Spanish phrases for real situations
The phrases that matter most are the ones for the situation you're about to walk into. Each page below covers one: what to say, how to say it, what it literally means, what you'll hear back, and where Spain and Latin America differ.
- Ordering a coffee in SpanishHow to order a coffee in Spanish without freezing: what to say in Spain and in Mexico, what the barista will ask you, the names of the coffees, and how to pay. With pronunciation.
- Meeting the family in SpanishSpanish phrases for meeting a partner's family: greetings, tú or usted, compliments on the food, asking people to slow down, and saying goodbye. With pronunciation and what people actually mean.
How to use these
Read a page before you need it, out loud, a couple of times. Then listen for the phrases you'll hear back; those are the ones that catch people out. Phrases you look up are easy to forget by the time you need them; phrases you've met in context stay.
Keep going
- Numbers in SpanishSpanish numbers from 0 to a million, with the rules that trip people up (veintiún, cien or ciento, quinientos), plus dates, telling the time, prices, phone numbers and ordinals. Free, no sign-up.
- How long does it really take to learn Spanish?Realistic numbers for how long it takes an English speaker to learn Spanish, level by level, from the Foreign Service Institute and CEFR estimates, and what actually makes the hours count.