25 Phrases to Master Everyday Spanish Conversations

9 min video

Everyday conversations become easier when useful phrases come to mind quickly. Lucía presents expressions you can practice for common Spanish exchanges.

Watch the lesson

Try it yourself

Pick five phrases from the video and imagine where you would use each one. Say a short reply after every phrase, then review the same five tomorrow without looking at your notes.

Watch the original lesson on YouTube.

Edited lesson transcript and examples

Read the complete substantive lesson in its original order. This readable transcript is edited from the full original manual English captions and original automatic caption track, with Spanish forms and examples checked against the actual video graphics. Caption errors and punctuation are repaired. Contextual English translations and labelled learner notes are additions; the instructor’s coaching, humor and teaching priorities are retained. Chapter timestamps are approximate. Music and the brand bumper are omitted.

All twenty-five numbered phrase groups and original mini-dialogues are included. The opening pregnancy joke is retained with a word-meaning note; the Venus example is corrected with a labelled factual explanation. The supermarket conversation practice is the next video recommended in the closing, not an invented extra dialogue.

• 0:00 — Everyday conversations
• 0:33 — 1. Long time no see
• 0:52 — 2. How’s it going?
• 1:09 — 3. I’m in a hurry
• 1:23 — 4. See you
• 1:52 — 5. Keep me updated
• 2:12 — 6. Another day
• 2:40 — 7. What’s up?
• 3:05 — 8. What shall we do?
• 3:21 — 9. What do you think?
• 3:39 — 10. Something to eat or drink
• 4:07 — 11. Have you heard?
• 4:37 — 12. A favor
• 5:07 — 13. It’s all right
• 5:16 — 14. As always
• 5:36 — Study guide
• 5:47 — 15. No idea
• 6:02 — 16. Introductions
• 6:26 — 17. I hadn’t told you
• 6:40 — 18. Who knows?
• 7:03 — 19. Weather
• 7:24 — 20. Agreement
• 7:37 — 21. I can’t believe it
• 7:47 — 22. That’s great
• 7:57 — 23. Fed up
• 8:18 — 24. Imagine
• 8:45 — 25. Ya ves and the practice recommendation

0:00 — Everyday conversations

Estoy… Soy… No puedo…
Example translation: I am… I am… I can’t…

The opening joke shows someone freezing up in Spanish. If you’re learning Spanish but still freezing in real conversations, don’t worry. By the end of the video, you’ll know twenty-five key phrases to help you feel confident in everyday conversations.

¡Qué embarazo!
Example translation: What a pregnancy! — the deliberately awkward joke in the video’s English caption.

Learner note — The opening joke: For everyday “How embarrassing!”, ¡Qué vergüenza! is a useful expression. The video makes a pregnancy joke with embarazo; the word also has a dictionary sense of awkwardness or lack of ease, so it is not accurate to prohibit every embarrassment-related use. Source: RAE dictionary: embarazo.

Miss these phrases, and you’ll keep feeling stuck. Stay until the end for the phrase I use all the time, and an interesting practice recommendation.

0:33 — 1. Long time no see

Let’s start with the most basic part of a conversation: greetings.

¡Qué de tiempo! / ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte!
Example translation: Long time no see!

We usually say this when greeting someone.

0:52 — 2. How’s it going?

¿Cómo te va?
Example translation: How’s it going?

¿Qué andas haciendo?
Example translation: What are you doing these days?

Carmen, ¡qué de tiempo! ¿Cómo te va? Hace mucho que no sé de ti
Example translation: Carmen, long time no see! How’s it going? I haven’t heard from you in a long time.

1:09 — 3. I’m in a hurry

Tengo mucha prisa, me tengo que ir
Example translation: I’m in a hurry. I have to go.

Perdóname, tengo mucha prisa, me tengo que ir. Otro día hablamos
Example translation: Sorry, I’m in a hurry. I have to go. Let’s talk another day.

You don’t always have time for a long conversation.

1:23 — 4. See you

Nos vemos / Nos vemos pronto / Hasta luego
Example translation: See you / See you soon / See you later.

We use these a lot to say goodbye. They work as alternatives in these farewells. I describe nos vemos and nos vemos pronto as especially common when talking in person: ver means to see, and nos vemos is we see each other. Hasta luego is an option you can use even if you aren’t actually going to meet or talk soon.

1:52 — 5. Keep me updated

Ve contándome
Example translation: Keep me updated; literally, keep telling me.

Nos vamos contando
Example translation: Let’s keep each other updated.

These are often used when finishing a conversation. If you’ve talked about something that’s going on, you’re asking the other person to keep you updated.

2:12 — 6. Another day

Quedamos otro día / Nos vemos otro día
Example translation: Let’s meet another day / See you another day.

We often say this even if we don’t really intend to meet again soon. It’s very normal to say it. And then she never saw that person again! I’ll show you introductions in a minute; first, some common casual questions.

2:40 — 7. What’s up?

¿Qué pasa?
Example translation: What’s going on? What’s up?

I think I say this every time I meet someone. It’s very common as a greeting.

Ey, Carlos, ¿qué pasa?
Example translation: Hey, Carlos, what’s up?

Don’t confuse it with:

¿Qué te pasa?
Example translation: What’s wrong? What’s wrong with you?

Laura, no tienes buena cara… ¿Qué te pasa? ¿Estás bien?
Example translation: Laura, you don’t look well… What’s wrong? Are you okay?

3:05 — 8. What shall we do?

¿Qué hacemos?
Example translation: What shall we do?

¿Qué te apetece hacer?
Example translation: What do you feel like doing?

¿Qué quieres hacer?
Example translation: What do you want to do?

These are alternatives for deciding what to do in the situation shown.

3:21 — 9. What do you think?

¿Tú qué opinas? / ¿Tú qué crees? / ¿Tú qué piensas?
Example translation: What do you think?

Oye, ¿tú qué opinas? ¿Me queda mejor la camiseta roja o la azul?
Example translation: Hey, what do you think? Does the red T-shirt or the blue one look better on me?

All three questions can ask for someone’s view in this context.

3:39 — 10. Something to eat or drink

¿Quieres tomar algo?
Example translation: Would you like something to eat or drink?

¿Te apetece… una cerveza?
Example translation: Would you like… a beer?

People often go to bars to chat with friends, so this question is used a lot. It commonly means drinks and tapas, or just drinks: you’re suggesting going to a bar. You also use it when someone comes to your house.

Pasa, ¿quieres tomar algo?
Example translation: Come in. Would you like something to eat or drink?

4:07 — 11. Have you heard?

¿Te has enterado de que…?
Example translation: Have you heard that…?

¿Sabes que…?
Example translation: Do you know that…?

Perfect for gossiping.

¿Te has enterado de que Laura y Manuel han roto?
Example translation: Have you heard that Laura and Manuel have broken up?

You can also introduce a curious fact.

¿Sabes que Venus gira en el sentido de las agujas del reloj?
Example translation: Do you know that Venus rotates clockwise?

Learner note — The science example: The video says Venus is el único planeta, the only planet, that rotates clockwise. The written example removes that incorrect uniqueness claim: NASA identifies both Venus and Uranus as planets with retrograde rotation. Clockwise here uses the usual view from north of the Solar System’s orbital plane. Source: NASA Uranus facts.

4:37 — 12. A favor

¿Te puedo pedir un favor?
Example translation: Can I ask you a favor?

As simple as that. I hate this phrase because I feel forced to say yes before knowing what someone will ask.

Oye, ¿te puedo pedir un favor?
Example translation: Hey, can I ask you a favor?

Sí, claro
Example translation: Yes, of course.

¿Me puedes dejar 10 000 euros?
Example translation: Can you lend me €10,000?

¿Qué dices?
Example translation: What?!

I’ll show you some short sentences to keep your listener happy. First, common casual replies.

5:07 — 13. It’s all right

No pasa nada
Example translation: It’s all right; no problem.

I say this all the time when someone says sorry.

Perdona
Example translation: Sorry.

5:16 — 14. As always

Como siempre
Example translation: As always.

Pedro ha suspendido el examen de matemáticas
Example translation: Pedro has failed the math exam.

Pues como siempre
Example translation: Well, as always.

Igual que siempre
Example translation: Same as always.

You can also say igual que siempre with the same meaning.

5:36 — Study guide

If this grammar feels difficult, download our free study guide. It guides you step by step as you learn Spanish on your own. The link is in the video’s description.

5:47 — 15. No idea

Ni idea / No tengo ni idea
Example translation: No idea / I have no idea.

¿Cuándo sale el próximo autobús?
Example translation: When does the next bus leave?

6:02 — 16. Introductions

Te presento a… mi hermana
Example translation: This is my sister; literally, let me introduce my sister to you.

When you’re with someone and run into a person you know, you normally introduce them.

Te presento a… mi amiga Antonia
Example translation: This is my friend Antonia.

Este es mi primo Luis
Example translation: This is my cousin Luis.

6:26 — 17. I hadn’t told you

No te lo había contado
Example translation: I hadn’t told you; I didn’t tell you, in this conversational context.

Ay, no te lo había contado. ¿Sabes que mañana me caso?
Example translation: Oh, I hadn’t told you. Did you know I’m getting married tomorrow?

¿Cómo?
Example translation: What?!

6:40 — 18. Who knows?

¿Quién sabe?
Example translation: Who knows?

We talk a lot about possibilities, so you hear this a lot.

A lo mejor me acabo casando con él
Example translation: Maybe I’ll end up marrying him.

Igual llueve el día de tu cumpleaños, quién sabe
Example translation: Maybe it’ll rain on your birthday. Who knows?

If you like the lesson, please give it a thumbs up. Gracias—you’re the best!

7:03 — 19. Weather

¡Qué calor hace! / ¡Qué frío hace!
Example translation: It’s so hot! / It’s so cold!

When people don’t know what to talk about or want to change the subject, they talk about the weather. Now the last phrases: ways to agree with or react to something.

7:24 — 20. Agreement

Estoy totalmente de acuerdo
Example translation: I totally agree.

Deberíamos cambiar el horario de esta clase
Example translation: We should change the time of this class.

Totalmente de acuerdo
Example translation: I totally agree.

7:37 — 21. I can’t believe it

No me lo puedo creer
Example translation: I can’t believe it.

María está embarazada
Example translation: María is pregnant.

7:47 — 22. That’s great

¡Qué bien!
Example translation: That’s great!

¡He aprobado el examen!
Example translation: I’ve passed the exam!

7:57 — 23. Fed up

Estoy harto / Estoy harta
Example translation: I’m fed up.

Use it on its own, or add de for what you’re sick of.

Estoy harto de ti
Example translation: I’m sick of you.

Estoy harta de que me mientas
Example translation: I’m sick and tired of you lying to me.

8:18 — 24. Imagine

Imagínate
Example translation: Imagine; you can imagine.

Use it to empathize or invite the other person to empathize with you.

Todo el día trabajando, imagínate
Example translation: Working all day—can you imagine?

Ella está muy triste desde entonces
Example translation: She’s been very sad since then.

Imagínate…
Example translation: You can imagine…

8:45 — 25. Ya ves and the practice recommendation

Here’s the last one. I use it all the time, and it’s a really easy reply.

Ya ves
Example translation: Yeah; exactly; literally, you see.

You use it to agree with what someone said.

El alemán es muy difícil
Example translation: German is very difficult.

Ya ves
Example translation: Yeah, it is.

I use it too much! Now for real conversation listening practice: my friend and I went to the supermarket to flirt and filmed everything. Come to the recommended video, see what happens, and learn Spanish while having fun with us.