You’ll discover some practical Spanish phrases for everyday discussions in today’s post.
How to say some phrases in Spanish
The following salutations and expressions will help you learn how to hold a basic conversation: “hi,” “how are you?”, “please”, “thank you”, and “goodbye”. Along with other phrases, you’ll learn how to say “I love you” and “happy birthday.”
“Hello” in Spanish
To say “hello” in Spanish, you can use the phrase “Hola.” This is a common greeting that is used in Spain and many other Spanish-speaking countries. It’s important to note that there are other ways to greet someone in Spanish depending on the time of day and the formality of the situation. Here are a few other common greetings in Spanish:
- “Buenos días” – This means “good morning” and is used to greet someone in the morning before noon.
- “Buenas tardes” – This means “good afternoon” and is used to greet someone in the afternoon between noon and 6:00 PM.
- “Buenas Noches” – This means “good evening” and is used to greet someone in the evening after 6:00 PM.
- “¿Qué tal?” – This means “how’s it going?” and is a casual way to greet someone.
It’s also important to remember that in many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to greet people with a kiss on the cheek. If you’re not sure whether this is appropriate in a particular situation, you can always stick with a verbal greeting like “Hola.”
“How are you” in Spanish
To ask “How are you?” in Spanish language, you can say “¿Cómo estás?” or “¿Cómo está usted?” The first phrase is more casual and is used when speaking to friends, family, or people you know well. The second phrase is more formal and is used when speaking to someone you don’t know well or when you want to show respect.
In both cases, the word “cómo” means “how” and “estás” (or “está usted”) means “are you.” The word “estar” is an irregular verb in Spanish, which means that it doesn’t follow the usual conjugation patterns. The conjugation of “estar” changes depending on the subject of the sentence and the tense. For example, if you want to ask “How are you?” in the present tense, you can use the following conjugations:
- “¿Cómo estás?” (casual, singular)
- “¿Cómo está usted?” (formal, singular)
- “¿Cómo estamos?” (casual or formal, plural)
If you want to ask “How are you?” in the past tense, you can use the following conjugations:
- “¿Cómo estabas?” (casual, singular)
- “¿Cómo estaba usted?” (formal, singular)
- “¿Cómo estábamos?” (casual or formal, plural)
As you can see, the conjugation of “estar” changes depending on the subject of the sentence and the tense. It’s important to pay attention to these details if you want to communicate effectively in Spanish.
“Thank you” in Spanish
To say “thank you” in Spanish, you can use the phrase “gracias.” This is a common and widely understood way to show appreciation and gratitude in Spanish-speaking cultures. Here are a few other ways you can say “thank you” in Spanish:
- “Muchas gracias” – This means “thank you very much” and is a more formal or enthusiastic way to express gratitude.
- “Te agradezco” – This means “I thank you” and is a more formal way to express gratitude.
- “Mil gracias” – This means “a thousand thanks” and is a very enthusiastic way to show appreciation.
- “Le estoy agradecido” – This means “I am grateful to you” and is a more formal way to express gratitude.
- “Te lo agradezco” – This means “I thank you for it” and is a more casual way to show appreciation.
It’s important to note that the way you say “thank you” in Spanish will depend on the context and the level of formality of the situation. “Gracias” is a good general phrase to use in most situations, but you may want to use one of the more formal or enthusiastic phrases if the situation warrants it.
“Please” in Spanish
To say “please” in Spanish, you can use the phrase “por favor.” This phrase is used to politely ask for something or to request a favor. It’s a common way to show respect and politeness in Spanish-speaking cultures.
For example, you could say “Por favor, podría tener un vaso de agua” (please, could I have a glass of water) or “Por favor, me podría ayudar a llevar estas maletas” (please, could you help me carry these suitcases). It’s important to note that the word “por” means “for,” and the word “favor” means “favor,” so the phrase literally means “for favor.” This can be a bit confusing for English speakers, but it’s a common way to say “please” in Spanish.
In addition to “por favor,” you can also use the phrase “te lo agradecería” (I would appreciate it) to politely request something. For example, you could say “Te lo agradecería si pudieras ayudarme a encontrar el camino a la estación de tren” (I would appreciate it if you could help me find the way to the train station).
Overall, “por favor” is a simple but essential phrase to know when speaking Spanish, and it will help you communicate more effectively and show respect and politeness to those around you.
“Sorry” in Spanish
To say “sorry” in Spanish, you can use the phrase “Lo siento.” This phrase is commonly used to apologize for something and is a way to express remorse or regret for something you’ve done.
Here are a few examples of how you might use this phrase in a sentence:
- Lo siento por llegar tarde. (I’m sorry for arriving late.)
- Lo siento por haber roto tu taza. (I’m sorry for breaking your cup.)
- Lo siento por no haber entendido tu pregunta. (I’m sorry for not understanding your question.)
It’s important to note that there are other ways to say “sorry” in Spanish, depending on the context and the level of formality. Some other options include:
- Perdona. (Excuse me.)
- Disculpa. (Excuse me.)
- Perdón. (Sorry.)
In general, “Lo siento” is a good go-to phrase for expressing remorse or apology, while the other options are more casual and might be more appropriate in certain contexts.
“Goodbye” in Spanish
There are several ways to say “goodbye” in Spanish. The most common and well-known way is to say “adiós.” This word is derived from the Latin “ad Deum,” which means “to God,” and is used as a way to bid farewell to someone when you’re leaving. Other ways to say “goodbye” in Spanish include “hasta luego,” which means “see you later,” and “hasta pronto,” which means “see you soon.”
These phrases are more casual and are often used when you expect to see the person again in the near future. If you want to be more formal, you can say “hasta la vista,” which means “see you later.” This phrase is often used in more formal settings or when you’re not sure when you’ll see the person again.
It’s also common to say “que te vaya bien,” which means “have a good trip” or “have a good time.” You can use this phrase when someone is leaving on a trip or when they’re embarking on a new venture. Overall, there are many ways to say “goodbye” in Spanish, and the phrase you choose will depend on the context and the relationship you have with the person you’re saying goodbye to.
“What” in Spanish
“What” can be translated into Spanish in a few different ways, depending on the context in which it is used. Here are a few options:
- “¿Qué?” – This is the most common way to translate “what” into Spanish. It is used to ask about something that is not immediately clear or to seek clarification on something that has been said. For example:
“¿Qué hora es?” (What time is it?)
“¿Qué significa esta palabra?” (What does this word mean?)
- “¿Cuál?” – This word is used to ask about the specific thing that is being referred to. It is often used when there are multiple options or choices. For example:
“¿Cuál es tu libro favorito?” (What is your favorite book?)
“¿Cuál de estos zapatos te gusta más?” (Which of these shoes do you like more?)
- “¿Cómo?” – This word is used to ask about the manner in which something is done or to seek information about the way something works. For example:
“¿Cómo se dice esto en español?” (How do you say this in Spanish?)
“¿Cómo funciona esta máquina?” (How does this machine work?)
In conclusion, “what” can be translated into Spanish as “qué,” “cuál,” or “cómo,” depending on the context in which it is used.
“I love you” in Spanish
To say “I love you” in Spanish, you can use the phrase “te quiero.” This phrase is used to express romantic love and is a common way to tell someone that you care about them deeply. If you want to express a more intense or passionate form of love, you can use the phrase “te amo.” This phrase is similar to “te quiero,” but it is generally considered to be a stronger expression of love.
It’s important to note that both of these phrases can be used with friends, family, and romantic partners. However, it’s generally more common to use “te quiero” with friends and family, and “te amo” with romantic partners. Here are some examples of how you can use these phrases:
- “Te quiero mucho” – “I love you very much”
- “Te amo con todo mi corazón” – “I love you with all my heart”
- “Te quiero como a mi propia familia” – “I love you like my own family”
- “Te amo más que a nada en este mundo” – “I love you more than anything in this world”
It’s important to be mindful of the context and the relationship you have with the person you’re speaking to when using these phrases. It’s generally more appropriate to use them with people you have a close relationship with, rather than with strangers or acquaintances.
“Happy birthday” in Spanish
To say “happy birthday” in Spanish, you can use the phrase “feliz cumpleaños.” This phrase literally means “happy birthday” and is a common way to wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish-speaking countries. You can also use the phrase “¡Feliz aniversario de nacimiento!” which means “happy birthday anniversary.”
This phrase is a bit more formal and might be more appropriate in certain situations, such as when you’re writing a card or sending a message to someone who is more formal or traditional. Another way to wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish is to use the phrase “¡Que cumplas muchos más!” which means “may you have many more!” This phrase is a more casual way to wish someone a happy birthday and is often used among friends and family.
No matter which phrase you choose, wishing someone a happy birthday in Spanish is a great way to show your appreciation and to celebrate their special day. So, these are some of the ways you can wish someone a happy birthday in Spanish.
“Beautiful” in Spanish
The word for “beautiful” in Spanish is “hermoso” (masculine) or “hermosa” (feminine).
For example:
- La playa es hermosa. (The beach is beautiful.)
- Este cuadro es hermoso. (This painting is beautiful.)
It’s important to note that Spanish has both a masculine and a feminine form for adjectives, so you’ll need to use the correct form depending on the gender of the noun you’re describing.
For example:
- La casa es grande. (The house is big.)
- El perro es grande. (The dog is big.)
In these sentences, “casa” (house) is feminine, so we use the feminine form of the adjective “grande” (big). Similarly, “perro” (dog) is masculine, so we use the masculine form of the adjective. I hope this helps! If you have any other questions about Spanish, don’t hesitate to ask.