Spanish Vocabulary and Expressions

Vocabulary Expressions

  • a propósito – on purpose
  • causar buena/mala impresión a alguien – to make a good/bad impression on someone
  • como Pedro por su casa – with confidence, calmly
  • darle pena a alguien – to upset someone
  • desenredar – to straighten out, sort out
  • el día menos pensado – when you least expect it
  • estar conforme con – to agree with
  • feliz de la vida – happy as could be
  • meter preso – to put in jail
  • meterse en líos – to get into trouble
  • mirar de reojo a alguien – to watch someone out of the corner of one’s eye
  • para colmo – on top of it all; as if that weren’t enough
  • por casualidad – by chance
  • por cualquier cosita – for any little thing
  • por si fuera poco – on top of it all
  • quedarse callado – not to say anything
  • sentir rabia – to be furious
  • tener remedio – can be remedied
  • tomarle el pelo a alguien – to kid someone
  • ahorros – savings
  • alcancías – collection boxes
  • amor propio – self-esteem

Nouns

Common Nouns
  • andén – train, subway platform
  • bigotes – mustache
  • bolsón – book bag
  • bostezo – yawn
  • calcomanía – decal
  • cantante – singer
  • casualidad – chance
  • cierre – zipper
  • cintita – small ribbon (for girls)
  • codazo – a blow with the elbow
  • cohete – rocket
  • crisol – crucible
  • escritor/a – writer
  • etiqueta – label
  • exiliado – one who is living in exile
  • fantasma – ghost
  • historieta – comic strip
  • hoguera – bonfire
  • huellas digitales – fingerprints
  • manicomio – insane asylum
  • mechas – locks of hair
  • militar – soldier
Verbs
  • parche – patch
  • ranura – slot
  • respaldo – back of a chair
  • revistas de historietas – comic books
  • semáforo – traffic light
  • táctica – tactic
  • tener rabia – to be angry
  • tetera – teakettle
  • tijeras – scissors
  • trueno – thunder
  • uña – nail
  • valija – suitcase
  • aplastar – to crush
  • atravesar – to go through
  • atender a – to attend to, to help
  • brincar – to leap
  • conseguir – to achieve, obtain
  • delatar – to inform on somebody
  • derramar – to spill (out)
  • despedir a alguien – to let go, lay off (from a job)
  • encogerse – to huddle against the cold
Additional Actions
  • pestañear – to blink
  • ponerse a + inf – to start doing something
  • probar – to prove
  • resfriarse – to catch a cold
  • roncar – to snore
  • tejer – to knit
  • apurado – in a hurry
  • a tientas: andar or ir a ~s – to feel one’s way
  • buenmozo – good looking, handsome
  • pésimo – terrible, dismal
  • predilecto – favorite
  • revuelto – messy
  • rizado – curly (hair)
  • tieso – stiff, hard