If you're just starting with Spanish, you might feel like there are a million words to memorize. But here's the truth: you don't need thousands of words to start having real conversations.

These 50 words will cover most of what you need for everyday situations—ordering food, asking directions, introducing yourself, and chatting with native speakers. Learn these first, and everything else gets easier.

1. Hola (Hello)

The most basic greeting you'll use constantly.

Examples:

  • Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hello, how are you?)
  • Hola, me llamo Sarah. (Hello, my name is Sarah.)
  • ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? (Hey! What's up?)

Memory trick: Just like "hola hoop"—think of waving hello while spinning a hoop.

2. Adiós (Goodbye)

Your go-to way to say goodbye.

Examples:

  • Adiós, hasta mañana. (Goodbye, see you tomorrow.)
  • Bueno, adiós. (Well, goodbye.)
  • Adiós, gracias por todo. (Goodbye, thanks for everything.)

Memory trick: "Adios" sounds like "a Dios"—to God, like "go with God."

3. Gracias (Thank you)

You'll use this one all day, every day.

Examples:

  • Gracias por tu ayuda. (Thanks for your help.)
  • Muchas gracias. (Thank you very much.)
  • Gracias, eres muy amable. (Thanks, you're very kind.)

Pronunciation tip: "GRAH-see-ahs"—roll that R if you can.

4. Por favor (Please)

Being polite gets you far in any language.

Examples:

  • Un café, por favor. (A coffee, please.)
  • ¿Puedes ayudarme, por favor? (Can you help me, please?)
  • Más agua, por favor. (More water, please.)

Memory trick: Think "for favor"—you're asking for a favor politely.

5. Sí (Yes)

Simple but essential.

Examples:

  • Sí, me gusta. (Yes, I like it.)
  • Sí, claro. (Yes, of course.)
  • Sí, entiendo. (Yes, I understand.)

Pronunciation tip: Don't forget the accent—it's "SEE," not "see."

6. No (No)

Even simpler—same as English.

Examples:

  • No, gracias. (No, thank you.)
  • No entiendo. (I don't understand.)
  • No sé. (I don't know.)

Memory trick: Literally identical to English. You got this one already.

7. Buenos días (Good morning)

Use this until around noon.

Examples:

  • Buenos días, ¿cómo está? (Good morning, how are you?)
  • Buenos días a todos. (Good morning, everyone.)
  • Buenos días, señor López. (Good morning, Mr. López.)

Memory trick: "Bueno" means good—so "good days."

8. Buenas tardes (Good afternoon/evening)

From noon until dark.

Examples:

  • Buenas tardes, bienvenidos. (Good afternoon, welcome.)
  • Buenas tardes, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle? (Good afternoon, how can I help you?)
  • Buenas tardes, doctor. (Good afternoon, doctor.)

Memory trick: "Tarde" sounds like "tardy"—later in the day.

9. Buenas noches (Good evening/Good night)

After dark or when you're going to bed.

Examples:

  • Buenas noches, que descanses. (Good night, rest well.)
  • Buenas noches, hasta mañana. (Good night, see you tomorrow.)
  • Buenas noches, señora. (Good evening, ma'am.)

Memory trick: "Noche" sounds like "nocturnal"—nighttime.

10. ¿Cómo estás? (How are you? - informal)

For friends, family, and people your age.

Examples:

  • Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hi, how are you?)
  • ¿Cómo estás hoy? (How are you today?)
  • ¿Cómo estás después del viaje? (How are you after the trip?)

Memory trick: "Estás" is "you are"—you're asking how they are.

11. ¿Cómo está? (How are you? - formal)

For older people, bosses, or formal situations.

Examples:

  • Buenos días, ¿cómo está usted? (Good morning, how are you?)
  • Señor García, ¿cómo está? (Mr. García, how are you?)
  • ¿Cómo está su familia? (How is your family?)

Memory trick: "Está" (formal) vs. "estás" (informal)—less letters = more formal.

12. Bien (Good/Well)

Your standard answer when someone asks how you are.

Examples:

  • Estoy bien, gracias. (I'm good, thanks.)
  • Todo está bien. (Everything is good.)
  • Muy bien, ¿y tú? (Very well, and you?)

Memory trick: Think "bien" sounds like "been"—"I've been well."

13. Mal (Bad/Badly)

When things aren't going great.

Examples:

  • Me siento mal. (I feel bad.)
  • Estuvo mal. (It was bad.)
  • No está mal. (It's not bad.)

Memory trick: Rhymes with "pal"—tell your pal when you're doing mal.

14. Me llamo (My name is)

How you introduce yourself.

Examples:

  • Hola, me llamo Ana. (Hi, my name is Ana.)
  • Me llamo Carlos, mucho gusto. (My name is Carlos, nice to meet you.)
  • ¿Cómo te llamas? Me llamo Luis. (What's your name? My name is Luis.)

Memory trick: "Llamo" comes from "llamar" (to call)—you're saying what you're called.

15. ¿Cómo te llamas? (What's your name? - informal)

Asking someone's name casually.

Examples:

  • Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? (Hi, what's your name?)
  • ¿Cómo te llamas tú? (What's your name?)
  • Perdón, ¿cómo te llamas? (Sorry, what's your name?)

Memory trick: "Te llamas" = "you call yourself."

16. Mucho gusto (Nice to meet you)

Say this when meeting someone new.

Examples:

  • Mucho gusto, soy María. (Nice to meet you, I'm María.)
  • Mucho gusto en conocerte. (Nice to meet you.)
  • El gusto es mío. (The pleasure is mine.)

Memory trick: "Mucho" = much, "gusto" = pleasure—"much pleasure."

17. Por favor (Excuse me/Pardon me)

Also used to get someone's attention politely.

Examples:

  • Perdón, ¿dónde está el baño? (Excuse me, where is the bathroom?)
  • Perdón por llegar tarde. (Sorry for being late.)
  • Perdón, no entendí. (Sorry, I didn't understand.)

Memory trick: Sounds like "pardon"—basically the same thing.

18. Lo siento (I'm sorry)

When you need to apologize.

Examples:

  • Lo siento mucho. (I'm very sorry.)
  • Lo siento, fue mi error. (I'm sorry, it was my mistake.)
  • Lo siento, no puedo ir. (I'm sorry, I can't go.)

Memory trick: "Siento" comes from "sentir" (to feel)—"I feel it."

19. ¿Qué? (What?)

Ask this when you don't understand or didn't hear.

Examples:

  • ¿Qué dijiste? (What did you say?)
  • ¿Qué es esto? (What is this?)
  • ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)

Pronunciation tip: Sounds like "keh," not "kway."

20. ¿Quién? (Who?)

Finding out who someone is.

Examples:

  • ¿Quién es ella? (Who is she?)
  • ¿Quién viene a la fiesta? (Who's coming to the party?)
  • ¿Quién llamó? (Who called?)

Pronunciation tip: Like "key-EN"—two syllables.

21. ¿Dónde? (Where?)

Asking about location.

Examples:

  • ¿Dónde está el hotel? (Where is the hotel?)
  • ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
  • ¿Dónde estamos? (Where are we?)

Memory trick: Think "done-day"—where'd the day go?

22. ¿Cuándo? (When?)

Asking about time.

Examples:

  • ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?)
  • ¿Cuándo llegaste? (When did you arrive?)
  • ¿Cuándo vamos? (When are we going?)

Memory trick: Sounds like "KWAN-doh"—when do we go?

23. ¿Por qué? (Why?)

Asking for a reason.

Examples:

  • ¿Por qué estás triste? (Why are you sad?)
  • ¿Por qué no vienes? (Why aren't you coming?)
  • ¿Por qué lo hiciste? (Why did you do it?)

Memory trick: "Por qué" (two words) = why, "porque" (one word) = because.

24. ¿Cómo? (How?)

Asking about the way something happens.

Examples:

  • ¿Cómo lo hago? (How do I do it?)
  • ¿Cómo llegaste aquí? (How did you get here?)
  • ¿Cómo funciona esto? (How does this work?)

Memory trick: You already know this from "¿Cómo estás?"

25. ¿Cuánto? (How much?)

Asking about price or quantity.

Examples:

  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?)
  • ¿Cuánto tiempo? (How much time?)
  • ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)

Memory trick: "Cuánto" for amount—count how much.

26. Yo (I)

Talking about yourself.

Examples:

  • Yo soy estudiante. (I am a student.)
  • Yo quiero café. (I want coffee.)
  • Yo no sé. (I don't know.)

Memory trick: Sounds like "yo" in English slang—same meaning basically.

27. Tú (You - informal)

Talking to friends, family, or peers.

Examples:

  • Tú eres muy amable. (You are very kind.)
  • ¿Tú entiendes? (Do you understand?)
  • Tú y yo somos amigos. (You and I are friends.)

Memory trick: Don't mix up "tú" (you) with "tu" (your)—the accent matters.

28. Él (He)

Talking about a guy.

Examples:

  • Él es mi hermano. (He is my brother.)
  • Él vive en Madrid. (He lives in Madrid.)
  • Él no está aquí. (He's not here.)

Memory trick: "Él" with an accent = he; "el" without = the.

29. Ella (She)

Talking about a woman or girl.

Examples:

  • Ella es doctora. (She is a doctor.)
  • Ella habla español. (She speaks Spanish.)
  • Ella es mi amiga. (She is my friend.)

Memory trick: "Ella" sounds like "eh-ya"—she is ya friend.

30. Nosotros (We)

Talking about a group that includes you.

Examples:

  • Nosotros somos estudiantes. (We are students.)
  • Nosotros vamos al cine. (We're going to the movies.)
  • Nosotros vivimos aquí. (We live here.)

Memory trick: "Nos" = us, "otros" = others—us others together.

31. Ustedes (You all/You - plural/formal)

Talking to a group or formally to multiple people.

Examples:

  • ¿Ustedes son de aquí? (Are you all from here?)
  • Ustedes pueden sentarse. (You all can sit down.)
  • ¿Ustedes entienden? (Do you all understand?)

Memory trick: Used in Latin America for both formal and informal groups.

32. Ellos/Ellas (They)

Talking about a group—"ellos" for males or mixed, "ellas" for all females.

Examples:

  • Ellos son mis amigos. (They are my friends.)
  • Ellas estudian medicina. (They study medicine.)
  • Ellos viven en México. (They live in Mexico.)

Memory trick: Just add an "s" to él/ella—easy plurals.

33. Ser (To be - permanent)

For identity, characteristics, origin.

Examples:

  • Soy profesora. (I am a teacher.)
  • Eres muy inteligente. (You are very intelligent.)
  • Somos de Canadá. (We are from Canada.)

Memory trick: "Ser" for what you ARE permanently.

34. Estar (To be - temporary)

For location, condition, mood.

Examples:

  • Estoy cansado. (I am tired.)
  • ¿Dónde está el baño? (Where is the bathroom?)
  • Estamos en casa. (We are at home.)

Memory trick: "Estar" for where you ARE or how you FEEL right now.

35. Tener (To have)

Possession and age.

Examples:

  • Tengo un perro. (I have a dog.)
  • ¿Tienes hambre? (Are you hungry?)
  • Tengo 25 años. (I am 25 years old.)

Memory trick: You also use "tener" for age in Spanish—"I have 25 years."

36. Hacer (To do/make)

One of the most versatile verbs.

Examples:

  • ¿Qué haces? (What are you doing?)
  • Hago ejercicio. (I exercise.)
  • Hace frío. (It's cold.)

Memory trick: Also used for weather—"hace calor" (it's hot).

37. Ir (To go)

Getting from place to place.

Examples:

  • Voy a la tienda. (I'm going to the store.)
  • ¿Vas al trabajo? (Are you going to work?)
  • Vamos juntos. (Let's go together.)

Memory trick: "Vamos" is super common—means "let's go!"

38. Querer (To want)

Expressing desires.

Examples:

  • Quiero agua. (I want water.)
  • ¿Quieres café? (Do you want coffee?)
  • Queremos ayudar. (We want to help.)

Memory trick: Also means "to love"—"te quiero" means "I love you."

39. Poder (Can/To be able to)

Talking about ability or possibility.

Examples:

  • Puedo ayudarte. (I can help you.)
  • ¿Puedes hablar más despacio? (Can you speak more slowly?)
  • No puedo ir. (I can't go.)

Memory trick: Think "power"—can you do it? Do you have the power?

40. Agua (Water)

You'll need this one at restaurants.

Examples:

  • Una botella de agua, por favor. (A bottle of water, please.)
  • ¿Hay agua? (Is there water?)
  • Necesito agua. (I need water.)

Memory trick: Even though it's feminine, you say "el agua" because of the stressed "a" sound.

41. Comida (Food)

Talking about meals and eating.

Examples:

  • La comida está deliciosa. (The food is delicious.)
  • ¿Hay comida? (Is there food?)
  • Quiero comida mexicana. (I want Mexican food.)

Memory trick: Related to "comer" (to eat)—comida is what you eat.

42. Casa (House/Home)

Where you live.

Examples:

  • Estoy en casa. (I'm at home.)
  • Mi casa es pequeña. (My house is small.)
  • Vamos a casa. (Let's go home.)

Memory trick: Think of Casa Blanca—the White House.

43. Tiempo (Time/Weather)

Dual meaning word—super useful.

Examples:

  • No tengo tiempo. (I don't have time.)
  • ¿Qué tiempo hace? (What's the weather like?)
  • Hace buen tiempo. (The weather is nice.)

Memory trick: "Tiempo" = time, but also weather—context tells you which.

44. Día (Day)

Talking about days and dates.

Examples:

  • Hoy es un buen día. (Today is a good day.)
  • ¿Qué día es hoy? (What day is today?)
  • Todos los días. (Every day.)

Memory trick: Used in "buenos días"—good days.

45. Noche (Night)

Nighttime and evening.

Examples:

  • Es de noche. (It's nighttime.)
  • Esta noche vamos al cine. (Tonight we're going to the movies.)
  • Trabajo de noche. (I work at night.)

Memory trick: "Nocturnal" comes from the same root.

46. Ahora (Now)

Right this moment.

Examples:

  • Ahora no puedo. (I can't right now.)
  • ¿Qué haces ahora? (What are you doing now?)
  • Ahora mismo. (Right now.)

Memory trick: Sounds like "a-hora"—"a hour" from now? No, NOW.

47. Aquí (Here)

This location.

Examples:

  • Estoy aquí. (I'm here.)
  • Ven aquí. (Come here.)
  • Aquí está el libro. (Here is the book.)

Memory trick: "Aquí" vs. "allí" (there)—aquí has a "k" sound, closer to you.

48. Allí/Allá (There)

That location—"allí" is closer, "allá" is farther.

Examples:

  • Está allí. (It's there.)
  • Vamos allá. (Let's go there.)
  • ¿Qué hay allá? (What's there?)

Memory trick: Both mean "there," but "allá" is usually farther away.

49. Más (More)

Wanting extra of something.

Examples:

  • Quiero más agua. (I want more water.)
  • Habla más despacio. (Speak more slowly.)
  • No hay más. (There isn't any more.)

Memory trick: Opposite of "menos" (less)—más is more.

50. Menos (Less)

Wanting less of something.

Examples:

  • Menos sal, por favor. (Less salt, please.)
  • Trabajo menos ahora. (I work less now.)
  • Son las tres menos diez. (It's 2:50—literally "three minus ten.")

Memory trick: Used in telling time—"menos" means "minus" or "to."

Practice Time!

Fill in the Blanks

  1. _ días. ¿Cómo está? (Good morning. How are you?)
  2. Me _ Pedro. (My name is Pedro.)
  3. ¿_ está el baño? (Where is the bathroom?)
  4. _ un café, por favor. (I want a coffee, please.)
  5. Estoy muy _, gracias. (I'm very well, thanks.)

Translation Challenge

Translate these sentences:

  1. Hello, nice to meet you.
  2. I'm sorry, I don't understand.
  3. How much does it cost?
  4. We are going home.
  5. Can you help me, please?

You're Already Speaking Spanish!

Look at that—you just learned 50 words that'll get you through most everyday situations in Spanish. Not bad for one sitting, right?

Here's what makes these words so powerful: they're not just vocabulary sitting in your brain. They're building blocks. Once you get comfortable with these, you'll start recognizing them everywhere—in songs, on menus, in conversations. And before you know it, you'll be stringing them together without thinking twice.

Don't stress about memorizing everything perfectly right now. Pick five words you'll actually use this week. Maybe it's "gracias," "por favor," and "¿dónde está?" Start there. Use them out loud, even if you're just talking to yourself.

The more you practice, the more natural it becomes. And pretty soon, these words won't feel foreign anymore—they'll just feel like part of how you talk.

Keep practicing, keep listening, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. That's how you actually learn. Now get out there and start using your new Spanish vocabulary!