Spanish gets easy fast when you memorize the right building blocks. This starter pack gives 100 high-frequency words and phrases with IPA pronunciations and natural English meanings. Categories keep things tidy, mini dialogues show them in action, and a five-minute plan helps you lock them in.
Quick Primer
Spanish pronunciation is consistent. Stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable; accents (á, é, í, ó, ú) mark exceptions and change stress. Vowels are short and pure. The r tap /ɾ/ is a quick flick (like the “tt” in American “butter”), and between vowels b/v often sound like a soft /β/.
The 100 Core Words & Phrases (Screenshot-Friendly)
Greetings & Social Basics
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| hola | /ˈo.la/ | hello |
| buenos días | /ˈbwe.nos ˈði.as/ | good morning |
| buenas tardes | /ˈbwe.nas ˈtaɾ.ðes/ | good afternoon |
| buenas noches | /ˈbwe.nas ˈno.t͡ʃes/ | good evening/night |
| ¿cómo estás | /ˈko.mo esˈtas/ | how are you (tú) |
| ¿cómo está | /ˈko.mo esˈta/ | how are you (usted) |
| ¿qué tal | /ke ˈtal/ | how’s it going |
| mucho gusto | /ˈmu.t͡ʃo ˈɣus.to/ | nice to meet you |
| por favor | /poɾ faˈβoɾ/ | please |
| gracias | /ˈɣɾa.sjas/ | thank you |
Polite Replies & Essentials
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| de nada | /ðe ˈna.ða/ | you’re welcome |
| perdón | /peɾˈðon/ | excuse me / sorry |
| con permiso | /kon peɾˈmi.so/ | excuse me (to pass) |
| lo siento | /lo ˈsjɛn.to/ | I’m sorry |
| sí | /si/ | yes |
| no | /no/ | no |
| tal vez | /tal ˈβes/ | maybe |
| claro | /ˈkla.ɾo/ | of course |
| no entiendo | /no enˈtjɛn.do/ | I don’t understand |
| ¿puede repetir | /ˈpwe.ðe repeˈtiɾ/ | could you repeat |
Who/What/Where/When/Why/How
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| ¿qué | /ke/ | what |
| ¿quién | /ˈkjɛn/ | who |
| ¿dónde | /ˈdon.de/ | where |
| ¿cuándo | /ˈkwan.do/ | when |
| ¿por qué | /poɾ ˈke/ | why |
| ¿cómo | /ˈko.mo/ | how |
| ¿cuál | /ˈkwal/ | which |
| ¿cuánto | /ˈkwan.to/ | how much |
| ¿cuántos | /ˈkwan.tos/ | how many |
| ¿por dónde | /poɾ ˈdon.de/ | which way |
Getting Around
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| la dirección | /la ðiɾekˈsjon/ | address/directions |
| el mapa | /el ˈma.pa/ | map |
| la calle | /la ˈka.ʝe ~ ˈka.ʎe/ | street |
| la esquina | /la esˈki.na/ | corner |
| cerca | /ˈseɾ.ka/ | near |
| lejos | /ˈle.xos/ | far |
| a la derecha | /a la ðeˈɾe.t͡ʃa/ | to the right |
| a la izquierda | /a la isˈkjeɾ.ða/ | to the left |
| recto / derecho | /ˈrek.to ~ deˈɾe.t͡ʃo/ | straight ahead |
| ¿dónde está… | /ˈdon.de esˈta/ | where is… |
Time & Numbers (survival set)
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| hoy | /oj/ | today |
| mañana | /maˈɲa.na/ | tomorrow |
| ayer | /aˈʝeɾ/ | yesterday |
| ahora | /aˈo.ɾa/ | now |
| luego | /ˈlwe.ɣo/ | later |
| temprano | /temˈpɾa.no/ | early |
| tarde | /ˈtaɾ.ðe/ | late/afternoon |
| uno | /ˈu.no/ | one |
| dos | /dos/ | two |
| tres | /tɾes/ | three |
More Numbers (to 10) & Clock Helpers
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| cuatro | /ˈkwa.tɾo/ | four |
| cinco | /ˈsiŋ.ko/ | five |
| seis | /sejs/ | six |
| siete | /ˈsjɛ.te ~ ˈsjɛ.te/ | seven |
| ocho | /ˈo.t͡ʃo/ | eight |
| nueve | /ˈnwe.βe/ | nine |
| diez | /ˈdjɛs/ | ten |
| ¿qué hora es | /ke ˈo.ɾa es/ | what time is it |
| a las… | /a las/ | at … o’clock |
| media / y media | /ˈme.ðja ~ i ˈme.ðja/ | half past |
Food & Ordering
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| agua | /ˈa.ɣwa/ | water |
| café | /kaˈfe/ | coffee |
| té | /te/ | tea |
| cerveza | /seɾˈβe.sa/ | beer |
| vino | /ˈbi.no/ | wine |
| la cuenta | /la ˈkwɛn.ta/ | the bill |
| ¿tienen menú | /ˈtje.nen meˈnu/ | do you have a menu |
| para llevar | /ˈpa.ɾa ʝeˈβaɾ/ | to go |
| para aquí | /ˈpa.ɾa aˈki/ | for here |
| sin / con | /sin ~ kon/ | without / with |
Shopping & Money
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| ¿cuánto cuesta | /ˈkwan.to ˈkwes.ta/ | how much is it |
| caro / barato | /ˈka.ɾo ~ baˈɾa.to/ | expensive / cheap |
| efectivo | /e.fekˈti.βo/ | cash |
| tarjeta | /taɾˈxe.ta/ | card |
| recibo | /reˈsi.βo ~ reˈsi.bo/ | receipt |
| talla | /ˈta.ʝa ~ ˈta.ʎa/ | size (clothes) |
| probador | /pɾo.βaˈðoɾ/ | fitting room |
| rebaja | /reˈβa.xa/ | discount |
| me gusta | /me ˈɣus.ta/ | I like it |
| no me queda | /no me ˈke.ða/ | it doesn’t fit me |
Places & Logistics
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| baño | /ˈba.ɲo/ | bathroom |
| hotel | /oˈtel/ | hotel |
| estación | /es.taˈsjon/ | station |
| aeropuerto | /ae.ɾoˈpweɾ.to/ | airport |
| hospital | /os.piˈtal/ | hospital |
| farmacia | /faɾˈma.sja/ | pharmacy |
| policía | /po.liˈsi.a/ | police |
| entrada / salida | /enˈtɾa.ða ~ saˈli.ða/ | entrance / exit |
| abierto / cerrado | /aˈβjeɾ.to ~ seˈra.ðo/ | open / closed |
| horario | /oˈɾa.ɾjo/ | hours/schedule |
Verbs You’ll Use Daily
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| ser | /seɾ/ | to be (essence) |
| estar | /esˈtaɾ/ | to be (state/location) |
| tener | /teˈneɾ/ | to have |
| querer | /keˈɾeɾ/ | to want |
| poder | /poˈðeɾ/ | can/to be able |
| ir | /iɾ/ | to go |
| venir | /beˈniɾ ~ βeˈniɾ/ | to come |
| hacer | /aˈseɾ/ | to do/make |
| necesitar | /ne.se.siˈtaɾ/ | to need |
| gustar | /ɣusˈtaɾ/ | to like |
Health & Help
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| ayuda | /aˈʝu.ða/ | help |
| emergencia | /e.meɾˈxen.sja/ | emergency |
| médico | /ˈme.ði.ko/ | doctor |
| dolor | /doˈloɾ/ | pain |
| alergia | /aˈleɾ.xja/ | allergy |
| estoy enfermo/a | /esˈtoj enˈfeɾ.mo ~ enˈfeɾ.ma/ | I’m sick |
| me duele… | /me ˈdwe.le/ | … hurts |
| farmacia de guardia | /faɾˈma.sja ðe ˈɣwaɾ.dja/ | 24h pharmacy |
| ¿tiene… | /ˈtje.ne/ | do you have… |
| seguro | /seˈɣu.ɾo/ | insurance/safe |
Small Talk & Connectors
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| también | /tamˈbjen/ | also |
| pero | /ˈpe.ɾo/ | but |
| porque | /ˈpoɾ.ke/ | because |
| entonces | /enˈton.ses/ | then/so |
| ¿y tú | /i ˈtu/ | and you (tú) |
| ¿y usted | /i usˈteð/ | and you (usted) |
| me llamo… | /me ˈʝa.mo/ | my name is… |
| soy de… | /soj ðe/ | I’m from… |
| vivo en… | /ˈbi.bo en ~ ˈβi.bo en/ | I live in… |
| ¿habla inglés | /ˈa.βla iŋˈgles/ | do you speak English |
That’s 100 items—short, useful, and ready to speak.
Mini Dialogues (Copy, Practice, Use)
Café (order to go)
Hola, buenos días. Un café con leche, por favor
/ˈo.la ˈbwe.nos ˈði.as un kaˈfe kon ˈle.t͡ʃe poɾ faˈβoɾ/
Hello, good morning. A latte, please
¿Para aquí o para llevar
/ˈpa.ɾa aˈki o ˈpa.ɾa ʝeˈβaɾ/
For here or to go
Para llevar. ¿Cuánto cuesta
/ˈpa.ɾa ʝeˈβaɾ ˈkwan.to ˈkwes.ta/
To go. How much is it
Dos con cincuenta. Gracias
/dos kon siŋˈkwen.ta ˈɣɾa.sjas/
Two fifty. Thanks
De nada
/ðe ˈna.ða/
You’re welcome
Direcciones (ask and confirm)
Perdón, ¿dónde está la estación
/peɾˈðon ˈdon.de esˈta la es.taˈsjon/
Excuse me, where is the station
Recto y a la izquierda en la esquina
/ˈrek.to i a la isˈkjeɾ.ða en la esˈki.na/
Straight, then left at the corner
Gracias. ¿Está cerca
/ˈɣɾa.sjas esˈta ˈseɾ.ka/
Thanks. Is it close
Sí, a cinco minutos
/si a ˈsiŋ.ko miˈnu.tos/
Yes, five minutes
Hotel (check-in, formal)
Buenas noches. Tengo una reservación a nombre de Taylor
/ˈbwe.nas ˈno.t͡ʃes ˈteŋ.ɡo ˈu.na re.seɾ.βaˈsjon a ˈnom.bɾe ðe ˈtej.loɾ/
Good evening. I have a reservation under Taylor
Bienvenido, ¿su documento, por favor
/bjem.beˈni.ðo su ðo.kuˈmen.to poɾ faˈβoɾ/
Welcome, your ID please
Claro. Aquí está. Muchas gracias
/ˈkla.ɾo aˈki esˈta ˈmu.t͡ʃas ˈɣɾa.sjas/
Of course. Here it is. Thank you
Con gusto. El ascensor a la derecha
/kon ˈɣus.to el a.senˈsoɾ a la ðeˈɾe.t͡ʃa/
With pleasure. Elevator to the right
Usage Notes & Common Mistakes
Use ser for identity and lasting qualities (soy de Perú, es amable) and estar for temporary states and location (estoy cansado, está abierto). Keep h silent (hora /ˈo.ɾa/), and link words smoothly: por_favor, buenas_tardes. In shops and offices, a time-of-day greeting before your request sounds extra polite.
Quick Reference (Top 20 Fastest To Memorize)
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| hola | /ˈo.la/ | hello |
| por favor | /poɾ faˈβoɾ/ | please |
| gracias | /ˈɣɾa.sjas/ | thank you |
| de nada | /ðe ˈna.ða/ | you’re welcome |
| perdón | /peɾˈðon/ | excuse me |
| baño | /ˈba.ɲo/ | bathroom |
| ¿cuánto cuesta | /ˈkwan.to ˈkwes.ta/ | how much |
| la cuenta | /la ˈkwɛn.ta/ | the bill |
| agua | /ˈa.ɣwa/ | water |
| café | /kaˈfe/ | coffee |
| ¿dónde está… | /ˈdon.de esˈta/ | where is… |
| hoy / mañana | /oj ~ maˈɲa.na/ | today / tomorrow |
| uno…diez | /ˈu.no … ˈdjɛs/ | one…ten |
| sí / no | /si ~ no/ | yes / no |
| abierto / cerrado | /aˈβjeɾ.to ~ seˈra.ðo/ | open / closed |
| ayuda | /aˈʝu.ða/ | help |
| hospital | /os.piˈtal/ | hospital |
| tarjeta | /taɾˈxe.ta/ | card |
| me llamo… | /me ˈʝa.mo/ | my name is… |
| ¿habla inglés | /ˈa.βla iŋˈgles/ | do you speak English |
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Sound Loop (60s): Read the Quick Reference aloud twice. Keep vowels short and steady; tap /ɾ/ in pero, tarde, caro.
- Micro-Drill (60s): Build five requests using greeting → ask: Buenos días, ¿dónde está…?; Buenas tardes, la cuenta, por favor.
- Direction Chain (60s): Say: a la derecha → a la izquierda → recto → cerca → lejos. Point as you speak to anchor memory.
- Cashier Play (60s): Role-play the café dialogue once with the transcript, once from memory.
- Personal Trio (60s): Craft three true lines about you: Me llamo… Soy de… Vivo en… Read with smooth linking.
Yak-Style Closing Spark
Spanish is Lego-simple when you start with the right pieces. Stack greetings, a few questions, and those ten verbs, and suddenly your trips, texts, and tiny emergencies run on Spanish just fine. Keep this list handy, and add five new blocks a day—you’ll be building full conversations by next week.