Common Spanish Words

These Spanish words for medical terms and emergencies, family, teachers in the classroom, people traveling and on vacation are essential for your Spanish language survival kit! Perhaps you need help at the airport, the bank or the post office.. maybe you want to be able to describe to your Spanish-speaking friends how you are feeling or what you enjoy doing...

Here are some of the most basic Spanish words to get you started. Further on in this lesson we will look at the pronunciation of these and more Spanish words.

  • accident - el accidente
  • la alergia - allergy
  • el antibiótico - antibiotic
  • la aspirina - aspirin
  • la clínica - clinic
  • la diarrea - diarrhea
  • el doctor - doctor
  • el dolor - pain
  • el dolor de cabeza - headache
  • el dolor de la garganta - sore throat

Resources for further reading:

If you’re traveling to a Spanish-speaking country or you're in a Spanish-speaking environment, you need some simple Spanish vocabulary for those times when you’ve got something to say or questions to ask and the people around you speak only Spanish!

I hope you find these Spanish word lists helpful. If you REALLY want to learn a lot of Spanish fast, my Rocket Spanish course is where you need to head next.

In the meantime, here are some simple English to Spanish word lists on common themes to help you on your Spanish learning journey:

Word List for Medical Terms in Spanish

Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record

Rocket Record lets you perfect your Spanish pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!

accident

el accidente

la alergia

allergy

el antibiótico

antibiotic

la aspirina

aspirin

la clínica

clinic

la diarrea

diarrhea

el doctor

doctor

el dolor

pain

el dolor de cabeza

headache

el dolor de la garganta

sore throat

el dolor del estómago

stomach ache

la enfermedad

sickness, illness

la enfermera

nurse

estornudar

to sneeze

el examen médico

physical

la fiebre

fever

la gripe

cold

la herida

wound

la inyección

shot, injection

el mareo

nausea

el medicamento

medicine

el médico

doctor

la operación

operation

el paciente

patient

la pastilla

pill, tablet

la receta

prescription

roto

broken

la sala de emergencia

emergency room

la salud

health

el síntoma

symptom

cough

la tos

la tos

cough

Spanish Words for Teachers in the Classroom

administración (la)

administration

año (el)

year

arte (el)

art

biblioteca (la)

library

biología (la)

biology

borrador (el)

eraser

cafetería (la)

cafeteria

ciencias (las)

sciences

clase (la)

class

compañero de clase (el)

classmate

computación (la)

computer science

contabilidad (la)

accounting

cuaderno (el)

notebook

curso (el)

course

diario (el)

diary

diccionario (el)

dictionary

economía (la)

economics

empresa (la)

enterprise, business

escritorio (el)

desk

escuela (la)

school

español (el)

Spanish

estadio (el)

stadium

estudiante (el, la)

student

examen (el)

exam

física (la)

physics

geografía (la)

geography

grabadora (la)

cassette recorder

historia (la)

history

horario (el)

schedule

humanidades (las)

humanities

ingles (el)

English

joven (el, la)

youth, young person

laboratorio (el)

laboratory

lápiz (el)

pencil

lección (la)

lesson

lenguas extranjeras (las)

foreign languages

librería (la)

bookstore

libro (el)

book

literatura (la)

literature

mapa (el)

map

matemáticas (las)

mathematics

mochila (la)

backpack

número (el)

number

oficina (la)

office

papel (el)

paper

periódico (el)

newspaper

pizarra (la)

blackboard

pluma (la)

pen

prueba (la)

test, quiz

psicología (la)

psychology

puerta (la)

door

química (la)

chemistry

reloj (el)

clock, watch

residencia estudiantil (la)

dormitory

semestre (el)

semester

silla (la)

chair

sociología (la)

sociology

tarea (la)

homework

tiza (la)

chalk

trimestre (el)

trimester

universidad (la)

university, college

ventana (la)

window

Spanish Words to use in an Emergency

¡Auxilio!

Help!

¡Ladrón!

Thief!

¡Fuego!

Fire!

accidente

accident

ambulancia

ambulance

peligro

danger

Spanish Words for Family

abuela (la)

grandmother

abuelo (el)

grandfather

cuñada (la)

sister-in-law

cuñado (el)

brother-in-law

esposo (el)

spouse

familia (la)

family

hermanastro (el)

stepbrother

hermano (el)

brother

hijastra (la)

stepdaughter

hijastro (el)

stepson

hijo (el)

son

hijo (la)

daughter

hijos (los)

children

madrastra (la)

stepmother

madrastra (la)

stepmother

madre (la)

mother

marido (el)

husband

medio hermano (el)

half-brother

mujer (la)

wife, woman

nieto (el)

grandson

nuera (la)

daughter-in-law

padrastro (el)

stepfather

padrastro (el)

stepfather

padre (el)

father

padres (los)

parents

parientes (los)

relatives

primo (el)

cousin

sobrino (el)

nephew

suegra (la)

mother-in-law

suegro (el)

father-in-law

tío (el)

uncle

tío (la)

aunt

yerno (el)

son-in-law

Spanish Words for People

actor (el)

actor

amigo (el)

friend

anciano (el)

elderly person

artista (el, la)

artist

bebe (el, la)

baby

chica (la)

girl

chico (el)

boy

doctor (el), médico (el)

doctor, physician

ganador (el)

winner

gente (la)

people

hombre (el)

man

ingeniero (el)

engineer

jugador (el)

player

luchador (el)

fighter

muchacha (la)

girl

muchacho (el)

boy

mujer (la)

woman

niño (el)

child

novia (la)

girlfriend

novio (el)

boyfriend

periodista (el, la)

journalist

persona (la)

person

pescador (el)

fisherman

programador (el)

programmer

trabajador (el)

worker

turista (el, la)

tourist

Spanish Verb List

abrir

to open

aburrir

to bore

acabar de

to have just done something

adquirir

to acquire

aprender

to learn

arreglar

to fix

asistir

to attend

buscar

to search, to look for

caminar

to walk

cerrar

to close

comenzar

to begin

compartir

to share

comprender

to understand

conducir

to drive

conseguir

to get, to obtain

contestar

to answer

conversar

to converse, to chat

correr

to run

creer (en)

to believe (in)

cruzar

to cross

deber

to have to; should

decidir

to decide

describir

to describe

desear

to wish for, to desire

despacio

slow

dormir

to sleep

empezar

to begin

encantar

to like very much, to love (inanimate things)

encontrar

to find

enseñar

to teach

entender

to understand

entretener

to entertain

esperar

to wait, to hope

estar

to be

estudiar

to study

explicar

to explain

faltar

to lack; to need

fascinar

to fascinate

fumar

to smoke

ganar

to win

gustar

to like, to be pleased by

hablar

to talk

hacer

to do, to make

importar

to be important to, to matter

inquirir

to inquire

interesar

to be interesting to, to interest

ir

to go

jugar

to play

levantar

to lift

llamar (por teléfono)

to call (on the phone)

llegar

to arrive

llevar

to carry

luchar

to fight

medir

to measure

molestar

to bother, to annoy

morir

to die

mostrar

to show

necesitar

to need

ofrecer

to offer

oír

to hear

oler

to smell

parecer

to seem, to appear

pedir

to ask for, to request

pensar (en)

to think about

perder

to lose

poder

to be able to, can, may

poner

to put, to place

practicar

to practice

preferir

to prefer

preguntar

to ask

preparar

to prepare

quedar

to be left over, to be remaining, to fit (clothing)

querer

to want, to love

rápidamente

rapidly

recibir

to receive

recordar

to remember

regresar

to return

repetir

to repeat

saber

to know, to know how

salir

to leave

seguir

to follow, to continue

sentir

to feel

ser

to be

suponer

to suppose

tener

to have

terminar

to finish

tomar

to take, to drink

trabajar

to work

traducir

to translate

traer

to bring

usar

to use

valer

to value

venir

to come

ver

to see

vivir

to live

volver

to return

Reflexive Spanish Verb List

acordarse (de)

to remember

acostarse

to go to bed

afeitarse

to shave

bañarse

to bathe, take a bath

cepillarse el pelo

to brush one's hair

cepillarse los dientes

to brush one's teeth

cortarse

to cut oneself

despedirse (de)

to say goodbye (to)

despertarse

to wake up

dormirse

to go to sleep, to fall asleep

ducharse

to shower, to take a shower

enojarse (con)

to get angry (with)

irse

to go away, to leave

juntarse

to get together, to join

lavarse la cara

to wash one's face

lavarse las manos

to wash one's hands

levantarse

to get up

llamarse

to be called, to be named

maquillarse

to put on one's makeup

meterse

to get in

peinarse

to comb one's hair

ponerse

to put on, to become (if followed by an adjective)

preocuparse (por)

to worry (about)

probarse

to try on

quedarse

to stay, to remain

quemarse

to burn yourself

quitarse

to take off

sentarse

to sit down

sentirse

to feel

vestirse

to get dressed

Spanish Words for Hobbies and Pastimes

bailar

to dance

béisbol (el)

baseball

broncearse

to suntan

bucear

to scuba dive

cantar

to sing

carrera (la)

race, career

ciclismo (el)

cycling

competencia (la)

competition

deporte (el)

a sport

dibujar

to draw

diversión (la)

fun activity; entertainment; recreation

equipo (el)

team

escalar montañas

to climb mountains

escribir

to write

escribir un mensaje electrónico

to write an e-mail message

escribir un postal

to write a postcard

escribir una carta

to write a letter

escuchar (la radio/música)

to listen (to the radio/music)

esquiar (acuático)

to (water) ski

excursionista (el, la)

hiker

fútbol (el)

soccer

fútbol americano (el)

American football, gridiron

golf (el)

golf

hacer compras

to go shopping

ir de excursión

to go for a hike

hockey (el)

hockey

leer

to read

leer correo electrónico

to read e-mail

leer un periódico

to read a newspaper

leer una revista

to read a magazine

mirar (la televisión)

to watch (television)

música (la)

music

nadar

to swim

natación (la)

swimming

partido (el)

game, match

pasar tiempo

to spend time

pasatiempo (el)

pastime

pasear

to take a walk, to stroll

patinar (en línea)

to skate (in-line)

pelota (la)

ball

ratos libres (los)

spare (free) time

ser aficionado

to be a fan

tenis (el)

tennis

tiempo libre (el)

free time

tomar el sol

to sunbathe

ver películas

to see movies

visitar monumentos

to visit monuments

Spanish Words for Emotions, Feelings and States

aburrido

bored, boring

adolorido

sore

agradable

pleasant

alegre

happy, joyful

avergonzado

embarrassed

cansado

tired

contento

happy, content

enamorado (de)

in love (with)

enojado

mad, angry

equivocado

wrong

feliz

happy

listo

ready

lleno

full

nervioso

nervous

ocupado

busy

ordenado

orderly, organized

preocupado (por)

worried (about)

seguro

sure

triste

sad

Spanish Words to use at the Airport

la aduana

customs

la aerolínea

airline

el aeropuerto internacional

international airport

el asiento

the seat

el avión

pl ane

la azafata

stewardess

el boleto

ticket

el carrito de equipaje

baggage cart

el cinturón de seguridad

seatbelt

el compartimiento de equipaje

overhead bins

el destino

destination

el equipaje de mano

hand luggage, carry-on

el equipaje

baggage

la escala

layover

el exceso de equipaje

excess baggage

el impuesto

tax

la inmigración

immigration

el itinerario

itinerary

la mesita

table tray

el pasajero

passenger

el pasaporte

passport

el pase de abordar

boarding pass

el pasillo

aisle

la puerta de embarque

boarding gate

el reclamo de equipaje

baggage claim

el vuelo

flight

la maleta

suitcase

llegadas

arrivals

salidas

departure

Spanish Words to Use at the Post Office

el buzón

mailbox

la carta

letter

el cartero

postman

la casilla

post office box

el correo

mail

la dirección

address

la estampilla

stamp

el paquete

package

por avión

airmail

la postal

postcard

el sobre

envelope

la tarjeta

card

Spanish Words to Use at the Bank

los ahorros

savings

el billete

bill

los billetes grandes

large bills

la caja

cash desk

el cajero

cashier

el cajero automático

ATM machine

cambiar

exchange

el cheque

check

el cheque de viajero

travelers cheque

el código SWIFT

Swift code

la cuenta

account

la cuenta bancaria

bank account

la cuenta de ahorros

savings account

el débito

debit

el depósito

deposit

la deuda

debt

el dinero

money

en efectivo

cash

las monedas

coins

el préstamo

loan

la tarjeta de crédito

credit card

la ventanilla

cashier's window

If you want more on Spanish words then check these out!

See you soon! ¡Hasta pronto!

Mauricio Evlampieff: Rocket Spanish