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🇪🇸Essential Spanish phrases for beginners

If you're starting Spanish from zero, these are the phrases to learn first. They cover the moments you'll hit on day one — saying hello, being polite, asking for help, ordering food and finding your way. Each one is native-checked, with romanization to help you say it, and a tap through to usage and related phrases.

How to use this list: don't try to memorize all of them at once. Learn the greetings and the courtesy phrases first — they're the ones you'll use every single day — then add a few situational ones (directions, food, emergencies) before a trip. Say each out loud; reading silently won't build the muscle. When you're ready, practice them with a real Spanish speaker.
  1. 1
    ¿Dónde hay un espejo?

    Where's a mirror?
  2. 2
    ¿Qué hice?

    What did I do?
  3. 3
    ¿Qué ha hecho Tom?

    What has Tom done?
  4. 4
    ¿Dónde está el banco?

    Where is the bank?
  5. 5
    ¿Dónde está mi bolígrafo?

    Where is my pen?
  6. 6
    ¿Qué hora es?

    What time is it?
  7. 7
    ¿Dónde está mi cartera?

    Where is my purse/bag?
  8. 8
    ¿Dónde está mi vaso de agua?

    Where is my water glass?
  9. 9
    ¡Déjame hablar, por favor!

    Please, let me speak!
  10. 10
    Vete a la escuela, por favor.

    Please go to school.
  11. 11
    ¿Tienes algo sin gluten?

    Do you have anything without gluten?
  12. 12
    ¿Tiene más preguntas?

    Do you have any further questions?
  13. 13
    ¿Quieres ser rico?

    Do you want to be rich?
  14. 14
    ¿Qué aspecto tiene un dirigible?

    What does an airship look like?
  15. 15
    ¿Qué crees que hizo él?

    What do you think he did?
  16. 16
    Hola, mi nombre es Maite.

    Hello, my name is Maite.
  17. 17
    ¿Tienes algo ligero para mí?

    Do you have something light for me?
  18. 18
    ¿Cuál es tu día favorito de la semana?

    What's your favorite day of the week?
  19. 19
    ¿A qué hora sale el próximo tren?

    What time does the next train leave?
  20. 20
    ¿Se pueden hacer fotos en este edificio?

    Can you take pictures in this building?
  21. 21
    ¿Sabes por qué dejaron de hablar?

    Do you know why they stopped talking?
  22. 22
    ¿Crees que la televisión le hace daño a los niños?

    Do you think television does children harm?
  23. 23
    ¿Qué fue lo que Mari compró ayer?

    What was it that Mary bought yesterday?
  24. 24
    ¿Qué libros has leído en inglés?

    What books have you read in English?

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These essentials get you started. To actually speak Spanish, practice them out loud — free with native-speaker peers, or 1-1 with a vetted tutor.

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