300+ Important Spanish Words for Beginners To Know

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If you’re just beginning to learn basic Spanish words or if you’re dusting off those years of study in the distant past, you’re probably looking for the most useful and common Spanish vocabulary words. Especially if your time is limited by a busy schedule or an upcoming trip, you want to learn the words that will have the biggest impact on your ability to comprehend and speak Spanish. 

We’ve put together over 300 easy Spanish words that will be sure to impress native speakers and make you proud of your progress as a beginner!

Spanish words for people 

Spanish words for people are helpful for identifying humans. If you learn only one, learn una persona (a person). It’s useful for males or females of any age. It’s a Spanish cognate, a word that looks like an English word and means the same thing, so it will be easy to remember! For more than one person, you can use the plural las personas, or the singular word la gente (people). 

>>Use Spanish subject pronouns to refer to people.

Spanish words for greetings and polite conversation

Showing your manners will go a long way when you begin conversing in Spanish. You don’t need to be perfect when you’re trying out new words in Spanish. Native Spanish speakers will appreciate your attempt to use their language, especially if you’re making an effort to be polite. Know how to say hello in Spanish and a few easy phrases, and you’re on your way to making polite small talk. 

Question words in Spanish

If it’s a simple sí (yes) or no (no) you’re looking for, make your statement into a question with the inflection of your voice or use of the double question marks in written Spanish. Master these interrogatives and question words in Spanish and you’ll be on your way to getting information, making plans, asking for help, and navigating travel on your own.

>> What’s up with the upside-down question mark in Spanish? 

Time and numbers in Spanish

Once you’ve mastered counting in Spanish, there are a few key phrases to master when it comes to la hora (time) and los números (numbers) so that you’ll be puntual (punctual). 

Telling time

The basics of telling time in Spanish are pretty simple. You can use son las to tell what time it is and a las to say “at a certain time.” Times that begin with one o’clock are the exception, as they use the singular verb forms es la (It’s) and a la (at) instead. 

Many organizations and regions use a 24-hour clock instead of a.m. and p.m. It begins at medianoche (midnight) with 0:00 and continues until mediodía (noon) at 12:00. Instead of starting over, it continues until 23:59 (one minute before midnight). 

Numbers in Spanish

These Spanish words for numbers will help you with the date, time, prices, route numbers, and quantities of all kinds. Up until 29, double digit numbers are written as one word. After that, they use a three-word construction like treinta y ocho (38). 

Places in the community

Use your Spanish words for places in the community during sightseeing, entertainment, or errands. This vocabulary for common buildings and landmarks can help you find your way around la ciudad (the city). 

Spanish words for household items

Your immediate environment is a great place to practice Spanish words. Take a trip around your casa (house) and name each room. Name or label everyday objects to really master the basic Spanish nouns for things in el hogar (the home). 

Rooms of the house

The cuartos (rooms) of the house have specific names that often link to verbs in Spanish for the actions that take place there. Notice the connections to strengthen your vocabulary. 

• cocinar (to cook) — la cocina (the kitchen) 
• comer (to eat) — el comedor (the dining room) 
• dormir (to sleep) — el dormitorio (the bedroom) 
• bañarse (to bathe) — el baño (the bathroom) 
• estar (to be) — la sala de estar (the living room) 

Common household items

These Spanish nouns are essential for everyday living. The specifics can vary between regions, but the basic Spanish words we’ve included below are usually understood. 

Words for clothing

Words in Spanish for la ropa (clothing) are as varied as fashion items themselves. What’s called a camiseta (tshirt) in one country could be a playera in another. Spanish speakers from around the world will often laugh at the variety in their own language. English speakers can relate when we consider “pants” vs “trousers” or “sweater” vs “jumper.” This list of standard words should serve as a basic Spanish word list from which to accessorize your vocabulary. 

Words for nature and animals

Learning a few words in Spanish for the outdoors can help you enjoy la naturaleza (nature) and talk about the living things there. 

Nature

Spending time al aire libre (outdoors/in the fresh air) is not only good for your salud (health) and bienestar (well-being), but it’s also a great list of Spanish words for beginners.

Animals

The names of los animales (animals) form a fun list of Spanish words for beginners, just like when you were learning your first language! Learn the words for animals in Spanish to refer to creatures in the wild, on the farm, and in your home. 

Common adjectives in Spanish

Adjectives are essential for describing your surroundings. Your speech will be more lively if you can integrate some of the most common Spanish adjectives. The adjectives in this list show up a menudo (often) on lists of beginner Spanish words. Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they are describing, following Spanish grammar rules. 

Colors in Spanish

The colors of the arcoíris (rainbow) follow the same Spanish grammatical gender rules as other adjectives, so some spellings have a masculine and a feminine form, except for the ones that originated from flowers or other nouns, like crema (cream), rosa (pink from “rose”), naranja (orange) and lila (lilac). These are “invariable,” meaning they have only one form. 

This is the most basic list of color words in Spanish, but it’s fun to expand on all of the different shades once you’ve mastered this list. 

Words for taking action

Verbs are the action of the sentence, like correr (to run). These are some of the most helpful and common Spanish verbs to express action, but the more action verbs in Spanish you’re able to use, the more dynamic your conversations will be. 

Spanish occupations

These words for empleo (employment) often have two forms—masculine and feminine—so that you can use the correct one to refer to a specific person. Spain’s guide for inclusive language details ways to refer to these professions in a general way.

Spanish words that end in -ista do not have another form. The articles el and la tell you the gender, as in dentista (dentist) and electricista (electrician). 

Popular Spanish words for food

Words for la comida (food) and meals are crucial if you’re going to order food in Spanish, visit the mercado (market) or share a meal with Spanish-speakers. Learn a few of your favorites so you can eat well! 

Food

You’ll never be done learning vocabulary for food and popular dishes in Spanish. Start with the basic Spanish words for various ingredients, and expand to the traditional dishes for specific holidays, such as Day of the Dead foods to make your next celebration stand out.

Table

This list of basic table settings will help you ask for what you need at a restaurant or at someone’s home. An easy way to ask would be, ¿Me trae…? (Will you bring me…?). Don’t forget to add por favor (please). 

Beautiful Spanish words

If you need words to lighten your mood, learn a few unique and beautiful Spanish words. 

Spanish words to express love

Spanish is indeed a “romance” language, meaning it derived from Latin, the language of the Romans. It is also a romantic language filled with words for love. 

Longest Spanish words

You might even challenge yourself to pronounce super long and intimidating words, that is if you don’t suffer from hipopotomonstrosesquipedaliofobia, unofficially the longest word in Spanish, meaning “the fear of long words.” 

If you’re confident with pronouncing the Spanish alphabet, try more challenging vocabulary by breaking words down syllable by syllable. Impress even native speakers by saying the official longest word in Spanish, electroencefalografistas (specialists in brain imaging).

Many of the longest words in Spanish are medical terms or are base words made longer with extra Spanish prefixes and suffixes. 

Master more words in Spanish with Rosetta Stone

These 300+ basic Spanish words are a great start for beginner learners. Vocabulary lists are a helpful resource to reference when you’re studying or checking in on your progress. A variety of parts of speech in Spanish, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives will help you communicate in all kinds of everyday situations. 

Even people with excellent memorization skills will surely forget most of the words they’ve learned unless they use and see them in meaningful contexts. That’s why Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method will show you this vocabulary and so much more in connection with images, phrases, sentences, and stories, to ensure these words are yours to keep.