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The 50 most common Spanish words

The words no Spanish conversation can do without: to be, to have, to do, yes, no, thank you. Each with IPA, a translation and an example you can listen to. Then three exercises to make them stick.

  • 50 words
  • Audio and IPA
  • An example for every word
  • 3 exercises
  • No sign-up
See the wordsPractice

Why start with these words

A small set of words — articles, pronouns, a few verbs and prepositions — turns up in almost every Spanish sentence. Learn them and you’ll recognise the skeleton of a sentence even in an unfamiliar text.

Spanish has two verbs for “to be”: ser for permanent things (who you are, where you’re from, what you’re like) and estar for states and location (how you feel, where you are). Learn them, plus tener, hacer and ir, in every present-tense form — they matter most.

The word list

Ordered by frequency: the first ones come up most often. Tap a word or an example to hear it.

Speed
  1. to be (permanent)
  2. to be (state, location)
  3. the
  4. of, from
  5. that, which
  6. and
  7. to, at
  8. in, on, at
  9. a, an; one
  10. no; not
  11. I
  12. you (informal)
  13. he, she
  14. we
  15. to have
  16. to do, to make
  17. to go
  18. can, to be able
  19. to say, to tell
  20. to want; to love
  21. to know
  22. to see; to watch
  23. there is, there are
  24. for, by, through
  25. for, in order to
  26. with
  27. yes
  28. very
  29. well, fine
  30. more
  31. all, everything
  32. this
  33. that
  34. my
  35. his, her, their; your (formal)
  36. me, myself
  37. it, him
  38. what?
  39. how?
  40. where?
  41. because
  42. but
  43. if
  44. already
  45. here
  46. now
  47. a lot, much
  48. nothing
  49. thank you
  50. good; well

Practice: test yourself

10 words from the list per round. After every answer you hear the word and the right option lights up.

Choose an exercise

How to remember the words

  • 10 words a day: listen, repeat aloud and do the “Translate” exercise.
  • Learn whole examples: “No lo sé”, “Muy bien, gracias” — ready phrases stick better than single words.
  • Come back to the exercises a day and a week later — spaced repetition makes words last.
  • Listen to Spanish songs and series: these words are in practically every line.

FAQ

Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.

Where does this list come from?

We used Spanish frequency dictionaries based on film and TV subtitles — the closest thing to everyday spoken language. Forms of one word are grouped (el, la, los, las), and a few words beginners don’t need yet were swapped for conversation essentials: gracias, sí, bien.

What’s the difference between ser and estar?

Both mean “to be”. Ser is for things that don’t change: who you are, where you’re from, your job, your character (Soy de Ucrania). Estar is for states and location: how you feel, where you are (Estoy cansado, Estoy en casa). See the grammar topic “Ser vs estar” for more.

Are 50 words enough to speak Spanish?

No, but they’re a solid base: these words make up a large part of any text. Next come 300–500 words by topic (food, the city, work) and basic grammar: the present tense, ser and estar, gustar.

How quickly can I learn these words?

In a week if you learn 7–10 a day and review them with the exercises. The key is coming back to them a few days later.

What’s next

Next step

Keep learning with a mini-course

Short online courses by Slay School teachers: a 15-minute lesson a day with audio, exercises and dialogues, and the words you forget come back on their own.

  • Day 1 is free
  • 15 minutes a day, at your own pace
  • Every word has audio
  • Lifetime access once paid
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