Spanish Conversation Survival Phrases
32 flashcards · Beginner · Language Learning
Teaches the Spanish phrases that keep a conversation going when you get stuck: saying you don't understand, asking for a repeat, buying time and reacting. Spain forms come first, with the Latin American version noted where it differs.
Best forBeginners who can say a few things in Spanish but freeze when a real conversation moves too fast.
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Perdona, no entiendo.
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You miss what they said
Sorry, I don't understand. Perdona is the everyday tú form in Spain. Perdón works with anyone, everywhere. No comprendo also exists but sounds more formal.
Perdona, no entiendo.
Pronunciation
pehr-DOH-nah, noh en-TYEN-doh
What you'll learn
- How to say I don't understand in Spanish, casual and formal
- How to ask for a repeat, slower speech or the word written down
- Fillers like a ver, pues and o sea to buy time
- Sentence starters for opinions, explanations and short stories
- Reactions that keep the conversation going and a polite way to leave
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You miss what they said · 3
- Perdona, no entiendo./ pehr-DOH-nah, noh en-TYEN-doh /
- Sorry, I don't understand. Perdona is the everyday tú form in Spain. Perdón works with anyone, everywhere. No comprendo also exists but sounds more formal.
- Perdona, no te he entendido./ pehr-DOH-nah, noh teh eh en-ten-DEE-doh /
- Sorry, I didn't understand you. Casual, to someone you call tú. This is the Spain form. In Latin America people say Perdón, no te entendí.
- Lo siento, todavía estoy aprendiendo español./ loh SYEN-toh, toh-dah-BEE-ah es-TOY ah-pren-DYEN-doh es-pah-NYOL /
- I'm sorry, I'm still learning Spanish. Many people slow down and simplify once they hear this.
Ask them to repeat or slow down · 6
- ¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor?/ PWEH-des reh-peh-TEER-loh, por fah-BOR /
- Can you repeat that, please? Casual, to a friend or someone your age.
- ¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor?/ meh loh PWEH-deh reh-peh-TEER, por fah-BOR /
- Could you repeat that for me, please? Formal (usted), to a stranger, a shop worker or an older person.
- ¿Puedes hablar más despacio, por favor?/ PWEH-des ah-BLAR mahs des-PAH-thyoh, por fah-BOR (des-PAH-syoh in Latin America) /
- Can you speak more slowly, please? Casual. To a stranger say ¿Puede hablar más despacio? In Latin America más lento is also common.
- ¿Cómo?/ KOH-moh /
- Sorry? What? What a speaker says when they did not hear you. You can say it too. Normal and polite in Spain and most of Latin America.
- ¿Mande?/ MAHN-deh /
- Pardon? What you will hear in Mexico when someone did not catch what you said. Polite, not rude. Mostly heard in Mexico.
- ¿Qué has dicho?/ keh ahs DEE-choh /
- What did you say? A speaker in Spain says this when they missed your words. In Latin America you will hear ¿Qué dijiste?
Check the meaning · 6
- ¿Qué significa esa palabra?/ keh seeg-nee-FEE-kah EH-sah pah-LAH-brah /
- What does that word mean? Use it the moment one word stops you.
- ¿Cómo se dice esto en español?/ KOH-moh seh DEE-theh EHS-toh en es-pah-NYOL (DEE-seh in Latin America) /
- How do you say this in Spanish? Point at the thing as you ask.
- ¿Quieres decir que no vienes mañana?/ KYEH-res deh-THEER keh noh BYEH-nes mah-NYAH-nah /
- Do you mean you're not coming tomorrow? Use ¿Quieres decir que...? to check you understood. Many speakers start the same check with O sea, que...
- ¿Me lo puedes escribir?/ meh loh PWEH-des es-kree-BEER /
- Can you write it down for me? Casual. To a stranger say ¿Me lo puede escribir? Useful for names, addresses and numbers.
- ¿Lo he dicho bien?/ loh eh DEE-choh byen /
- Did I say that right? Spain form. In Latin America people say ¿Lo dije bien?
- Si digo algo mal, corrígeme, por favor./ see DEE-goh AHL-goh mahl, koh-RREE-heh-meh, por fah-BOR /
- If I say something wrong, correct me, please. Casual. Most people are happy to help when you ask.
Buy time while you think · 6
- A ver/ ah BEHR /
- Let's see. Buys a second while you think. Very common everywhere. Do not confuse it with haber, which sounds the same.
- Bueno/ BWEH-noh /
- Well... As a filler it holds your turn while you think. Its normal meaning is good. In Mexico and Argentina este is also a common thinking sound.
- Pues/ pwes /
- Well... So... A very common filler in Spain and Mexico at the start of an answer.
- O sea/ oh SEH-ah /
- I mean. In other words. Use it to rephrase what you just said.
- No me sale la palabra./ noh meh SAH-leh lah pah-LAH-brah /
- The word won't come to me. Say it when you know a word but cannot remember it. Lo tengo en la punta de la lengua (it's on the tip of my tongue) also works.
- Es una cosa que sirve para abrir botellas./ es OO-nah KOH-sah keh SEER-beh PAH-rah ah-BREER boh-TEH-yahs /
- It's a thing you use to open bottles. Use Es una cosa que sirve para... to describe anything when you don't know its name.
Start your sentence · 3
- Creo que es mejor ir en tren./ KREH-oh keh es meh-HOR eer en tren /
- I think it's better to go by train. Start any opinion with Creo que... (I think that...).
- Lo que pasa es que no tengo tiempo./ loh keh PAH-sah es keh noh TEN-goh TYEM-poh /
- The thing is, I don't have time. Lo que pasa es que... starts an explanation or an excuse. The short form is Es que...
- Resulta que el bar estaba cerrado./ reh-SOOL-tah keh el bar es-TAH-bah theh-RRAH-doh (seh-RRAH-doh in Latin America) /
- It turns out the bar was closed. Resulta que... moves a short story to the surprising part.
React and keep it going · 6
- ¿En serio?/ en SEH-ryoh /
- Really? Shows you are listening and surprised. Works with anyone.
- ¡No me digas!/ noh meh DEE-gahs /
- No way! You don't say! Casual reaction to news, good or bad.
- Claro/ KLAH-roh /
- Of course. Sure. Shows you follow and agree. Claro que sí is the stronger form.
- Tienes razón./ TYEH-nes rah-THOHN (rah-SOHN in Latin America) /
- You're right. Casual. To someone you call usted say Tiene razón.
- No sé, yo no lo veo así./ noh seh, yoh noh loh BEH-oh ah-SEE /
- I don't know, I don't see it that way. A soft way to disagree without sounding rude.
- Volviendo a lo de antes, ¿vienes el sábado?/ bol-BYEN-doh ah loh deh AHN-tes, BYEH-nes el SAH-bah-doh /
- Going back to what we said before, are you coming on Saturday? Use Volviendo a lo de antes... to return to an earlier point.
Leave the conversation politely · 2
- Bueno, me tengo que ir./ BWEH-noh, meh TEN-goh keh eer /
- Well, I have to go. The usual polite way to end a chat. Starting with bueno signals the goodbye.
- Ha sido un placer hablar contigo./ ah SEE-doh oon plah-THEHR ah-BLAR kon-TEE-goh (plah-SEHR in Latin America) /
- It was a pleasure talking with you. Spain form. In Latin America people say Fue un placer hablar contigo. To someone you call usted, use con usted.
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