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One Language Labs journey

Use one connected route: retrieve and rehearse here, then use the classic SIOC Spanish Lab for grammar maps, situation vocabulary, sentence banks, dialogues and spoken examples.

Open classic Spanish Lab →Daily practiceA0–C1 vocabularyArrival packRepair & classroomAfter classExam tasksPrintable pack

Spanish Intensive Vocabulary

The most useful spoken words, short everyday sayings, and contemporary youth language — from absolute beginner (A0) to advanced (C1), plus exam-focused practice.

A0–A1 Core A2 Everyday B1 Conversation B2 Natural C1 Advanced Youth / informal Short Sayings Exam Prep
A0 – A1

Survival Core

Highest-frequency words and phrases to start speaking from day one.

Greetings & basics
Hola
Hi / Hello
¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?
Buenos días / Buenas tardes
Good morning / Good afternoon
Adiós / Hasta luego
Goodbye / See you later
Por favor / Gracias
Please / Thank you
Un café, por favor. ¡Gracias!
De nada
You’re welcome
Perdón / Disculpa
Sorry / Excuse me
¿Cómo estás? / ¿Qué tal?
How are you?
Bien, gracias
Fine, thanks
Me llamo…
My name is…
Me llamo Ana.
Mucho gusto
Nice to meet you
Sí / No
Yes / No
No sé
I don’t know
Essential verbs (present)
ser / estar
to be (essence / state)
Soy español. Estoy cansado.
tener
to have
Tengo hambre. ¿Tienes tiempo?
hacer
to do / make
¿Qué haces? Hago una pausa.
ir
to go
Voy a casa. ¡Vamos!
venir
to come
¿Vienes conmigo?
querer
to want
Quiero un helado.
poder
can / to be able
¿Puedo entrar?
deber
must / should
Debo estudiar.
saber / conocer
to know (facts / people)
decir / hablar
to say / to speak
comer / beber
to eat / to drink
ver / oír
to see / to hear

Card examples (Leitner)

Look at the front, say the back out loud, then check. Wrong → Box 1.

Front (cue)Say hello.
Back (say out loud)Hola.
Front (cue)Say your name.
Back (say out loud)Me llamo…
Front (cue)Ask how someone is.
Back (say out loud)¿Cómo estás? / ¿Qué tal?
Front (cue)Say please and thank you.
Back (say out loud)Por favor. Gracias.
Front (cue)Say you don’t know.
Back (say out loud)No sé.
Front (cue)Say you want water.
Back (say out loud)Quiero agua. / Quisiera agua.
A2

Everyday Spoken Spanish

Daily life vocabulary and short phrases Spaniards actually use.

Useful short phrases
  • ¿Qué tal?
    How’s it going?
  • Todo bien / Vale
    All good / Okay
  • Espera un momento
    Wait a moment
  • ¿Qué haces esta noche?
    What are you doing tonight?
  • Nos vemos luego
    See you later
  • ¡Qué fuerte!
    No way! / That’s crazy!
  • No me lo creo
    I can’t believe it
  • ¿De verdad?
    Really?
  • Ojalá
    I hope so / If only
  • No pasa nada
    No worries / It’s fine
  • Menos mal
    Thank goodness
  • Claro / Por supuesto
    Of course
B1

Real Conversation Building

Connectors & fillers
entonces / pues
so / well
sin embargo / pero
however / but
o sea / tipo
that is / like
según yo / en mi opinión
in my opinion
me parece / creo que
it seems to me / I think that
por ejemplo
for example
en realidad / al final
actually / in the end
pues nada / bueno
well / so (spoken fillers)
B2

Natural & Nuanced

a decir verdad
to tell the truth
en cierto modo
in a way
no es que…
it’s not that…
tiene sentido
it makes sense
no tiene nada que ver
that has nothing to do with it
me da la sensación de que…
I have a feeling that…
depende
it depends
al fin y al cabo
at the end of the day
C1

Advanced — Precision & Register

Argumentation & formal register
sin embargo / no obstante
however / nonetheless
por lo tanto / en consecuencia
therefore / as a consequence
a pesar de / pese a
despite
aunque / si bien
although
cabe destacar que
it is worth noting that
en cuanto a / respecto a
regarding
es innegable que
it is undeniable that
se puede objetar que
one can object that
Useful idioms
  • Costar un ojo de la cara
    To cost an arm and a leg
  • Estar en las nubes
    To have one’s head in the clouds
  • No tener pelos en la lengua
    To speak bluntly
  • Buscar una aguja en un pajar
    To look for a needle in a haystack
  • Ser pan comido
    To be a piece of cake
  • Meter la pata
    To put one’s foot in it
Youth / contemporary informal language

How young Spanish speakers talk

Current informal expressions. Use carefully — context and region matter.

Tío / Tía
Dude / mate (very common in Spain)
Mola / Mola mogollón
It’s cool / It’s really cool
Flipar
To be amazed / freak out
“Flipé con la película.”
Guay / Chulo
Cool / nice
Currar / Curro
To work / job (colloquial)
Ir a mi bola
To do one’s own thing
Estar flipando
To be going crazy / amazed
Qué fuerte / Qué pasada
That’s insane / amazing
Venga ya
Come on / no way
En plan
Like… (filler)
“Estaba en plan cansado.”
High-value chunks

Short sayings used every day

  • ¿Qué pasa?
    What’s up?
  • Todo en orden
    Everything in order
  • Déjalo
    Leave it / drop it
  • Haz lo que quieras
    Do as you like
  • Me da igual
    I don’t care / whatever
  • ¡Qué lío!
    What a mess!
  • Poco a poco
    Little by little
  • Más vale tarde que nunca
    Better late than never
  • Hasta la próxima
    Until next time
  • Nos vemos
    See you
Exam Prep

DELE · SIELE — What you need

Spanish certification overview. Use the official DELE or SIELE provider information for current formats, scoring and registration rules.

Quick comparison
DELE (Instituto Cervantes)
Levels A1–C2. Paper-based. Globally recognised for study, work, citizenship.
SIELE
Adaptive online exam. Scores on a continuum. Faster results.
Citizenship / residence
Often DELE A2 or higher depending on country rules.
High-value exam phrases
El presente texto pretende…
This text aims to…
A favor de esta idea…
In favour of this idea…
Es fundamental subrayar que…
It is essential to emphasise that…
A la luz de lo expuesto…
In light of the above…
En conclusión, se puede afirmar que…
In conclusion, one can state that…
Por un lado… por otro…
On the one hand… on the other…
Grammar priorities B2→C1
  • Subjuntivo
    Triggers, tenses, sequence — expected in formal writing and many oral tasks.
  • Condicional & oraciones condicionales
    All types (real, potential, impossible).
  • Pronombres de objeto
    lo/la/le, se lo, placement with modals.
  • Pasiva & se pasiva
    Especially in formal and journalistic texts.
  • Conectores avanzados
    sin embargo, no obstante, a pesar de, por lo tanto…

Use this with the daily practice system

Pair vocabulary and exam phrases with the 30–45 minute daily routine and the interactive checklist.

Back to Daily Practice →
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