Spanish (Español)

Spanish is the world's second most spoken native language, with more than 600 million speakers across Spain, Latin America, and the United States. Its spelling is almost perfectly phonetic: once you learn the sounds of the letters, you can read anything aloud. Start with the phrases below and you will be understood from Madrid to Mexico City.

At a glance

Speakers: More than 600 million speakers, the world's second most spoken native language
Where it is spoken: Spain, Mexico, most of Central and South America, and the United States

30 essential phrases

Core vocabulary

Greetings

Food

Travel

Numbers

Pronunciation tips

1. Spanish vowels are pure and always sound the same: a (ah), e (eh), i (ee), o (oh), u (oo). ‘Casa’ is kah-sah, never kay-sa.
2. The rolled R in ‘perro’ is a trill of the tongue tip; the single R in ‘pero’ is one quick tap. Practice with ‘tres tristes tigres’.
3. J sounds like a strong English H: ‘jamón’ is hah-MON. G before e or i sounds the same: ‘gente’ is hen-teh.
4. Stress the second-to-last syllable unless there is a written accent: ‘gracias’, but ‘teléfono’ follows the accent mark.
5. B and V sound the same in Spanish, a soft sound between the two: ‘vino’ starts almost like ‘beeno’.