You’ve decided you want to learn Spanish, so now you need to know some Spanish basics for beginners.
I totally get you, and it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to start. Luckily, there are some good things to know when you first learn.
In this article, I’m breaking down some basic concepts every beginner should know. That way, you can start learning Spanish confidently!
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Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation
Assuming you already have a good command of English, you’ll probably find the Spanish alphabet relatively easy to learn. Both languages use the latin script, after all.
However, in Spanish, you’ll occasionally see the use of accent marks. The most famous of this is probably the tilde above the N (ñ).
But you can also see accent marks going up and to the right on the vowels: á, é, í, ó, ú. Less common accents include the diacritic, which uses two dots, and in Spanish, it occurs over the u, like: ü.
You’ll also see all of these letters without any accent marks.
My favorite thing about pronunciation is that Spanish only has 5 vowel sounds.
- A = ah
- E = ay
- I = ee
- O = oh
- U= oo
It doesn’t matter whether there’s an accent or where in the word a vowel falls. That makes it super easy to remember how to pronounce vowel sounds.
One of the biggest differences is how you pronounce certain consonants. The Spanish J sounds more like the English H, while the Spanish H is often not pronounced.
Depending on the dialect you want to learn, you may also pronounce Z and C (before I and E) in Spanish like an English TH.
Essential Beginner Spanish Vocabulary
When starting to learn Spanish, don’t forget some basic vocabulary.
Greetings to Know
Of course, you can’t speak to people if you can’t greet them properly.
- Hola – hello
- Adiós – goodbye
- Buenos días – good morning
- Cómo está(s) – how are you?
- En que puedo ayudarle? – how can I help you?
Polite Words
Spanish has two levels of politeness, and that can dictate how you conjugate verbs. But for now, here are some polite words and phrases you should learn:
- Por favor – please
- Gracias – thank you
- De nada – you’re welcome
- Lo siento – I’m sorry
- Disculpa – excuse me
Other words to know include sí (Spanish for yes) and no (the same in English and Spanish).
Spanish Sentence Structure for Beginners
Spanish sentence structure is unique from English but it shares a few similarities. At the most basic level, the word order is the same:
- I eat breakfast = Yo como desayuno
- I = yo, eat = como (yo form of comer), breakfast = desayuno
Some common sentences have a slightly different:
- Me gusta bailar = I like to dance
- Me gusta = it pleases me, bailar = to dance
When you first learn Spanish, you want to learn the grammar basics. But don’t let it stress you out to the point that you don’t learn anything.
Spanish Verb Conjugation
Another important Spanish basic for beginners is the concept of verb conjugation. I found it especially confusing because in English, we don’t do it as much.
But in Spanish, each form of the verb is slightly different. For example, we might say:
- I eat
- You eat
- He/she/it eats
- We eat
- You all eat
- They eat
With the exception of the third person singular (he/she/it), all forms are the same. But here’s how those same conjugations look in Spanish:
- Yo como
- Tú comes
- Él/Ella/Usted come
- Nosotros comemos
- Vosotros comeis
- Ellos/Ustedes comen
Note that in Spanish, usted and ustedes are formal versions of you (singular and plural, respectively).
Numbers in Spanish
Spanish uses the same written numerals as in English. Of course, the way you say them or write the numbers in words is different. Here’s up to 20:
- Zero = cero
- One = uno
- Two = dos
- Three = tres
- Four = cuatro
- Five = cinco
- Six = seis
- Seven = siete
- Eight = ocho
- Nine = nueve
- Ten = diez
- Eleven = once
- Twelve = doce
- Thirteen = trece
- Fourteen = catorce
- Fifteen = quince
- Sixteen = dieciseis
- Seventeen = diecisiete
- Eighteen = dieciocho
- Nineteen = diecinueve
- Twenty = veinte
Days of the Week in Spanish
- Monday = lunes
- Tuesday = martes
- Wednesday = miércoles
- Thursday = jueves
- Friday = viernes
- Saturday = sábado
- Sunday = domingo
Keep in mind a difference in referring to the days of the week. In English, we might say “I work on Monday.” So it sounds right to say “Yo trabajo en lunes” with “en” meaning “on.”
But that’s not actually grammatically correct. Instead, you would say “Yo trabajo EL lunes.”
Months in Spanish
- January = enero
- February = febrero
- March = marzo
- April = abril
- May = mayo
- June = junio
- July = julio
- August = agosto
- September = septiembre
- October = octubre
- November = noviembre
- December = diciembre
Beginner Spanish Mistakes to Avoid
I hear so many Spanish students make mistakes that can really hold them back. Here are some things you want to avoid if you want to learn Spanish easily.
Don’t translate word-for-word from English: I know, it’s tempting, especially when you’re still learning the most basic of grammar.
However, Spanish and English grammar aren’t identical, so you can’t just replace your English sentences with Spanish words.
Don’t focus solely on grammar rules: learning Spanish requires balance of vocabulary and grammar study with real-world context.
I love listening to music, watching TV shows, and reading a little. And you can do all of that in Spanish to help supplement your studies.
Start speaking sooner than you think: I had the benefit of learning absolute beginner Spanish in a classroom, so I got to speak, but not everyone has that.
If you’re learning Spanish by yourself, speaking feels scary. But don’t be afraid to say little things right away to help work on pronunciation and speaking confidence.
FAQs About Spanish Basics for Beginners
Is Spanish easy for beginners?
Like any new skill, Spanish can be easier for some than others. As a beginner, you’ll have a lot of new information to digest.
Don’t hesitate to slow down so that you can learn and absorb each new concept. That way, you can enjoy what you learn and get even better.
How long does it take to learn Spanish as a beginner?
The time it takes to learn Spanish as a beginner varies based on your goals. You could learn a few words in minutes.
But to be fluent can easily take years or even decades. It all depends on how fluent you want to get and how much time you can dedicate each day.
What is the best way to learn Spanish for beginners?
There are multiple beginner-friendly methods to learn Spanish. Whether you like to learn with others in a class or on your own with apps, there’s something for everyone.
I’d recommend trying a few methods to see what you enjoy and what works best for you. That way, you can find the study strategy that helps you.
Final Thoughts
Learning Spanish basics for beginners can be overwhelming and scary. But it’s crucial if you want to push past the beginner stage and make progress.
Be sure you bookmark this article to help you study the basics. And don’t forget to head over to our Spanish flashcards for even more study tools!