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| # | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ser | to be (permanent) · being |
| 2 | estar | to be (temporary) · to be located |
| 3 | ir | to go · to match |
| 4 | tener | to have · to hold |
| 5 | haber | to have · to be (there is/are) · to have to |
| 6 | qué | what · how |
| 7 | hacer | to do · to make |
| 8 | poder | to be able to · power |
| 9 | te | you · yourself |
| 10 | con | with |
| 11 | decir | to say · to tell · to mean |
| 12 | querer | to want · to love |
| 13 | saber | to know · knowledge · to taste like |
| 14 | si | if · whether |
| 15 | ver | to see · to watch · to view |
| 16 | bien | well · okay · good · Good! |
| 17 | eso | that |
| 18 | pero | but · objection |
| 19 | tu | your |
| 20 | yo | I |
| 21 | aquí | here |
| 22 | este | this · this one · east |
| 23 | ese | that · that one |
| 24 | esto | this |
| 25 | creer | to believe · to think |
| 26 | esta | this · this one |
| 27 | ya | already · yet · now · anymore |
| 28 | como | like · as · as · about |
| 29 | bueno | good · OK |
| 30 | le | him · her · you (formal, singular) |
| 31 | todo | all · everything · every · everyone |
| 32 | lo | it · him |
| 33 | más | more · most · else · plus |
| 34 | deber | to have to · to owe · duty |
| 35 | dar | to give · to hit · to produce · to face |
| 36 | muy | very |
| 37 | ahora | now · currently |
| 38 | algo | something · anything · somewhat |
| 39 | pasar | to pass · to spend (time) · to happen · to hand |
| 40 | nos | us · ourselves |
| 41 | tú | you |
| 42 | así | like this · like that · thus |
| 43 | dejar | to leave · to let · to stop |
| 44 | hablar | to speak · to talk |
| 45 | nada | nothing · at all · nothingness |
| 46 | cuando | when |
| 47 | otro | other · another · another one |
| 48 | cómo | how |
| 49 | venir | to come |
| 50 | mucho | a lot of · a lot · much |
| 51 | sólo | only · just |
| 52 | tanto | so much · so many · so much · point |
| 53 | o | or |
| 54 | él | he · him |
| 55 | esperar | to wait · to hope · to expect |
| 56 | un hombre | man · humankind |
| 57 | pensar | to think · to intend |
| 58 | usted | you (formal) |
| 59 | necesitar | to need · to require |
| 60 | un día | day · daytime |
| 61 | una cosa | thing · matter |
| 62 | ella | she · her |
| 63 | mirar | to look at · to watch · to check |
| 64 | nuestro | our · ours |
| 65 | un dios | god · deity |
| 66 | quién | who |
| 67 | llamar | to call · to name |
| 68 | porque | because · since |
| 69 | señor | sir · Mr. · gentleman · Lord |
| 70 | tiempo | time · weather |
| 71 | mejor | better · best · better · the best |
| 72 | nunca | never |
| 73 | dónde | where |
| 74 | un año | year |
| 75 | dos | two |
| 76 | solo | only · alone · single · solo |
| 77 | verdad | truth · right? |
| 78 | una casa | house · home |
| 79 | sentir | to feel · to be sorry |
| 80 | volver | to return |
| 81 | una vez | time (occurrence) |
| 82 | ahí | there · that's when |
| 83 | salir | to go out · to leave |
| 84 | parecer | to seem · to look · opinion |
| 85 | entonces | then · so |
| 86 | matar | to kill · to slaughter |
| 87 | tomar | to take · to drink · to have (food/drink) |
| 88 | gustar | to like · to be pleasing to |
| 89 | quedar | to be left · to fit · to turn out |
| 90 | llevar | to carry · to take · to wear · to run |
| 91 | una noche | night |
| 92 | encontrar | to find · to meet |
| 93 | oír | to hear |
| 94 | ti | you |
| 95 | llegar | to arrive · to reach |
| 96 | un amigo | friend (masculine) |
| 97 | alguien | someone · anyone |
| 98 | hasta | until · up to · even |
| 99 | grande | big · great |
| 100 | sin | without |
| 101 | también | also · too |
| 102 | poner | to put · to set |
| 103 | mí | me |
| 104 | un padre | father · priest · cool |
| 105 | sobre | on · about · envelope |
| 106 | nuevo | new |
| 107 | uno | one · one |
| 108 | siempre | always · forever |
| 109 | morir | to die |
| 110 | conocer | to know · to meet |
| 111 | seguir | to follow · to continue |
| 112 | poco | few · little · not much |
| 113 | antes | before · earlier |
| 114 | ni | nor · not even |
| 115 | un hijo | son |
| 116 | seguro | sure · safe · insurance |
| 117 | alguno | some · any · one |
| 118 | ayudar | to help · to assist |
| 119 | trabajar | to work |
| 120 | nadie | nobody · no one · anyone |
| 121 | primero | first · first of all |
| 122 | mío | mine · of mine |
| 123 | escuchar | to listen |
| 124 | nosotros | we · us |
| 125 | gente | people |
| 126 | entender | to understand · to know about |
| 127 | ellos | they |
| 128 | vida | life |
| 129 | mismo | same · right · himself/herself/itself |
| 130 | les | to them · to you (plural) |
| 131 | una hora | hour |
| 132 | un tipo | type · guy |
| 133 | dinero | money |
| 134 | un lugar | place · location |
| 135 | buscar | to look for · to pick up |
| 136 | claro | clear · of course · light (color) |
| 137 | perder | to lose · to miss |
| 138 | después | afterwards · later |
| 139 | una mujer | woman · wife |
| 140 | un mundo | world · everyone |
| 141 | un chico | boy · small |
| 142 | acabar | to finish · to end up |
| 143 | vivir | to live |
| 144 | suponer | to assume · to entail |
| 145 | desde | from · since |
| 146 | tratar | to try · to treat · to deal with |
| 147 | mañana | tomorrow · morning |
| 148 | un nombre | name |
| 149 | una mano | hand |
| 150 | un niño | boy · child |
| 151 | entrar | to enter · to start · to fit |
| 152 | un papá | dad · father |
| 153 | ninguno | none |
| 154 | una madre | mother |
| 155 | trabajo | work · job · effort · assignment |
| 156 | tres | three |
| 157 | importar | to matter · to import |
| 158 | menos | less · except · minus |
| 159 | mal | badly · sick · evil |
| 160 | conmigo | with me |
| 161 | hoy | today |
| 162 | allí | there |
| 163 | traer | to bring · to fetch |
| 164 | preguntar | to ask · to ask about |
| 165 | una mamá | mom · mother |
| 166 | luego | later |
| 167 | policía | police · police officer |
| 168 | último | last · latest |
| 169 | muerto | dead · dead person |
| 170 | único | unique · only |
| 171 | una razón | reason · ratio |
| 172 | cierto | certain · true |
| 173 | listo | ready · clever |
| 174 | viejo | old · old man |
| 175 | contigo | with you |
| 176 | tal | such · so much |
| 177 | recordar | to remember · to remind |
| 178 | loco | crazy · crazy person |
| 179 | aún | still · yet |
| 180 | empezar | to start · to begin |
| 181 | pedir | to ask (for) · to order (food) |
| 182 | demasiado | too · too much / too many |
| 183 | una semana | week |
| 184 | un estado | state · condition · status |
| 185 | cada | every · each |
| 186 | intentar | to try · to attempt |
| 187 | una puerta | door · gate |
| 188 | una familia | family |
| 189 | contar | to count · to tell |
| 190 | segundo | second · second |
| 191 | regresar | to return · to go back |
| 192 | una cabeza | head · head (leader) |
| 193 | quizá | maybe · perhaps |
| 194 | terminar | to finish · to end |
| 195 | rápido | fast · quickly |
| 196 | lento | slow |
| 197 | un hermano | brother |
| 198 | algún | some · any |
| 199 | usar | to use · to wear |
| 200 | allá | over there · back then |
| 201 | comer | to eat |
| 202 | tarde | late · afternoon |
| 203 | malo | bad · evil |
| 204 | olvidar | to forget |
| 205 | quizás | perhaps / maybe |
| 206 | cariño | affection · darling |
| 207 | preocupar | to worry · to concern |
| 208 | entre | between · among |
| 209 | un minuto | minute |
| 210 | serio | serious · stern |
| 211 | amor | love · darling |
| 212 | todavía | still · yet |
| 213 | sentar | to sit · to seat · to suit |
| 214 | suceder | to happen · to succeed (to follow/take over) |
| 215 | ganar | to win · to earn · to gain |
| 216 | jugar | to play · to gamble |
| 217 | amar | to love |
| 218 | disculpar | to forgive · to excuse |
| 219 | sacar | to take out · to remove |
| 220 | un hecho | fact · done |
| 221 | suerte | luck · fate |
| 222 | una historia | history · story |
| 223 | un arma | weapon · firearm |
| 224 | un diablo | devil |
| 225 | cambiar | to change · to exchange |
| 226 | mover | to move · to move (emotionally) |
| 227 | casi | almost · nearly |
| 228 | un ojo | eye · watch out |
| 229 | una ciudad | city |
| 230 | dentro | inside · within |
| 231 | contra | against · versus |
| 232 | ocurrir | to happen · to come to mind |
| 233 | hacia | toward · around |
| 234 | miedo | fear |
| 235 | una muerte | death · fatality |
| 236 | conseguir | to get · to manage to |
| 237 | cuánto | how much · how many |
| 238 | feliz | happy · fortunate |
| 239 | cuál | which · which / what |
| 240 | un caso | case |
| 241 | pequeño | small · little |
| 242 | mientras | while · as long as |
| 243 | medio | middle · half · means |
| 244 | un muchacho | boy · guy |
| 245 | un mes | month |
| 246 | cualquier | any · whichever |
| 247 | leer | to read |
| 248 | agua | water |
| 249 | dormir | to sleep |
| 250 | una palabra | word · promise (one's word) |
| 251 | pagar | to pay · to pay for |
| 252 | una manera | way · manner |
| 253 | cuidado | care · watch out! · caution |
| 254 | abrir | to open |
| 255 | un jefe una jefa | boss · manager |
| 256 | una señora | Mrs. · ma'am |
| 257 | adelante | ahead · go ahead |
| 258 | fin | end · purpose |
| 259 | un número | number · issue |
| 260 | tocar | to touch · to play (an instrument) · to be someone's turn |
| 261 | una clase | class · lesson · kind |
| 262 | un corazón | heart |
| 263 | tierra | soil · Earth · land |
| 264 | atrás | behind · back · ago |
| 265 | una luz | light · electricity |
| 266 | propio | own · proper |
| 267 | un lado | side |
| 268 | de acuerdo | in agreement; agree |
| 269 | realmente | really |
| 270 | fuera | outside |
| 271 | junto | together · next to |
| 272 | pues | well · so / therefore · since / as |
| 273 | una guerra | war |
| 274 | pronto | soon |
| 275 | una esposa | wife |
| 276 | suficiente | enough · sufficient |
| 277 | significar | to mean · to signify |
| 278 | un perro | dog |
| 279 | una hija | daughter |
| 280 | una cara | face · expensive |
| 281 | un cuerpo | body · corpse |
| 282 | un punto | point · period · dot |
| 283 | detener | to stop · to detain / to arrest |
| 284 | fumar | to smoke |
| 285 | sangre | blood |
| 286 | fuerte | strong · loud · fort |
| 287 | igual | same · equally |
| 288 | bajo | low · under · quietly |
| 289 | durante | during · for |
| 290 | difícil | difficult · hard |
| 291 | orden | order · command · religious order |
| 292 | abajo | down · downstairs |
| 293 | callar | to be quiet · to silence |
| 294 | una pregunta | question |
| 295 | funcionar | to work · to function (as) |
| 296 | cerca | near · fence |
| 297 | correr | to run · to pay for |
| 298 | acordar | to agree · to remember |
| 299 | siquiera | even · at least |
| 300 | genial | great · brilliant |
| 301 | un cielo | sky · heaven |
| 302 | una vuelta | turn · a walk · return · change (money) |
| 303 | justo | fair / just · just / exactly |
| 304 | caer | to fall · to drop |
| 305 | un camino | road · path · way |
| 306 | un caballero | gentleman · knight |
| 307 | ayuda | help · aid |
| 308 | cinco | five |
| 309 | cuándo | when |
| 310 | un tío | uncle |
| 311 | un juego | game |
| 312 | joven | young · young person |
| 313 | mil | thousand |
| 314 | un libro | book |
| 315 | una fiesta | party · festival |
| 316 | negro | black · black |
| 317 | aunque | although · even if |
| 318 | comida | food · meal |
| 319 | una oportunidad | opportunity · chance |
| 320 | blanco | white · white |
| 321 | un equipo | team · equipment |
| 322 | un cuarto | room · fourth · quarter (one fourth) |
| 323 | comprar | to buy |
| 324 | lindo | pretty · cute · nice |
| 325 | casar | to marry |
| 326 | realidad | reality |
| 327 | una hermana | sister · nun |
| 328 | hermoso | beautiful · lovely |
| 329 | disparar | to shoot · to trigger · to skyrocket · to take a photo |
| 330 | andar | to walk · to be |
| 331 | cuatro | four |
| 332 | meter | to put · to insert · to score |
| 333 | salvar | to save (rescue) · to save (store a file or data) |
| 334 | tranquilo | calm · quiet |
| 335 | caminar | to walk |
| 336 | una escuela | school |
| 337 | un negocio | business · deal |
| 338 | afuera | outside |
| 339 | acá | here |
| 340 | fácil | easy |
| 341 | escribir | to write |
| 342 | querido | dear · beloved |
| 343 | comenzar | to begin · to start |
| 344 | encantar | to love · to enchant |
| 345 | mantener | to keep · to maintain · to support |
| 346 | un pie | foot |
| 347 | prometer | to promise |
| 348 | un millón | million |
| 349 | próximo | next · nearest |
| 350 | tonto | stupid · silly · fool |
| 351 | odiar | to hate |
| 352 | subir | to go up · to upload · to lift · to increase |
| 353 | cuidar | to take care of · to look after |
| 354 | bastante | quite · enough |
| 355 | seguridad | security · safety |
| 356 | bonito | pretty · nice |
| 357 | tampoco | neither |
| 358 | una nave | ship · vessel |
| 359 | libre | free · available |
| 360 | adónde | to where / where to |
| 361 | un rey | king |
| 362 | arriba | up · upstairs · up above |
| 363 | una cuenta | bill · account |
| 364 | una foto | photo |
| 365 | alto | tall · high · stop |
| 366 | mayor | older · larger |
| 367 | sueño | dream · sleepiness |
| 368 | un bebé | baby |
| 369 | un fuego | fire |
| 370 | desear | to desire/want · to wish |
| 371 | tuyo | yours |
| 372 | una niña | girl |
| 373 | una noticia | news · news item |
| 374 | recibir | to receive · to welcome |
| 375 | largo | long · length |
| 376 | robar | to steal · to rob |
| 377 | un avión | airplane · plane |
| 378 | parar | to stop · to stand up |
| 379 | un país | country · nation |
| 380 | paz | peace |
| 381 | preparar | to prepare |
| 382 | un asunto | matter · issue · subject |
| 383 | una calle | street |
| 384 | santo | holy · saint |
| 385 | una prueba | test · trial · proof |
| 386 | vivo | alive · lively · clever |
| 387 | perdón | sorry · forgiveness · excuse me |
| 388 | enviar | to send · to submit |
| 389 | cerrar | to close |
| 390 | peor | worse · worse · worst |
| 391 | un pueblo | town · people |
| 392 | bajar | to go down · to lower · to get off (a vehicle) · to download |
| 393 | lejos | far |
| 394 | una película | movie · film |
| 395 | un cambio | change · change (money) |
| 396 | raro | strange · rare |
| 397 | seis | six |
| 398 | temer | to fear |
| 399 | jamás | never · ever |
| 400 | una cama | bed |
| 401 | derecho | right · law · right · straight |
| 402 | médico | doctor · medical |
| 403 | una llave | key · tap |
| 404 | despertar | to wake up · to wake (someone) |
| 405 | extraño | strange · stranger |
| 406 | un modo | way · mode · mood |
| 407 | partir | to leave · to split · to start from |
| 408 | una carta | letter |
| 409 | faltar | to lack · to miss (an event) / to be absent from |
| 410 | duro | hard · difficult |
| 411 | anoche | last night |
| 412 | verdadero | true · real |
| 413 | beber | to drink |
| 414 | una maldición | curse · swear word |
| 415 | pelear | to fight · to argue |
| 416 | ropa | clothes · clothing |
| 417 | además | besides · in addition · moreover |
| 418 | una habitación | room · bedroom |
| 419 | una respuesta | answer · reply |
| 420 | un dolor | pain · ache |
| 421 | permitir | to allow · to permit · to let |
| 422 | un ejército | army · military |
| 423 | una compañía | company · companionship |
| 424 | confiar | to trust · to rely on |
| 425 | mentir | to lie |
| 426 | perdonar | to forgive · to pardon |
| 427 | acerca | about |
| 428 | un campo | field · countryside |
| 429 | un frente | front · forehead · in front of |
| 430 | pasado | past · the past · spoiled |
| 431 | gusto | taste · pleasure |
| 432 | un recuerdo | memory · souvenir |
| 433 | sonar | to ring · to sound |
| 434 | una línea | line · telephone line |
| 435 | volar | to fly · to blow up |
| 436 | un viaje | trip · journey |
| 437 | una mente | mind |
| 438 | suyo | his · yours (formal) · hers · theirs |
| 439 | lograr | to achieve · to manage to |
| 440 | un sitio | place · site · room |
| 441 | encima | on top (of) · on top of that |
| 442 | un mensaje | message |
| 443 | soldado | soldier |
| 444 | referir | to tell · to refer |
| 445 | enfermo | sick · patient |
| 446 | escapar | to escape · to run away · to escape notice |
| 447 | aprender | to learn |
| 448 | un trasero | butt · rear |
| 449 | un grupo | group · band |
| 450 | un barco | boat · ship |
| 451 | una señal | signal · sign |
| 452 | un servicio | service |
| 453 | alegrar | to make happy · to cheer up |
| 454 | levantar | to lift · to pick up · to get up |
| 455 | una boca | mouth · entrance |
| 456 | una llamada | call (phone call) |
| 457 | pobre | poor |
| 458 | detrás | behind |
| 459 | resto | the rest · remainder |
| 460 | un sistema | system |
| 461 | una ley | law |
| 462 | una señorita | Miss · young woman |
| 463 | servir | to serve · to be useful · to work |
| 464 | una espera | wait |
| 465 | incluso | even · including |
| 466 | adentro | inside · indoors |
| 467 | bienvenido | welcome · welcome |
| 468 | demás | the others / the rest · besides / in addition |
| 469 | romper | to break · to tear · to break up |
| 470 | diez | ten |
| 471 | rojo | red |
| 472 | un brazo | arm |
| 473 | un placer | pleasure |
| 474 | un futuro | future · future |
| 475 | maravilloso | wonderful · marvelous |
| 476 | una caja | box · cash register |
| 477 | sino | but rather · fate |
| 478 | molestar | to bother · to disturb · to mind |
| 479 | ello | it · that |
| 480 | una novia | girlfriend · bride · fiancée |
| 481 | peligroso | dangerous · risky |
| 482 | rico | rich (wealthy) · delicious |
| 483 | quitar | to remove · to take off |
| 484 | permiso | permission · permit |
| 485 | una voz | voice · say (opinion) |
| 486 | abogado | lawyer · attorney |
| 487 | culpa | fault · guilt |
| 488 | un ataque | attack · assault · seizure |
| 489 | existir | to exist |
| 490 | papel | paper · role |
| 491 | cortar | to cut · to cut off |
| 492 | un baño | bathroom · bath |
| 493 | música | music |
| 494 | una perra | female dog · bitch (vulgar) |
| 495 | un tren | train |
| 496 | calmar | to calm · to soothe |
| 497 | mostrar | to show · to demonstrate |
| 498 | imaginar | to imagine · to suppose |
| 499 | vino | wine |
| 500 | sentido | sense · direction · consciousness |
The 500 most frequent Spanish words cover roughly 67% of everyday spoken Spanish — about two out of every three words you hear. It is the point where you stop feeling lost and start catching the gist of most conversations.
For simple, everyday exchanges, yes — 500 high-frequency words plus a little grammar is enough to understand and be understood in basic situations. To follow native-speed conversation and shows comfortably, keep going toward 1,000–1,500 words.
At 15–20 new words a day with spaced repetition, most learners reach 500 words in about four to six weeks. Because these are the highest-frequency words, you also see them constantly in real content, which reinforces them naturally.
Follow the frequency ranking top to bottom. The list is ordered so that each word you learn is at least as useful as the next, which means your comprehension rises as fast as possible per word learned.
Free for your first 500 words, with spaced repetition built in. Or take the 2-minute level test to see which words you already know.