If you can ask questions, you can:

• start conversations

• get the information you need

• keep a conversation alive

The problem is that questions don’t work the same way in every language.

Many English speakers try to translate their questions directly into Spanish — and that’s where confusion starts.

Spanish doesn’t ask things the same way English does. Sometimes we use different words. Sometimes we structure the question differently.

In this post, you’ll learn how Spanish really asks questions, how to use the most important question words, how to stop translating word by word and how to answer any question in Spanish.

1. Question words in Spanish

• Qué = What

• Quién / Quiénes = Who

• Cuál / Cuáles = Which / What

• Dónde = Where

• Cuándo = When

• Por qué = Why

• Cómo = How

• Cuánto / Cuánta / Cuántos / Cuántas = How much / How many

In Spanish, question words always have an accent mark.

• que ❌ → qué ✅

• como ❌ → cómo ✅

2. Yes / No questions

Spanish doesn’t need do / does / did.

English:

Do you like coffee?

Spanish:

¿Te gusta el café? = Do you like coffee?

Answer:

Sí, me gusta. = Yes, I like it.

or

No, no me gusta. = No, I don’t like it.

3. Asking about people

¿Quién es él? = Who is he?

Answer:

Es mi amigo. = He is my friend.

—

¿Quiénes son tus amigos? = Who are your friends?

Answer:

Son mis compañeros de trabajo. = They are my coworkers.

—

Singular → quién
Plural → quiénes

4. Asking about places

¿Dónde vives? = Where do you live?

Answer:

Vivo en Barcelona. = I live in Barcelona.

—

¿Dónde está el baño? = Where is the bathroom?

Answer:

Está allí. = It’s over there.

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5. Asking about time

¿Cuándo es la reunión? = When is the meeting?

Answer:

Es hoy. = It’s today.

—

¿Cuándo llegas? = When do you arrive?

Answer:

Llego a las ocho. = I arrive at eight.

6. Asking “why”

¿Por qué estudias español? = Why do you study Spanish?

Answer:

Porque lo necesito para el trabajo. = Because I need it for work.

Classic confusion:

• por qué = why (question)

• porque = because (answer)

8. Asking “how”

¿Cómo estás? = How are you?

Answer:

Estoy bien, gracias. = I’m fine, thank you.

—

¿Cómo funciona esto? = How does this work?

Answer:

Es muy fácil. = It’s very easy

9. Asking about quantity

¿Cuánto cuesta? = How much does it cost?

Answer:

Cuesta diez euros. = It costs ten euros.

—

¿Cuántos años tienes? = How old are you?

Answer:

Tengo treinta años. = I’m thirty years old.

A very common question: ¿Qué or cuál?

Many English speakers feel stuck when choosing between qué and cuál. Let’s see how we use these words in Spanish.

Use qué when you are asking for a definition or an explanation

Think of qué as: What is this? Tell me what it is.

¿Qué es esto? = What is this?

Answer:

Es un problema. = It’s a problem.

—

¿Qué haces? = What are you doing?

Answer:

Trabajo desde casa. = I work from home.

Use cuál when you are identifying or choosing something

Think of cuál as: Which one is it?

In order to ask someone’s name, even if English uses what, Spanish often uses cuál (could it be because in Spanish we usually have two first names and two last names? The reasons are unclear, but that’s how Spanish works). Let’s take a look.

¿Cuál es tu nombre? = What is your name?

Respuesta:

Mi nombre es Laura. = My name is Laura.

—

¿Cuál prefieres? = Which one do you prefer?

Answer:

Prefiero este. = I prefer this one.

A simple rule you can remember

• qué → definition, explanation, general information

• cuál → name, choice

If you can imagine several options, cuál is usually the right choice.

✍️Let’s practice

A. Choose between: qué, cuál, quién, dónde, cuándo, por qué, cómo, cuánto(s). Answers in the footnotes.1

1. ¿_____ te llamas?

2. ¿_____ vives?

3. ¿_____ es tu profesor?

4. ¿_____ cuesta este libro?

5. ¿_____ estudias español?

6. ¿_____ es tu comida favorita?

7. ¿_____ son tus amigos?

8. ¿_____ llegas a casa?

9. ¿_____ estás hoy?

10. ¿_____ años tienes?

B. Translate into Spanish. Answers in the footnotes.2

1. Where do you live?

2. What is your name?

3. Who is she?

4. When is the class?

5. Why are you here?

6. How are you?

7. How much does it cost?

8. What is your favorite color?

C. Complete with the correct word. Answers in the footnotes.3

1. ¿_____ es tu nombre?

2. ¿_____ está el baño?

3. ¿_____ estudias español?

4. ¿_____ cuesta el café?

5. ¿_____ son ellos?

6. ¿_____ llegas mañana?

7. ¿_____ estás?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me.

Hasta pronto,

Leo

You say something.

It’s grammatically correct.

People understand you.

But a native speaker would never say it that way.

Here are very common Spanish phrases learners use all the time and what sounds natural instead.

1. ❌ Soy 25 años → ✅ Tengo 25 años

In Spanish, we don’t use to be for age.
We use to have instead.

✅ Tengo 25 años
❌ Soy 25 años

Simple, but one of the most revealing mistakes.

2. ❌ Hace sentido → ✅ Tiene sentido

This one comes straight from English.

English: It makes sense
Spanish: It has sense

✅ Tiene sentido
❌ Hace sentido

3. ❌ Estoy esperando verte → ✅ Tengo ganas de verte

What students want to say (in English):
I’m looking forward to seeing you.

This is where literal translation completely fails.

Why? Because in Spanish, esperar usually means to wait, not to look forward to.

What native speakers actually say

✅ Tengo ganas de verte
✅ Estoy deseando verte

These are the natural Spanish equivalents.

Now the key insight

If you translate the correct Spanish phrase literally back into English, you get:

• Tengo ganas de verte
  → I have desire to see you

• Estoy deseando verte
  → I am desiring to see you

These sound strange in English, but they are perfectly natural in Spanish.

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4. ❌ Hice una decisión → ✅ Tomé una decisión

Spanish doesn’t make decisions.
It takes them.

✅ Tomé una decisión
❌ Hice una decisión

5. ❌ Estoy interesado sobre el tema → ✅ Estoy interesado en el tema

A small preposition — big difference.

✅ Estar interesado en
❌ Estar interesado sobre

6. ❌ Es dependiente de → ✅ Depende de

Native speakers don’t use this structure in daily Spanish.

✅ Depende de la situación
❌ Es dependiente de la situación

7. ❌ Estoy confortable → ✅ Estoy cómodo/a

This is a classic false friend.

• confortable1 exists, but it’s not what natives use for people

• cómodo/a is the natural choice

✅ Estoy cómodo/a
❌ Estoy confortable

8. ❌ Estoy pensando sobre eso → ✅ Estoy pensando en eso

Another preposition trap.

✅ Pensar en algo
❌ Pensar sobre algo

Why this matters

None of these mistakes stop communication.

But they:

• make your Spanish sound translated

• slow you down

• and keep you stuck in “student mode”

Fluency is not about harder grammar.

It’s about learning the right patterns early.

If posts like this help you, it’s because structure matters.

That’s exactly what we focus on in El Curso 1:
clear Spanish, high-frequency phrases, and no unnecessary complexity.

You can learn more here:

I hope you enjoyed this post.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me.

Hasta pronto,

Leo

They do not mean what you think, and using them incorrectly can completely change your message.

Here are 15 Spanish false friends that English speakers get wrong all the time:

❌ Actualmente

Not: actually
Means: currently / nowadays

👉 Actualmente vivo en Madrid.
(I currently live in Madrid.)

✅ How we say actually in Spanish:
👉 De hecho, no me gusta el café.
(Actually, I don’t like coffee.)

❌ Librería

Not: library
Means: bookshop

👉 Compro el libro en la librería.
(I buy the book at the bookshop.)

✅ How we say library in Spanish:
👉 Estudio en la biblioteca.
(I study in the library.)

❌ Embarazada

Not: embarrassed
Means: pregnant

👉 Ella está embarazada de seis meses.
(She is six months pregnant.)

✅ How we say embarrassed in Spanish:
👉 Estoy avergonzado.
(I’m embarrassed.)

❌ Sensible

Not: sensible
Means: sensitive

👉 Es muy sensible a las críticas.
(He/She is very sensitive to criticism.)

✅ How we say sensible in Spanish:
👉 Es una decisión sensata.
(It’s a sensible decision.)

❌ Asistir

Not: to assist
Means: to attend

👉 Voy a asistir a la reunión.
(I’m going to attend the meeting.)

✅ How we say to assist / help in Spanish:
👉 Te ayudo con el trabajo.
(I help you with the work.)

❌ Realizar

Not: to realize
Means: to carry out / to do

👉 Tenemos que realizar el proyecto.
(We have to carry out the project.)

✅ How we say to realize in Spanish:
👉 Me doy cuenta del error.
(I realize the mistake.)

❌ Eventualmente

Not: eventually
Means: occasionally

👉 Eventualmente comemos fuera.
(We occasionally eat out.)

✅ How we say eventually in Spanish:
👉 Al final, todo salió bien.
(Eventually, everything turned out fine.)

❌ Pretender

Not: to pretend
Means: to intend / to claim

👉 No pretendo ser experto.
(I don’t intend to be an expert.)

✅ How we say to pretend in Spanish:
👉 Finge dormir.
(He pretends to be asleep.)

❌ Noticia

Not: notice
Means: news

👉 Es una noticia importante.
(It’s important news.)

✅ How we say notice in Spanish:
👉 Me di cuenta del problema.
(I noticed the problem.)

❌ Carpeta

Not: carpet
Means: folder

👉 Guarda el archivo en la carpeta.
(Save the file in the folder.)

✅ How we say carpet in Spanish:
👉 La alfombra es nueva.
(The carpet is new.)

❌ Lectura

Not: lecture
Means: reading

👉 La lectura es corta.
(The reading is short.)

✅ How we say lecture in Spanish:
👉 El profesor dio una conferencia.
(The professor gave a lecture.)

❌ Simpatía

Not: sympathy
Means: friendliness / likeability

👉 Tiene mucha simpatía.
(He/She is very likeable.)

✅ How we say sympathy in Spanish:
👉 Siento mucha compasión por él.
(I feel a lot of sympathy for him.)

❌ Constipado

Not: constipated
Means: to have a cold

👉 Estoy constipado hoy.
(I have a cold today.)

✅ How we say constipated in Spanish:
👉 Estoy estreñido.
(I’m constipated.)

❌ Suceso

Not: success
Means: event / incident

👉 Fue un suceso inesperado.
(It was an unexpected event.)

✅ How we say success in Spanish:
👉 La película fue un éxito.
(The movie was a success.)

❌ Decepción

Not: deception
Means: disappointment

👉 La película fue una decepción.
(The movie was a disappointment.)

✅ How we say deception in Spanish:
👉 Fue un engaño.
(It was a deception.)

These mistakes are very common, even among intermediate learners and natives notice them immediately.

Which one surprised you the most?
Which one have you used incorrectly before?

Let me know in the comments.

Want to learn Spanish in a structured way?

If you want to learn Spanish step by step, I have a course where I guide you week by week, with a clear structure and carefully selected content.

You don’t just learn vocabulary, you learn how Spanish actually works and how to avoid the mistakes that slow you down.

For more information, check the next post below

Thank you for reading this far.

Nos vemos pronto,

Leo

In the previous post, I published the first 100 words. You can see it here:

Today we will look at the next 100.

I recommend reading the first post before reading this one, as the words are listed in order of frequency.

By learning these words, you will be able to:

• understand a large part of everyday Spanish

• recognize patterns faster

• feel more confident when reading, listening, and speaking

• stop feeling like Spanish is “random” or overwhelming

Those 1,000 words make up more than 60% of everyday Spanish. That means that learning them will save you a lot of time.

How you’ll learn these words (and why they stick)

Here’s a summary of what I covered in more detail in the first post on how you will learn these words:

• Context first

  • You will never learn a word in isolation.

  • Every word appears inside a very simple sentence.

  • Surrounding words act as a support structure, making meaning clearer and more memorable.

  • Learning this way is like building on solid ground, not in mid-air.

  • English translations help you connect new Spanish words to what you already know — a key advantage adult learners have.

• Deliberate practice

  • Each word is reinforced through multiple simple exercises.

  • You see the word, recognize it, use it, and encounter it again in different forms.

  • Repetition with variation strengthens memory.

• Context + practice

  • This combination is what makes forgetting much harder and learning more durable.

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The Words

Focus on learning vocabulary as it is most commonly used, without worrying too much about infinitive forms, grammar rules, or explanations. Train yourself to recognize words in their usual form, as this will help you understand and speak Spanish more quickly and significantly boost your overall comprehension.

Pay close attention to how words function within real sentences, since the same word can take on different meanings depending on the context. Avoid memorizing isolated definitions, and stay open to encountering familiar words with slightly different meanings. This flexibility is a normal and essential part of learning a language efficiently.

Let’s go!

101. sobre — about / on
La casa está sobre la colina.
The house is on the hill.

102. este — this
Este perro es pequeño.
This dog is small.

103. ya — already / now
Yo ya como pan.
I already eat bread.

104. entre — between
El gato está entre las sillas.
The cat is between the chairs.

105. cuando — when
Cuando comes, yo duermo.
When you eat, I sleep.

106. todo — everything
Yo veo todo aquí.
I see everything here.

107. esta — this (fem.)
Esta casa es grande.
This house is big.

108. ser — to be
Yo soy niño.
I am a child.

109. son — are
Ellos son amigos.
They are friends.

110. dos — two
Tengo dos manos.
I have two hands.

111. también — also
Yo también quiero pan.
I also want bread.

112. fue — was
Ayer fue lunes.
Yesterday was Monday.

113. había — there was / had
Había un perro aquí.
There was a dog here.

114. era — was
Yo era pequeño.
I was small.

115. muy — very
El gato es muy grande.
The cat is very big.

116. años — years
Tengo años felices.
I have happy years.

117. hasta — until
Juego hasta dormir.
I play until I sleep.

118. desde — from / since
Vivo aquí desde hoy.
I live here from today.

119. está — is
La mesa está aquí.
The table is here.

120. mi — my
Mi casa es azul.
My house is blue.

121. porque — because
Como pan porque tengo hambre.
I eat bread because I am hungry.

122. qué — what
¿Qué es eso?
What is that?

123. sólo — only
Yo quiero sólo pan.
I want only bread.

124. han — have
Ellos han comido.
They have eaten.

125. yo — I
Yo soy feliz.
I am happy.

126. hay — there is / are
Hay un gato.
There is a cat.

127. vez — time
Una vez más.
One more time.

128. puede — can
Él puede correr.
He can run.

129. todos — all
Todos comen pan.
Everyone eats bread.

130. así — like this
Hazlo así.
Do it like this.

131. nos — us
Nos ven aquí.
They see us here.

132. ni — nor
No puedo darte ni una opinión ni un consejo.
I can give you neither an opinion nor any advice.

133. parte — part
Es parte del juego.
It is part of the game.

134. tiene — has
Ella tiene un perro.
She has a dog.

135. él — he
Él come pan.
He eats bread.

136. uno — one
Tengo uno solo.
I have only one.

137. donde — where
¿Dónde está el gato?
Where is the cat?

138. bien — well
Estoy bien hoy.
I am well today.

139. tiempo — time
Tengo tiempo hoy.
I have time today.

140. mismo — same
Es el mismo lugar.
It is the same place.

141. ese — that
Ese perro es mío.
That dog is mine.

142. ahora — now
Ahora como pan.
Now I eat bread.

143. cada — each
Cada día juego.
Each day I play.

144. vida — life
La vida es buena.
Life is good.

145. otro — other
Quiero otro pan.
I want another bread.

146. después — after
Juego y después duermo.
I play and then I sleep.

147. te — you (indirect)
Te doy pan.
I give you bread.

148. otros — others
Otros niños juegan.
Other children play.

149. aunque — although
Juego aunque llueva.
I play although it rains.

150. esa — that (fem.)
Esa casa es blanca.
That house is white.

151. eso — that
Eso es bueno.
That is good.

152. hace — does / makes
Él hace pan.
He makes bread.

153. otra — other (fem.)
Quiero otra casa.
I want another house.

154. gobierno — government
El gobierno habla hoy.
The government speaks today.

155. tan — so
Es tan grande.
It is so big.

156. durante — during
Juego durante el día.
I play during the day.

157. siempre — always
Siempre como pan.
I always eat bread.

158. día — day
Hoy es día feliz.
Today is a happy day.

159. tanto — so much
No quiero tanto pan.
I don’t want so much bread.

160. ella — she
Ella duerme.
She sleeps.

161. tres — three
Tengo tres gatos.
I have three cats.

162. sí — yes / oneself
Sí, quiero pan.
Yes, I want bread.

163. dijo — said
Él dijo sí.
He said yes.

164. sido — been
He sido feliz.
I have been happy.

165. gran — great / big
Es un gran día.
It is a great day.

166. país — country
Mi país es grande.
My country is big.

167. según — according to
Según mamá, sí.
According to mom, yes.

168. menos — less
Quiero menos pan.
I want less bread.

169. mundo — world
El mundo es grande.
The world is big.

170. año — year
Este año juego.
This year I play.

171. antes (de) — before
Como antes de dormir.
I eat before sleeping.

172. estado — state
El estado habla.
The state speaks.

173. contra — against
Juego contra él.
I play against him.

174. sino — but rather
No quiero pan, sino agua.
I don’t want bread, but water.

175. forma — way
Es la forma fácil.
It is the easy way.

176. caso — case
En este caso, sí.
In this case, yes.

177. nada — nothing
No veo nada.
I see nothing.

178. hacer — to do / make
Quiero hacer pan.
I want to make bread.

179. general — general
Es un problema general.
It is a general problem.

180. estaba — was
Yo estaba aquí.
I was here.

181. poco — little
Quiero poco pan.
I want little bread.

182. estos — these
Estos niños juegan.
These children play.

183. presidente — president
El presidente habla.
The president speaks.

184. mayor — bigger / older
Mi hermano es mayor.
My brother is older.

185. ante — before
Ante ti, sí.
Before you, yes.

186. unos — some
Quiero unos gatos.
I want some cats.

187. les — to them
Les doy pan.
I give them bread.

188. algo — something
Quiero algo más.
I want something more.

189. hacia — toward
Voy hacia casa.
I go toward home.

190. casa — house
Mi casa es azul.
My house is blue.

191. ellos — they
Ellos comen.
They eat.

192. ayer — yesterday
Ayer jugué.
Yesterday I played.

193. hecho — done / fact
Está hecho.
It is done.

194. primera — first
Es la primera vez.
It is the first time.

195. mucho — a lot
Tengo mucho pan.
I have a lot of bread.

196. mientras — while
Como mientras juego.
I eat while I play.

197. además — besides
Pan y, además, agua.
Bread and also water.

198. quien — who
¿Quién es él?
Who is he?

199. momento — moment
Un momento, por favor.
One moment, please.

200. millones — millions
Hay millones aquí.
There are millions here.

✍️ Let’s practice!

A. Choose the correct meaning. Answers in the footnotes.1

1. sobre
   a) under
   b) on / about
   c) behind

2. entre
   a) between
   b) after
   c) without

3. aunque
   a) because
   b) although
   c) during

4. siempre
   a) sometimes
   b) always
   c) never

5. poco
   a) a lot
   b) little
   c) many

6. antes de
   a) before
   b) after
   c) now

7. mientras
   a) because
   b) while
   c) after

8. nada
   a) something
   b) everything
   c) nothing

9. otro
   a) other
   b) same
   c) first

10. cada
    a) some
    b) each
    c) all

B. Translate into Spanish using a single keyword. Answers in the footnotes.2

1. always → __________

2. between → __________

3. nothing → __________

4. after → __________

5. other → __________

6. while → __________

7. little → __________

8. before → __________

9. each → __________

10. although → __________

C. Fill in the blank with the correct word (see the English sentence). Answers in the footnotes.3

1. I already eat bread.
   Yo ___ como pan.

2. The house is on the hill.
   La casa está ___ la colina.

3. I want another house.
   Quiero ___ casa.

4. The cat is between the chairs.
   El gato está ___ las sillas.

5. I play until I sleep.
   Juego ___ dormir.

6. There is a dog here.
   ___ un perro aquí.

7. I eat while I play.
   Como ___ juego.

8. It is a great day.
   Es un ___ día.

9. According to mom, yes.
   ___ mamá, sí.

10. I want less bread.
    Quiero ___ pan.

I hope you found this lesson useful.

I will publish the other 100 words soon.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Hasta pronto,

Leo

Yes, without studying long vocabulary lists or memorizing endless flashcards.

English and Spanish have been borrowing from each other for centuries. Many words are identical, others are nearly identical, and all of them act as shortcuts that help you advance faster with almost no effort.

And here’s the best part: these similarities follow patterns. Once you learn the patterns, you unlock dozens, sometimes hundreds, of Spanish words instantly.

Let’s take a look.

Words you already understand

Here are some Spanish words that are spelled exactly the same (or nearly the same) as English. I won’t even give you the translation… because you already know it.

As you read, remember: all of these are Spanish words.

chocolate
festival
formal
informal
general
final
hospital
local
miserable
melón
manual
natural
normal
original
pasta
personal
piano
regular
similar
simple
religión
taxi
total
usual

If you’re a beginner, you should be smiling already, you’ve just discovered a huge chunk of Spanish without opening a dictionary.

Pattern 1: -tion → -ción

Every English word ending in -tion becomes -ción in Spanish.

information → información

Try these:

reservación
posición
condición

Pattern 2: -sion → -sión

decisión
conclusión
explosión

Pattern 3: -ary → -ario

diario
salario
aniversario
secretario
temporario

Pattern 4: -ic → -ico

automático
básico
doméstico
exótico
genérico
irónico
alcohólico
mágico
público

Pattern 5: -ous → -ioso

curioso
delicioso
religioso
tedioso
misterioso

Pattern 6: -act → -acto

acto
contacto
exacto
insecto
perfecto
producto
excepto
conflicto

See how many words you knew already?

It’s a mystery why most Spanish courses don’t start with these patterns on day one. Instead of discovering these words by accident later, it’s much more powerful to recognize the whole family now and start using them in real sentences today.

A quick note about pronunciation

These Spanish words look extremely similar to their English counterparts, but the pronunciation does vary slightly.

A useful detail:
When a word has a written accent (´), that mark tells you exactly where the stress goes.
For example: información, básico, público.

If you want to hear how each letter and combination is pronounced, and learn how to say these words with full accuracy, check out this post:

Unlock the Power of the Spanish Alphabet

Want to go deeper into this method?

If you like this approach, two great books explore it fully:

• Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish by Margarita Madrigal
• Unlocking Spanish by Paul Noble

Both take advantage of these patterns to help you progress quickly and confidently.

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✍️Let’s practice what you’ve learned

Exercise 1: Guess the English word. Answers in the footnotes.1

All of these are Spanish. What do they mean in English?

1. educación

2. situación

3. conclusión

4. salario

5. aniversario

6. básico

7. genérico

8. curioso

9. misterioso

10. contacto

Exercise 2: Write the Spanish equivalent (Don’t worry too much about accents. At this stage, it’s not that important.)Answers in the footnotes.2

1. nation → __________

2. explosion → __________

3. historic → __________

4. dictionary → __________

5. exotic → __________

6. curious → __________

7. electric → __________

8. conclusion → __________

9. product → __________

10. imaginary → __________

Exercise 3: Identify the pattern. Answers in the footnotes.3

1. religioso →

2. posición →

3. automático →

4. aniversario →

5. perfecto →

6. delicioso →

7. público →

8. reservación →

Exercise 4: Convert the English word to Spanish. Answers in the footnotes.4

1. information →

2. decision →

3. ironic →

4. mysterious →

5. secretary →

6. magic →

7. nation →

8. furious →

Exercise 5: Expand the pattern.

Think of five English words that follow one of the patterns. Convert them to Spanish.

I hope this lesson has been useful to you.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me.

¡Hasta pronto!,

Leo

These structures work like templates: once you understand how the sentence begins, you can add different verbs or nouns and suddenly create hundreds of new sentences without starting from zero.

In this post, you’ll learn the 10 most useful structures in first person (“I”), plus examples, translation tips, and exercises.

1. Quiero = I want

Use this to express desires, decisions, or plans.

Structure: Quiero + infinitive / noun

Examples:

• Quiero aprender español. (I want to learn Spanish.)

• Quiero un café. (I want a coffee.)

• Quiero viajar a México. (I want to travel to Mexico.)

• Quiero mejorar mi pronunciación. (I want to improve my pronunciation.)

2. Necesito = I need

Use it for needs, urgency, or essential tasks.

Examples:

• Necesito estudiar más. (I need to study more.)

• Necesito ayuda. (I need help.)

• Necesito descansar. (I need to rest.)

• Necesito practicar español todos los días. (I need to practice Spanish every day.)

3. Tengo = I have

Use it for possession, age, or physical states.

Examples:

• Tengo 30 años. (I am 30 years old.)

• Tengo un problema. (I have a problem.)

• Tengo hambre. (I’m hungry.)

• Tengo una reunión. (I have a meeting.)

4. Tengo que = I have to

Use it to express obligation or responsibility.

Structure: Tengo que + infinitive

Examples:

• Tengo que trabajar mañana. (I have to work tomorrow.)

• Tengo que estudiar. (I have to study.)

• Tengo que llamar a mi madre. (I have to call my mother.)

5. Me gusta = I like

Use it to talk about likes and preferences.

Structure:
Me gusta + singular noun / infinitive
Me gustan + plural noun

Examples:

• Me gusta el chocolate. (I like chocolate.)

• Me gustan los gatos. (I like cats.)

• Me gusta viajar. (I like traveling.)

6. Soy = I am (identity, profession, permanent traits)

Use it to describe who you are.

Examples:

• Soy profesor. (I am a teacher.)

• Soy de Estados Unidos. (I am from the U.S.)

• Soy una persona tranquila. (I’m a calm person.)

7. Estoy = I am (temporary state or location)

Use it for feelings, conditions, or places.

Examples:

• Estoy cansado. (I’m tired.)

• Estoy en casa. (I’m at home.)

• Estoy enfermo. (I’m sick.)

Ser and estar can be difficult to understand. That’s why I’ve written this article, where you can master them completely:

8. Puedo = I can

Use it for ability, permission, or possibility.

Structure: Puedo + infinitive

Examples:

• Puedo ayudarte. (I can help you.)

• Puedo ir mañana. (I can go tomorrow.)

• Puedo intentarlo otra vez. (I can try again.)

9. Debería = I should

Use it for recommendations or advice.

Examples:

• Debería descansar más. (I should rest more.)

• Debería practicar todos los días. (I should practice every day.)

• Debería dormir temprano. (I should sleep early.)

10. Voy a = I’m going to

Use it for plans and future intentions.

Structure: Voy a + infinitive

Examples:

• Voy a estudiar esta noche. (I’m going to study tonight.)

• Voy a viajar en verano. (I’m going to travel this summer.)

• Voy a hacer ejercicio. (I’m going to exercise.)

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Useful connectors to build longer sentences

• porque = because

• y = and

• o = or

• entonces = then / so

Examples:

• Quiero aprender español porque quiero viajar.

• Necesito estudiar y practicar más.

• Tengo que trabajar, entonces no puedo salir.

• Voy a ir al cine o voy a quedarme en casa.

A Crucial Warning About Literal Translation

Please be careful with translating Spanish word for word into English. It’s a very common mistake. The translation can help you understand, but it is not always accurate, and sometimes it creates sentences that sound strange or completely wrong.

Here are examples based on phrases we used:

❌ Literal translation

Tengo 20 años → I have 20 years

✅ Correct English

I am 20 years old

Spanish expresses age with tener (to have), not with “to be.”

❌ Literal translation

Me gusta el café → I like the coffee

✅ What it really means

The coffee is pleasing to me.

Spanish doesn’t use the same structure as English here.
Trying to translate word for word will confuse you.

If you want to see this in more detail, you can visit this post where I explain “gustar” in detail:

Literal translation

Estoy cansado → I am tired (this one works!)
But… remember that Spanish has two verbs for “to be”: ser and estar.
English only has one, so literal translation won’t teach you the difference.

This is why the best strategy is to learn the phrases as they function in Spanish, not as English patterns. Use the translation as a guide, not as the destination.

Your goal is to begin thinking in Spanish, not translating in your head.

Adapting These Structures to Other People

All the examples in this article are in first person (“I”), but you can easily adapt them using any online conjugation page, like this one.

For example, with tener que (to have to):

• Tengo que estudiar – I have to study

• Tienes que estudiar – You have to study

• Tiene que estudiar – He/She has to study

• Tenemos que estudiar – We have to study

• Tienen que estudiar – They have to study

Another example with querer (to want):

• Quiero viajar – I want to travel

• Quiere viajar – She wants to travel

• Queremos viajar – We want to travel

Once you know the structure, you can use it with any person.

✍️Let’s practice!

Fill in each blank with the correct Spanish structure. Sometimes, there may be several correct answers. Example answer in the footnotes.1

1. ______ aprender español más rápido.

2. ______ descansar porque estoy muy cansado.

3. ______ que estudiar para el examen mañana.

4. ______ viajar a España el próximo año.

5. ______ un poco nervioso hoy.

6. ______ practicar más mi pronunciación.

7. ______ 25 años.

8. ______ hablar contigo ahora.

9. ______ ayudarme con esta tarea?

10. ______ en casa ahora.

11. Me ______ el café, pero no me gusta el té.

12. ______ salir hoy o mañana.

13. ______ más tiempo para estudiar.

14. ______ estudiar todos los días.

15. ______ muy motivado para aprender español.

16. ______ ir al gimnasio esta tarde.

17. I can’t go to the party because I ______ work tomorrow.

18. ______ más vocabulario.

19. ______ aprender español porque quiero vivir en México.

20. ______ hablar español con fluidez.

Hasta la próxima,

Leo

To get the most out of this lesson, I recommend doing it on your computer.

Learning to say numbers in Spanish is much more than counting from one to one hundred. In real life, we use numbers to give our phone number, say our address, share our date of birth, or talk about prices when we buy something.

After learning numbers, as we did in the previous lesson, today we are going to practice with real-life situations.

Listen to the recordings, repeat aloud, and, if you like, write your answers to reinforce what you’ve learned.

1. Número de teléfono / Phone number

Actividad 1 – Escucha y repite / Listen and repeat
(I will read the sentences twice. The first time at normal speed, the second time at a slower speed. Try to repeat the sentences.)

• Mi número de teléfono es 645 38 21 97.
  My phone number is 645 38 21 97.

• Su número de teléfono es 912 56 78 43.
  His/Her phone number is 912 56 78 43.

• ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?
  What’s your phone number?

Actividad 2 – Responde / Answer
Escribe o di tu número de teléfono en español.
(Write or say your phone number in Spanish.)

2. Dirección postal / Postal address

Actividad 1 – Escucha y repite / Listen and repeat
(I will read the sentences twice. The first time at normal speed, the second time at a slower speed. Try to repeat the sentences.)

• Vivo en la calle Mayor, número 24, 3º1B.
  I live at Calle Mayor, number 24, 3rd floor, apartment B.

• La dirección es avenida Libertad, 156.
  The address is Libertad Avenue, 156.

• ¿Cuál es tu dirección?
  What’s your address?

Actividad 2 – Completa / Complete
Mi dirección es ________, número ________.
(My address is ________, number ________.)

3. Fecha de nacimiento / Date of birth

Actividad 1 – Escucha y repite / Listen and repeat
(I will read the sentences twice. The first time at normal speed, the second time at a slower speed. Try to repeat the sentences.)

• Nací el 14 de julio de 1992.
  I was born on July 14th, 1992.

• Su cumpleaños es el 3 de diciembre de 1985.
  His/Her birthday is December 3rd, 1985.

1. ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
   When is your birthday?

Actividad 2 – Responde / Answer
Escribe o di tu fecha de nacimiento en español.
(Write or say your date of birth in Spanish.)

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4. Precios / Prices

Actividad 1 – Escucha y repite / Listen and repeat
(I will read the sentences twice. The first time at normal speed, the second time at a slower speed. Try to repeat the sentences.)

• Este libro cuesta 12,502 euros.
  This book costs 12.50 euros.

• El café vale3 1,20 euros.
  The coffee costs 1.20 euros.

• ¿Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?
  How much does this T-shirt cost?

Actividad 2 – Responde / Answer

1. ¿Cuánto cuesta un café en tu país?

   How much does a cup of coffee cost in your country?

2. ¿Cuánto cuesta una pizza en tu país?

   How much does a pizza cost in your country?

3. ¿Cuánto cuesta una entrada de cine en tu país?

   How much does a movie ticket cost in your country?

Now you know how to use numbers in Spanish to communicate in four key situations: phone, address, date of birth, and prices.

Every time you use a number in Spanish, you’ll be one step closer to speaking with confidence.

If after doing this lesson you forget the numbers, don't worry! It's absolutely normal. As we learn more advanced things, we forget the basics. That's why it's very important to review. Just trust your process and keep going.

Hasta la próxima semana,

Leo

If you know someone who is learning Spanish, don't forget to share this with them. You'll be doing them and me a favor:

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To get the most out of this lesson, I recommend doing it on your computer.

Today we’re going to review and learn the numbers in Spanish.

Spanish numbers are generally not too difficult to learn.

In my personal experience as a Spanish teacher, they’re not as tricky as French numbers—which require more mental gymnastics—but they can be a little more challenging than English numbers.

That said, they do have their own quirks, and we’ll go over all of them in this lesson.

Mastering numbers is important for several reasons. You’ll be able to understand and give phone numbers, addresses, and other personal information like your date of birth. They’re also essential for anything related to buying and selling.

In this lesson, I’ll guide you through the numbers and I draw attention to a few important things that are worth keeping in mind.

You’ll also get access to a recording of my voice pronouncing the numbers. This is not an AI-generated voice—it’s the voice of a native speaker guiding you until you’ve got the numbers down.

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Numbers from 1 to 19

First, listen to the numbers from 0 to 9 in the audio track:

Now take a look at how the numbers are written. You can hit play on the audio again and read along while you listen.

1 - uno
2 - dos
3 - tres
4 - cuatro
5 - cinco
6 - seis
7 - siete
8 - ocho
9 - nueve
10 - diez
11 - once
12 - doce
13 - trece
14 - catorce
15 - quince
16 - dieciséis
17 - diecisiete
18 - dieciocho
19 - diecinueve

Keep in mind that in Spanish, cero is pronounced either /sero/ (in Latin America) or /θero/ (in Spain). You can go back to my alphabet lesson if you want to review how the letter c is pronounced.

The number uno changes depending on the word that follows it.

Example:

• El apartamento uno tiene un gran parking y una bonita vista.

• El apartamento veintiuno tiene veintiún plazas de parking y treinta y una lámparas en el parque.

✍️Practice: Numbers from 1 to 19

The best way to learn numbers is by listening to them out of order and, at the same time, write them down.

In the next exercise, you’ll get the chance to hear them at two speeds: slow and fast.

Try to write the numbers at the same time you hear them. First try the slow speed, and, when you can do it without any mistakes, try the fast speed. You can check the answer in the footnote1.

Slow:

Fast:

You’ll know you’ve mastered these numbers when you can hear them and write them down at fast speed.

Numbers from 20 to 29

The particular thing about these numbers is that they are written as a single word—unlike the numbers from 31 onwards.

Listen to them:

20 - veinte
21 - veintiuno
22 - veintidós
23 - veintitrés
24 - veinticuatro
25 - veinticinco
26 - veintiséis
27 - veintisiete
28 - veintiocho
29 - veintinueve

✍️Practice: Numbers from 20 to 29

Just like we did earlier, you'll hear the numbers in random order at two different speeds: slow and normal.

Slow:

Fast:

You’ll know you're ready to move on when you can hear the numbers and write them down at normal speed. You can see the answers in the footnote2.

Numbers from 30 to 99

Listen and then read the numbers from 30 to 99:

30 - treinta
31 - treinta y uno
32 - treinta y dos
...
40 - cuarenta
41 - cuarenta y uno
...
50 - cincuenta
60 - sesenta
70 - setenta
80 - ochenta
90 - noventa
91 - noventa y uno
...
99 - noventa y nueve

✍️Practice: Numbers from 30 to 99

As we did before, you'll hear the numbers in random order at two different speeds.

Slow:

Fast:

You can continue with the next section when you can hear the numbers and write them down at normal speed. You can see the answers in the footnote3.

Numbers from 100 to 999

Listen and then read the numbers from 100 to 999:

100 - cien
101 - ciento uno
102 - ciento dos
103 - ciento tres
...
110 - ciento diez
111 - ciento once
112 - ciento doce
...
120 - ciento veinte
121 - ciento veintiuno
122 - ciento veintidós
...
130 - ciento treinta
131 - ciento treinta y uno
...
140 - ciento cuarenta
150 - ciento cincuenta
160 - ciento sesenta
170 - ciento setenta
180 - ciento ochenta
190 - ciento noventa 200 - doscientos 250 - doscientos cincuenta
251 - doscientos cincuenta y uno
...
300 - trescientos 375 - trescientos setenta y cinco
...
400 - cuatrocientos
480 - cuatrocientos ochenta
…
500 - quinientos
600 - seiscientos
700 - setecientos
800 - ochocientos
900 - novecientos 999 - novecientos noventa y nueve

Things to keep in mind

1. Gender:

   • "Doscientas casas" (femenino)

   • "Doscientos árboles" (masculino)

2. We don't use “y” in the hundreds:
   ✅ doscientos cinco
   ❌ doscientos y cinco

✍️Practice: Numbers from 100 to 999

You'll hear the numbers in random order at two different speeds.

Slow:

Fast:

You can continue with the next section when you can hear the numbers and write them down at normal speed. You can see the answers in the footnote4.

Numbers from 1000 onwards

Listen and then read the numbers from 1000 onwards:

Thousands

1000 - mil 1,001 - mil uno …
2000 - dos mil 2,500 - dos mil quinientos
...
10,000 - diez mil
100,000 - cien mil
253,000 - doscientos cincuenta y tres mil
999,000 - novecientos noventa y nueve mil

Millions

1,000,000 - un millón
2,000,000 - dos millones
3,000,000 - tres millones 3,750,000 - tres millones setecientos cincuenta mil ...
10,000,000 - diez millones
100,000,000 - cien millones
1,000,000,000 - mil millones (o "un billón" in Spanish from Spain)

Things to keep in mind

1. "Mil" is invariable (no plural form):

   • Always stays "mil" even for multiples:

     • ✅ dos mil pesos (2,000)

     • ❌ dos miles pesos

2. Never use "un" with "mil":

   • ✅ mil años (1,000 years)

   • ❌ un mil años

3. "Millón" requires plural and articles:

   • Singular: un millón de personas (1 million people)

   • Plural: dos millones de dólares (2 million dollars)

   • Note: Always use "de" after millón/millones when followed by a noun.

✍️Practice: Numbers from 1000 onwards

Once again, you will hear the numbers in random order at two speeds.

Slow:

Fast:

When you finish this, you will know that you have mastered Spanish numbers and you will be ready to take on the world. Yeah! Check out the answers in the footnote. 5

In next week's lesson, we will apply numbers to everyday life: phone numbers, addresses, payments, etc.

Make sure you have learned your numbers well.

Hasta pronto,

Leo

Today, we're diving into the Spanish alphabet. But let's ditch the idea that learning the alphabet is just a theoretical exercise or a waste of time.

We often overlook its usefulness, yet I frequently encounter students who struggle to spell their names, a skill that can be useful at the hospital, bank, government office, and other contexts.

Another very important application of knowing the alphabet is improving pronunciation. Sometimes there are small sounds that we have not mastered and that prevent our pronunciation from being better. Deliberately working on the alphabet can significantly improve our pronunciation.

If you can relate to the above, or if you simply want to brush up on your Spanish alphabet skills, keep reading! Today, we're going to master it.

Here’s how we'll do it:

I'll present each letter in both uppercase and lowercase. I'll tell you how it's pronounced and provide examples of Spanish words containing that letter. To get the most out of this lesson, I encourage you to repeat the letter and the examples aloud.

After introducing each letter, I'll highlight some key things to remember. In the end, I'll also share a real-world story and give you an exercise to practice. Remember that you can pause the audio and repeat it as many times as you need.

Let's begin!

The Vowels

In Spanish we have only five vowel sounds. These sounds are stable. They do not change according to their position or accent. Not bad, right? Especially if we think of English, where there can be between 12 and 20 vowel sounds depending on the accent. Or French, which has 16 vowel sounds.

This makes the difficulty of entry into Spanish quite acceptable.

Without further ado, let's begin!

A a “ah” (as in Ah, Sweet Mystery)

• Amigo (friend), Casa (house), Papá (dad)

E e “eh” (as in bet, test, bless)

• Elefante (elephant), Mesa (table), Leche (milk)

I i “ee” (as in greet, beet)

• Isla (island), Niño (child), Familia (family)

O o “oh” (as in obey, but without any trace of a "u" sound)

• Oso (bear), Rosa (rose), Pollo (chicken)

U u “oo” (as in cool, pool)

• Ustedes (you all), Uva (grape), Escuela (school)

The Consonants

B b “beh” (as in bit)

• Note: When a "b" appears between vowels, it's pronounced very softly, with your lips barely touching.

• Baño (bathroom), Abundancia (abundance – notice the soft "b"), Bicicleta (bicycle)

C c “ceh”

• Before a, o, u: Hard, like the "c" in can.

• Before e or i: Soft, like the "c" in cent.

• Note: In some parts of Spain, the "c" before e/i is pronounced "th" as in thin.

• Casa (house), Coco (coconut), Cuna (crib), Cebra (zebra), Cielo (sky), Cena (dinner)

CC cc1 (doble ce) Pronounced like "x" as in excellent.

• Acción (action), Dirección, (address), Elección (election)

CH ch2 (ce hache) As in child.

• Escuchar (to listen), Chocolate (chocolate), Churro (churro)

D d “deh” (as in do)

• Note: When "d" is the last letter of a word or between vowels, it's pronounced like a very soft "th" (as in the).

• Dormir (to sleep), Día (day), Dedo (finger), Ciudad (city)

F f “eh-feh” (as in fan)

• Flor (flower), Fuego (fire), Familia (family)

G g “geh”

• Before a, o, u: Hard, as in get.

• Before e or i: Pronounced like "h" as in hen.

• Gato (cat), Goma (eraser), Gusano (worm), Gente (people), Girasol (sunflower)

H h “ah-cheh” The "h" is always silent in Spanish.

• Humano (human), Hola (hello), Helado (ice cream)

J j “ho-tah” Pronounced like "h" as in hen.

• Jugar (to play), Jardín (garden), Jugo (juice)

K k “kah” Pronounced as in English.

• Kilo (kilo), Karate (karate), Koala (koala)

L l “eh-leh” (as in let)

• Limpiar (to clean), Libro (book), Luna (moon)

LL ll3 (doble ele) Often pronounced like "y" as in yes. (In some regions, it can sound like the "j" in jump or "sh" in shoe).

• Llamada (call), Lluvia (rain), Llorar (to cry)

M m “eh-meh” (as in man)

• Madre (mother), Mapa (map), Música (music)

N n “eh-neh” (as in no)

• Nube (cloud), Nombre (name), Noche (night)

Ñ ñ “eh-nyeh”

• Pronounced like "ny" in canyon.

• España (Spain), Piña (pineapple), Uña (nail)

P p “peh” The "p" in Spanish is pronounced without a strong puff of air. It’s a soft "p."

• Trick: Put your hand in front of your mouth. When you say "papa" in Spanish, you shouldn't feel much air on your hand.

• Pan (bread), Pero (but), Pica (stings)

Q q “koo” In Spanish, "q" is always followed by "ue" or "ui" and sounds like "k."

• Queso (cheese), Quince (fifteen), Química (chemistry)

R r “eh-rreh”

• When "r" is the first letter of a word, it's strongly trilled. Otherwise, it's lightly trilled.

• Parecer (to seem), Rosa (rose), Ratón (mouse)

RR rr4 (doble erre) Always strongly trilled.

• Perro (dog), Tierra (earth), Carro (car)

S s “eh-seh” (as in sun)

Sol (sun), Silla (chair), Salud (health)

T t “teh” The "t" is always pronounced similar to the "tt" in attractive.

• Terminar (to finish), Taza (cup), Tigre (tiger)

V v “oo-beh” Sounds exactly like the Spanish "b." In Spanish, there is no vibrating "v" sound made by placing the upper teeth over the lower lip, as in English.

• Vaca (cow), Violeta (violet), Verano (summer)

W w “doble oo-beh” or “oo-beh doble” It is not part of the Spanish alphabet, but rather a foreign letter. Sounds exactly like in English.

• William, Whisky, Wifi

X x “eh-kees” Generally the same as in English.

• Note: In some words with older spelling (like México), it can sound like the Spanish "j" (an "h" sound).

• Taxi (taxi), México, Examen (exam)

Y y “ee gree-eh-gah”

• When it functions as a consonant (at the beginning of a word or syllable), it's pronounced like "y" as in yet.

• When it stands alone or at the end of a word, it's pronounced like "ee" as in beet. (Y means "and" in Spanish).

• Yo (I), Yogur (yogurt), Yate (yacht), Uruguay

Z z “zeh-tah” Pronounced like "s" as in sent.

• Note: In some parts of Spain, the "z" is always pronounced "th" as in thin.

• Zapatos (shoes), Zanahoria (carrot), Zorro (fox)

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So in total, the Spanish alphabet has 27 letters: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, ñ, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.

Real-Life Scenario: At the Bank

Employee: Buenos días. (Good morning.)

Client: Buenos días. (Good morning.)

Employee: ¿Cómo se llama? (What's your name?)

Client: Me llamo Kevin. (My name is Kevin.)

Employee: ¿Cómo se escribe “Kevin”? (How do you spell "Kevin"?)

Client: K – E – V – I – N.

Employee: Gracias. ¿Y cuál es su apellido? (Thanks. And what's your last name?)

Client: Whitney.

Employee: ¿Cómo se escribe “Whitney”? (How do you spell "Whitney"?)

Client: W – H – I – T – N – E – Y.

Employee: Perfecto, señor Kevin Whitney. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle hoy? (Perfect, Mr. Kevin Whitney. How can I help you today?)

Client: Quiero abrir una cuenta bancaria. (I want to open a bank account.)

Activity: Dictation

Now I'm going to spell out five words for you. Take your notebook and write down what you hear:

Answers in the footnotes5.

Activity: Answer the questions

• ¿Cómo se escribe tu nombre? (How do you spell your first name?)

• ¿Cómo se escribe tu apellido? (How do you spell your last name?)

Try answering these questions out loud, spelling out your answers.

Hasta la próxima semana,

Leo