Language guides
Learn Spanish: where to start, and a first-500-words approach
A vocabulary-first starting guide for Spanish beginners: pronunciation, articles, core verbs, themes and a simple daily plan. No inflated promises.
By Adlans · Published: · Last updated: · 5 min read
Spanish is spoken across a large part of the world and is a popular choice for travel and work. Starting rarely feels scary, but “where do I begin?” is still a real question. This guide is vocabulary-first.
Why Spanish is friendly to start with
- Spelling mostly follows pronunciation. You can usually guess how a word is read.
- Many Latin-based words. If you know English, French or Italian, you will recognise a lot.
- Plenty of material in music, video and text.
It has demanding parts too: noun gender, verb conjugation and regional variation.
The first-500-words approach
Many learners focus first on the most frequent few hundred words because a small set of common words covers a large share of everyday speech. A caveat: “500” is not magic; it is a concrete starting target, and there is no single correct list.
How to apply it:
- Start with themes: greetings, numbers, family, food, places, transport, time.
- Put core verbs first: ser/estar (to be), tener (to have), ir (to go), querer (to want), hacer (to do/make).
- See every word in a sentence, such as Tengo un amigo.
- Use sound. Listen to every word and say it aloud once.
A tiny sample list (our own)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| hola | hello |
| gracias | thank you |
| por favor | please |
| agua | water |
| casa | house |
| amigo / amiga | friend |
| comer | to eat |
| querer | to want |
| grande | big |
| hoy | today |
This is not an official frequency list; it only shows the kind of start we mean.
Learn nouns with their articles
Every Spanish noun is masculine or feminine (el libro, la casa). Learning the noun with its article saves you from fixing it later.
Beware of false friends
Some words look like English but mean something different. For example, Spanish embarazada means “pregnant”, not “embarrassed”. Double-check look-alike words before using them.
Which level to start at?
From zero, start at A1. See what is CEFR, and the beginner principles in the A1 vocabulary guide, which apply to Spanish as well.
A simple daily plan
This is only an example:
- 5-10 new words a day to start; see how many words a day.
- A short review the same day and an attempt to recall the next day.
- Once a week, write a short paragraph with what you have learned.
Regional differences
Spain and Latin America differ in vocabulary and usage, and there is variation within Latin America too. Core beginner words are shared; look at regional differences once your goal is clear.
Spanish in Frigya
Spanish is one of Frigya’s target languages. You choose your level (A1-C2) and daily goal for it separately, meet new words in Discover and reinforce them with spaced repetition in Learn, and you can listen to words and example sentences. See the Spanish guide and the languages page. Another approach: how to memorize vocabulary.
Pronunciation: what makes Spanish approachable
Spanish pronunciation is relatively consistent, so once you learn the rules you can read new words correctly. A short primer:
- Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) are always clear and similar; they do not shift like English vowels.
- “h” is silent: hola (OH-la), hoy (oy).
- “ll” and “y” give a similar sound in most regions.
- “j” and “g” (before e, i) give a throaty “h” sound: jugo, gente.
- “ñ” sounds like “ny” in “canyon”: año.
Listening to these rules once and reinforcing them makes the pronunciation of every later word easier.
The most useful phrases: your first week
Learn a few ready-made phrases alongside words so you can use them straight away:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Cómo te llamas? | What’s your name? |
| Me llamo … | My name is … |
| ¿De dónde eres? | Where are you from? |
| Soy de … | I’m from … |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much is it? |
| No entiendo | I don’t understand |
| ¿Puede repetir, por favor? | Could you repeat that, please? |
Practising these aloud, with a friend or alone, makes the words instantly usable.
A first look at verb conjugation
Spanish verbs change by person. At first, learn a few persons of the most common verbs rather than whole tables:
- ser (to be, permanent): soy, eres, es
- estar (to be, state/place): estoy, estás, está
- tener (to have): tengo, tienes, tiene
- querer (to want): quiero, quieres, quiere
Conjugate each verb once, then use it in short sentences. Start with the “I” and “you” forms; most early conversation uses those two.
A sample first-month roadmap
This plan is only a suggestion:
- Week 1: greetings, introductions, numbers 1-20. 5 words a day.
- Week 2: food, drink, shopping phrases. 5-10 words a day.
- Week 3: family, home, daily routine. Basic verbs (ser, estar, tener).
- Week 4: places, directions, transport. Try to recall the first three weeks’ words.
At the end of each week, write or say a small dialogue with what you learned. After a month, the real achievement is not hundreds of words but a regular habit.
Tips for English speakers
- Gender is new. English nouns have no gender, so learn each noun with el or la from the start.
- The subject pronoun is often dropped. Hablo español means “I speak Spanish”; the verb ending shows who is speaking.
- Double negatives are normal. No tengo nada literally means “I don’t have nothing” and is correct.
- Questions start with an upside-down mark. ¿Cómo estás? It is only a writing detail, but it is useful to notice when reading.
Spanish word lists
Themed lists to go with the plan: everyday life, food and drink and travel.
Summary
- Spanish is friendly to start: consistent spelling and shared roots.
- Begin with themes and core verbs, in sentences, with audio.
- Learn nouns with articles and watch for false friends.
- Small daily goal plus steady review.
