like “spectacles” and shows up in some textbook, but las gafas is the most common one today]
el bolso = purse
[some people will use la bolsa - typically though, la bolsa is “bag” like a shopping bag or trash bag]
el broche = clasp, fastener, button
el pendiente, los pendientes = earrings [regional]
el aro / el arete = earring [regional]
el brazalete = bracelet [often on the arm]
la pulsera = bracelet [often at the wrist where one’s “pulse” is]
el pijama / los pijamas = pajamas, PJs
el paraguas = umbrella
la sombrilla = umbrella [regional]
el impermeable = raincoat [regional]
la gorra = cap [small hat]
el sombrero = hat [with a wide brim, usually all the way around]
los jeans = jeans
los bluyines = jeans [lit. “blue jeans” but could be any color in Spanish]
los vaqueros = jeans [Spain; lit. “cowboy (pants)”]
[there are LOTS of regionalisms for jeans]
la piel = leather / skin
el cuero = leather
Note: Some names of colors do not change for gender as they are derived from nouns - to distinguish them, I’m not including the definite articles to identify them as adjectives.
As an example, rosa “pink” comes from “rose”, so la camisa rosa “pink shirt” or el abrigo rosa “pink coat”
Note 2: When talking about colors as “the color” itself, it is always masculine; el rojo is “the color red”. This is important for distinguishing certain nouns - el naranja is “the color orange” vs. la naranja “orange (fruit)”, or el rosa “the color pink” vs. la rosa “rose (flower)”, or el turquesa “the color turquoise” vs. la turquesa “turquoise (gem)”
naranja = orange
anaranjado/a = orange, orangey
azul = blue
azul claro = light blue
azul celeste = light blue / sky blue
azul oscuro = dark blue
azul marino = navy blue
lila = light purple / lilac, lavender (color)
rosa = pink
rosado/a = pink, rosy
marrón = brown
(color) café = brown
oro = gold
dorado/a = gold, golden
plata = silver
plateado/a = silvery
bronce = bronze
bronceado/a = bronzed, tanned
arcoíris, arco iris = rainbow
castaño = brown (hair/eyes) [lit. “chestnut”]
caoba = mahogany, auburn (hair/eyes) [lit. “mahogany”]
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