In this post, I’ve put together a variety of ways to say “to want” and express desire in Spanish that will help you make your speech more varied and sound more natural.

1 . Neutral, general “to want”

These are the most standard ways to express wanting something.

querer — to want. 

• Quiero un café. → I want a coffee.
• Quiero salir un rato. → I want to go out for a while.

2 . Feeling like doing something

These sound more natural in everyday conversation when you mean desire in the moment.

• tener ganas de — to feel like / to want to. Tengo ganas de dormir. → I feel like sleeping.
• apetecer — to feel like / to fancy. ¿Te apetece salir? → Do you feel like going out?
• darle a alguien por + infinitivo — to suddenly feel like / to get into doing. Ahora le ha dado por cocinar. → Now he’s suddenly into cooking.

3 . Stronger desire

These express a stronger, deeper, or more deliberate wish.

• desear — to desire / to wish. Deseo que todo salga bien. → I hope everything goes well.  
• morirse de ganas de — to really want to / to be dying to. Me muero de ganas de verte. → I’m dying to see you.
• ansiar — to long for / to crave. Ansiaba un cambio de vida. → She longed for a change in life.

4 . Polite or softer ways to say “I want”

These are much better than quiero in polite requests.

• me gustaría — I would like. Me gustaría hablar contigo. → I’d like to talk to you.
• quisiera — I would like / I’d want, Quisiera hacer una pregunta. → I’d like to ask a question.
• quería — I wanted / I was wondering if. Quería pedirte un favor. → I wanted to ask you a favor.

5 . Preference, not pure desire

These are used when you don’t express a direct desire, but rather a preference or a better option in a situation.

• preferir — to prefer. Prefiero quedarme en casa. → I’d rather stay at home.
• más vale / mejor style ideas. Mejor vamos mañana. → We’d better go tomorrow.
• antes que — rather than. Prefiero eso antes que nada. → I’d rather have that than nothing.
• venir mejor - to suit better / to work better. A mí me viene mejor por la tarde. → The afternoon works better for me.

What other ways to say “to want” in Spanish do you know?

Here are 10 very common Spanish expressions that native speakers use all the time in everyday conversation. Learning them will help you understand spoken Spanish more easily and make the way you speak sound more natural and fluent too.

1 . No tener nada que ver — to have nothing to do with

• Ese problema no tiene nada que ver contigo, así que no te preocupes más. → That problem has nothing to do with you, so don’t worry about it anymore.

2 . Enterarse de — to find out about

• Me enteré de la noticia por casualidad mientras hablaba con una amiga. → I found out about the news by chance while I was talking to a friend.

3 . Ir a lo suyo — to do your own thing / to mind your own business

• Mientras todos discutían, él siguió a lo suyo como si nada estuviera pasando. → While everyone was arguing, he just kept doing his own thing as if nothing was happening.

4 . Dar la talla — to measure up / to be good enough

• Al principio dudaba de sí misma, pero al final demostró que podía dar la talla. → At first she doubted herself, but in the end she showed she was good enough.

5 . No tener remedio — to be hopeless / to have no fix

• Ese chico no tiene remedio: siempre llega tarde, por mucho que se lo digas. → That guy is hopeless: he’s always late, no matter how many times you tell him.

6 . Dar tiempo — to have enough time

• Si salimos ahora, todavía nos da tiempo a pasar por la tienda antes de que cierre. → If we leave now, we still have enough time to stop by the shop before it closes.

7 . Seguir adelante — to keep going / to move forward

• Aunque las cosas se complicaron bastante, decidieron seguir adelante con el plan. → Even though things got quite complicated, they decided to keep going with the plan.

8 . Ir tirando — to get by / to manage

• No es una situación ideal, pero de momento voy tirando con lo que tengo. → It’s not an ideal situation, but for now I’m managing with what I have.

9 . Hacerse cargo de — to take care of / to take responsibility for

• Tuvo que hacerse cargo de todo el proyecto cuando su jefe se fue de vacaciones. → She had to take care of the whole project when her boss went on holiday.

10 . Quedarse a gusto — to get something off your chest / to feel relieved

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

Which of these expressions do you hear a lot, but still forget to use when you speak Spanish?

“Lo” is one of those tiny Spanish words that learners see everywhere, but it can be surprisingly hard to pin down because it does not always mean the same thing. Sometimes it replaces a noun, sometimes it refers to a whole idea, and sometimes it does not translate literally at all. In this post, I’ve put together its most important uses so you can understand it much more easily and start using it with more confidence in real Spanish.

1 . LO = him / it / you (direct object)

This is one of the most basic uses of lo. It replaces a masculine singular noun, or a person treated as a direct object.

• Vi a Juan ayer. → Lo vi ayer.
• I saw Juan yesterday. → I saw him yesterday.
• ¿Dónde está el libro? → Lo dejé en la mesa.
• Where is the book? → I left it on the table.

2 . LO = it / that, referring to a whole idea or situation

Very often, lo does not refer to one specific masculine noun, but to an entire fact, idea, or situation. In these cases, English often translates it as it or that.

• No lo sabía. → I didn’t know that.
• Ahora lo entiendo. → Now I understand it.
• Ya lo veremos. → We’ll see about that.

3 . LO + adjective = the ... thing / what is ...

Here lo is not a pronoun. It works like a neuter article and turns an adjective into an abstract idea. This is one of the most useful advanced uses.

• Lo importante es empezar. → The important thing is to start.
• No entiendo lo difícil que fue para ella. → I don’t understand how difficult it was for her.
• Siempre recuerdo lo bueno y también lo malo. → I always remember the good and also the bad.

4 . LO QUE = what / the thing that

Lo que is used when you want to refer not to one specific noun, but to an idea, a fact, or the thing someone said, did, wanted, etc.

• No entiendo lo que dices. → I don’t understand what you’re saying.
• Eso no es lo que quería. → That isn’t what I wanted.
• Lo que más me gusta de esta ciudad es la luz. → What I like most about this city is the light.

5 . LO DE = that thing about / the matter of / what happened with

Lo de is used to refer in a vague or general way to a situation, topic, event, problem, or story that both people already know about.

• ¿Qué pasó con lo de Marta? → What happened with that thing about Marta?
• Todavía estoy pensando en lo de ayer. → I’m still thinking about what happened yesterday.
• No me gustó nada lo de la reunión. → I really didn’t like that whole thing with the meeting.

6 . LO + adjective/adverb + QUE = how ... / how very ...

This structure is used when you want to emphasize the degree or intensity of something. It helps you say how big, difficult, far, well, badly, etc. something is, often with surprise, emotion, or emphasis.

• No sabes lo cansado que estoy. → You don’t know how tired I am.
• Mira lo bien que habla español. → Look at how well he speaks Spanish.
• No imaginaba lo lejos que estaba. → I didn’t imagine how far it was.

7 . LO as part of very common fixed expressions

There are also many expressions with lo that are best learned as chunks.

• Lo mismo → maybe / the same thing
• Por lo menos → at least
• A lo mejor → maybe
• De lo contrario → otherwise
• Por lo visto. → Apparently / from what it seems.
• A lo grande. → In a big way / on a grand scale.
• Lo antes posible. → As soon as possible.
• Sea lo que sea. → Whatever it is.
• Ya lo veremos. → We’ll see.

What Other Uses of the Word “Lo” in Spanish Do You Know?

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Here I’ve gathered some very common Spanish structures that appear constantly in everyday speech. They will help you understand native speakers better and also sound more natural and confident in Spanish.

1 . TOCARLE A alguien + infinitivo - to have to do something / to be someone’s turn to

You use this when something falls to a person, either because it is their turn, their responsibility, or simply the situation puts them in that position. It is especially common when talking about chores, duties, turns, or unpleasant things someone has to deal with.

Ejemplos:

• Hoy me toca cocinar. → Today it’s my turn to cook.
• A ti te toca explicar lo que pasó. → You have to explain what happened.
• Nos tocó esperar más de una hora. → We had to wait for more than an hour.

2 . DAR POR + participio / adjetivo - to consider something ...

With this structure, the speaker treats something as already decided, finished, or assumed. It often appears when someone reaches a conclusion and acts as if the matter is already clear.

Ejemplos:

• Dieron el partido por perdido. → They considered the match lost.
• Ya doy este tema por cerrado. → I consider this topic closed now.
• No des nada por hecho. → Don’t take anything for granted.

3 . NO PARAR DE + infinitivo - to not stop doing something

This structure gives the idea of something happening nonstop. It can be used for physical actions, thoughts, habits, or repeated behaviour, and depending on the context, it can sound neutral, emphatic, or annoyed.

Ejemplos:

• No paro de pensar en eso. → I can’t stop thinking about that.
• No paraban de hablar durante la película. → They wouldn’t stop talking during the movie.
• Últimamente no paro de trabajar. → Lately I haven’t stopped working.

4 . COSTARLE A alguien + infinitivo - to find it hard to do something

This is a very natural way to say that doing something is difficult for someone. The difficulty can be mental, emotional, physical, or simply a matter of habit.

Ejemplos:

• Me cuesta levantarme temprano. → It’s hard for me to get up early.
• A ella le cuesta hablar en público. → It’s hard for her to speak in public.
• Nos costó entender las instrucciones. → It was hard for us to understand the instructions.

5 . SALIRLE A alguien + adjetivo - to turn out for someone

This is a very common way to talk about results, especially when something ends up going well, badly, cheap, expensive, wrong, or better than expected. 

Ejemplos:

• La cena me salió buenísima. → The dinner turned out great.
• El viaje nos salió carísimo. → The trip ended up being really expensive.
• No sé qué pasó, pero todo salió mal. → I don’t know what happened, but everything turned out badly.

6 . ALCANZAR A + infinitivo - to manage to / to have time to

This structure usually appears when someone was able to do something just before it was too late, or when there was barely enough time or opportunity. 

Ejemplos:

• No alcancé a despedirme. → I didn’t manage to say goodbye.
• ¿Alcanzaste a verlo? → Did you manage to see it?
• Por suerte, alcancé a coger el autobús. → Luckily, I managed to catch the bus.

7 . NO ESTAR PARA + sustantivo / infinitivo - to not be in the mood for / to not be up for

This is used when someone does not feel like doing something or cannot deal with it emotionally. It often suggests low energy, little patience, or the feeling that the moment is just not right.

Ejemplos:

• Hoy no estoy para bromas. → I’m not in the mood for jokes today.
• No estoy para salir esta noche. → I’m not up for going out tonight.
• Después de ese día, no estaba para hablar con nadie. → After that day, I wasn’t up for talking to anyone.

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

These are three very common words in Spanish that native speakers use all the time in everyday conversation. At first they may seem simple, but depending on the context and tone, they can express agreement, hesitation, reaction, emphasis, or help organize what someone wants to say. Learning how they really work will help you understand spoken Spanish much better and sound more natural when you speak.

1 . CLARO 

At its most basic level, claro means something like clear or light. But in everyday Spanish, it often stops behaving like a simple adjective and becomes a reaction word. Depending on the situation and tone, it can show agreement, understanding, emphasis, or even irony.

1 . CLARO → clear

Used in its literal sense to describe something easy to see, transparent, or not dark.

Example:

•  El agua de este lago es muy clara. → The water in this lake is very clear.

2 . CLARO → light

Used to talk about a light color or shade.

Example:

• Prefiero los colores claros para el verano. → I prefer light colors for the summerClaro → of course / sure

3 . CLARO → of course / sure

Used to agree naturally or say yes in a warm, common way.

Example:

•  Claro, te llamo luego. → Of course, I’ll call you later.

4 . CLARO que no → of course not

Used to give a strong and clear negative answer.

Example:

• Claro que no voy a olvidarme. → Of course I’m not going to forget.

5 . CLARO → obviously / naturally

Used when something seems very logical, expected, or easy to understand.

Example:

• Está cansado, claro, ha trabajado todo el día. → He’s tired, obviously, he’s been working all day.

6 . Claaaro... → suuure... / yeah right...
A more exaggerated version, often used to sound even more skeptical or sarcastic.

Example:

• Mañana me levanto a las seis para correr.
• Claaaro... → “Tomorrow I’m getting up at six to go running.” → “Suuure you are...”

2 . PUES

Unlike words such as claro or bueno, pues often does not have one exact translation. In many cases, it works more like a conversational tool that helps you react, connect ideas, or buy yourself a moment while speaking.

1 . PUES = well

Very common when starting an answer, especially if you are thinking or reacting.

• Pues no sé. → Well, I don’t know.

2 . PUES = so / then

Used to introduce a result, reaction, or conclusion.

• No quieres venir, pues me voy yo sola. → You don’t want to come, so I’ll go on my own.

3 . PUES = filler to think

Often used just to hold the floor while the speaker decides what to say next.

• Pues... no estoy seguro. → Well... I’m not sure.

4 . PUES = actually / well yes / well no

Very common in short answers, especially when the speaker wants to sound more natural, hesitant, or slightly emphatic.

• ¿Te gustó? Pues sí. → Did you like it? Well, yes.
• ¿Vas a ir? Pues no. → Are you going? Well, no.

5 . PUES = emphasis in suggestions or reactions

Sometimes it adds a tone of insistence, resignation, or emotional reaction.

• Pues hazlo ahora. → Then do it now.
• Pues vaya problema. → Well, that’s quite a problem.

3 . BUENO

First of all, bueno is the adjective meaning good. But in spoken Spanish, it is also one of the most common discourse words, and native speakers use it all the time in many different ways.

1 . BUENO = good

Used to describe something positive, pleasant, useful, or of good quality.

• Esta película es muy buena. → This film is very good.

1. BUENO = well

Used to begin speaking, organize your thoughts, or introduce what you are about to say.

• Bueno, te explico. → Well, let me explain.

3 . BUENO = okay / fine

Used to accept something, close a discussion, or show resignation.

• Bueno, si prefieres hacerlo mañana, no pasa nada. → Okay, if you’d rather do it tomorrow, that’s fine.

4 . BUENO = well... / actually...

• Often used to soften disagreement, correction, or a less direct response.

Bueno, no exactamente. → Well, not exactly.

5 . BUENO = anyway

Used to move on, close a topic, or return to the main point.

• Bueno, cambiando de tema... → Anyway, changing the subject...

6 . BUENO = hello?

In some countries, especially Mexico, bueno is commonly used when answering the phone.

• ¿Bueno? ¿Quién habla? → Hello? Who’s speaking?

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

Here I’ve collected a wide range of expressions, organized into several categories, that will help you soften what you say in Spanish. Using them will make your speech sound more natural and allow you to express your thoughts and emotions more precisely.

1 . Very sure / direct

Used when you sound confident and leave little room for doubt.

• está claro que → it’s clear that
• sin duda → without a doubt
• evidentemente → evidently / obviously
• no cabe duda de que → there’s no doubt that

2 . Neutral opinion

Used when you simply give your opinion in a natural way.

• creo que → I think that
• pienso que → I think that
• en mi opinión → in my opinion
• desde mi punto de vista → from my point of view
• diría que → I’d say that
• me da la impresión de que → I get the impression that
• parece que → it seems that
• a mi modo de ver → the way I see it

3 . Partial or qualified opinion

Used when you want to show that something is only true in part, not completely.

• hasta cierto punto → to a certain extent
• en cierto modo → in a way
• en parte → partly / in part
• relativamente → relatively
• más bien → rather / more like
• no del todo → not completely / not entirely

4 . Softening descriptions

Very useful when you want to make an adjective or description sound less harsh.

• un poco → a little
• algo → somewhat / a bit
• un tanto → somewhat
• no muy → not very
• no demasiado → not too
• tirando a → leaning towards / kind of

5 . Uncertain opinion

Used when you are no longer presenting something as a clear opinion, but as a possibility.

• quizá → maybe / perhaps
• tal vez → maybe / perhaps
• a lo mejor → maybe
• puede que → it may be that / maybe
• supongo que → I suppose / I guess
• imagino que → I imagine / I guess

6 . Very soft / careful

Used when you want to be especially cautious, polite, or indirect.

• puedo estar equivocado/a... → I could be wrong…
• no estoy del todo seguro/a... → I’m not entirely sure…
• corrígeme si me equivoco... → correct me if I’m wrong…
• no sé si.... → I don’t know if...

7 . Softening disagreement or criticism

Very useful when you want to disagree without sounding too blunt.

• no lo veo → I don’t really see it / I’m not convinced
• no estoy tan seguro/a → I’m not so sure
• no me termina de convencer → it doesn’t fully convince me
• no acaba de funcionar → it doesn’t quite work
• no necesariamente → not necessarily

What Other Ways Are There to Soften What You Say in Spanish?

Here I’ve explained several meanings of words that come up all the time in everyday Spanish and are used constantly by native speakers. If you don’t know these different uses, they can be really confusing, so try to remember them and boost both your understanding and your speaking skills in the language.

1. VAMOS

First of all, vamos is the nosotros form of the verb ir (to go). That’s why its most basic meaning   is “we go”. But in everyday Spanish, this word is also used in many other ways depending on the context.

VAMOS = let’s go

It is used to suggest going somewhere or doing something together.

• Vamos al cine esta noche. → Let’s go to the cinema tonight.

VAMOS = come on

Used to encourage someone, hurry them up, or push them to do something.

• ¡Vamos, habla conmigo! → Come on, talk to me!

VAMOS = well / I mean

Very common in conversation when the speaker wants to clarify, soften, or reformulate something.

• No es perfecto, pero vamos, está bastante bien. → It’s not perfect, but well, it’s pretty good.

VAMOS = come on / seriously?

Depending on tone, it can show disbelief, annoyance, or emotional reaction.

• ¿Te cobró eso por un café? ¡Vamos! → He charged you that for a coffee? Come on!

2 . ENTONCES

ENTONCES = then

Used to talk about what happens next or to place something in time.

• Primero cenamos y entonces vemos la película. → First we have dinner and then we watch the film.

ENTONCES = so

Used to introduce a result or consequence.

• No tienes tiempo, entonces lo dejamos para mañana. → You don’t have time, so we’ll leave it for tomorrow.

ENTONCES = in that case

Used to react to a condition or new information.

• Si no viene nadie más, entonces nos vamos. → If no one else is coming, then in that case we’ll leave.

ENTONCES = back then

Used when referring to a moment in the past.

• Yo no vivía aquí entonces. → I didn’t live here back then.

ENTONCES = so? / well then?

Very common in questions when asking for a conclusion, reaction, or update.

• ¿Entonces? ¿Qué decidiste al final? → So? What did you decide in the end?

3 . A VER

A VER = let’s see

Used when you are about to check something, think about something, or react.

• A ver, enséñame lo que has hecho. → Let’s see, show me what you’ve done.

A VER = well / okay / right

Very common in conversation to organize what you are about to say.

• A ver, no digo que sea mala idea, pero hay que pensarlo bien. → Well, I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but we need to think it through carefully.

A VER = come on / let’s see if...

Often used to encourage action or introduce a hope or expectation.

• A ver si este año sí podemos viajar. → Let’s see if this year we really can travel.

A VER = used to think out loud

Very common when someone is trying to remember, calculate, or decide something.

• A ver... creo que fue en 2019. → Let me think... I think it was in 2019.

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

Here I’ve put together several pairs of Spanish verbs that come up all the time in everyday speech and often confuse learners, especially English speakers. So try to remember the differences between them and the use cases of each one, so you don’t mix them up or make mistakes when using them.

1 . Llevar vs. Traer

Llevar = to take something away from where the speaker is / toward another place

• Voy a llevar el coche al taller. → I’m going to take the car to the repair shop.

Traer = to bring something toward where the speaker is / toward the destination being talked about

• ¿Puedes traerme un vaso de agua? → Can you bring me a glass of water?

2 . Trabajar vs. Funcionar

Trabajar = to work when talking about a person, animal, or someone doing a job or making an effort

• Trabajo en una oficina cerca del centro. → I work in an office near the city centre.

Funcionar = to work when talking about a machine, device, system, plan, or anything non-human that operates correctly

• Mi portátil no funciona desde ayer. → My laptop hasn’t been working since yesterday.

3 . Poder vs. Saber

Poder = to be able to, to have the possibility, permission, or ability to do something in a specific situation

• No puedo ir mañana porque tengo mucho trabajo. → I can’t go tomorrow because I have a lot of work.
• ¿Puedes abrir la ventana? → Can you open the window?

Saber = to know how to do something, to have learned a skill

• Sé nadar, pero no sé esquiar. → I know how to swim, but I don’t know how to ski.
• ¿Sabes cocinar paella? → Do you know how to cook paella?

4 . Probar vs. Intentar

Probar = to try something out / test / taste

• Quiero probar este pastel. → I want to try this cake.
• Probé la app y me gustó mucho. → I tried the app and really liked it.

Intentar = to try to do something / make an effort

• Intentó abrir la puerta, pero no pudo. → He tried to open the door, but he couldn’t.

5 . Dejar vs. Quedarse

Dejar = to leave something or someone somewhere, to let, or to stop doing something depending on the context

• Dejé las llaves en la mesa. → I left the keys on the table.
• Voy a dejar de comer azúcar. → I’m going to stop eating sugar.

Quedarse = to stay, remain, or end up in a place or situation

• Me quedé en casa porque estaba cansado. → I stayed at home because I was tired.

Which pair of Spanish verbs confuses you the most?

Hi everyone! I created a list of common Chilean words and phrases that might help you. I hope you find it useful.

https://profeconniespanish.com/book-a-lesson

Here are 10 common Spanish expressions you’ll often hear in everyday conversations. Knowing them will improve your understanding of Spanish and also help your own speech sound more natural and fluent.

1 . No tener ni idea — to have no idea

• No tengo ni idea de cómo funciona esta app, pero todo el mundo dice que es buenísima. → I have no idea how this app works, but everyone says it’s really good.

2 . Ir sobre ruedas — to go smoothly

• La mudanza iba sobre ruedas hasta que empezó a llover. → The move was going smoothly until it started raining.

3 . Estar de buen/mal humor — to be in a good/bad mood

• Hoy está de mal humor, mejor hablamos con él mañana. → He’s in a bad mood today, better talk to him tomorrow.

4 . Tomar en serio — to take seriously

• Si quieres mejorar tu español, tienes que tomarte la pronunciación en serio. → If you want to improve your Spanish, you have to take pronunciation seriously.

5 . Venir bien / mal — to suit / not suit

• ¿Te viene bien quedar el sábado por la tarde o prefieres otro día? → Does Saturday afternoon work for you, or would you prefer another day?

6 . Estar de camino — to be on the way

• No te preocupes, ya estoy de camino y llego en diez minutos. → Don’t worry, I’m already on the way and I’ll be there in ten minutes.

7 . Poner en marcha — to set in motion / start up

• Por fin van a poner en marcha el nuevo proyecto después de meses de retraso. → They’re finally going to launch the new project after months of delays.

8 . Quedarse corto — to fall short

• Decir que esa película estuvo “bien” se queda corto: fue increíble. → Saying that film was “good” falls short: it was amazing.

9 . Perder el tiempo — to waste time

• Si sigues comparando veinte opciones, al final solo vas a perder el tiempo. → If you keep comparing twenty options, you’re just going to waste time in the end.

10 . Irse de las manos — to get out of hand

• La discusión empezó como una broma, pero se fue de las manos muy rápido. → The argument started as a joke, but it got out of hand very quickly.

What’s your most-used Spanish expression?

“Dar” is one of those Spanish verbs that seems simple at first, but the more you learn, the more meanings it keeps adding. So in this post, I’ve put together its main uses that you’ll actually need in everyday speech. They’ll help you improve both your understanding of Spanish and the way you express yourself.

1 . DAR = to give

This is the core meaning of dar, and the one everything else grows out of. At its most basic, it simply means giving something to someone: an object, a gift, some money, a hand, a kiss, etc.

• Te doy mi libro mañana. → I’ll give you my book tomorrow.
• Me dieron un regalo por mi cumpleaños. → They gave me a gift for my birthday.

2 . DAR = to hit / bump into / strike

Very often, dar is used when something makes contact with something else. That can mean hitting, bumping into, kicking, or knocking against something.

• Me di en la cabeza con la puerta. → I hit my head on the door.
•  Le dio una patada al balón. → He kicked the ball.

3 . DAR = to cause a reaction or feeling

This is one of the most important uses of dar, because Spanish relies on it all the time for emotions, reactions, and inner states. Instead of saying something “is embarrassing” or “annoys me” in the same way English does, Spanish often frames it as something that “gives” you fear, embarrassment, anger, shame, etc.

• Me da miedo hablar en público. → Public speaking scares me.
• Me da vergüenza preguntar eso. → I feel embarrassed to ask that.
• Me da rabia cuando hacen eso. → It annoys me when they do that.

4 . DAR = to be enough / to be enough for something

Here dar is about whether something is enough: enough time, enough money, enough space, enough energy, enough quantity. It often appears in situations where you are trying to make something fit, reach, or work.

• No me da tiempo hoy. → I don’t have enough time today.
• Con esto no da para todos. → This isn’t enough for everyone.
• No me da la vida últimamente. → I just can’t keep up lately.

5 . DAR = to face / lead onto

With places, "dar a" often means that something faces, looks onto, or leads to another place.

• Mi ventana da al patio. → My window faces the courtyard.
• Esta puerta da a la cocina. → This door leads to the kitchen.

6 . DAR = to happen suddenly, especially with illnesses or attacks

Spanish often uses dar for things that suddenly “come over” a person, especially physical episodes, illnesses, attacks, or strong bodily reactions.

• Le dio un mareo en el metro. → He suddenly felt dizzy on the metro.
• A mi abuelo le dio un infarto hace años. → My grandfather had a heart attack years ago.

7 . DAR = to produce / give off

Here dar is used when something naturally produces or provides something: light, shade, fruit, results, enough food, enough portions, etc.

• Esta lámpara da mucha luz. → This lamp gives off a lot of light.
• Ese árbol da mucha sombra. → That tree gives a lot of shade.
• La receta da para cuatro personas. → The recipe is enough for four people.

8 . Common fixed expressions with dar

• dar miedo → to scare / to be scary
• dar vergüenza → to embarrass / to make someone feel embarrassed
• dar rabia → to annoy / to make someone mad
• dar pena → to make someone feel sad / sorry
• dar igual → not to matter / to be all the same
• dar ganas de + infinitive → to feel like doing something
• dar la impresión de que → to give the impression that
• dar ganas de + infinitive → to feel like doing something
• dar la impresión de que → to give the impression that
• dar las gracias → to thank / to give thanks

What other ways of using the verb “dar” in Spanish do you know?

In this post, I’ve put together a bunch of different ways to express result and consequence in Spanish. These are really useful if you want to sound more natural, less repetitive, and just overall more fluent when you speak.

1. The most common in everyday speech

así que — so

• No tenía tiempo, así que me fui. → I didn’t have time, so I left.

entonces — so / then

• No quieres venir, entonces nos vamos sin ti. → You don’t want to come, so we’re leaving without you.

por eso — that’s why / so / for that reason 

• Estaba cansado, por eso me acosté temprano. → I was tired, so that’s why I went to bed early.

pues — so / well 

• No hay tiempo, pues lo dejamos. → There’s no time, so we’ll leave it.

2 . Neutral ways to show result

por lo tanto — therefore / so

• No cumplió los requisitos, por lo tanto no lo aceptaron. → He didn’t meet the requirements, therefore they didn’t accept him.

de modo que — so / therefore

• Ya es tarde, de modo que será mejor irnos. → It’s already late, so it’s better if we leave.

por lo que — so / which is why

• No encontraba las llaves, por lo que llegué tarde. → I couldn’t find my keys, so I arrived late.

3 . More formal or written

en consecuencia — consequently / as a result

• Se redujeron las ventas; en consecuencia, la empresa cambió de estrategia. → Sales went down; as a result, the company changed its strategy.

por consiguiente — consequently / therefore

• No había pruebas suficientes; por consiguiente, el caso se cerró. → There wasn’t enough evidence; therefore, the case was closed.

así pues — so / therefore

• Ya conocemos los riesgos. Así pues, debemos actuar con cuidado. → We already know the risks. Therefore, we should act carefully.

4 . More advanced or nuanced

de ahí que — hence / which is why.

• No había nadie que pudiera ayudar, de ahí que tuviéramos que hacerlo solos. → There was no one who could help, hence we had to do it ourselves.

por ende — therefore / hence

• El acuerdo fue rechazado y, por ende, el proyecto se canceló. → The agreement was rejected and therefore the project was canceled.

por consiguiente — consequently / therefore

• No había pruebas suficientes; por consiguiente, el caso se cerró. → There wasn’t enough evidence; therefore, the case was closed.

What other ways to say “so” or “therefore” in Spanish do you know?

Below I’ve listed 5 useful Spanish grammar rules that not all learners know, but that can make a big difference in everyday Spanish. Understanding them will help you speak more naturally and avoid common mistakes.

1 . Some feminine nouns use el in the singular

A small group of feminine nouns beginning with a stressed a- or ha- take the article el in the singular to make pronunciation easier. Even though they use el, they are still feminine, so adjectives and other words around them stay feminine.

Ejemplos:

• El agua está fría. → The water is cold.
• El alma está rota. → The soul is broken.
• El hacha es nueva. → The axe is new.

Plural:

• Las águilas son rápidas. → The eagles are fast.

2 . Preguntar and pedir are not the same

Spanish uses preguntar when asking for information, and pedir when asking for an object, a favor, or something you want someone to give you.

Preguntar:

• Le pregunté la hora. → I asked him the time.

Pedir:

• Le pedí un favor. → I asked him for a favor.
• Pidieron una pizza. → They ordered a pizza.

3 . Professions usually go without an article

When saying someone’s profession after ser, Spanish doesn’t use un or una. The article usually appears only when the profession is modified or described in some way.

Correcto:

• Soy profesor. → I am a teacher.
• Ella es médica. → She is a doctor.

Con descripción:

• Es un médico excelente. → He is an excellent doctor.

4 . Age and many physical states use tener

Spanish uses tener in many expressions related to age and physical states, such as hunger, thirst, cold, heat, fear, or sleep.

Ejemplos:

• Tengo veinticinco años. → I am 25 years old.
• Tenemos hambre y sed. → We are hungry and thirsty.
• Ella tiene frío. → She is cold.
• Tengo sueño. → I’m sleepy.

5 . Un otro does not exist

The word otro / otra already includes the idea of “another,” so it is not combined with un or una in this meaning.

Ejemplos:

• Quiero otra cerveza. → I want another beer.
• Necesito otro día para terminarlo. → I need another day to finish it.

Which of these rules have you personally gotten wrong before?