As you know, grammar is an important part of any language, and Spanish is no exception. Spanish grammar has many similarities with other Romance languages, including many features that are comparable to English. 

In this article, we’re going to briefly explain the basics of Spanish grammar. We’ll also provide links to other articles and lessons on our website, where you’ll be able to find more detailed information on crucial Spanish grammar topics. In addition, we’ll explain some of the differences and similarities between the grammar rules of Spanish and English.

Table of Contents

1. General Rules
2. Verbs
3. Nouns
4. Adjectives
5. Negation
6. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Master Spanish

1. General Rules

To begin, we’ll look at some of the similarities between Spanish and English. 

a) Verbs

Spanish verbs have tenses and undergo conjugations. While English does have a few conjugations, Spanish, like any Romance language, definitely has more. We have an article on Spanish conjugations where you’ll find all the information you need on the topic. 

That said, the tenses are quite similar to those in English. There are only a few exceptions of tenses that exist in Spanish but aren’t specified in English. 

We’ll explain verbs a little further in the next section.

b) Word Order

As we explained in our article about Spanish word order, Spanish has the same basic word order model as English: S + V + O (Subject + Verb + Object). There are a few differences when it comes to adverb and adjective placement, but to create a basic sentence, you just need to follow the same order you would in English. Here’s an example of a simple sentence that translates word for word:

Example: Mi padre canta una canción.
Translation: “My father sings a song.”

Easy, right?

c) Vocabulary

While vocabulary isn’t actually a grammatical component, we thought we would briefly mention it as well, since it shares many similarities with English.

It’s interesting to know that a lot of the vocabulary in English and Spanish share the same root. While English is not a Romance language, and is in fact a Germanic language, it has been highly influenced by French and Latin in the past. 

In fact, English is often jokingly referred to as being nothing more than a mix of other languages. Considering it has been heavily influenced by other Germanic languages, Latin, French, and many others, this association should come as no surprise. English hasn’t been influenced too much by Spanish, but its influence from other Romance languages gives it many similarities with Spanish.

There are many words that look similar in both English and Spanish, but we’ll only give you a couple here:

Example: nación
Translation: “nation”

We’ve chosen to include this word because there are actually dozens of Spanish words that end in the suffix -ación, the equivalent of “-ation” in English. Información (“information”), decoloración (“discoloration”)…we could keep going. 

This suffix comes from Latin, and that’s why it ended up being used in Spanish and English, as well as other languages. In all of the examples we’ve provided, English and Spanish share both the origin of the stem (which is also Latin) and the origin of the suffix. That’s why they’re all so similar!

Example: animal
Translation: “animal”

This second example actually shares the same spelling, but they’re pronounced a bit differently. This is another example of a word that comes from Latin, explaining its similarity to the Spanish counterpart.

2. Verbs

As we explained, Spanish verbs have many more conjugations than those in English. Basically, while you could pretty much count English conjugations on one hand, Spanish verbs have a different conjugation for each person in the singular and plural forms, in all tenses and moods. In all verb conjugations, every person shares the same stem but has a different ending. Let’s look at how the verb comer (“to eat”) would conjugate:

• Yo como → “I eat”
• Tú comes → “You eat”
• Él / ella come → “He / she eats”
• Nosotros comemos → “We eat”
• Vosotros coméis → “You eat” (plural)
• Ellos / ellas comen → “They (masculine / feminine) eat”

Each form has the stem com, but there is a different ending for every person. Once again, if you would like to learn more about conjugations, remember to check out our dedicated article.

Just like English, Spanish has regular and irregular verbs. However, English verb irregularities are pretty much only obvious in the past and participle forms. In Spanish, because verbs need to conjugate for every person, these irregularities become much more obvious. As explained in our article about verbs, irregularities can occur at different times. Sometimes, a verb might only be irregular in a specific person in the present simple, for example. Other times, a verb can be fully irregular in every tense and conjugation.

Speaking of irregular verbs, there are two verbs in Spanish we can’t ignore: ser and estar. If you’re already familiar with Spanish, you might know what we’re talking about. But in case you don’t, ser and estar both mean “to be,” and you must use the correct one depending on the context. 

Other Romance languages have equivalents to these verbs—être and avoir in French or essere and stare in Italian, for example—but English doesn’t. Instead, these two verbs, despite having different meanings, share a  translation in English (“to be”). To give you an idea of what differentiates them, ser usually indicates stability, while estar indicates something temporary. Here’s an example of each:

Example: Soy español.
Translation: “I’m Spanish.”

Example: Estoy triste.
Translation: “I’m sad.”

In the first example (featuring ser), we establish something permanent, which is the fact that I’m Spanish. In the second example (featuring estar), we refer to something temporary. Usually, if we say we’re sad, like in the example, we mean that we’re sad in the moment or that we’re sad for a while, but not forever! 

3. Nouns

The main difference between Spanish nouns and English nouns is that Spanish nouns have grammatical gender: masculine and feminine. Honestly, just be thankful we don’t have any more genders (many languages have three or more!). That said, this is a facet of Spanish grammar you really need to know!

We’ll show you an example of a noun for each gender:

• el horno (“the oven”) is masculine
• la nevera (“the fridge”) is feminine

You might be wondering what makes an oven masculine and a fridge feminine. Nothing, really. It’s all based on its etymology and the evolution of the language.

For most words, you’ll need to memorize their gender along with their meaning. However, there are words that have more obvious genders. For example, una mujer (“a woman”) is obviously a feminine word, and un hombre (“a man”) is most definitely masculine.

We do have a super-simple tip to help you determine if a word is masculine or feminine: Words that are masculine almost always end with an -o, while words that are feminine almost always end with an -a. This tip isn’t fool-proof, but it will help you out in the vast majority of situations.

Keep in mind that nouns must always agree with the article in gender and number. You might have noticed that in the examples we’ve given you, because they were all accompanied by articles.

There’s a lot more we could explain about nouns in Spanish, but it might be easier for you to read our article on nouns.

4. Adjectives

There are a few basic things that you need to know about adjectives in Spanish. First of all, adjectives must always agree with the noun they accompany in gender and number. We’ll give you some examples using the adjective negro (“black”):

	Singular	Plural
Masculine	Coche negro (“Black car”)	Coches negros (“Black cars”)
Feminine	Casa negra (“Black house”)	Casas negras (“Black houses”)

While looking at these examples, you might have noticed that the noun was placed before the adjective. In Spanish, most adjectives are placed after the noun like this, though there are a few exceptions.

If you feel like you need to learn more about Spanish adjectives, here’s an article that’s perfect for you!

5. Negation

Today, we’ll provide a brief overview of Spanish negation. Essentially, what you need to know is that you form basic negative sentences in Spanish by placing the word no before the verb. Here are a couple of examples:

Example: No tengo coche.
Translation: “I don’t have a car.”

Example: Hoy Martín no quiere ir al colegio.
Translation: “Martín doesn’t want to go to school today.”

You may have noticed that while the adverb in the last example was in a different position than in English, the negative word remained in the same location in both versions: between the subject—unless it’s omitted in Spanish—and the verb.

6. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Master Spanish

This article only provided a brief Spanish grammar overview, but you probably noticed that for every topic, we linked to another article or lesson that went more in-depth. 

Do you feel like you need more Spanish grammar help? Create your free lifetime account on SpanishPod101.com and gain access to tons of lessons on every Spanish-related topic imaginable. Give it a try, and you’ll start learning Spanish like never before!

In the meantime, let us know in the comments which aspect of Spanish grammar is most difficult for you. We look forward to hearing from you, and will do our best to help.

How many proverbs and quotes do you think you encounter on a given day? These words of wit and wisdom can appear almost anywhere, whether you’re scrolling through your Instagram and Pinterest feeds, watching a movie, or talking with friends and family.

In Spanish, we use refranes (“sayings”), which are ready-made phrases that come from our mothers and grandmothers, passed down from one generation to another. These sayings have become very popular over the years, and Spaniards frequently use them in their daily lives. Learning these Spanish quotes and sayings will help you connect with the Spanish language on a deep level and immerse you in the culture.

In this article, we’re going to review the most popular refranes that Spanish students will surely hear when having a conversation with a Spanish speaker. Many of these unique Spanish quotes, when translated literally, don’t make much sense in English. Because we want you to become familiar with each one, we’ll provide both the literal translation and an English approximate. 

In addition to these sayings, we’ve included some other phrases from writers, philosophers, and movies, and have included links to relevant vocabulary lists on SpanishPod101.com. 

Are you ready? Let’s go!

Table of Contents

1. Quotes About Wisdom
2. Quotes About Success
3. Quotes About Life
4. Quotes About Time
5. Quotes About Love
6. Quotes About Family
7. Quotes About Friendship
8. Quotes About Food
9. Quotes About Health
10. Quotes About Language Learning
11. Conclusion

1. Quotes About Wisdom

If you’re looking for some Spanish quotes to live by, you may find something valuable in these quotes about wisdom.

#1

Spanish	A buen entendedor pocas palabras bastan.
Literally	“A good listener, few words are enough.”
Equivalent	“A word to the wise is sufficient.”
This saying comes from popular Spanish wisdom. It means that when you’re speaking to someone who is wise or has a good understanding of a subject, you won’t need to use many words to explain something to them.  We may use this expression to draw the attention of a person who hasn’t followed our orders or directions. It’s also an ironic way of saying that there’s no need to repeat.

#2

Spanish	Quien a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija.
Literally	“Whoever approaches a good tree, shelters a good shadow.”
Equivalent	“It’s not what you know, but who you know.”
This famous proverb means that if you surround yourself with good people, you’ll be a good person and do well in life. Imagine a leafy tree with a lot of shade on a very hot summer day. Of course you’d want to settle down underneath it for protection and refreshment! Just as you would be on the right track in doing so, so would a person who surrounded themself with good people.

#3

Spanish	Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
Literally	“A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.”
Equivalent	“A bird in the hands is better than two in the bush.”
This is another famous proverb, and it means that you shouldn’t risk losing something you already have for something that’s better but uncertain. We might use this saying when, for example, we’re thinking about leaving our current job for a better one, and then decide not to because our current job is a safer bet.

#4

Spanish	A palabras necias, oídos sordos.
Literally	“To foolish words, deaf ears.”
Equivalent	“Don’t listen to the words of fools.”
This quote means that you shouldn’t listen to people who speak without knowledge or with bad intentions. Literally, it says that you should make yourself deaf and not listen. It’s typically used when a person makes a comment about us, or about a matter related to us, that we don’t agree with.

#5

Spanish	Dad crédito a las obras y no a las palabras.
Literally	“Give credit to works and not to words.”
Equivalent	“Actions speak louder than words.”
Source and background info	This is a quote from the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, from his famous book Don Quijote de la Mancha.
This phrase from the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra means that what we do has more power than what we say.  It’s typically used when we see that someone speaks more than he does or can do.

2. Quotes About Success

Do you have big plans for the future? Or maybe just an upcoming project you’re worried about? Check out these Spanish quotes on success to stay motivated and on the right path!

→ If you want even more great success quotes, see our vocabulary list on the Top 11 Spanish Quotes About Success!

#6

Spanish	El arte de vencer se aprende en las derrotas.
Literally	“The art of winning is learned in defeat.”
Equivalent	“The art of victory is learned in defeat.”
Source and background info	This is a quote from Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan political soldier and one of the most prominent public figures in Latin America. He fought during the Hispano-American Revolution in the nineteenth century.
This phrase from Simón Bolívar means that difficulties are part of life, and that we can become stronger and more victorious through them. Some Spanish speakers, especially from the political sector, have used this quote as a motivational phrase in times of crisis in their countries.

“El arte de vencer se aprende en las derrotas.” (Simón Bolívar)

#7

Spanish	Todo lo que puede ser imaginado es real.
Literally	“Everything that can be imagined is real.”
Equivalent	“Everything you can imagine is real.”
Source and background info	This is a quote from the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. With these words, he makes a parallel between his perception of the world and his experience with art.
This phrase is completely inspirational and is quite common in motivational courses in companies. It provides a mental framework in which people can achieve anything.

#8

Spanish	Lo difícil lo hago de inmediato, lo imposible tardo un poquito más.
Literally	“I do the difficult immediately, the impossible takes a little longer.”
Equivalent	“Difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer.”
Source and background info	This is a phrase by Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes, known worldwide as Cantinflas. This is one of the most popular quotes in Spanish, especially among Mexicans, as Cantinflas gained fame through her performances in the cinema. This actor and humorist is one of the characters that most reflects Mexico’s national identity.
This phrase means that you can face any situation without limitations and achieve everything you set your mind to.

#9

Spanish	Lo importante es marcarse metas en la vida y poner toda tu alma en cumplirlas.
Literally	“The important thing is to set goals in life and put your whole soul into achieving them.”
Equivalent	“Set your goals high, and don’t stop til you get there.”
Source and background info	Amancio Ortega said this in one of his interviews.  The most prominent businessman in Spain and creator of the fashion brand ZARA, he is one of the most influential characters in the country thanks to his successful business model and his worldwide fame in fashion.
This quote means that you can achieve anything if you’re clear about your goals and follow them with discipline. It could be used, for example, as a reference in an entrepreneurship conference.

3. Quotes About Life 

Who knows what life really is? If you enjoy pondering the big picture and admiring the minutest details, read through these Spanish quotes about life and gain some insight!

#10

Spanish	Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda.
Literally	“Even if the monkey dresses in silk, it remains a monkey.”
Equivalent	“You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.”
This is one of the most popular Spanish sayings. It’s used in both Spain and Latin America to indicate that you can’t change your essence or your natural appearance for something superficial. You can use this Spanish quote about life in any context, particularly with the people closest to you, such as friends and family.

#11

Spanish	A enemigo que huye, puente de plata.
Literally	“A fleeing enemy, silver bridge.”
Equivalent	“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
Source and background info	This phrase is of Spanish origin, said by Gonzalo Fernández Córdoba, known as The Great Captain of the sixteenth century. He pronounced it in front of his troops in the military fields as a mandate to facilitate the flight of the defeated enemy.
The Spanish use this phrase when a person wants to harm them. This person would be considered the enemy, and thus should be forgiven or made to flee. People tend to use this phrase on a daily basis.

#12

Spanish	El que no arriesga un huevo no saca un pollo.
Literally	“He who does not risk an egg does not take out a chicken.”
Equivalent	“The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing…” (Paul Tillich)
This popular phrase means that those who don’t take risks don’t obtain benefits. It’s widely used in Latin America (especially in Colombia), and it’s sometimes used in Spain as well. A person can use this phrase in situations where they need to risk something in order to experience positive change. Examples include getting another job, starting a business, or changing partners. This quote can also be applied in contexts involving teamwork and goal achievement. The Spanish Pep Guardiola once stated a similar phrase in reference to his job as a soccer coach: No hay nada más peligroso que no arriesgarse. (“There’s nothing more dangerous than not taking any chances.”)

#13

Spanish	A veces te tienes que lanzar de cabeza y la gente te ayuda por el camino.
Literally	“Sometimes you have to jump head first and people help you along the way.”
Equivalent	“Many hands make light work.”
Source and background info	This quote was taken from the Spanish movie El olivo, a 2016 film that critiques abuse of power and tells an exciting story about a grandfather and his granddaughter.
This phrase indicates that you sometimes have to get out of your comfort zone and find people to help you fulfill your mission. It depicts an ideal life in which you can reflect on the things you want to do and bring them to fruition. Someone may use this quote when, for example, their close friend is talking about the dreams or goals they’re too afraid to go after.

4. Quotes About Time

You’ve seen the most popular Spanish sayings on life, so let’s now dwell a little on time: the most valuable asset a person has and the only thing a person can never recover.

Here, we’ve compiled several inspirational Spanish quotes to encourage you to live life and take advantage of your time! Some of these quotes are from Hispanic figures who have become famous through film and politics. 

#14

Spanish	Ser libre es…gastar la mayor cantidad de tiempo de nuestra vida en aquello que nos gusta hacer.
Literally	“Being free is…spending the most time in our lives on what we like to do.”
Equivalent	“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.”
Source and background info	This quote is from Pepe Mujica, former President of Uruguay. He has stood out over the years for his wise phrases in television interviews and his altruistic nature.
This quote invites people to prioritize the most important things, because time is limited. It’s best to invest our time in what we like, and to be happy in doing so. It’s an inspiring phrase for many of the politician’s followers, as well as for ordinary people who identify with his way of thinking. This quote can be used in everyday life, in business talks, and in conferences.

#15

Spanish	Mejor tarde que nunca.
Literally	“Better late than never.”
This is a very popular saying, meaning that it’s better to do things even if they’re late than to not do them at all. People can use this phrase in reference to any task, especially those they don’t necessarily want to do: exercising, getting to an appointment early, etc.

#16

Spanish	A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
Literally	“Whoever gets up early, God helps him.”
Equivalent	“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
This is a typical phrase in Spanish-speaking cultures, widely used in work-related contexts. It means that we must be responsible and efficient concerning our tasks on a daily basis.

#17

Spanish	No siempre serás joven, te lo digo por experiencia.
Literally	“You will not always be young, I tell you from experience.”
Equivalent	“Youth comes but once in a lifetime.”
Source and background info	This quote is taken from the 1982 Spanish film Laberinto de pasiones from director Pedro Almodóvar. Although it was not very successful, many people consider it a cult film.
This quote is from an argument that a nymphomaniac girl has with someone in the film. She’s had to fight her illness since childhood, reflecting the bitterness of lost time. People use this quote to refer to the importance of taking advantage of one’s youth, because many things are lost with old age.

Life is shorter than we like to think. If you’re feeling a bit melancholy, see our vocabulary lists of Hobbies and Life Events for some ideas on how to make the most of your time!

“Mejor tarde que nunca.”

5. Quotes About Love

Are you in love? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic? Either way, we think you’ll enjoy these Spanish quotes about love and romance! 

→ Make sure to take a look at our vocabulary lists of Spanish Quotes About Love, 15 Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day, and Break-Up Quotes!

#18

Spanish	Es tan corto el amor y tan largo el olvido.
Literally	“Love is so short and oblivion so long.”
Equivalent	“Love is so short, forgetting is so long.”
Source and background info	This is a quote from the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, taken from his work entitled “20 poemas de amor y una canción desesperada.”
This is a famous phrase from the poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature and has dedicated his poems to love and heartbreak. He has been one of the most representative figures in Latin American culture. This quote means that while the good things in life don’t last, the things that hurt us the most last forever.

#19

Spanish	Escoge una persona que te mire como si quizás fueras magia.
Literally	“Choose a person who looks at you as if you were perhaps magic.”
Equivalent	“Romantic love reaches out in little ways, showing attention and admiration.”
Source and background info	This famous phrase is from the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, one of the most important figures in Latin America.
This phrase encourages us to find a partner that we’re passionate about and to whom we are important. During her life, Frida Kahlo stood out for her famous inspirational phrases about life and love. She became the benchmark for many women and men, who in this day and age, fill their Instagram posts with messages from the artist.

#20

Spanish	El amor es eterno mientras dura.
Literally	“Love is eternal while it lasts.”
Source and background info	Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez penned this quote in his story I Only Came to Use the Phone, which is part of the book Twelve Pilgrim Tales.
This is one of the most famous quotes from the Colombian writer, who reflects on the immortality of love and its ability to transcend time. Love has many qualities: it’s real but intangible, both long-lasting and short-lived. But as long as we feel it, it will be eternal.

#21

Spanish	Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
Literally	“Out of sight, out of mind.”
This popular expression is used in both Spanish and English, and it’s generally used to mean that it’s better for us not to know if our romantic partner is doing something to hurt us. It’s widely used among couples and friends to comment on infidelity.

« El amor es eterno mientras dura ». (Gabriel García Márquez)

#22

Spanish	Nadie sabe lo que vale el agua hasta que le falta.
Literally	“No one knows what water is worth until it is lacking.”
Equivalent	“You never know what you’ve got til it’s gone.”
This popular saying demonstrates the importance of valuing what we have, whether it’s a person, a good of some kind, or a life situation. It’s a very popular phrase in Spanish-speaking cultures, often used in conversations with close friends and family.

6. Quotes About Family

Family consists of the people you love the most, and sometimes get along with the least. Learn more about family in Spanish-speaking cultures through the following quotes and sayings.

→ You can learn more in our vocabulary list of the Top 10 Spanish Quotes About Family and Must-Know Terms for Family Members.

#23

Spanish	Parece que no tienes abuela.
Literally	“It seems that you don’t have a grandmother.”
This saying is very popular in Spain, said to people who have a high opinion of themselves or are self-centered. Why is it related to grandmothers? Because grandmothers are usually the ones who praise their grandchildren the most; if someone is self-centered, that person doesn’t need his grandmother in order to feel superior.

#24

Spanish	Salirse de madre.
Literally	“Get out of mother.”
Equivalent	“To lose one’s self-control.”
This is another famous Spanish expression, used when there’s an excess of something. For example, if a party has more guests than normal or expected. Its origin dates back to when it rained so much that the rivers overflowed.

#25

Spanish	Es en la familia donde aprendemos a abrirnos a los demás, a crecer en libertad y en paz.
Equivalent	“It is in the family where we learn to open ourselves to others, to grow in freedom and in peace.”
Source and background info	This quote is from Pope Francis, taken from the book Catechesis on the Family.
This quote became famous around the world, especially among Catholic believers, as it adds value to the family. Pope Francis is a world icon, but has great relevance in Latin American culture due to his Argentine origin.

7. Quotes About Friendship

There are many great Spanish quotes on friendship, but we’ll only be sharing the most popular with you here!

→ If you want to learn more, see our vocabulary list of the Top 10 Spanish Quotes About Friendship.

 #26

Spanish	Los amigos son la familia que uno escoge.
Equivalent	“Friends are the family one chooses.”
This is a popular phrase among friends, used as a sign of affection. Friends are the people with whom you share the most, even more than you share with your family sometimes.

#27

Spanish	Es mejor tener amigos que dinero.
Literally	“It’s better to have friends than money.”
Equivalent	“Friendship is more important than money.”
The meaning of this expression is very valuable. It refers to those true friends who are always ready to help us in the most difficult moments.

#28

Spanish	El amigo es aquel que entra cuando todo el mundo ha salido.
Literally	“The friend is the one who enters when everyone has left.”
Equivalent	“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”
Source and background info	This phrase is taken from the 2012 Spanish movie Tengo ganas de ti, starring the famous Spanish actor Mario Casas.
The plot of the film is based on the love of two friends who meet again after a long time, and who want to start a new life and leave their past behind. This quote from the story refers to those unconditional friends who are with you when others turn their backs on you. It closely resembles reality, making it a quote that ranks high in terms of practical value.

#29

Spanish	El amigo ha de ser como la sangre que acude luego a la herida sin esperar que lo llamen.
Literally	“The friend must be like the blood that comes to the wound without waiting for him to be called.”
Source and background info	This quote is from the Golden Age Spanish writer Francisco de Quevedo.
This is one of the most famous phrases, found in the most outstanding books of poems in Spanish—and in many Spanish social media posts! Through this quote, the author reflects on how ideal friends should be: unconditional, supportive, and overall good.

« El amigo ha de ser como la sangre que acude luego a la herida sin esperar que lo llamen ». (Francisco de Quevedo)

8. Quotes About Food

Food: What better motivation or joy does the world have to offer? Learn what Spanish-speaking cultures have to say about food with these popular quotes, and walk away from this section with a full belly and a happy heart.

→ While you’re at it, why not learn the names of the most popular Mexican Foods?

#30

Spanish	Panza llena, corazón contento.
Equivalent	“A full belly and a happy heart.”
This quote is of Spanish origin, and refers to the satisfaction and contentment we feel after a good meal. It also indicates that when we cover our most basic needs (eating, sleeping, etc.), we have a better disposition that allows us to do other things. It’s popularly used in all Spanish-speaking countries.

#31

Spanish	Lo que no mata, engorda.
Equivalent	“What doesn’t kill you, makes you fat.”
This is a popular saying in Latin America and Spain, mainly used when eating something unhealthy or of dubious quality.

#32

Spanish	El hambre desata la locura.
Equivalent	“Hunger unleashes madness.”
Source and background info	This phrase is taken from the 2020 Netflix movie El Hoyo. It has become one of the most successful films in Latin American history.
This quote is a manifestation of what the poorest social classes live with when they’re faced with hunger and misery. These situations can lead to despair and even acts of barbarism. The film’s plot is an exposition of the current reality in which the economic levels are strongly marked in our society. It also sends the suggestive message that the distribution of wealth should be more equitable.

#33

Spanish	Poner toda la carne en el asador
Literally	“Put all the meat on the grill”
Equivalent	“Give it everything you got”
This phrase is especially popular in Mexico. It’s used when a person puts great effort into something or takes big risks to achieve a goal. You can apply this to your Spanish learning! Put all the meat on the grill until you master the language. Feel motivated?

9. Quotes About Health

We all want to take care of our health, but we may not always do a great job of that. Here are some Spanish quotes to give you insight into how Spanish-speaking cultures perceive health. 

→ Diet plays a major role in one’s health. Make sure to see our vocabulary lists of 10 Foods That Will Make You Live Longer and 10 Foods That Will Kill You Faster!

#34

Spanish	Mejor prevenir que curar.
Equivalent	“Prevention is better than cure.”
This common phrase in Spain and Latin America is used to say that it’s better to avoid a bad situation than to face the consequences after it happens. It’s widely used by mothers and grandmothers as advice for their children, especially when they have to make decisions about an unsafe situation.

#35

Spanish	Quién salud no tiene, de todo bien carece.
Literally	“Who’s health does not have everything well lacks.”
Equivalent	“Life is not merely being alive, but being well.”
What is the use of living if you’re not healthy? Well, this popular Spanish saying means that the greatest wealth is having health, regardless of your social condition. It also encourages people to reflect on and be grateful for their health, especially when they hear of others who are sick.

#36

Spanish	Peor es el remedio que la enfermedad.
Literally	“The remedy is worse than the disease.”
Equivalent	“The cure is worse than the disease.”
This saying states that some solutions generate more inconvenience than the problem they’re designed to fix. For example, imagine taking someone to a party with you so that no one will bother you, but the person you brought behaves badly at the party. In countries like Colombia, this phrase is very popular, but it changes a little: Salió más cara la cura que la enfermedad. (“The cure was more expensive than the disease.”)

«Quien salud no tiene de todo bien carece »

10. Quotes About Language Learning

To end our article, let’s look at a popular Spanish quote on learning! 

#37

Spanish	Loro viejo no aprende a hablar.
Literally	“Old parrot does not learn to talk.”
Equivalent	“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
This popular saying, generally used by older people, means that it’s more difficult for an older person to learn new things than it is for a younger person. You can also apply this quote to your language learning! If you’re young, take advantage of that and learn as much as you can; if you’re not so young, just remember: Mejor tarde que nunca.

Conclusion

In this guide, you learned many popular Spanish sayings and phrases. You were motivated by love, family, and friends; you reflected on life and time; you got excited about food… And most of all, you familiarized yourself with certain aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures!

Which quote was your favorite, and why? We look forward to hearing from you in the comments! 

The Spanish language is diverse and may appear complex at times. But keep practicing! The more lessons you learn, the faster you’ll master Spanish. 

If you need more motivation, we have vocabulary lists of Reasons for Learning a Language and Spanish Quotes About Language Learning.

We hope to see you around!

How do you say “time” in Spanish? And how do you say “What time is it?” in Spanish? 

Did you know that to tell the time you should never use the literal translation, tiempo? 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though. We’ll answer this and other questions more in-depth in this blog post! Learn everything about how to say the time in Spanish with SpanishPod101.com!

Learning about telling time in Spanish, along with how to introduce yourself in Spanish, is significantly important if you want to improve your conversation skills. 

Even in your native language, knowing the right way of telling the time can help you avoid misunderstandings. Well, time is so crucial in Spanish culture that learning how to tell time is as important as time itself. 

Let’s get started with our guide on time in Spanish for beginners! 

Table of Contents

1. How to Ask for the Time
2. The Hours in Spanish
3. The Minutes in Spanish
4. Hours Divided into Minutes in Spanish
5. General Time Reference of the Day
6. Time Adverbs
7. Time Proverbs and Sayings in Spanish
8. Conclusion

1. How to Ask for the Time

Telling the time in Spanish is simple if you know the cardinal numbers and the verb “to be” (ser). Once you practice and master those two things, asking and telling the time in Spanish will be so much easier. 

• ¿Qué hora es?

“What time is it?”

In some Latin American countries, you may hear ¿Qué hora son? instead of ¿Qué hora es?. Both are correct for asking the time in Spanish. The singular form is used mostly in Spain and the plural form is used mostly in Latin American Spanish-speaking countries.

• ¿Qué hora son?

“What time is it?”

To learn how to say the time in Spanish, you also need to know that “time” in Spanish is tiempo. Tiempo also means “weather,” but you never use tiempo to ask for the time. 

• Hoy hace buen tiempo.

“Good weather today.”

To learn how to ask the time in Spanish, you just have to change the word “time” to the word for “hour.” So “What time is it?” would be translated as ¿Qué hora es? This is the easiest way to learn how to say time in Spanish. But there are some other ways of asking what the time is in Spanish, such as ¿Tienes hora? which means “Do you have the time?”

Another way to learn how to ask the time is by asking what time something is (e.g. a meeting, a concert, or work): ¿A qué hora es el concierto? To ask “At what time is,” in Spanish (e.g. “What time is the concert?”), notice that you have to add an a before qué, which means “at.”

Once you have these few things in mind, it will be so much easier for you to ask for the time in Spanish. 

Asking correctly is as important as telling the time in Spanish. So let’s look at some formulas and tricks on how to say the time in Spanish in case you get asked. 

Verb to be (Es / Son) + la(s) + number from one to twelve + number of minutes

• Es la una de la mañana.

“It is 1 a.m.”

OR

• Es la una en punto.

“It’s one o’clock.”

Es + la + una + y + number of minutes

• Es la una y treinta minutos.

“It’s 1:30 a.m.”

• Es la una y diez minutos.

“It’s 1:10 a.m.”

If you want to say any hour between two and twelve, you have to use the third person of the plural son, as follows:

• Son las tres de la mañana.

“It’s three a.m.”

If someone tells you the time, make sure you say “thank you,” and do it the right way.

2. The Hours in Spanish 

If you can count from one to twelve, you’re already on the right path—cardinal numbers are essential for telling the time in Spanish. If you don’t know all of them yet, here you just need to know the numbers from one to twelve. 

Uno — “One”

Dos — “Two”

Tres — “Three”

Cuatro — “Four”

Cinco — “Five”

Seis — “Six”

Siete — “Seven”

Ocho — “Eight”

Nueve — “Nine”

Diez — “Ten”

Once — “Eleven”

Doce — “Twelve”

Once you have these memorized, you can try using them in one of the formulas we’ve covered. Another thing to keep in mind when learning how to say “What time is it?” is that “o’clock,” which is en punto, doesn’t always need to be added.

Example:

• Son las ocho.

“It’s eight o’clock.”

• Son las ocho en punto.

“It’s eight o’clock.”

Easy peasy, right? 

So, how do you know if it’s morning or evening? 

When telling the time in Spanish, know that you don’t need to use a.m. or p.m. Although it’s correct to say, most Spanish speakers don’t use them. We prefer to say ocho de la mañana (“eight in the morning”) or diez de la noche (“ten in the evening”). However, when it comes to writing the time in Spanish, we use the twenty-four-hour clock (also known as military time).

However, this is very subjective because some of the Latin American countries aren’t used to using the twenty-four-hour clock and use a.m. and p.m. more often than in Spain.

The general rule in Spain is: Write in military time and speak the time as numbers from one to twelve. For example, if you’re going to a theater show, you’ll see the time on their page or billboard as follows:

22:30 

But you’ll say to a friend by phone:

• Las diez y media de la noche.

“Ten thirty at night.”

For some Latin American countries, the night starts when it’s dark, around six p.m. This is because they’re near the equator, and thus the time the sun sets doesn’t change much during the summer. 

For the Spanish, on the other hand, the night starts after eight p.m. “Six p.m.” is still seis de la tarde.

It’s important to remember then that the Spanish language is gendered. So, when learning about time in Spanish, you need to know that you should always use the feminine article –las because it refers to la hora. The only exception is when you’re talking about one o’clock, in which case you use la.

• Es la una en punto.

“It is one o’clock.”

• Son las tres de la tarde.

“It is three p.m.”

3. The Minutes in Spanish

When learning how to tell time in Spanish, there are multiple levels that you can aim for once you start using the minutes in Spanish. You can start with the easy formula of saying the number of minutes after the hour. To reach the highest level, use phrases such as “quarter to,” in Spanish, “quarter past,” “half,” or “minutes to (hour).”

An easy way to say the minutes in Spanish is to just say the number of minutes. But to make things simpler, let’s learn the minutes by fives:

2:05 Las dos y cinco

3:10 Las tres y diez

4:15 Las cuatro y quince

5:20 Las cinco y veinte

6:25 Las seis y veinticinco

7:30 Las siete y treinta

7:35 Las siete y treinta y cinco

8:40 Las ocho y cuarenta

9:45 Las nueve y cuarenta y cinco

10:50 Las diez y cincuenta

11:55 Las once y cincuenta y cinco

After the number of minutes, you can add the word minutos. It’s the translation for “minutes,” and you’ll always use this word in the plural unless you say “one minute” (y un minuto).

• Son las tres y cinco minutos.

“It is three and five minutes.”

• Son las doce y un minuto.

“It is one minute past twelve.”

4. Hours Divided into Minutes in Spanish

So one way of improving your level of Spanish is to expand on your knowledge of hours in Spanish. What do I mean? You can identify your level of Spanish by whether you’re able to understand and tell the time in Spanish by half, quarter, and three quarters of an hour.

How do we do this? 

The same way we divide time in English. Dividing the clock into blocks of fifteen minutes. Every fifteen minutes, we’re talking about cuartos or “quarters.”

To talk about half an hour in Spanish, you need to use y media.

Unlike in English, in Spanish you say the hour first, then the minutes:

• 01:30 p.m. 

La una y media.

“Half past one.”

To say that it’s a quarter past an hour in Spanish, you need to use y cuarto.

• 01:15 p.m. 

Es la una y cuarto.

“It is a quarter past one.”

To say that it’s a quarter until an hour in Spanish, you need to use menos cuarto. This means that you tell the hour first, and then you have to take away the quarter from the time that’s approaching. It sounds like “one minus quarter” for 12:45 p.m. 

Like in English, the Latin American Spanish-speakers use the phrase “quarter till” in a similar manner. It’s okay to use this, especially if you’re learning. Then, once you get a better understanding and you need to improve your Spanish skills, you can start telling time like Spaniards do. 

Note that even for some Latinos it’s hard to tell the time the European Spanish way, so go easy on yourself! 

Latin American Spanish:

• 01:45 p.m

Faltan un cuarto para las dos.

“It is a quarter to two.”

The most difficult to learn and remember is the quarter until an hour. This is because you may still be thinking it in the English way. 

In English:

Minutes left to the time approaching + “to” + hour (from one to twelve)

Example:

01:45 p.m. — “A quarter to two.”

In Spanish:

Hour (from one to twelve) + menos + minutes left to the approaching time

Example:

01:45 p.m. — Las dos menos cuarto.

5. General Time Reference of the Day

As we said earlier, in Spanish we’re more used to saying “in the morning” or “in the evening” to refer to a.m. or p.m. While we do understand it if we see it, we don’t usually use these terms. 

Instead, we use other words that refer to certain times of the day, and these will be very good for you to learn. Let’s take a look! 

• Primera hora de la mañana — “Early morning”

Example: 

Tengo cita en el médico a primera hora de la mañana.

“I have a doctor’s appointment in the early morning.”

• Amanecer — “Sunrise”

Example:

El amanecer más bonito que he visto nunca ha sido en Cádiz.

“The most beautiful sunrise that I’ve never seen was in Cadiz.”

• Mediodía — “Noon” or “Midday”

Example:

La clase acaba en el mediodía. 

“The class ends at noon/midday.”

• Primera hora de la tarde — “Early afternoon”

Example:

¿Quedamos para el café a primera hora de la tarde?
“Shall we meet for coffee at early afternoon?”

• Noche — “Evening” or “Night”

Example:

¿Cuántas noches has tenido que trabajar esta semana?

“How many nights did you have to work this week?”

• Puesta de sol — “Sunset”

Example:

Me han contado que en Bali hay unas puestas de sol mágicas.

“I have been told that in Bali there are magical sunsets.”

• Medianoche — “Midnight”

Example:

Con 15 años mis padres me dejaban salir los fines de semana hasta medianoche.

“When I was 15 years old, my parents would let me go out on the weekends until midnight.”

6. Time Adverbs

In Spanish, we use adverbs of time, place, mode, or quantity all the time. With them, you add information to verbs, adjectives, and even to the whole sentence. 

You’ll quickly become very familiar with them since they’re essential when you’re learning how to tell time in Spanish. 

• Antes — “Before”

Example:

Kike, lávate las manos antes de comer.

“Kike, wash your hands before eating.”

• Después — “After”

Example:

Después de comer apetece una siesta.

“After eating, you want a nap.”

• Luego — “Later”

Example:
Llámame luego.

“Call me later.”

• Pronto — “Soon”

Example:

Te veo pronto.

“See you soon.”

• Tarde — “Late”

Example:

Se me está haciendo tarde para ir al supermercado.

“It’s getting late to go to the supermarket.”

• Temprano — “Early”

Example:

Hay que levantarse temprano para ir al colegio mañana.

“We have to wake up early to go to school tomorrow.”

• Todavía (This adverb has different meanings in English, depending on the time verb you’re using.):

– “Still”

– “Yet”

– “Even so”

Example:
Todavía estoy aquí esperándote.

“I am still here waiting for you.”

Example:
Todavía no he estado en París.

“I have not been to Paris yet.”

• Ayer — “Yesterday”

Example:
Ayer Luis me dejó esperando una hora en el café.

“Luis left me waiting for one hour in the coffee shop yesterday.”

• Hoy — “Today”

Example:
Tengo tres entrevistas de trabajo hoy.

“Today, I have three job interviews.”

• Mañana — “Tomorrow”

Example:
Sara, por favor, revisa mi agenda de mañana.

“Sara, check tomorrow’s agenda, please.”

• Antes de ayer o anteayer — “The day before yesterday”

Example:
Antes de ayer empecé con el entrenamiento.

“I started with my training the day before yesterday.”

• Pasado mañana — “The day after tomorrow”

Example:
Pasado mañana empieza el mes de julio.

“July starts the day after tomorrow.”

• Siempre — “Anytime”, “always,” or “forever”

The word “anytime” refers to “always” in terms of describing every time that something happens. But we translate the same word siempre, or with cada vez.

Example:

Siempre que Antonio va al parque se encuentra al gato perdido.

“Anytime Antonio goes to the park he runs into the lost cat.”

• “Always” is the most common way to translate siempre. It refers to “all the time” and “forever.”

Example:

Siempre te querré.

“I will always love you.”

• Nunca, Jamás — “Never”

Example:

Nunca más vuelvo a fiarme de un desconocido.

“I will never again trust a stranger.”

• Prontamente, Pronto — “As soon as possible”

Example:

Ven a recogerme pronto.

“Come and pick me up as soon as possible.”

• En un rato – “In a little while”

Example:

Estaré preparada en un rato.

“I’ll be ready in a little while.”

7. Time Proverbs and Sayings in Spanish

If you want to sound like a Spanish native, idioms and expressions are the best way to show off. However, it’s important that you know when and how to use them, or it can have the opposite effect! 

Some great phrases for latecomers include Voy en camino (“I’m on my way”) and Llego tarde (“I’m late” or “I’m running late”). These are great to send by text so you don’t keep people waiting.

The expressions “time is money” and “time flies” refer to moments in which time goes fast and you have to take advantage of it. Their translations are el tiempo es dinero and el tiempo vuela respectively.

Other common expressions in Spanish are:

• El tiempo cura las heridas. — “Time heals all wounds.”
• Más vale tarde que nunca. — “Better late than never.”
• A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. — “The early birds get God’s help.”

8. Conclusion

So, reader, do you feel more confident about telling time in Spanish now? In the comments below, tell us what time it is where you are, in Spanish! 

Next time you’re late to an appointment or want to ask someone on a date, you can come back to this page for help setting up times or letting someone know you’re almost there. You can use all of our fun lessons, idiomatic expressions, and more resources at our SpanishPod101 website.

SpanishPod101 has many vocabulary lists for you for free, and of course, our Spanish Resource Corner for any other questions you may have. Why don’t you practice your Spanish by asking other Spanish speakers what they’re up to?

Happy Spanish learning! 🙂

The gender of nouns in Spanish is part of a noun’s identity. We won’t be able to use a noun correctly without its corresponding article. If English (or another language with genderless nouns) is your first language, you probably freaked out when you found out that nouns have gender in Spanish. We admit that it does sound a little scary at first.

But hey, if it makes you feel better, at least Spanish isn’t like German, which has three genders, or like Polish, which has a few more than that. Or Swedish, which has two genders that aren’t feminine or masculine. There are many languages that use genders.

Fortunately, we only have two genders, and we plan on keeping them. They might not always make sense to a foreigner (I mean, why would a chair be feminine?), but they do make sense to us and it would sound really funny if someone didn’t use them right. This is why we’re about to teach you all you need to know about gender in Spanish.

Table of Contents

1. Spanish Language Gender Rules: How Does it Work?
2. How to Make a Good Guess on the Gender of a Word
3. How to Memorize the Gender of a Word
4. Animals
5. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Learn More Spanish

1. Spanish Language Gender Rules: How Does it Work?

Let’s start with something simple: the word for “gender” in Spanish is género, and our two genders are femenino (“feminine” ) and masculino (“masculine” ). That’s easy; everyone knows these two genders.

Now, how is the Spanish language affected by gender? As we mentioned previously, this topic mostly revolves around nouns. That means that every noun has one gender or the other, and that the words around it (which are articles, adjectives, and sometimes, pronouns) must match that gender.

However, we’re going to be mostly focusing on the gender of Spanish nouns, and will help you a little bit with adjectives and articles. The reason we won’t be talking about pronouns is because we’ll be publishing an article about pronouns soon, so keep your eyes peeled! If you can’t wait, check out our list of the most useful Spanish pronouns.

1 – Articles

The most common structure for nouns in Spanish is (article) + noun + (adjective), so we’re going to follow this structure and talk about Spanish article gender rules first.

In English, there are two articles, which are “the” and “a(n),” but Spanish has a few more. Don’t let this frighten you, but we have a total of eight articles. Yes, eight. The reason we have so many is because they change according to both gender and number.

Definite articles (“the” ) → “the kid” or “the kids”

• Masculine, singular: el → el niño
• Feminine, singular: la → la niña
• Masculine, plural: los → los niños
• Feminine, plural: las → las niñas

Indefinite articles (“a,” “an,” “some” ) → “a kid” or “some kids”

• Masculine, singular: un → un niño
• Feminine, singular: una → una niña
• Masculine, plural: unos → unos niños
• Feminine, plural: unas → unas niñas

2 – Nouns

As you know, when talking about genders in Spanish, nouns are the most important. Basically, each noun has been assigned to be masculine or feminine. We don’t really get a say in this; we’ve all learned that this is the way Spanish works and we’ve accepted it.

Spanish mostly comes from Latin, which also has genders (three, actually), so a lot of these genders have just been passed on from Latin or other languages that have influenced Spanish over the centuries.

We could say some of these genders make more sense than others. For example, la mujer (“the woman” ) is obviously feminine, but un brazo (“an arm” ) is masculine and una pierna (“a leg” ) is feminine. We can’t really explain why, other than the ending of these words.

3 – Adjectives

Adjectives, just like articles, need to “agree” in number and gender with the noun they’re modifying. All adjectives change when it comes to number, so when the noun next to it is in the plural form, the adjective will need an -s at the end (or -es sometimes).

However, gender is a little bit different. In this sense, there are different kinds of adjectives. Whenever an adjective ends in -o in its masculine form, it has a masculine and a feminine form. For example: blanco / blanca (“white” ). This is the most common type of adjective.

Some other adjectives, however, don’t change. These are all adjectives that end in -e, in consonants, or some trickier ones to see, in -ista. Here are some examples: grande (“big” ), gris (“gray” ), and realista (“realistic” ).

There are some exceptions to Spanish gender rules for adjectives ending in consonants, which are the following endings: -or, -ón, -ol, -án, -ín, and -és. For example: alemán / alemana (“German” ) and francés / francesa (“French” ).

For more information, you might want to check out our article on adjectives. You might also be interested in this list of adjectives that describe personalities.

2. How to Make a Good Guess on the Gender of a Word

Let’s focus on nouns properly this time. How do you know if a Spanish word is masculine or feminine?

As we’ve mentioned, nouns dictate the gender of everything that surrounds them, so we need to know what gender a noun is before we know what article or adjective we want to use next to it.

Something that you should always remember is that when talking about a group of people or animals that includes both males and females, we always use the masculine form of the noun. For example:

Tengo cuatro perros: dos machos y dos hembras.
“I have four dogs: two males and two females.”

• Words that end in -o or -a

There are two things that you need to keep in mind to know if a word is feminine or masculine.

The first thing is that words that end in -o are most likely masculine. Examples: un zapato (“a shoe” ) and un vaso (“a glass” ).

The second thing is that words that end in -a are most likely feminine. Examples: una taza (“a cup” ) and una casa (“a house” ).

But of course, there are exceptions to this rule: una mano (“a hand” ), un mapa (“a map” ), un día (“a day” )…There are also words like moto and foto, which are feminine words but aren’t really exceptions, because they actually come from motocicleta (“motorbike” ) and fotografía (“photography” ) respectively.

• Other masculine words

There are some other exceptions that also follow rules. For example, words that end in -ma are masculine words, such as un problema (“a problem” ) and el alma (“the soul” ).

Other masculine words that don’t end in -o are those that end in -or, such as el color (“the color” ) or el humor (“the humor” ). However, as always, there are exceptions to the exception. A common example of this is la flor, which is a feminine word that means “the flower.”

• Other feminine words

Words that end in -sión, -ción, -dad or -tad, -tud, or -umbre are always feminine words. Examples: una presión (“a pressure” ), una transformación (“a transformation” ), una cantidad (“a quantity” ), la libertad (“the freedom” ), una solicitud (“a request” ), la servidumbre (“the servitude” ), etc.

• Other exceptions to gender rules in Spanish

There are some words that have random endings. Thankfully, there aren’t that many, but we should still consider them. For example, un lápiz, which means “a pencil,” has an unusual ending, -z.

3. How to Memorize the Gender of a Word

When learning a noun, it might be useful to learn it together with its corresponding article, especially when it’s not a typical word with an -o or -a ending.

There are some nouns that refer to animals and people that might have two different forms, such as the example we gave you when we listed the different articles there are in Spanish: niño means “kid,” but depending on whether it ends in -o or -a, it will refer to a boy or a girl respectively.

When it comes to professions, some nouns have the same form whether they’re masculine or feminine, and some change their ending. For example, artista means “artist” and it refers to both men and women. But if you want to talk about the person who delivers your mail, you’ll talk about a cartero or a cartera, depending on his or her gender.

The main Spanish dictionary, Diccionario de la Real Academia Española (DRAE), always indicates the gender of the noun (m. or f.). For example, the world cumpleaños, which means “birthday,” has the letter m. for masculine. In the case of adjectives, it always shows first the masculine form, and then the ending of the feminine form. One example is the adjective rojo, which means “red.” As you can see, it appears as rojo, ja, to show you both endings. If the adjective only has one form, it doesn’t give you any more information.

There are many activities and games you could try to help you memorize the gender of a noun, such as quizzes or flashcards that include an article or an adjective in the correct gender of the nouns you want to learn.

Our vocabulary lists also state what the gender of a noun is. For example, you can see it in this list of the 50 most common nouns in Mexican Spanish, or in this list of the 100 core Spanish words.

4. Animals

When it comes to animals, Spanish can be a little strange, we admit. Some words for animals are masculine, and some are feminine. Others, as mentioned before, can have a different ending—or even be completely different words. Just like with other nouns, it might not always make sense for an animal to be masculine or feminine, but it’s still important.

Before we get started with this, there’s a joke about animals and Spanish genders that might help you understand this whole thing:

A British man and a Spanish man are fishing when the British man sees a fly and says: “Look, un mosca.” The Spanish man corrects him: “No, it’s una mosca.” The British man responds: “Wow, you Spaniards have really good eyesight.”

Obviously, you understand that this is not about eyesight, but of knowing that the words we use to name animals have genders that might not be the same as their actual gender.

Feminine animals

• Una cebra (“a zebra” )
• Una mosca (“a fly” )
• Una oveja (“a sheep” )
• Una cabra (“a goat” )
• Una vaca (“a cow” )
• Una araña (“a spider” )

Masculine animals

• Un elefante (“an elephant” )
• Un caracol (“a snail” )
• Un loro (“a parrot” )
• Un pez (“a fish” )
• Un pavo (“a turkey” )
• Un pájaro (“a bird” )

Different endings

• Un perro/una perra (“a dog” )
• Un gato/una gata (“a cat” )
• Un cerdo/una cerda (“a pig” )
• Un león/una leona (“a lion” )
• Un oso/una osa (“a bear” )

Different words

• Un caballo (“a horse” ) / una yegua (“a mare” )
• Un gallo (“a rooster” ) / una gallina (“a hen” )

When talking about an animal that might have different word endings depending on its gender, we normally use the masculine form first if we don’t know the actual gender of the animal.

For a few more examples of animals in Spanish, take a look at this vocabulary list of animal names.

5. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Learn More Spanish

We know that learning gender in Spanish isn’t easy, but it’s very important. You must keep in mind that it’s all about getting used to the genders; once you do, you won’t even have to think about them. They’ll just come to you. So give it a chance and you’ll see it’s not that difficult!

At SpanishPod101.com, you’ll find everything you need to learn Spanish. In this article, we mostly talked about nouns, but we’ve also mentioned articles and adjectives, so this could be a good time to read about adverbs too. You might be interested in learning how to get around in Spanish, or maybe you would like to improve your pronunciation.

Did we talk about anything in this article that you’re still uncertain about? Or do you feel much more confident with Spanish noun genders? Let us know in the comments; we look forward to hearing from you!

When learning about etiquette in Spanish-speaking countries, keep in mind that every culture is different, and even neighboring countries might have very different customs from one another. Sometimes, what might seem normal or even polite to you could be interpreted as weird or rude in another country. In the same way, something you find rude might seem common to someone else. Don’t worry, though. We’re here to help you not make the same mistakes other people have made!

Maybe one of the first things you need to know here is that “etiquette” in Spanish is called protocolo or etiqueta. Even though protocolo is a bit more common, etiqueta is equally valid, so you can stick to whichever word you prefer!

Another thing you might want to do when trying to find out about Spanish etiquette is to do some online research on it, which is completely understandable. However, we did some reading too, and we want to warn you that if you do so, you might find Spanish “rules” of etiquette that are very outdated and not appropriate anymore.

For example, we read that women aren’t allowed to cross their legs or wear shorts, which is completely false nowadays. Trust us, you definitely can. Maybe not for formal occasions, but if you want to survive a Spanish summer, you might want to wear shorts when you go out with friends or family.

Here’s our practical, relevant guide on etiquette in Spanish-speaking countries. Read up and wow your hosts with your Spanish social etiquette!

Table of Contents

1. Do’s and Don’ts for Dining
2. Do’s and Don’ts for Sightseeing
3. Do’s and Don’ts for Greetings
4. Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a House
5. Do’s and Don’ts When Riding Public Means of Transportation
6. Do’s and Don’ts for Business
7. Do’s and Don’ts for Celebrations
8. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Learn Spanish

1. Do’s and Don’ts for Dining

Eating is an important part of any culture, but dining etiquette can be really different from one country to another. This makes knowing the most basic Spanish meal time etiquette essential. Here are the most basic Spanish dining etiquette rules to keep in mind.

• No sorbas (Don’t slurp): While in other countries such as Japan, this is considered polite, it’s rude to slurp in Spain.
• No eructes (Don’t burp): Just like slurping your food, burping is considered rude in Spain. Some people definitely burp in public, but trust us, no one likes those people.
• No pongas los codos encima de la mesa (Don’t rest your elbows on the table): It’s allowed for your arms to be on the table, as long as your elbows aren’t touching it.
• No insultes la comida española (Don’t insult Spanish cuisine): While this might sound obvious, there are ways of insulting Spanish cuisine that you might not realize are offensive to Spaniards. Take this example: In 2016, Jamie Oliver made the mistake of adding chorizo to a paella and posting it online. To save you from reading the entire article, we all went mad! In case you’re wondering, chorizo doesn’t go in paella. To this day, we still haven’t forgiven him. We could give you more examples, but they’re all quite similar: someone decides to cook a Spanish recipe, but gets a little too creative and makes the entire country of Spain go berserk. Just stick to our recipes; they’re already amazing and don’t need changes!

• Deberías esperar hasta que todos estén sentados y con comida en sus platos (You should wait until everyone is seated and has food on their plates): It’s considered rude to start eating if there are people at the table who haven’t been served their food. Or, in the case of dining in someone’s house, wait until everyone, including the guest, is sitting down.
• Siempre deberías tener las manos visibles (Your hands should always be visible): While your elbows shouldn’t be on the table, as we mentioned before, hands should be.

When you’re dining at a restaurant, there are some other specific Spanish restaurant etiquette rules you need to know. For instance, is tipping expected in Spain?

• Dejar propina es opcional (Tipping is optional): Spain isn’t like other countries such as the USA, where tipping is compulsory even if your server didn’t do a good job—and not only that, but you actually need to know math to know how much you need to tip! Tipping in Spain is seen as a nice gesture, but people usually only do it when they feel like they need to reward their server for a good job. And when you do so, you don’t need to think of what percentage is appropriate. Rather, it’s more about just giving them a couple of coins, whatever you have in your wallet, as you see fit.

If you’re dining in someone’s house, however, this is what you should keep in mind:

• Deberías esperar a que alguien te muestre tu asiento o a que el resto de gente empiece a sentarse (You should wait until someone shows you to your seat or until people start to sit down): The host will often let you know where you can sit.
• Deberías ofrecer tu ayuda al anfitrión (You should offer to help the host): This is considered polite, even though most of the time they’ll tell you not to worry and ask you to take a seat.

2. Do’s and Don’ts for Sightseeing

We don’t think we need to teach you basic Spanish protocol and etiquette when it comes to sightseeing, such as not cutting in line and respecting other people’s cultures, but some things might not be exactly the same everywhere.

For example, here’s something you should always keep in mind when you’re on an escalator. They normally have signs that explain what is prohibited, such as wearing flip-flops, but there’s one unspoken rule that’s never included on the signs but that everyone knows:

• Siempre deberías quedarte en el lado derecho (You should always stand on the right side): Unless you’re walking, you should always stay on your right whenever you’re on an escalator. It doesn’t matter if you’re going up or down: the left side is only for walking. Don’t use an escalator like the man in the picture, he’s doing it wrong!

Another matter that can be a little bit complicated if you’re not familiar with it is visiting a church. Here are a few Spanish culture and etiquette tips you should know if you want to visit a church or cathedral in Spain:

• No lleves pantalones cortos ni sandalias (Don’t wear shorts or sandals): This is common in most places of worship, but it’s good to remember.
• Deberías apagar o poner en silencio el móvil (You should turn off or silence your phone): Again, this is quite normal and shouldn’t surprise you.
• Deberías prestar atención a los carteles (You should pay attention to the posters): Churches usually have posters with signs that you should follow. For example, sometimes they’ll ask you not to take photos, or if you do, to always take them without flash.

3. Do’s and Don’ts for Greetings

What is Spanish greeting etiquette? We already taught you pretty much everything you need to know about greeting someone in Spanish in different situations in our article titled How to Say “Hello” in Spanish. But we thought we should remind you of a few non-verbal gestures you should or shouldn’t do when greeting someone. (If you’re wondering about Spanish phone etiquette, though, you’ll also find this in the above-mentioned article.)

• Deberías hacer contacto visual (You should make eye contact): Unlike in some other cultures, in Spain, eye contact is seen as a symbol of confidence. However, keep in mind that while we advise you to make eye contact, you shouldn’t make it extreme. Remember to blink and don’t have your eyes wide open like a crazy person. You want to look confident, not creepy!
• Si no estás seguro de qué deberías hacer, espera unos segundos (If you’re unsure what you should do, wait a few seconds): We don’t want this greeting to become an awkward encounter, but waiting a few seconds until the other person starts the greeting won’t hurt anyone.

4. Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a House

Etiquette when visiting a house also tends to change from country to country. Here are a few Spanish etiquette tips that you’ll find helpful when you’re invited to someone’s house:

• No te quites los zapatos a menos que te digan lo contrario (Don’t take your shoes off unless told otherwise): In many cultures, it’s common to take off your shoes when you enter a house, and sometimes even other kinds of buildings. In Spain, this isn’t very common, but it still might be preferred in certain households. So what we recommend is that you don’t take them off unless they specifically ask you to do so. If you’re unsure, you can always ask them, just in case!
• Deberías llevar un detalle (You should bring a small present): It’s common to bring something, such as a bottle of wine or some sort of sweets, especially if you’ve been invited for a meal. The word we used in Spanish is detalle, which literally means “detail,” and refers to something small yet thoughtful.
• Deberías hacer un cumplido a su hogar (You should compliment their home): The classic “You have a lovely home” should do the trick. To say this in Spanish, you could go for Tienes (if you’re visiting someone who lives alone) or Tenéis (if you’re visiting someone who lives with other people) una casa preciosa.

5. Do’s and Don’ts When Riding Public Means of Transportation

We think there are not that many rules when it comes to public transportation that differ from other countries, but we’ll remind you of a few of them. Here’s some practical information on Spanish taxi etiquette and how to act when on other means of transportation.

• Deberías saludar al conductor (You should greet the driver): Either on a bus or on a taxi, it’s considered polite to greet the driver when you get in—and of course, in the case of a taxi, also when you get out. In most public buses in Spain, the exit is only through the back, so you don’t see the driver again and therefore you don’t necessarily need to say goodbye. Of course, if you’re taking the train or the metro, you won’t see the driver, so you don’t have to greet anyone.
• Deberías ofrecer tu asiento a alguien que lo necesite más que tú (You should offer your seat to someone who needs it more than you): If you’re sitting down and someone enters who might need to sit down more than you do, you should offer them your seat. We’re referring, for example, to old people, handicapped people, pregnant women, among others. Out of politeness, they might refuse it sometimes, but it’s common and considered polite to insist a little bit more.
• Debes comprar un billete (You must buy a ticket): We don’t think we need to say this, but just in case, don’t forget to pay for your ticket! Or the ride, if you’re taking a taxi.

6. Do’s and Don’ts for Business

If you work in Spain or travel there for work, you might need a couple of tips, even though Spanish business etiquette is quite international.

• Deberías dar la mano (You should shake their hand): This is the basic rule for greeting someone in a business environment, but there is an exception. As we explained in our article about greetings, it’s common in Spain to kiss someone twice when greeting them. While in this context a handshake would be the usual greeting, if you’re greeting a woman who’s offering you her cheek, you should kiss her on her cheeks; if you’re a woman and you’re greeting a man who looks like he’s about to kiss you, don’t shy out and offer him your cheek. If you ignore this greeting, it might look like you want to avoid them, and we’re sure you don’t want to do that.
• No lleves ropa informal a menos que te digan lo contrario (Don’t wear casual clothes unless told otherwise): More often than not, you should wear formal yet simple clothes.

7. Do’s and Don’ts for Celebrations

Often, celebrations have more rules than we wish they had. We’ll show you a few basic Spanish etiquette and customs for celebrations, but sometimes these rules depend on the specific event, so you might have to ask whoever invited you to the event. For example, whether you should wear formal or casual clothes, or whether you can bring your kids or not.

Something that’s applicable to different kinds of celebrations is the act of making a toast. In Spanish, this is called brindar, and there are a couple of ways of saying “Cheers.” One of them is ¡Salud! and another one, which people tend to find interesting, is ¡Chinchín! Many people think this is an onomatopoeia that resembles the clashing of glasses, but as it turns out, it actually isn’t; it comes from Chinese. In some families, it’s considered bad luck for people to drink water in these cases, but it’s nothing you need to worry about if you don’t feel like drinking alcohol.

Spanish Wedding Etiquette

• Deberías comprar un regalo (You should buy a present): It’s common to get presents for the bride and groom, but remember that you’re not meant to bring it to the wedding. Sometimes, instead of getting them a present, you can transfer some money to a bank account that they will provide.
• No vayas de blanco (Don’t wear white): The only person who’s allowed to wear white is the bride.

Spanish Etiquette for Birthdays

If it’s your birthday:

• Invita a tus amigos a una comida (Invite your friends for a meal): Either breakfast, lunch, dinner, or something in between, it’s common to invite your friends (and/or family) to have a meal, and to pay for all of them. This can be at a restaurant or at your place, and it doesn’t need to be fancy or a big celebration. We’ll leave this up to you.

If it’s someone else’s birthday:

• Deberías llevar un regalo (You should bring a present): We guess this is common in most cultures, but it’s customary to bring a present for the person who’s celebrating their birthday.

Etiquette for Births

• Deberías llevar un regalo (You should bring a present): It’s common to bring a present for the new parents, either to the hospital if they’re family or close friends, or whenever you see them. The present is normally something for the newborn, but it can be something for the parents as well.

Spanish Funeral Etiquette

• Deberías dar el pésame (You should give your condolences): It’s common to say Lo siento (I’m sorry), but if you knew this person really well, their family might appreciate it if you said something slightly more personal, yet brief. Let them know you cared about them.
• Deberías presentarte (You should introduce yourself): If the family of the deceased person never met you before, you should introduce yourself to them and let them know how you knew him or her.
• No es necesario vestir de negro (It’s not necessary to wear black): Even though it’s still rather common, it’s not compulsory to wear black clothes anymore.

Something else you should know is that it’s common to bring flowers, and sometimes even flower crowns, as a group present.

For other celebrations and festivities, such as New Year’s Eve, you can check out our lesson on Spain’s New Year’s traditions, or another lesson on how to celebrate Christmas in Spain that might be interesting to know if you’re in Spain for the holidays.

8. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Learn Spanish

Keep in mind that no one will judge you if you don’t remember all of these rules we just listed. If you’re ever unsure what you can and can’t do, don’t hesitate to ask someone. They will perfectly understand that you’re foreign and not completely familiar with our traditions and customs yet. This is especially true in very specific celebrations, such as weddings, that don’t happen everyday.

Are any of the customs we went over similar to those in your country? We look forward to hearing from you in the comments!

At SpanishPod101.com, you can learn everything you need to know about Spain, its culture, and its language. From vocabulary lists to lessons, we have anything you might need. Join us and learn Spanish like never before!

Writing and saying dates in Spanish is a must when trying to improve your understanding of the language. In today’s world, you may want to write an email, book your next holiday to a Spanish-speaking destination, or set up a date. Or maybe you’re just having trouble reading dates in Spanish. No matter your reasons for learning Spanish, learning how to write dates in Spanish correctly could help you avoid some hassle.

It’s time to learn the dates in Spanish.

Maybe you think it’s enough to translate the numbers and the months…but let me tell you that expressing dates in Spanish is different than doing so in English ( U.K. English or U.S. English).

In this article, you’ll learn the rules for writing dates in Spanish, useful phrases for asking for and telling dates in Spanish, and much, much more about Spanish dates!

Let’s start with the basics.

Table of Contents

1. Days of the Week in Spanish
2. Days of the Month in Spanish
3. Months in Spanish
4. How to Say Dates in Spanish: Years
5. How to Write the Date in Spanish
6. Spanish Vocabulary for Setting Up a Date
7. Must-Know Phrases to Talk about the Date in Spanish
8. Using Prepositions When Learning Spanish Dates
9. Spanish Expressions about Dates
10. Conclusion: How SpanishPod101 Can Help You Master Spanish Dates

1. Days of the Week in Spanish

Before getting into writing dates in Spanish format and how to say calendar dates in Spanish, you need to learn the days of the week in Spanish. The first thing you need to know is that in Spanish, the week starts on Monday instead of Sunday. You may have noticed that in the Spanish calendar, the first day is an L, for lunes; this is “Monday.” Unlike some countries, Spain and many other European countries consider Sunday to be the last day of the week, rather than the first.

Sunday is the day of prayer, and the day to go to church. This is also why on most Sundays everything is closed in Spain. Today, in the modern world, things have changed, and Sundays are just a day off for people who work a nine-to-five schedule. Sundays continue to be a day off because of Catholic tradition.

What are the rest of the days of the week in Spanish?

• Lunes = “Monday”

Example:
Los lunes han empezado a ser mi día favorito de la semana.
“Mondays are now my favorite day of the week.”

• Martes = “Tuesday”

Example:
Los martes tengo ensayo con mi grupo de percusión.
“On Tuesdays, I have a rehearsal with my percussion group.”

• Miércoles = “Wednesday”

Example:
El día que más me cuesta seguir con mi entrenamiento es el miércoles.
“The day that I find most difficult to continue with my training is Wednesday.”

• Jueves = “Thursday”

Example:
Los jueves empiezo a trabajar a las 8 de la mañana.
“I start working at 8 a.m. on Thursdays.”

• Viernes = “Friday”

Example:
¡Por fin es viernes!
“Thank God it’s Friday!”

• Sábado = “Saturday”

Example:
Los sábados aprovecho para salir de fiesta con mis amigos.
“I go out on Saturdays with my friends.”

• Domingo = “Sunday”

Example:
El domingo es el día del Señor.
“Sunday is God’s day.”

The days of the week in Spanish are all masculine, so you say el lunes for “Monday.” Unlike in English, in Spanish, you don’t need to capitalize the days.

The first five days of the week in Spanish: lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, and viernes are called días de la semana: “weekdays.” Sábado and domingo are the fines de semana: “the weekend.”

When learning the days in Spanish, you’ll also notice that in the Spanish calendar, the days of the week are written L M X J V S D. This is because martes, “Tuesday” and miércoles, “Wednesday,” start with M. To avoid confusion, miércoles will always appear as an X.

If you want a fun way to learn about them, you can also sing the days of the week in Spanish with a song!

2. Days of the Month in Spanish

In English, you must use ordinal numbers to say the date. But to say the days of the month in Spanish, you can use cardinal numbers. Uno de marzo: “First of March.”

In some Latin American countries, you may hear: Primero de mayo for “First of May.”

Here’s a list of the cardinal numbers you’ll need for months and dates in Spanish, from one to ten.

• Uno = “First“
• Dos = “Second“
• Tres = “Third“
• Cuatro = “Fourth“
• Cinco = “Fifth“
• Seis = “Sixth“
• Siete = “Seventh“
• Ocho = “Eighth“
• Nueve = “Ninth“
• Diez = “Tenth“

More examples:
Dos de mayo.
“Second of May.”

Note that while in English you must use “1st of May,” when giving dates in Spanish, you don’t need to use 1ero de mayo.

Example:
1 de mayo.
“1st of May.”

3. Months in Spanish

Learning the months of the year in Spanish can be easy because they’re almost the same as in English. Here are the names of the twelve months of the year in Spanish. It’s only Enero meaning “January” that doesn’t start with the same letter.

Another important thing to know when you’re learning the dates in Spanish is that when writing the date in Spanish, you don’t need to capitalize the month. Some may find this an informal way to write dates in Spanish, but it’s not. It’s acceptable.

• Enero = “January”
• Febrero = “February”
• Marzo = “March”
• Abril = “April”
• Mayo = “May”
• Junio = “June”
• Julio = “July”
• Agosto = “August”
• Septiembre = “September”
• Octubre = “October”
• Noviembre = “November”
• Diciembre = “December”

4. How to Say Dates in Spanish: Years

When pronouncing the years in Spanish, you can find one difference.

In English, you can say “twenty-nineteen” (2019) instead of “two-thousand nineteen.” In Spanish, you have to say dos mil diecinueve, instead of veinte diecinueve. This is one of the most common mistakes that English speakers make when learning how to write the date in Spanish. But once you get this down, learning dates in Spanish will be much simpler.

In Spanish, you can still find the use of Roman numerals when writing about centuries. As you may understand them in English, here’s a reminder of the Roman numerals from one to ten: I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII-VIII-IX-X.

Examples:

• Esto es el Siglo XX.
  “This is the 20th century.”
• El carbón fue descubierto en el Siglo II.
  “Carbon was discovered in the 2nd century.”

Another common form to use for an important date in Spanish is by using the acronyms “B.C. (before Christ),” which is a.C (antes de Cristo) in Spanish, and “A.C (after Christ)” or d.C (después de Cristo) in Spanish.

Example:

• El oro fue descubierto 6000 a.C.
  “Gold was discovered in 6000 B.C.”

5. How to Write the Date in Spanish

Now, how are dates in Spanish written out?

When learning how to write the date in Spanish, here’s the formula of how to do it right. Once you know this formula, you’ll never do it wrong again.

                              El+[day of the week]+de+[month]+de+[year]
                                        El 22 de junio de 2019

In Spanish is just the opposite of U.S. English; we use the DD/MM/YY format. A more formal way to say the date in Spanish is:

                    [day of the week], el [day of the month in number] de [month] de [year]
                              Sábado, 22 de junio de 2019

The examples above are the most common way to say the date in Spanish. However, if you want to write about the date in Spanish, there are many different ways you can do this. Also, keep in mind that writing the date varies among Spanish-speaking countries. In Spanish, these are the most popular ways:

1- Numeric

The formula for writing the date in Spanish is Day+Month+Year. However, you can divide the date in different ways:

You can divide them with dots: 12.03.2019; with slashes 12/03/2019; and with hyphens 12-03-2019. You can even omit the zero: 12/3/2019, although it’s more formal to keep the zero.

When writing the year in Spanish, you can also omit the first two numbers instead of writing out the whole of “2019.” You can just write 12/03/19, as long as the shortened year is the current year.

2- Words and Numbers

Writing the date in Spanish by mixing the numerals with words is very common, especially in setting future dates, since you may want the other person to remember the month. The formula is the same as the numerical one.

                    (number of the day)+de+(name of the month)+de+(numeral of the year)
                              22 de junio de 2019

Example:

• Nos vemos entonces el 23 de septiembre, 2019.
  “We should see, then, on the 23rd of September, 2019.”

You can also write the whole date as veintidós de junio de dos mil diecinueve or “twenty-two of June of two-thousand and nineteen.” But this is less common.

6. Spanish Vocabulary for Setting Up a Date:

• Fecha = “Date”
• Hoy = “Today”
• Fin de semana = “Weekend”
• Ayer = “Yesterday”
• Próxima semana = “Next week”
• Anteayer o antes de ayer = “The day before yesterday”
• Mañana = “Tomorrow”
• Pasado mañana = “The day after tomorrow”
• Día = “Day”
• Semana = “Week”
• Día de la semana = “Weekday”
• Mes = “Month”
• Estación = “Season”
• Año = “Year”
• Año bisiesto = “Leap year”
• Siglo = “Century”
• Milenio = “Millennium”
• Década = “Decade”

7. Must-Know Phrases to Talk about the Date in Spanish

Time is constantly and consistently present in our lives. We live in a world where we arrange the time for everything. The time to work, the time to study, the time to exercise, and the time to travel. It’s also the number-one topic of conversation topic, because when you’re learning a new language, you’ll always try to set dates to meet others so that you can talk and improve your skills. If you’re trying to break the ice, here are some questions you may ask:

• ¿Cuándo empieza el verano?
  “When does the summer start?”
• ¿Cuándo empieza la escuela?
  “When does your school start?”
• ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
  “When is your birthday?”
• ¿Tienes planes para el 14 de febrero?
  “Do you have any plans on the 14th of February?”
• ¿Qué día es hoy?
  “What day is it today?”

Note that the last phrase is only used as a reminder of the day of the week, because in Spanish it’s also used to ask the day of the month or the completion date.

You’ll also hear questions like: ¿A cuánto estamos hoy? meaning “How far are we today?” or ¿A qué día estamos hoy? meaning “What day are we on today?”

When someone asks the last question, it always refers to the day and also the current month: Hoy es veinticinco de enero meaning “Today is the 25th of January.”

8. Using Prepositions When Learning Spanish Dates

When writing and speaking about the date in Spanish, it’s essential to understand how to use the prepositions correctly. In English, you use “on” when referring to something that happened (or will happen) on a specific date: “The meeting was on Tuesday.” In Spanish, you can use el: La reunión fue el martes. “On” can be translated as en, but you need to learn how to use it appropriately.

Example:

• Estamos en marzo
  “It’s March.”

Example:

• Te veo el sabado
  “I will see you on Saturday.”

The prepositions desde-hasta and de-al are normally used to talk about date intervals. Unlike in English, where you just need to use “from” or “to.”

Example:

• El verano es desde junio hasta septiembre.
  “Summer is from June until September.”

Example:

• Estaré de vacaciones del 2 al 20 de agosto.
  “I will be on vacation from 2nd to 20th August.”

The use of the preposition del in Spanish is the union of de + el= del.

Example:

• Hoy es 14 de abril del 2019.
  “Today is the 14th of April of 2019.”

Another important preposition to learn is durante. Durante means “during” and “throughout.” In Spanish, you can use durante whenever you want to talk about a date occurring during a certain timeframe.

Examples:

• La globalización habrá empezado durante el siglo XIX.
  “Globalization may have started during the 19th century.”
• Sarah ha estado en forma durante toda su vida.
  “Sarah was very fit throughout her life.”

9. Spanish Expressions about Dates

Understanding an expression when learning a new language is the best way to know if you’re improving. Keep these Spanish expressions in mind. Make jokes while learning and leveling up!

• Gracias al mundial de fútbol, los hoteles están haciendo su agosto.
  “Thanks to the FIFA World Cup, hotels are having a field day.”

This expression means that August is one of the most touristic months. In Spain, this is when everyone takes holidays, so the tourist companies are having a field day.

• Siempre estás en medio como los jueves.
  “You’re always in between like Thursdays!”

This expression may not need any explanation. But basically, Thursdays are in the middle of the week (no one likes the middle of the week!), so when someone’s disturbing you, you can tell them this.

• En abril aguas mil.
  “In April it rains a lot.”

This expression is about the weather. April is a rainy month in Spain.

• Cuando en marzo mayea, en mayo marcea.
  “If in March mayea, in May marcea.”

This expression is also about the weather. It means that if March is like the weather in May, May will be like the weather in March.

• Como agua de mayo.
  “Like May’s water.”

This expression comes from the life in the countryside. April and May are rainy months which are perfect for the plantations. The rain allows the fruit trees to bloom in their greatest splendor. So, if someone says Como agua de mayo, it means that something has come perfectly and at the right time.

Example:

• La paga extra de verano me viene como agua de mayo!
  “The summer extra pay comes like May’s water!”

10. Conclusion: How SpanishPod101 Can Help You Master Spanish Dates

So next time you’re planning a trip with your fellow Spanish friends, you can be certain that your date matches theirs. This way, you can enjoy planning events, holidays, and days out, while also ensuring that you’ll be there at the right time.

What did you find most useful in this article? What are you still struggling with? Let us know in the comments! Remember that when it comes to dates in Spanish, practice is essential. Why not leave us a comment with today’s date in Spanish too? 🙂

You can also download our dates vocabulary sheet for free and have it on hand for any questions you may have.

SpanishPod101 has many free vocabulary lists about the Spanish days of the week, months in Spanish, and how to write the date in Spanish. Get cracking!

With enough studying, practice, and determination, you’ll be speaking Spanish like a native! And SpanishPod101 will be here for every step of your language-learning journey.

One of the most common answers language learners give when we’re asked why we chose to learn that language is because we like the country or countries where it’s spoken. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that if you’re learning Spanish, you might like to visit Spain. So why not learn Spanish travel words and phrases?

Whether you choose to travel to Spain for a short holiday or for a longer time, here you’ll learn all the vocabulary you need to find your way in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, or any other city you want to visit. You probably already know that Spanish people aren’t that great at speaking English, especially in small towns, so if you want to avoid misunderstandings, this is the way to go.

Our purpose today is to teach you some common Spanish travel phrases that will help you be understood if you need help while you’re traveling in Spain—or if you want to order food, book a hotel room, get a cab, or take the bus. But even more importantly, we’re going to help you understand the answers you’ll receive!

Surely you don’t want to ask a local how to get to your hotel only to not understand the answer. That would make the whole process of learning the questions quite useless, wouldn’t it? Well, there’s no need to worry, because we’re making sure our guide of Spanish for travelers includes all of the Spanish phrases for travel you’ll need.

Without further ado, let’s delve into our list of useful Spanish words for tourists!

Table of Contents

1. Ten Basic Expressions
2. Nine Simple Conversation Phrases
3. Nine Basic Spanish Phrases for Travel
4. Seven Sentences You Might Need When Shopping
5. Nine Sentences You Might Need in a Restaurant
6. Nine Sentences to Ask for and Give Directions
7. Six Expressions You Might Need in Case of an Emergency
8. Five Flattery Phrases
9. Ten Useful Phrases to Go through Language Problems
10. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Learn Spanish

1. Ten Basic Expressions

Let’s start from the beginning. It’s practically impossible to have a proper conversation without using any of these basic expressions, so you’re going to need them. If you already know them, don’t worry; you can skip this section! And keep in mind that to hear these Spanish travel phrases with pronunciation, as well as more Spanish words and phrases, you can visit our vocabulary lists on our website.

1- Hola

As most of you might already know, Hola means “Hello.” It’s by far the most commonly used greeting in Spanish and can be used at any time of the day.

If you would like to learn more ways of greeting someone, you can check out our article How to Say Hello in Spanish.

2- Gracias

Once again, this is one of the most common Spanish words. It means “Thank you” and it’s obviously a basic word in many conversations. We would like our tourists to be polite, so we hope you use it a lot!

3- De nada

Now you know how to say “Thank you,” but do you know what to say after someone thanks you in Spanish? De nada literally means “Of nothing” and it translates to “You’re welcome.”

4- Sí

In our first list of basic expressions in Spanish, we can’t forget to include words like “Yes” and “No.” Again, you probably already knew that sí means “yes,” but here it is just in case!

5- No

This is clearly one of the easiest travel phrases in Spanish for most of you. No in Spanish means “no.”

6- Lo siento

Lo siento is one of the most common ways of saying “I’m sorry” in Spanish and you can use it the majority of the time when you wish to apologize to someone. But if you would like to know what the most appropriate expression is for different situations, feel free to read our article on How to Say “Sorry” in Spanish.

7- No hablo español

If you don’t feel comfortable enough speaking Spanish yet, it might be useful for you to be able to say “I don’t speak Spanish.” If you want to apologize for not speaking Spanish, remember that you can combine it with the previous expression on the list: Lo siento, no hablo español.

8- Me gusta

Whenever you want to express that you like something, you can say Me gusta. If you want to be specific and say what it is that you like, you can add a verb in its infinitive form, a noun, or a pronoun.

Example: Me gusta bailar.
Translation: “I like dancing.”

Example: Me gustan los helados.
Translation: “I like ice cream.”

9- No me gusta

If you don’t like something, all you need to do is add no just before me gusta.

Example: No me gusta correr.
Translation: “I don’t like running.”

10- Por supuesto

The last expression on this list might not be as important as the rest, but it’s still good to know. Por supuesto means “of course.”

2. Nine Simple Conversation Phrases

Besides the basic expressions we just saw, there are a few sentences you might need to know so that you can have a basic conversation when you meet someone for the first time. These are often included in some of the first lessons when you start learning a language, but they’re always good to review.

You might want to take a look at our Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners in case you’re not too familiar with them yet.

1- ¿Cómo te llamas?

One of the first questions you might ask someone you just met is “What’s your name?” This is one of the key Spanish travel phrases you should know, especially when it comes to forming relationships while in Spain.

2- Me llamo Ana / Soy Ana.

Obviously, if you learn how to ask what someone’s name is, you also need to know how to reply! Two of the most common ways of saying “My name is…” are Me llamo… or Soy… followed by your name. The last one only means “I’m…” but just like in English, it’s still an option.

3- ¿Cuántos años tienes?

This is another common question: “How old are you?” Interestingly, when we talk about our age in Spanish, we use the verb tener, which means “to have.” This means that the literal translation to this question is “How many years do you have?”

4- Tengo 25 (veinticinco) años.

As mentioned above, the literal translation to this answer is “I have 25 years.” Of course, it translates to “I am 25 years old.”

If you’re not yet comfortable with numbers in Spanish, we have you covered: check out our Numbers in Spanish article.

5- ¿De dónde eres?

This question means, “Where are you from?” Because people are normally curious when they hear a foreign accent or language, it tends to be heard quite frequently when someone’s traveling.

6- Soy de Australia / Soy australiano/a.

There are two different ways of replying to the previous question, and they’re very similar to what you would say in English. Soy de Australia means, “I am from Australia,” and Soy australiano (or australiana) means “I’m Australian.”

To learn more nationalities in Spanish, take a look at our Spanish Vocabulary for Nationalities.

7- ¿Dónde vives?

And finally, here’s our last basic question. ¿Dónde vives? means “Where do you live?”

8- Vivo en Londres

As you might expect, this sentence is the answer to the previous question. Vivo en Londres means “I live in London.” We chose this city because its name is a bit different than it is in English.

Now you might be wondering if all cities have different names in Spanish. Well, luckily, this doesn’t always happen, but it does happen sometimes. Normally, when they’re not that easy to pronounce for Spanish speakers, the names will be changed. Here’s a list of Names of World Cities in Spanish that might help you.

9- ¿Me puedes sacar una foto?

This sentence isn’t as important as the rest, but it’s still really useful to know when you’re traveling. If you travel solo and your parents want to see how you’re doing on your travels, but you’re not a big fan of selfies, you’re going to have to ask someone to take a photo of you.

The way of asking “Could you take a photo of me?” in Spanish is ¿Me puedes sacar una foto?

Of course, if you’re traveling as a couple or even with a group, you might still want to ask a local to take a photo of you. You can ask this question in the plural by saying: ¿Nos puedes sacar una foto?

For a few more useful questions, take a look at our Top 15 Spanish Questions You Should Know for Conversations.

3. Nine Basic Spanish Phrases for Travel

Let’s get to more specific and useful Spanish travel phrases. Regardless of where you’re traveling, you’ll be taking cabs, trains, or buses. This is why we’ve listed a few sentences you might need if you take any of these means of transportation.

In each of these examples, we’ve marked in bold the most important part of the sentence. So, if you need to use any of these essential Spanish travel phrases for transportation, you’ll use the part in bold and change the rest of the sentence whenever you need to.

1- Three Sentences You Will Need When You Take a Cab

• ¿Dónde puedo coger un taxi?
  Translation: “Where can I take a cab?”
• Me puedes llevar a la calle San Juan, ¿por favor?
  Translation: “Could you take me to Saint John’s Street, please?”
• Al aeropuerto, por favor.
  Translation: “To the airport, please.”

2- Three Sentences You Will Need When You Take a Train

• Dos billetes para ir a Pamplona, por favor.
  Translation: “Two tickets to go to Pamplona, please.”
• Un billete de ida y vuelta a Madrid, por favor.
  Translation: “One round-trip ticket to Madrid, please.”
• ¿En qué andén se coge el tren R5?
  Translation: “On which platform can I take the R5 train?”

3- Three Sentences You Will Need When You Take a Bus

• ¿Me puedes avisar cuando lleguemos al Museo del Prado?
  Translation: “Could you let me know when we arrive to the Museo del Prado?”
• ¿Dónde me bajo para visitar la catedral?
  Translation: “Where do I get off to visit the cathedral?”
• ¿Qué autobús tengo que coger para ir a Valencia?
  Translation: “What bus do I need to take to get to Valencia?”

4. Seven Sentences You Might Need When Shopping

No matter what kind of trip you’re on, you’ll need to buy something at some point. It could be food, clothes, medicine…who knows. We’ve put together a few sentences you might need in order to buy something in Spain. These may be more advanced Spanish phrases for travel, but you can definitely master these with enough practice!

1- ¿Cuánto cuesta?

When we’re shopping, we sometimes need to ask about the price of a product, more often than not due to misplaced price tags. This is why asking “How much does this cost?” is such an important question to know. Obviously, the answer to this question is even more important. Here’s an example of how a conversation might go:

Example:
A: Perdona, ¿cuánto cuesta esta chaqueta?
B: Cuesta 35 (treinta y cinco) euros.

Translation:
A: “Excuse me, how much does this jacket cost?”
B: “It costs 35 euros.”

In case you skipped the simple conversation section in this article, we’ll remind you once more that if you want to know more about numbers in Spanish, you can check out our Numbers in Spanish article.

2- ¿Qué me recomiendas?

This question means, “What’s your recommendation?” and you might need to use it when you’re not sure what to get.

For example, one thing we’re really proud of in Spain is our jamón. You might want to try it when you visit Spain, but when you come to our supermarkets or restaurants and see all the different kinds we have, you might be confused.

In our example, because we’re asking for a specific recommendation, we’ll add a noun—the thing we’re interested in—after qué. This is optional except when what you’re referring to isn’t that obvious.

Example:
A: Qué jamón me recomiendas?
B: Este es buenísimo y no es muy caro.

Translation:
A: “What ham do you recommend?”
B: “This one is really good and it’s not too expensive.”

3- Quiero cambiar dólares a euros.

When traveling, you might need to exchange your currency for the local one, which in this case is the Euro. Specifically, the translation of this sentence is, “I want to exchange dollars for euros.”

For more information on talking about money or currency in Spanish, you might find it useful to check this vocabulary list of Words Related to Trade.

4- ¿Cómo puedo conseguir un descuento?

You might not be able to use this one as often as the other sentences on this list, depending on where you are, but it’s still good to know how to ask the question, “How can I get a discount?”

5- ¿Tienes esta camisa en otro color?

In case you see a shirt you like, but you can’t stop thinking that it would look better in a darker color, you might want to know how to ask ¿Tienes esta camisa en otro color? which means “Do you have this shirt in a different color?”

Other similar questions you might need to ask include asking for a different size. Here’s an example:

Example:
A: Perdona, ¿tienes estos pantalones en una talla más grande?
B: Lo siento, solo tenemos esta talla o una más pequeña.

Translation:
A: “Excuse me, do you have these trousers in a bigger size?”
B: “I’m sorry, we only have this size or a smaller one.”

6- ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta?

You’ll never have to ask “Can I pay by card?” in a big supermarket, but it might be helpful if you’re buying something in a small store, or in a local market.

7- ¿Dónde hay un cajero?

In case the answer to the previous question is “No” and you currently don’t have any cash on you, you’re going to need to ask where the nearest ATM is. The way to ask this is ¿Dónde hay un cajero?

If you think you might have trouble understanding the possible answers to this question, keep reading this article!

5. Nine Sentences You Might Need in a Restaurant

When it comes to Spanish travel and tourism vocabulary, we think that restaurant words and phrases just about top the list.

In this section, we’ve included a few sentences you’ll need in a restaurant. However, if we started listing all the vocabulary you would need to order food, we would be here all night long, so this is why we recommend our video All Food and Restaurant Phrases You Need. In this video, Rosa will explain everything you need to know about food in general, and also about Spanish food.

1- Mesa para dos, por favor.

Unless you’re at a fast-food restaurant, normally one of the first things you’ll have to tell the waiter is how many people will be eating, so that they can pick the right table for you. This situation can take place in a few different ways.

For example, the waiter might ask you as soon as you walk in how many people there will be. There are a few ways they can ask you this question, but the one thing we know for sure is that it will include the word cuántos, which means “how many.” He could ask ¿Cuántos son? which means “How many are you?” or ¿Mesa para cuántos? which means “Table for how many?” among others. If you’re asked this question, you can just say the number, or the magic sentence in the title.

There’s a second way this could happen: the waiter might count how many people he sees before asking that question. For example, if he counts four people, he might directly ask: ¿Mesa para cuatro?, which means, “Table for four?” If he gets the number right, you can just reply Sí. If he gets it wrong, you can correct him with the right number.

Finally, the third way this situation could go. You could be faster than the waiter and say Mesa para dos, por favor, which means “Table for two, please.” We previously said this is a magic sentence; let us explain why. If you’re still nervous whenever you need to speak Spanish and you didn’t understand what the waiter said to you, they’ll completely understand if you just say these words. Just like that, you’re in! Now let’s get you ready for what comes right after that.

2- ¿Cuál es el menú del día?

It’s common for Spanish restaurants to have a special menu for each day. Before deciding what you want to order, you can ask them ¿Cuál es el menú del día? which means “What’s the menu of the day?”

If you don’t like the special menu, don’t worry, because they’ll always have more options on the regular menu.

3- Por favor, ¿me tomas nota?

It’s quite likely that the waiter will approach you after you’ve been deciding what to get for a while. But in case you’re getting hungry and the waiter hasn’t asked what you would like to eat yet, when you see him you can ask him Por favor, ¿me tomas nota? which translates to “Can you write down my order, please?”

4- ¿Qué van a tomar?

Once the waiter has approached your table, you’ll be asked what you would like to order. It’s common for waiters to use the formal usted instead of tú, so the sentence we’ve suggested, ¿Qué van a tomar?, uses that form.

Another similar question the waiter might ask you is: ¿Ya han decidido qué van a tomar? which means “Have you decided what you’re going to have?”

Notice that both examples are in the plural. If you were eating by yourself in the restaurant, the waiter would ask ¿Qué va a tomar? instead.

5- Yo tomaré…

Of course, if you’re eating in a restaurant, you need to know how to tell your waiter what you would like to eat. Here’s an example of how to order your food in Spanish.

Example: Yo tomaré las costillas de cerdo con ensalada.
Translation: “I will have the pork ribs with salad.”

6- ¡Camarero/camarera!

If you need to call the waiter for any reason, unless you know his or her name, you’ll have to say “Waiter!” or “Waitress!” This is one of the many reasons why you should know how to say it in Spanish. If your server is a girl, you’ll have to say ¡camarera!, and if it’s a man, you’ll say ¡camarero! If you feel like that’s a bit too rude for you, you can also say Perdona, which means “Excuse me.” Here’s an example that we hope you won’t need:

Example: ¡Camarero! ¡Hay un pelo en mi sopa!
Translation: “Waiter! There’s a hair in my soup!”

7- ¿Algo más?

This question means, “Anything else?” and might be asked after you’ve ordered your food and the waiter wants to make sure that you’ve finished.

The answer to this question, if you have in fact finished ordering, could be No, eso es todo, which means “No, that is all.” If you still want to order something else, you can of course say Sí, followed by your next order.

8- Tengo alergia a…

For people with allergies, it’s important to be able to let the waiter know about it. The way to say, “I’m allergic to…” is Tengo alergia a…

Example: Tengo alergia a los cacahuetes.
Translation: “I’m allergic to peanuts.”

You might also want to ask if a specific dish contains an ingredient in particular.

Example: Perdona, ¿la crema de calabaza lleva lactosa?
Translation: “Excuse me, does the pumpkin soup contain lactose?”

To be even safer, you can check Spanish Materials and Resources from Food Allergy Research & Education for some help.

9- La cuenta, ¿por favor?

The last sentence on this list is what you might need to say last, before you leave. As you might have guessed, this is how to ask for the bill. This sentence means “The bill, please?” and even though you could ask using a full sentence instead, this is all you’ll need.

6. Nine Sentences to Ask for and Give Directions

We’re sure you knew this section would come. After all, learning directions are some of the most essential travel phrases in learning Spanish and we don’t want you to get lost when you visit our beautiful country. But if you do, we want to help you find your way.

Here are some sentences you might need if you’re lost or can’t find your destination. Because these sentences have quite simple meanings, we don’t think you’re going to need anything but their translations.

1- Estoy perdido.

Translation: “I’m lost.”

2- ¿Dónde está la estación?

Translation: “Where is the station?”

3- ¿Cómo se va a la Plaza Mayor?

Translation: “How can I get to the Main Square?”

4- ¿Dónde está el baño?

Translation: “Where is the bathroom?”

5- Está aquí mismo

Translation: “It’s right here.”

6- Está detrás de este edificio

Translation: “It’s behind this building.”

7- Ve/gira hacia la derecha

Translation: “Go/turn to the right.”

8- Ve/gira hacia la izquierda

Translation: “Go/turn to the left.”

9- Ve recto

Translation: “Go straight.”

7. Six Expressions You Might Need in Case of an Emergency

We really hope you never need to use any of these expressions, but they’re important and need to be included in this article. Just in case, here are some emergency expressions.

1- ¡Ayuda!

Translation: “Help!”

2- ¡Necesito ayuda!

Translation: “I need help!”

3- Llama a una ambulancia.

Translation: “Call an ambulance.”

4- ¿Hay algún médico?

Translation: “Is there any doctor?”

5- Llama al 112 (cien doce)

Translation: “Call 112 [the emergency number].”

6- He perdido la cartera/pasaporte.

Translation: “I’ve lost my wallet/passport.”

8. Five Flattery Phrases

Whenever you travel to a different country, locals love hearing that you’re having a good time on your trip and that you’re enjoying the country. If you want to criticize something, be careful and gentle, because as they say, you can criticize your own country as much as you want, but if a foreigner does it, they’re wrong. So if anyone asks you, try to focus on the positive side!

Here’s a few basic phrases you could use to express what you like about your trip, as well as a couple more you might need when you meet a local.

1- Me gustan los españoles.

Translation: “I like Spaniards.”

2- Me gusta la comida española.

Translation: “I like Spanish food.”

3- Me encanta España.

Translation: “I love Spain.”

4- Muy amable, gracias.

Translation: “Very kind, thank you.”

5- ¿Tienes Facebook o Instagram?

Translation: “Do you have Facebook or Instagram?”

9. Ten Useful Phrases to Go through Language Problems

Some of the most important Spanish travel phrases may be those that will help you overcome language barriers. So we want to have you covered in case you have trouble understanding someone or don’t feel too confident speaking Spanish. Just calm down and remember that you’re still learning and that we’re here to help you. The next few expressions are some of the most useful Spanish words for tourists, so pay attention.

1- ¿Hablas inglés?

Translation: “Do you speak English?”

2- No te entiendo.

Translation: “I can’t understand you.”

3- No lo sé.

Translation: “I don’t know.”

4- ¿Me lo puedes repetir?

Translation: “Could you repeat that?”

5- ¿Puedes hablar más despacio?

Translation: “Could you speak slower?”

6- No hablo español.

Translation: “I don’t speak Spanish.”

7- ¿Cómo se dice esto en español?

Translation: “How do you say this in Spanish?”

8- ¿Cómo se pronuncia esta palabra?

Translation: “How do you pronounce this word?”

9- Escríbelo, por favor.

Translation: “Write it down, please.”

10- ¿Lo puedes deletrear?

Translation: “Could you spell it?”

10. How SpanishPod101.com Can Help You Learn Spanish

Now that we’ve reached the end, we realize you’re probably thinking that these are too many expressions for you to learn straight away. We’re afraid you’re going to have to do some studying, but hey, we promise it’s going to be totally worth it! When you start learning a language, there’s nothing like the feeling of starting to understand and being understood. And we’re sure you see now that the travel phrases in Spanish language learning are so useful!

At SpanishPod101.com, there’s so much more you can learn, no matter what your level is. And now, with our guide of Spanish phrases for travelers and our Don’t Travel Without Knowing These Top 10 Verbs list, you can go anywhere in Spain. Be sure to check out all of our resources, so that you can master the language and culture while having fun!

Learn all the Spanish New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join SpanishPod101 for a special Spanish New Year celebration!

Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.

So, how do you say Happy New Year in Spanish? Let a native teach you! At SpanishPod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Spanish New Year wishes!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Spain
2. Must-Know Spanish Words & Phrases for the New Year!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Spanish
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
7. How SpanishPod101 Can Help You Learn Spanish

But let’s start with some vocabulary for Spanish New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Spain

Let’s talk about a day full of excitement, wishes, and resolutions for the Spanish people. It is called “Noche Vieja” (“New Year’s Eve“), and it is the last night of the year, the one that marks the beginning of a new year. This holiday does not stop until the next day, January 1.

Do you know why there is a tradition of eating grapes on New Year’s Eve? Keep reading and you will find out at the end!

Before midnight, it is common to have a big dinner, similar to Christmas, with all the family. On the television, all programs show New Year’s specials. The best comedians and most famous celebrities participate in these specials. Musical concerts are also common, from current and in-vogue singers, to those known by grandparents, parents and children.

As 12 o’clock approaches, you can feel the excitement. The bowls are prepared, and it’s confirmed that each contains twelve grapes. The most traditional place to eat grapes is La Puerta del Sol in Madrid. But nowadays, it is done in all cities, and it’s also common to eat them at home, in front of the television. You hear the bells chime every year. And…ton, ton! It’s finally time to eat the first grape, the second…but be careful! Every year, there are cases of choking.

Once the New Year starts, it’s normal to congratulate, hug and toast with all the family. In those toasts, it is normal to put a gold ring into a glass to attract money. From this moment on, the phone lines will be overloaded and everybody will send and receive congratulatory messages and phone calls from friends and family members. After that, it is common to go out into the street, or to a pub or nightclub. And then it’s time to celebrate until you can no longer stand!

It is normal on this day to wear new clothes for the first time, but not only that! It is also tradition to wear a new set of underwear for New Year’s Eve. Normally, it will be yellow in color if you want to attract money, or, more often, red, if you want to attract love.

And now, the answer to the earlier quiz.

Do you know why there is a tradition of eating grapes on New Year’s Eve?

It seems this tradition doesn’t have any religious or cultural motivations; it is actually economical. On New Year’s Eve of 1909, the grape harvesters had had a big harvest of grapes, and because of this, they invented the tradition of eating the lucky grapes on the last night of the year.

Happy New Year!
¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

2. Must-Know Spanish Words & Phrases for the New Year!

1- Year

Año

This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Spain could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?

2- Midnight

Medianoche

The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!

3- New Year’s Day

Día de Año Nuevo

In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.

4- Party

Fiesta

A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.

5- Dancing

Baile

Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.

6- Champagne

Champán

Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.

7- Fireworks

Fuegos Artificiales

These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.

8- Countdown

Cuenta Regresiva

This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!

9- New Year’s Holiday

Vacaciones de Año Nuevo

In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.

10- Confetti

Confeti

In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

11- New Year’s Eve

Noche Vieja

This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?

12- Toast

Brindis

A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!

13- Resolution

Propósitos de Año Nuevo

Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!

14- Parade

Desfile

New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At SpanishPod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Spanish New Year celebrations are like!

3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

So, you learned the Spanish word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at SpanishPod101 – what are yours?

Learn these phrases and impress your Spanish friends with your vocabulary.

1- Read more

Leer más.

Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Spanish in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Spanish language skills!

2- Spend more time with family

Pasar más tiempo en familia.

Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.

3- Lose weight

Bajar de peso.

Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!

4- Save money

Ahorrar dinero.

Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to SpanishPod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!

5- Quit smoking

Dejar de fumar.

This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.

6- Learn something new

Aprender algo nuevo.

Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!

7- Drink less

Beber menos.

This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!

8- Exercise regularly

Ejercitarse regularmente.

This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.

9- Eat healthy

Comer saludable.

If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!

10- Study Spanish with SpanishPod101

Estudiar Español con SpanishPod101.com

Of course! You can only benefit from learning Spanish, especially with us! Learning how to speak Spanish can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. SpanishPod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.

4. Inspirational New Year Quotes

Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.

Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Spanish new year greeting!

Make decorative notes of these in Spanish, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Spanish incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!

5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes

Still undecided whether you should enroll with SpanishPod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.

Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!

As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Spanish could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Spanish – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.

6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages

Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Spanish – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.

7. Why Enrolling with SpanishPod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!

If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Spanish! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that SpanishPod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!

• Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Spanish at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
• Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Spanish that makes sense!
• Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
• Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
• Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!

There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Spanish with SpanishPod101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Spanish? SpanishPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Spanish Christmas phrases!

Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Spanish speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, SpanishPod101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Spanish!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Mexico
2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes
3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
4. Twelve Days of Christmas
5. Top 10 Christmas Characters
6. How SpanishPod101 Can Help You

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Mexico

One of the most special days for Mexican families is Christmas or “Navidad”. As most of you probably already know, this is the holiday held in celebration of the birth of Jesus. During the Christmas season, all the streets in Mexico become filled with light and decorations. Like the streets, the houses also undergo a complete transformation, and the whole family usually helps in the process.

People in Mexico, like much of the rest of the Christian world decorate a Christmas tree, or in Spanish, “árbol de Navidad”, and place a present for each family member under it. They also typically put up a nativity scene, depicting Jesus’s birth.

Houses are cleaned until they are spotless and ready to receive all the family members, including some they maybe haven’t met up with all year. Families come together to prepare food and enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner, or “cena de Navidad”. During December 24, all families are busy cooking up a storm, the result of which they will eat over the course of the following two to three days. The most typical dishes are “romeros” (rosemary with mole sauce and pork), “bacalao” (salted fish cooked with vegetables and spices), “pierna” (marinated pork baked in the oven), and shrimp soup.

Dinner is often served at 12am, then the presents are opened one by one and shown to the rest of the family, and there is also joking, drinking and enjoying the time spent together as a family.

2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season

1- Merry Christmas!

¡Feliz Navidad!

Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Spanish? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!

2- Happy Kwanzaa!

¡Feliz Kwanzaa!

Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!

3- Have a happy New Year!

¡Que tengas un feliz año nuevo!

In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.

4- Happy Hanukkah!

¡Feliz Hanukkah!

Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.

5- Have a great winter vacation!

Que tengas unas vacaciones invernales fantásticas

This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.

6- See you next year!

¡Nos vemos el próximo año!

Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.

7- Warm wishes!

¡Mis mejores deseos!

An informal, friendly phrase to write in Spanish Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.

8- Happy holidays!

¡Felices vacaciones!

If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Spanish, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.

9- Enjoy the holidays!

¡Disfruta las vacaciones!

After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Spanish, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.

10- Best wishes for the New Year!

¡Mis mejores deseos para el año nuevo!

This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.

3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Spanish! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At SpanishPod101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!

1- Christmas

Navidad

This is the Spanish word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Spanish will include this word!

2- Snow

Nieve

In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.

3- Snowflake

copo de nieve

Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.

4- Snowman

hombre de nieve

As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.

5- Turkey

pavo

Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

6- Wreath

ramo de Navidad

Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.

7- Reindeer

reno

Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?

8- Santa Claus

Papá Noel

Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!

9- Elf

elfo

An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!

10- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rodolfo el reno de nariz roja

‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!

11- North Pole

Polo Norte

The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!

12- Sled

trineo

A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.

13- Present

regalo

Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.

14- Bell

campana

On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.

15- Chimney

chimenea

The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!

16- Fireplace

chimenea

In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!

17- Christmas Day

Día de Navidad

This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.

18- Decoration

decoración

Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.

19- Stocking

calcetín de Navidad

According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.

20- Holly

acebo

Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.

21- Gingerbread house

pan de jengibre

According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.

22- Candy cane

bastón de caramelo

According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!

23- Mistletoe

muérdago

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!

4. Twelve Days of Christmas

Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Spanish, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.

‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?

5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture

This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Spanish! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.

6. SpanishPod101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!

We don’t just say this – we can prove it! Geared to your personal needs and goals, we have several learning paths from which to choose. From Spanish for Absolute Beginners to Advanced Spanish, lessons are designed to meet you where you are, and increase your language abilities in fun, easy and interactive lessons! Mastering a new language has never been this easy or enjoyable.

We have over a decade of experience and research behind us, and it shows! With thousands of audio and video lessons, detailed PDF lessons and notes, as well as friendly, knowledgeable hosts, SpanishPod101 is simply unbeatable when it comes to learning correct Spanish. Plenty of tools and resources are available when you study with us. New lessons are added every week so material remains fresh and relevant. You also have the option to upgrade and enjoy even more personalised guidance and services. This is a sure way to fast-track your learning!

So, this Christmas, why don’t you give yourself a present and enroll in SpanishPod101? Or give an enrollment as a present to a loved one. It will be a gift with benefits for a whole lifetime, not just over Christmas!

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power – use these ones sincerely and often!

Table of Contents

1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Spanish
2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
3. Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
4. Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
5. How SpanishPod101 Can Help You

So, how do you say ‘Thank you’ in Spanish? You can learn easily! Below, SpanishPod101 brings you perfect translations and pronunciation as you learn the most common ways Spanish speakers say ‘Thanks’ in various situations.

1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Spanish

1- Thank you.

Gracias.

The magical words that can bring a smile to any face. For one day, truly mean it whenever you say these words, and see how this lifts your spirit too!

2- That’s very kind of you.

Eso es muy amable de tu parte.

This phrase is appropriate when someone clearly goes out of their way to give good service, or to offer you a kindness.

3- Thanks for your kind words!

¡Gracias por tus amables palabras!

Someone paid you a compliment and made you feel good? That is kind of him/her, so express your gratitude!

4- Thank you for coming today.

Gracias por venir hoy.

This welcoming phrase should be part of your arsenal if you’re conducting more formal meetings with Spanish speakers. If you’re hosting a party, this is also a good phrase when you greet your Spanish guests!

5- Thank you for your consideration.

Gracias por su consideración.

This is a more formal, almost solemn way to thank someone for their thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards you. It is also suitable to use when a native speaker has to consider something you submit, like a job application, a project or a proposal. You are thanking them, in essence, for time and effort they are about to, or have spent on your submission.

6- Thanks a lot!

¡Muchas gracias!

This means the same as ‘Thank you’, but with energy and enthusiasm added! It means almost the same as ‘thank you so much’ in Spanish. Use this in an informal setting with your Spanish friends or teachers.

7- Teachers like you are not easy to find.

Maestros como usted no son fáciles de encontrar.

Some phrases are compliments, which express gratitude by inference. This is one of them. If you’re particularly impressed with your SpanishPod101 teacher, this is an excellent phrase to memorize!

8- Thank you for spending time with us.

Gracias por pasar tiempo con nosotros.

Any host at a gathering with Spanish speakers, such as a meeting or a party, should have this under his/her belt! Use it when you’re saying goodbye or busy closing a meeting. It could also be another lovely way to thank your Spanish language teacher for her time.

9- Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.

Gracias por ser paciente y ayudarme a mejorar.

This phrase is another sure way to melt any formal or informal Spanish teacher’s heart! Teaching is not easy, and often a lot of patience is required from the teacher. Thank him/her for it! It’s also a good phrase to use if you work in Spain, and want to thank your trainer or employer. You will go a long way towards making yourself a popular employee – gratitude is the most attractive trait in any person!

10- You’re the best teacher ever!

¡Es el mejor profesor!

This is also an enthusiastic way to thank your teacher by means of a compliment. It could just make their day!

11- Thank you for the gift.

Gracias por el regalo.

This is a good phrase to remember when you’re the lucky recipient of a gift. Show your respect and gratitude with these words.

12- I have learned so much thanks to you.

He aprendido mucho gracias a usted.

What a wonderful compliment to give a good teacher! It means they have succeeded in their goal, and you’re thankful for it.

2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes

Wherever your destination maybe, manners are a must! And in this respect, Spain is no different.

1- Gracias.
In Spanish, there is a universal phrase for expressing one’s thanks: gracias. You can use gracias in any situation without fear of being inappropriate. If you want to emphasize the degree of thankfulness, you can add muchas before gracias to form the phrase muchas gracias, meaning, as you would expect, “thank you very much” or “thanks a lot.” Notice that gracias is acceptable both as a formal and informal expression.

2- Te doy las Gracias.
Since gracias is used so extensively on a daily basis, sometimes it may sound like an automatic response. In those situations in which you want to make sure that the person you are thanking feels that you are not mechanically saying gracias, it is advisable to use a variation just to show that you are truly thankful. You can, for example, apply a conjugated form of the verb dar, which means “to give,” in the following manner: Te doy las gracias. This sentence literally means “to you (I) give thanks,” and we should translate it as “I give you thanks.” Notice that gracias is a noun here.

3- Te lo agradezco.
Another variation for expressing thanks is using the verb agradecer. Again, if you use an expression other than gracias, you convey to the person you are talking with the feeling that you are truly thankful. A way in which you can use agradecer is as follows: Te lo agradezco, which literally means “to you it (I) thank.” We should translate it as “I thank you for it.” Notice that, unlike English, in which you must always explicitly say the subject of the sentence, you don’t need to do this in Spanish, as the conjugated form of the verb implies the subject. In this case, agradezco implies the first person, “I” (yo in Spanish).

Cultural Insights

Quick Tip Number One: When to Be Thankful

On your trip, you will be likely to use gracias or muchas gracias (depending on how grateful you are) in a multitude of situations. In no instance will you have to worry whether you have previously met your speaker, about the difference of ages, or how respectful you must be. Some situations in which you can use these phrases are as follows:

– when the taxi driver carries your luggage
– when the receptionist welcomes you to the hotel
– when the waiter brings your food or drinks
– when an old friend says how well you look
– when a policeman directs you to a place you are looking for
– when someone you’ve just met says your Spanish sounds really good
– when an older person gives you a map of the city you are visiting
– when a boy takes a picture of you with your camera

Quick Tip Number Two: Upping the Politeness Ante

If you feel you must be polite to the person you are talking to (an older person, someone you’ve just met), you can accomplish this through verb conjugation and using the polite form for usted. When you talk to someone, you can address the person as him/her using the tú form, equivalent to “you,” or the polite form usted, closer to “thou.”

Let’s rewrite the previously introduced expressions in the polite form:

Te doy las gracias (tú form) turns into Le doy las gracias (usted form)
Te lo agradezco (tú form) turns into Se lo agradezco (usted form)

Notice that the rule indicates that Te lo agradezco should become Le lo agradezco, but to avoid coming across as harsh, Le lo becomes Se lo agradezco.

On the run to Spain? Wait! You can’t go without some basic language phrases under your belt! Especially if you’re heading to meet your prospective employer! Either in person or online, knowing how to say ‘Thank you’ in the Spanish language will only improve their impression of you! SpanishPod101 saves you time with this short lesson that nevertheless packs a punch. Learn to say ‘Thank you’ in Spanish in no time!

3. Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You

Perhaps you think it’s unimportant that you don’t know what ‘Thank you’ is in Spanish, or that it’s too difficult a language to learn. Yet, as a traveler or visitor, you will be surprised at how far you can go using a little bit of Spanish in Spain!

Click Here to Listen to the Free Audio Lesson!

At SpanishPod101, we offer you a few ways of saying ‘Thank you’ in Spanish that you have no excuse not knowing, as they’re so simple and easy to learn. The lesson is geared to aid your ‘survival’ in formal and informal situations in Spain, so don’t wait! You will never have to google ‘How do you say thanks in Spanish’ again…!

4. ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages

For the global traveler in a hurry, here are 31 ways to say ‘Thank you’! These are the first words you need to learn in any foreign language – it is sure to smooth your way with native speakers by showing your gratitude for services rendered, and your respect for their culture! Learn and know how to correctly say ‘Thank you’ in 31 different languages in this short video.

5. Why would SpanishPod101 be the perfect choice to learn Spanish?

However, you need not stop at ‘Thank you’ in Spanish – why not learn to speak the language?! You have absolutely nothing to lose. Research has shown that learning a new language increases intelligence and combats brain-aging. Also, the ability to communicate with native speakers in their own language is an instant way to make friends and win respect! Or imagine you know how to write ‘Thank you’ to that special Spanish friend after a date…he/she will be so impressed!

SpanishPod101 Has Special Lessons, Tools and Resources to Teach You How to Say Thank You and Other Key Phrases

With more than a decade of experience behind us, we have taught thousands of satisfied users to speak foreign languages. How do we do this? First, we take the pain out of learning! At SpanishPod101, students are assisted as they master vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation through state-of-the-art and fun online learning methods. A library replete with learning resources allows for you to learn at your own pace and in your own space! Resources include thousands of video and audio recordings, downloadable PDF lessons and plenty of learning apps for your mobile devices. Each month, we add benefits with FREE bonuses and gifts to improve your experience.

We accommodate all levels and types of learners, from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, and SpanishPod101 is free for anyone to sign up. However, you can choose to fast track your fluency with lesson customization and increased interactive learning and practicing. Upgrade to Premium, or Premium PLUS to enhance your experience and greatly expedite your learning. With this type of assistance, and pleasurable effort on your part, you will speak Spanish in a very short period of time!

Click Here to Visit SpanishPod101!

Best of all is that you’re never alone! We believe that practice is the holy grail of learning any new language, and we gear our courses to ensure lots of it. Enroll with us, and you gain immediate access to our lively forum where we meet and greet, and discuss your burning questions. Our certified teachers are friendly and helpful, and you are very likely to practice your first ‘Thanks!’ in Spanish on him/her, AND mean it! Hurry up, and sign up now – you will thank us for it.