Lesson 1 — Use Your First Spanish Survival Phrases
When someone speaks to you in Spanish, you may understand only a few words—or nothing at all. You do not need to pretend that you understand. These Spanish survival phrases will help you ask for repetition, request slower speech and continue the conversation with more confidence.
Basic Grammar — Applied to This Lesson
Spanish Survival Phrases for Beginners
Listen to each phrase and repeat it three times. Speak slowly first, then try again at a natural speed.
I don’t understand
🔊 No entiendo.
Use this when you do not understand what someone has said.
It is direct but not rude. You can use it at work, in a shop, at an appointment or during any everyday conversation.
Listen and repeat three times.
More slowly, please
🔊 Más despacio, por favor.
Use this when someone is speaking too quickly.
Por favor makes the request polite. You can say this before or after explaining that you do not understand.
Listen and repeat three times.
Can you repeat?
🔊 ¿Puede repetir?
Use this to ask someone to say the same information again.
This is a polite form suitable for strangers, employers, receptionists, shop assistants and other people you do not know well.
Listen and repeat three times.
What does it mean?
🔊 ¿Qué significa?
Use this when you hear or read a word that you do not know.
You can also point to a word on a document, sign or mobile screen while asking the question.
Listen and repeat three times.
Again, please
🔊 Otra vez, por favor.
Use this short expression when you want to hear something one more time.
It is useful when you almost understood the information but need another opportunity to listen.
Listen and repeat three times.
I am learning Spanish
🔊 Estoy aprendiendo español.
Use this to explain why you need more time or help.
It tells the other person that you are still learning. The person may then speak more slowly or use simpler words.
Listen and repeat three times.
I speak a little Spanish
🔊 Hablo un poco de español.
Use this when you can communicate a little but cannot follow a fast or complicated conversation.
It honestly explains your current level without ending the conversation.
Listen and repeat three times.
Can you write it down?
🔊 ¿Puede escribirlo?
Use this when seeing the information in writing would make it easier to understand.
It is particularly useful for names, addresses, telephone numbers, appointment times and unfamiliar words.
Listen and repeat three times.
Pronunciation — The Five Spanish Vowels
Spanish has five basic vowels:
🔊 a — e — i — o — u
Their pronunciation is generally clearer and more consistent than in English. Try not to change the sound depending on the word.
A
🔊 a
The Spanish a is an open sound, similar to the vowel in the English word “father”.
Examples from this lesson:
🔊 Más
🔊 Hablo
E
🔊 e
The Spanish e is short and clear. It is close to the vowel in “bed”, but it should not become an English “ay” sound.
Examples:
🔊 Entiendo
🔊 Repetir
I
🔊 i
The Spanish i sounds similar to “ee” in the English word “see”, but it is usually shorter.
Examples:
🔊 Significa
🔊 Escribirlo
O
🔊 o
The Spanish o is a clear, rounded sound. Avoid adding a second vowel sound at the end.
Examples:
🔊 No
🔊 Poco
U
🔊 u
The Spanish u sounds similar to “oo” in the English word “food”.
Example:
🔊 Puede
Now repeat the vowels three times:
🔊 a — e — i — o — u
Keep every sound short and clear.
Practise What You Have Learned
(H5P — Quiz aquí)
Recommended H5P activity: Question Set
Include the following eight questions. Allow the learner to retry the activity and show the correct answer after an incorrect attempt.
Question 1 — Multiple choice
Someone speaks very quickly. What should you say?
a. ¿Qué significa?
b. Más despacio, por favor.
c. ¿Puede escribirlo?
Correct answer: b. Más despacio, por favor.
Question 2 — Fill in the blank
Complete the phrase:
No __________.
Correct answer: entiendo
Question 3 — Multiple choice
You hear a word that you do not know. What should you ask?
a. ¿Puede repetir?
b. ¿Qué significa?
c. Hablo un poco de español.
Correct answer: b. ¿Qué significa?
Question 4 — Matching
Match each situation with the correct phrase.
You do not understand.
No entiendo.
You want the person to say it again.
¿Puede repetir?
You need the information in writing.
¿Puede escribirlo?
The person is speaking too quickly.
Más despacio, por favor.
Question 5 — Fill in the blank
Complete the expression:
Otra vez, por __________.
Correct answer: favor
Question 6 — Multiple choice
Which phrase tells someone that you are currently studying Spanish?
a. Estoy aprendiendo español.
b. ¿Puede escribirlo?
c. Otra vez, por favor.
Correct answer: a. Estoy aprendiendo español.
Question 7 — Choose two answers
Which two expressions can you use when you want to hear the information again?
a. ¿Puede repetir?
b. Otra vez, por favor.
c. ¿Qué significa?
d. No entiendo.
Correct answers: a and b
Question 8 — Short answer
Complete the sentence:
Hablo ____________________________.
Possible correct answer: un poco de español
Listen to a Short Dialogue
Follow these steps:
- Listen without reading.
- Listen again while reading.
- Read the dialogue aloud.
- Answer the questions.
Dialogue
🔊 Tiene que venir mañana.
🔊 No entiendo. Más despacio, por favor.
🔊 Mañana.
🔊 ¿Puede repetir?
🔊 Mañana.
🔊 Estoy aprendiendo español. ¿Puede escribirlo?
Check Your Understanding
- Does the second person understand immediately?
- What does the second person ask the speaker to do?
- Why does the second person ask for the information in writing?
Answers
- No, the second person does not understand immediately.
- The second person asks the speaker to speak more slowly and repeat.
- Because the second person is learning Spanish and needs help understanding the information.
Use the Phrases in a Real Situation
Imagine that you are in a new workplace. Someone gives you an instruction in Spanish, but the person speaks too quickly and you do not understand.
Do not look back at the phrases yet.
Say three expressions that could help you continue the conversation.
Pause and answer aloud.
Possible Response
🔊 No entiendo. Más despacio, por favor. ¿Puede repetir?
You can also explain your situation:
🔊 Estoy aprendiendo español.
If listening is still difficult, ask:
🔊 ¿Puede escribirlo?
Now imagine that you are at a reception desk. You hear an unfamiliar word.
What can you ask?
Possible Response
🔊 ¿Qué significa?
There can be more than one correct response. The objective is to explain the problem and ask for the help you need.
Write a Short Survival Message
Imagine that you need to show someone a message because spoken Spanish is difficult for you.
Write four short lines:
- Say that you do not understand.
- Explain that you are learning Spanish.
- Ask the person to repeat.
- Ask the person to write the information.
Try to write the message from memory before checking the example.
Possible Answer
No entiendo.
Estoy aprendiendo español.
¿Puede repetir, por favor?
¿Puede escribirlo?
Read your message aloud once.
Final Challenge
Answer without looking back at the lesson.
Situation 1
Someone is speaking too quickly.
What do you say?
Situation 2
You do not understand an instruction.
What do you say?
Situation 3
You want to hear the information again.
What can you say?
Situation 4
You do not know the meaning of a word.
What do you ask?
Situation 5
You need an address in writing.
What do you ask?
Situation 6
You want to explain that your Spanish is limited.
What can you say?
Possible Answers
Situation 1
Más despacio, por favor.
Situation 2
No entiendo.
Situation 3
¿Puede repetir?
or
Otra vez, por favor.
Situation 4
¿Qué significa?
Situation 5
¿Puede escribirlo?
Situation 6
Estoy aprendiendo español.
or
Hablo un poco de español.
Basic Grammar — Applied to This Lesson
Put “no” before the verb
In Spanish, place no directly before the verb to make a sentence negative.
Entiendo.
I understand.
No entiendo.
I do not understand.
Spanish does not use an extra word equivalent to the English auxiliary “do” in this sentence. You simply place no before entiendo.
Spanish questions have two question marks
Written Spanish uses an opening question mark and a closing question mark:
¿Puede repetir?
¿Qué significa?
¿Puede escribirlo?
The opening mark tells the reader where the question begins. Remember to use both marks when writing in Spanish.
“¿Puede…?” makes a polite request
In this lesson, ¿Puede…? means “Can you…?” or “Could you…?”
¿Puede repetir?
¿Puede escribirlo?
This is a polite way to ask for help when speaking with a stranger, an employer, a receptionist or another person you do not know well.
You can add por favor to make the request sound even more courteous:
¿Puede repetir, por favor?