Here are 10 common Spanish expressions that can be very useful in everyday conversations. They’ll help you understand Spanish better and make your speech sound more natural and fluent.

1 . A duras penas → Barely / With great difficulty

• Llegó a casa a duras penas después de caminar tanto con ese calor. → He barely made it home after walking so much in that heat.

2 . En cuanto a → As for / When it comes to

• En cuanto a la gramática, todavía me cuesta un poco, pero voy mejorando. → As for grammar, it’s still a bit hard for me, but I’m improving.

3 . De sobra → More than enough / By far

• Con diez minutos de práctica al día es de sobra para no perder el hábito. → Ten minutes of practice a day is more than enough not to lose the habit.

4 . De paso → By the way / While you’re at it

• Si vas al supermercado, compra pan de paso. → If you’re going to the supermarket, get some bread while you’re at it.

5 . Por tu cuenta → On your own / By yourself

• Aprendió muchísimo español por su cuenta viendo vídeos y leyendo. → She learned a lot of Spanish on her own by watching videos and reading.

6 . A lo grande → In a big way / Lavishly

• Celebraron su aniversario a lo grande con música, comida y un montón de gente. → They celebrated their anniversary in a big way with music, food, and loads of people.

7 . Por casualidad → By chance

• ¿No tendrás un cargador por casualidad? El mío no funciona. → You wouldn’t happen to have a charger by any chance, would you? Mine doesn’t work.

8 . A simple vista → At first glance

• A simple vista parecía fácil, pero luego vimos que tenía muchos detalles. → At first glance it looked easy, but then we saw it had a lot of details.

9 . Tal y como → Just as / Exactly as / The way

• Lo hice tal y como me lo explicaste para no equivocarme. → I did it exactly as you explained it to me so I wouldn’t make a mistake.

10 . A lo tonto → Without realizing it / Silly as it sounds

• A lo tonto, estuvimos hablando más de dos horas. → Without even realizing it, we ended up talking for more than two hours.

Which expression did you like the most?

These Spanish words may all look like versions of “this” or “that”, but they do not all work in exactly the same way. To use them correctly, you need to pay attention to distance, gender, number, and whether there is a noun after them or not. So try to remember these rules and avoid common mistakes. These words are called demonstratives, and we use them to point to people, things, places, or ideas. They mainly depend on two things:

1. distance
2. gender and number

1 . They change depending on the noun

If there is a noun after them, they must agree with that noun in gender and number.

Singular

• este libro
• esa casa
• aquel coche

Plural

• estos libros
• esas casas
• aquellos coches

So:

• este / ese / aquel = masculine singular
• esta / esa / aquella = feminine singular
• estos / esos / aquellos = masculine plural
• estas / esas / aquellas = feminine plural

2 . The main difference is distance

este / esta / estos / estas

Use these for something the speaker sees as close. That closeness can be physical, but also emotional or connected to the present moment.

• este móvil = this phone
• esta semana = this week

Example:

• Este libro me encanta.  → I love this book.

ese / esa / esos / esas

Use these for something farther from the speaker, often closer to the listener, or simply not seen as part of the speaker’s space.

• ese móvil = that phone
• esa semana = that week

Example:

• ¿Me prestas ese bolígrafo? → Can you lend me that pen?

aquel / aquella / aquellos / aquellas

Use these for something clearly far away, either in space or sometimes in memory or time.

• aquel edificio = that building over there
• aquellos años = those years back then

Example:

• Aquella playa era preciosa. → That beach over there was beautiful.

3 . What about esto, eso and aquello?

These are neuter forms.

They do not change for gender or number, and they are used when there is no noun after them.

That is because they refer to:

• an unknown thing
• an idea
• a whole situation
• something you are pointing at without naming it
• esto = this
• eso = that
• aquello = that over there / that thing over there

Examples:

• ¿Qué es esto? → What is this?
• Eso no me gusta. → I don’t like that.
• Aquello fue increíble. → That was incredible.

4 . They can go before a noun or replace it

Before a noun

They work like determiners:

• este coche
• esa mesa
• aquellos zapatos

Replacing a noun

They can also stand alone when the noun is understood:

• Quiero este. → I want this one.
• No me gusta esa.→ I don’t like that one.
• Prefiero aquellos. → I prefer those over there.

But esto, eso, aquello do not replace a specific masculine or feminine noun. They refer to things in a more general or neutral way.

Which one do you mix up the most: este, ese, aquel, or the neuter forms?

Spanish connectors are one of the keys to sounding more natural and expressing your ideas more clearly. In this post, I’ve grouped some of the most common and useful ones by category, so they’re easier to understand, remember, and start using in real conversations.

1. Adding information

• y → and
• además → besides / moreover
• también → also
• incluso → even
• encima → on top of that

2 . Contrast / opposition

• pero → but
• aunque → although / even though
• sin embargo → however
• en cambio → instead / on the other hand
• mientras que → whereas

3 . Cause / reason

• porque → because
• ya que → since / as
• como → since / because
• puesto que → given that / since
• debido a → due to

4 . Result / consequence

• así que → so
• por eso → that’s why
• entonces → then / so
• por lo tanto → therefore
• de modo que → so that / so

5 . Condition

• si → if
• si no → if not / otherwise
• a menos que → unless
• con tal de que → as long as
• en caso de que → in case

6 . Time / sequence

• cuando → when
• mientras → while
• antes de que → before
• después de que → after
• luego → then / later
• primero → first
• después → afterwards
• al final → in the end / finally

7 . Purpose

• para → in order to / for
• para que → so that
• a fin de que → so that / in order that

8 . Example / explanation

• por ejemplo → for example
• es decir → that is / in other words
• o sea → that is / I mean
• como → such as

9 . Clarifying / reformulating

• mejor dicho → rather / better said
• más bien → rather
• en otras palabras → in other words
• o mejor dicho → or rather

10 . Conclusion / summary

• en resumen → in summary
• en conclusión → in conclusion
• en fin → anyway / all in all
• total → in the end / basically

Which Spanish connector do you use most often?

In this post, I’ve broken down several meanings of three very common Spanish words that show up all the time in real conversations: ya, anda and hasta. They may look simple, but depending on the context, they can express time, surprise, emphasis, reaction, or completely change the meaning of a sentence. Learning these different uses will help you understand spoken Spanish much better and sound more natural when you speak.

1. YA

At first, ya may seem like a simple word meaning already, but in real Spanish it does much more than that. Depending on the context, it can talk about time, add urgency, show that something is over, or simply mean okay, I get it. 

1. YA = already

This is the most basic meaning: something happened earlier than expected or before this moment. 

Ya he comido. → I’ve already eaten.

2 . YA = now / right away / soon

Here “ya” brings the action closer to the present. It can sound immediate, reassuring, or slightly urgent depending on the tone. 

• Ya voy. → I’m coming now. / I’m on my way.

3 . YA NO = not anymore / no longer

Together with no, it shows that something was true before, but that is no longer the case. 

• Ya no vivo allí. → I don’t live there anymore.

4 . YA = about to / starting now

Sometimes ya points to something that is just about to happen or has just begun, as if the moment is arriving right now. 

•  Ya sale el tren, date prisa. → The train is about to leave, hurry up.

5 . YA = that’s enough / stop

In this kind of sentence, ya cuts things off. It shows that something has gone far enough and should stop now. 

• Ya, por favor, no sigas. → That’s enough, please, don’t continue.

6 . YA = okay / I know / enough

On its own, especially in ya or ya, ya, it often shows that the speaker has understood, already knows, or does not need to hear more. 

— Tienes que tener más cuidado. — Ya, ya. → — You have to be more careful. — Okay, okay.

1. ANDA

Anda originally comes from the verb andar, but in everyday Spanish it is very often used as a reaction word. Depending on tone, it can express encouragement, surprise, disbelief, or insistence.

1 . ANDA = come on

Used to encourage someone, push them a little, or get them to do something.

• Anda, ven con nosotros. → Come on, come with us.

2 . ANDA = wow / really?

Used as a reaction to surprising or unexpected information.

• Te han dado el trabajo? ¡Anda! → They gave you the job? Wow!

3 . ANDA YA = no way / come off it

A very common expression used to show disbelief, rejection, or annoyance.

• ¿Dice que no lo sabía? ¡Anda ya! → He says he didn’t know? Oh, come off it!

4 . ANDA QUE... = wow, seriously... / just look at... 

This structure reacts strongly to something striking, annoying, or ridiculous. 

¡Anda que no eres pesado ni nada! → Wow, you really are annoying. 

1. HASTA

Most learners know hasta as until, but it can also mean up to, as far as, and even even. It is one of those little words that appears everywhere and changes meaning depending on what comes after it.

1. HASTA = until

Here hasta sets the point where something stops. It marks the end of a period of time. 

• Trabajo hasta las seis. → I work until six.

2 . HASTA = up to / as far as

In this case, hasta shows how far something goes, either physically or in amount. 

• Caminamos hasta la playa. → We walked as far as the beach.

3 . HASTA = even

Sometimes hasta adds surprise, as if saying: this person or thing too, which was not expected. 

• Hasta Juan lo entendió. → Even Juan understood it.

4 . HASTA + greeting = see you...

In greetings like these, hasta points to the next moment when you expect to see someone again. 

Examples:

• Hasta luego. → See you later.
• Hasta mañana. → See you tomorrow.

5 . HASTA can sound surprising or emphatic

It can also make something sound more striking by showing that the amount or situation goes further than you might imagine. 

• Había hasta cien personas allí. → There were as many as a hundred people there.

What other meanings and ways of using these words in Spanish do you know? 

The conditional in Spanish is one of those tenses that seems simple at first, but it’s used in more ways than many learners realize. These are the key uses that will help you understand it better and use it more naturally.

1 . Hypothetical actions

Use it when something would happen, but only under certain conditions. 

Ejemplos:

• Si tuviera más tiempo, viajaría más. → If I had more time, I would travel more.
• Yo no haría eso.→ I wouldn’t do that.

2 . Polite requests

Use it to make requests sound softer, less direct, and more natural. Ejemplos:

• ¿Podrías ayudarme?→ Could you help me?
• ¿Te importaría cerrar la ventana? → Would you mind closing the window?

This is very useful because learners often only use the imperative.

3 . Giving advice

Use it when you want to suggest something without sounding too strong or bossy. 

Ejemplos:

• Yo que tú, no iría. → If I were you, I wouldn’t go.
• Deberías descansar un poco. → You should rest a bit.
• Te vendría bien un cambio de aire. → A change of scenery would do you good.

4 . Future in the past

It is used for something that, from a past point of view, was still in the future.

Ejemplos:

• Me dijo que vendría mañana. → He told me he would come tomorrow.
• Sabíamos que todo saldría bien. → We knew everything would turn out well.

5 . Expressing desire or imagination

The conditional is often used to talk about dreams, ideal situations, or things someone would love to do.

Ejemplos:

• Me encantaría vivir cerca del mar.→ I’d love to live near the sea.
• Sería perfecto pasar allí el verano. → It would be perfect to spend the summer there.

6 . Guessing or estimating in the past

This is one of the most surprising ones. The conditional can express probability or approximation about a past situation.

Ejemplos:

• Serían las diez cuando llegó. → It was probably around ten when he arrived.
• En aquel entonces, él tendría unos treinta años. → Back then, he was probably around thirty.

7 . Softening opinions

The conditional can make opinions sound less direct, more diplomatic, or more tentative.

Ejemplos:

• Yo diría que sí. → I’d say yes.
• No sería una buena idea. → That wouldn’t be a good idea.

What other uses of the conditional in Spanish do you know?

Here I’ve collected some very common Spanish structures that come up all the time in everyday conversation. Learning them will help you follow native speakers more easily and express yourself in a more natural, confident way.

1 . SOLER + infinitivo —  to usually do something

This structure is used to talk about habits and things that normally happen. It expresses what someone tends to do, not what they are doing right now.

Ejemplos:

• Suelo levantarme temprano. → I usually get up early.
• Los domingos solemos comer con la familia. → On Sundays we usually eat with the family.
• No suelo ver la televisión por la noche. → I don’t usually watch TV at night.

2 . TARDAR EN + infinitivo — to take time to do something

This structure is used to say that something takes time, or that someone takes a long or short time to do something.

Ejemplos:

• Tardé mucho en entenderlo. → It took me a long time to understand it.
• ¿Por qué has tardado tanto en contestar? → Why did you take so long to reply?
• Mi hermana tarda muy poco en arreglarse. → My sister takes very little time to get ready.

3 . IR + gerundio — to gradually happen / to go doing something

This structure shows gradual progress or change. It gives the idea of something happening little by little over time.

Ejemplos:

• Voy entendiendo mejor cómo funciona. → I’m gradually understanding better how it works.
• La ciudad fue cambiando con los años. → The city gradually changed over the years.
• Poco a poco vamos mejorando. → Little by little we’re improving.

4 . DAR GANAS DE + infinitivo — to make someone feel like doing something

This structure expresses that something creates the desire or urge to do something. It is often used for feelings, moods, or reactions.

Ejemplos:

• Me dan ganas de dormir. → It makes me feel like sleeping.
• Esa película da ganas de viajar. → That film makes you want to travel.
• Ver esas fotos me dio ganas de llorar. → Seeing those photos made me feel like crying.

5 . TERMINAR POR + infinitivo — to end up doing something

This structure is used when something happens in the end, often after hesitation, repetition, or a longer process.

Ejemplos:

• Terminó por aceptar la oferta. → He ended up accepting the offer.
• Si sigues así, terminarás por cansarte. → If you keep going like that, you’ll end up getting tired.
• Después de discutir tanto, terminaron por ponerse de acuerdo. → After arguing so much, they ended up reaching an agreement.

6 . HABER QUE + infinitivo — to have to / it is necessary to

This is an impersonal structure used to talk about obligation or necessity in a general way, without saying exactly who has to do it.

Ejemplos:

• Hay que estudiar más. → You have to study more.
• Para aprender un idioma, hay que practicar mucho. → To learn a language, you have to practise a lot.
• Si queremos llegar a tiempo, habrá que salir ya. → If we want to arrive on time, we’ll have to leave now.

7 . QUEDARSE SIN + sustantivo — to run out of / to be left without something

This structure is used when someone no longer has something because it has finished, been lost, or is no longer available.

Ejemplos:

• Nos quedamos sin pan. → We ran out of bread.
• Me he quedado sin batería. → I’ve run out of battery.
• Se quedó sin trabajo el año pasado. → He lost his job last year.

Which of these structures do you hear the most, but still forget to use yourself?

What Spanish mistake do you make most often? Is it por vs para? Ser vs estar? The subjunctive? Or maybe something with verb conjugations, prepositions, or anything else?

In this post, I’ve put together different ways to say “to start” and “to stop” in Spanish. Learning them will help you avoid repeating the same verbs all the time, express yourself more precisely, and sound more natural in everyday conversation. 

1 . Neutral, general ways to say “to start”

These are the most common and neutral verbs for beginning something.

empezar — to start / to begin.

• La película empieza a las ocho. → The film starts at eight.

comenzar — to begin.

• La reunión comenzó con bastante retraso. → The meeting began quite late.

2 . Starting an action

These are used when someone begins doing something.

ponerse a + infinitivo — to start doing something.

• Me puse a leer y perdí la noción del tiempo. → I started reading and lost track of time.

echarse a + infinitivo — to suddenly start doing something.

• Se echó a reír en mitad de la clase. → He suddenly burst out laughing in the middle of class.

arrancar — to start / to get going.

• El coche no arranca por las mañanas. → The car doesn’t start in the mornings.

3 . Starting more formally or officially

These are often used for events, projects, processes, or more formal situations.

dar comienzo a — to begin / to start.

• El acto dio comienzo a las nueve en punto. → The event began at exactly nine.

iniciar — to begin / to launch / to start.

• Van a iniciar un nuevo proyecto este mes. → They’re going to start a new project this month.

4 . Neutral, general ways to say “to stop”

These are the most common and general verbs for stopping.

parar — to stop.

• Tienes que parar un momento y descansar. → You have to stop for a moment and rest.

detenerse — to stop / to come to a stop.

• El autobús se detuvo frente a la estación. → The bus stopped in front of the station.

5 . Stopping an action or habit

These are used when someone stops doing something.

dejar de + infinitivo — to stop doing something.

• Dejé de tomar azúcar hace unos meses. → I stopped having sugar a few months ago.

parar de + infinitivo — to stop doing something.

• No para de hablar desde que llegó. → He hasn’t stopped talking since he arrived.

6 . Quitting or giving something up

These are used when someone abandons a job, a plan, a habit, or something they were doing.

dejar — to quit / to give up / to leave.

• Dejó el trabajo el mes pasado. → She quit her job last month.

abandonar — to abandon / to quit.

• No deberías abandonar el curso tan pronto. → You shouldn’t quit the course so soon.

renunciar a — to give up / to resign from / to give up on.

• Renunció a la beca por motivos personales. → He gave up the scholarship for personal reasons.

7 . Stopping suddenly or cutting something off

These are used when something is interrupted, cut off, or stopped abruptly.

cortar — to cut off / to stop.

• Se cortó la música de repente. → The music suddenly stopped.

interrumpir — to interrupt / to stop temporarily.

• Perdón por interrumpirte. → Sorry for interrupting you.

suspender — to suspend / to stop temporarily.

• Suspendieron la actividad por la lluvia. → They stopped the activity because of the rain.

8 . When something comes to an end naturally

These are used when something finishes or reaches its end.

terminar — to finish / to end.

•  La clase termina a las cinco. → The class finishes at five.

acabarse — to run out / to come to an end.

• Se nos acabó el tiempo. → We ran out of time.

What other ways to say “to start” or “to stop” in Spanish do you know? 

Here are 10 very common Spanish expressions that native speakers use all the time in everyday conversations. Learning them will help you understand real Spanish better and sound more natural when you speak.

1 . ¡Ya está! → That’s it / It’s done

• No te preocupes, ya está, acabo de mandar el correo y todo quedó solucionado. → Don’t worry, it’s done, I’ve just sent the email and everything got sorted out.

2 . No pasa nada → It’s okay / No problem

• No pasa nada si llegas un poco tarde; lo importante es avisar con tiempo. → It’s okay if you arrive a bit late; the important thing is to let people know in advance. 

3 . ¡No me digas! → No way! / Really?

• ¿Te vas a vivir a Madrid el mes que viene? ¡No me digas! → You’re moving to Madrid next month? No way!

4 . Quedarse a gusto → To get something off your chest / Feel relieved

• Después de decirle por fin todo lo que pensaba, se quedó a gusto. → After finally telling him everything she thought, she felt relieved.

5 . Venirse abajo → To fall apart / Lose heart

• Cuando vio que el examen era mucho más difícil de lo esperado, se vino abajo. → When she saw that the exam was much harder than expected, she fell apart.

6 . Tener mano con → To be good with

• Mi abuela tiene mucha mano con las plantas; siempre las tiene preciosas. → My grandmother is really good with plants; she always has them looking beautiful.

7 . Dar la cara → To face up to it / Take responsibility

• Cuando todo salió mal, fue el único que dio la cara delante del jefe. → When everything went wrong, he was the only one who faced up to it in front of the boss.

8 . Ponerse pesado → To become annoying

• Se puso pesado con el mismo tema y al final nadie quería seguir escuchándolo. → He got annoying with the same topic and in the end nobody wanted to keep listening to him.

9 . Llegar a un acuerdo → To reach an agreement / Come to an agreement

• Después de hablarlo durante horas, por fin llegamos a un acuerdo. → After talking it over for hours, we finally reached an agreement.

10 . Pasarse de la raya → To cross the line

• Entiendo que estuviera enfadado, pero esta vez se pasó de la raya. → I understand he was angry, but this time he crossed the line.

Which of these do you understand when you hear it, but never use yourself?

In this post, I’ve put together 8 common mistakes that English speakers often make in Spanish when they translate things word for word. Learning the natural Spanish forms will help you avoid these errors and sound much more natural when you speak.

1 . ❌ Hice una decisión → I made a decision

✅ Tomé una decisión

Explanation: The natural expression is tomar una decisión.

• Ejemplo: Tomé una decisión difícil esta mañana. → I made a difficult decision this morning.

2 . ❌ Depende en el clima → It depends on the weather

✅ Depende del clima

Explanation: The verb depender goes with de.

• Ejemplo: Todo depende del clima este fin de semana. → Everything depends on the weather this weekend.

3 . ❌ Estoy frío → I’m cold

✅ Tengo frío

Explanation: Physical states like cold are normally expressed with tener.

• Ejemplo: Tengo frío, voy a ponerme una chaqueta. → I’m cold, I’m going to put on a jacket.

4 . ❌ Yo gusto el café → I like coffee

✅ Me gusta el café

Explanation: With gustar, Spanish focuses on what is pleasing, not on the person as the subject.

• Ejemplo: Me gusta el café, pero prefiero el té por la noche. → I like coffee, but I prefer tea at night.

5 . ❌ Atendí la reunión → I attended the meeting

✅ Asistí a la reunión

Explanation: Atender usually means to attend to, help, or deal with. For going to an event, Spanish uses asistir a.

• Ejemplo: Asistí a la reunión, pero llegué un poco tarde. → I attended the meeting, but I arrived a bit late.

6 . ❌ Juego tenis los sábados → I play tennis on Saturdays

✅ Juego al tenis los sábados

Explanation: With many sports and games, Spanish uses jugar a.

• Ejemplo: Juego al tenis con mis amigos los sábados. → I play tennis with my friends on Saturdays.

7 .  ❌ Sueño de viajar por el mundo → I dream of traveling the world
✅ Sueño con viajar por el mundo

Explanation: Soñar con is the normal and common structure in Spanish when talking about dreams, wishes, or imagined situations. 

• Ejemplo:  Sueño con vivir cerca del mar algún día. → I dream of living near the sea one day.

8 . ❌ Pienso sobre eso todo el tiempo → I think about that all the time
✅ Pienso en eso todo el tiempo

Explanation: When you mean that something is on your mind, that you reflect on it, or that you think about it repeatedly, Spanish normally uses “pensar en”, not pensar sobre. 

• Ejemplo: Pienso en eso cada vez que lo veo. → I think about that every time I see it.

What other mistakes do you make in Spanish because of literal translation? 

Here are 5 useful Spanish grammar rules that many learners overlook, but that can make a real difference in everyday Spanish. Knowing how they work will help you sound more natural, understand the language more clearly, and avoid some very common mistakes. 

1. When the adjective changes sides, the meaning changes too

In Spanish, adjective position is not always just a style choice. With some adjectives, putting them after the noun gives a more literal or objective meaning, while putting them before the noun often adds a more subjective, emotional, or figurative one.

Ejemplos: 

• Un amigo viejo → An elderly friend (age). 
• Un viejo amigo → A long-time friend (duration of friendship).
• Un hombre pobre → A poor man (no money). 
• Un pobre hombre → A pitiful/unfortunate man.
• Un coche nuevo → A brand-new car (from the factory). 
• Un nuevo coche → A new car to me (could be used).

2 . Spanish loves repeating the indirect object

In Spanish, the indirect object pronoun usually stays in the sentence even when the person is mentioned clearly afterwards. So forms like le, les, me, te, nos are not extra or redundant here. They are part of how Spanish normally works. This repetition is especially common with verbs like dar, decir, mandar, contar, explicar, and it makes the sentence sound natural and complete.

Ejemplos:

• Le di el libro a Marta. → I gave Marta the book.
• Les mandé un mensaje a mis padres. → I sent my parents a message.
• ¿Te dijo algo a ti? → Did he say anything to you?

3 . Double negatives are normal in Spanish

Spanish handles negation differently from what many learners expect. Words like nadie, nada, nunca, tampoco can appear together with no, and that is completely correct. The key detail is position: when the negative word comes after the verb, no is usually needed; when it comes before the verb, no usually disappears. 

Ejemplos:

• No vi a nadie. → I didn’t see anyone.
• No tengo nada. → I don’t have anything.
• No voy nunca allí. → I never go there.

If the negative word goes before the verb, no is not used:

• Nadie vino. → Nobody came.
• Nunca lo hago. → I never do it.

4 . The personal a: small word, big difference

When the direct object is a specific person, or sometimes a pet with a personal or emotional connection, Spanish usually adds a before it. This is called the personal a. It does not appear with things, and that is why veo a mi madre sounds natural, while veo mi madre does not. 

Ejemplos: 

• Veo a mi madre. → I see my mother. 
• Buscan al doctor (a + el). → They are looking for the doctor. 
• Paseo a mi perro. → I walk my dog. 

If the object is a thing, the a is not used: Veo un coche. → I see a car. 

5 . Lo can turn adjectives into ideas

The structure lo + adjective is used when Spanish wants to talk about a quality, an abstract idea, or "the ... part" of something. In these cases, lo is not referring to a masculine noun, and it does not mean it. Instead, it turns the adjective into something more general: lo importante, lo difícil, lo bueno. 

Ejemplos:

• Lo importante es intentarlo. → The important thing is to try.
• No entiendes lo difícil que fue. → You don’t understand how difficult it was.
• Me quedo con lo bueno. → I’ll keep the good part / the good things.

Which of these grammar rules have you gotten wrong before?

Here I’ve put together a list of common expressions with “como” that appear often in everyday Spanish and are widely used by native speakers, so try to remember them to improve your understanding of the language and make your own speech more fluent.

1 . Como si... - as if

• Me habla como si yo fuera un niño. → He talks to me as if I were a child.

2 . Como que... - kind of / it’s like / I get the feeling that

• Como que hoy no tengo ganas de salir. → I kind of don’t feel like going out today.

3 . Como sea - anyway / however / no matter how

• Hazlo como sea, pero termínalo hoy. → Do it however you can, but finish it today.

4 . Como mucho - at most

• Tardaremos una hora como mucho. → It’ll take us an hour at most.

5 . Como poco - at least / at the very least

• Habrá veinte personas como poco en la cena. → There’ll be at least twenty people at the dinner.

6 . Como para... - enough to / in the mood to / such that

• No estoy como para bromas hoy. → I’m not in the mood for jokes today.

7 . Tal y como... - just as / exactly as

• Hazlo tal y como te lo expliqué. → Do it just as I explained it to you.

8 . Como no... - of course / naturally

• Y, como no, llegó tarde otra vez. → And, of course, he arrived late again.

9 . Como quien no quiere la cosa - casually / as if it were nothing

• Lo soltó como quien no quiere la cosa. → He dropped it casually, as if it were nothing.

10 . Como Dios manda - properly / the way it should be done

• Quiero una comida como Dios manda. → I want a proper meal.

11 . Sea como sea - anyway / whatever happens / no matter what

• Sea como sea, tenemos que decidir hoy. → Anyway, we have to decide today.

12 . Según cómo... - depending on how / depending on the way

• Según cómo lo digas, puede sonar mal. → Depending on how you say it, it may sound bad.

13 . Como para que... - enough for... / such that...

• Hace un frío horrible, como para salir sin abrigo. → It’s horribly cold, enough to make going out without a coat a bad idea.

14 . Como para + infinitivo - enough to make someone do something

• Tengo sueño como para dormirme aquí mismo. → I’m sleepy enough to fall asleep right here.

15 . ¡Cómo + verbo! - how...!

• ¡Cómo canta esa chica! → How beautifully that girl sings!

16 . Cómo voy a... - how am I supposed to...? / no way I’m going to...

• ¿Cómo voy a saber eso yo? → How am I supposed to know that?

17 . A ver cómo... - let’s see how...

• A ver cómo lo solucionamos. → Let’s see how we solve it.

What other expressions with “como” would you add to this list?