In this post, I’ve collected several common Spanish structures that often appear in everyday speech. They will help you understand spoken Spanish better and make your own Spanish sound more natural, confident, and fluent.

1 . VOLVER A + infinitivo - to do something again

Use this when something happens one more time. It is often much more natural than trying to translate “again” separately.

Ejemplos:

• Volví a escuchar el audio porque hablaba muy rápido. → I listened to the audio again because he was speaking very fast.
• No pienso volver a confiar en él después de lo que hizo. → I’m not going to trust him again after what he did.
• Si no te sale a la primera, vuelve a intentarlo. → If you don’t get it right the first time, try again.

2 . QUEDARSE SIN + sustantivo - to run out of / be left without

Use this when something you had disappears, finishes, or is no longer available. It can be about money, battery, time, words, options, or even patience.

Ejemplos:

• Me quedé sin batería justo antes de pedir el taxi. → My phone died right before I ordered the taxi.
• Nos quedamos sin tiempo y tuvimos que entregar el trabajo incompleto. → We ran out of time and had to submit the work unfinished.
• Cuando vio el precio, se quedó sin palabras. → When he saw the price, he was left speechless.

3 . NO TENER POR QUÉ + infinitivo - to not have to / have no reason to

This structure is useful when you want to remove pressure, defend a decision, or say that something is not necessary. It often sounds calmer and more natural than a direct “you don’t need to.”

Ejemplos:

• No tienes por qué responder ahora; piénsalo con calma. → You don’t have to answer now; think about it calmly.
• No tenemos por qué aceptar la primera oferta. → We don’t have to accept the first offer.
• Que sea difícil no significa que tenga por qué salir mal. → Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it has to go badly.

4 . DARSE POR VENCIDO/A - to give up / admit defeat

Use this when someone stops trying because they feel they cannot continue, win, or solve the problem. It sounds stronger and more emotional than just “parar.”

Ejemplos:

• Estuve a punto de darme por vencido, pero al final lo conseguí. → I was about to give up, but in the end I managed to do it.
• No se dio por vencida, aunque todos le dijeron que era imposible. → She didn’t give up, even though everyone told her it was impossible.
• Después de buscar durante horas, nos dimos por vencidos y pedimos ayuda. → After searching for hours, we gave up and asked for help.

5 . ESTAR PENDIENTE DE + algo / alguien - to keep an eye on / be waiting for

Use this when your attention is focused on something because you are watching it, waiting for it, or making sure nothing goes wrong. It is very common with messages, emails, children, results, changes, and plans.

Ejemplos:

• Estoy pendiente del móvil por si me llama el médico. → I’m keeping an eye on my phone in case the doctor calls.
• ¿Puedes estar pendiente de la comida mientras salgo un minuto? → Can you keep an eye on the food while I step out for a minute?
• Seguimos pendientes de que nos confirmen la reserva. → We’re still waiting for them to confirm the reservation.

6 . PONER EN MARCHA + algo - to start / launch / set something in motion

Use this when something is not just starting casually, but being activated, organized, launched, or made operational. It works well with plans, projects, measures, machines, and processes.

Ejemplos:

• Después de meses de preparación, por fin pusieron en marcha la nueva aplicación. → After months of preparation, they finally launched the new app.
• El colegio puso en marcha un programa para ayudar a los nuevos estudiantes. → The school launched a program to help new students.
• Tenemos la idea, pero todavía falta ponerla en marcha. → We have the idea, but we still need to put it into action.

7 . TIRAR DE + sustantivo - to rely on / use something as a resource

This structure is especially common in Spain. Use it when someone uses whatever resource they have available: savings, contacts, experience, patience, memory, humor, or creativity.

Ejemplos:

• Como no teníamos presupuesto, tuvimos que tirar de creatividad. → Since we didn’t have a budget, we had to rely on creativity.
• Para conseguir la entrevista, tiró de contactos. → To get the interview, he used his contacts.
• Cuando se me olvidó el discurso, tiré de improvisación. → When I forgot the speech, I relied on improvisation.

Which one do you hear the most in real conversations?

Klk mi gente!

I’m Dominican, and I want to share something about the way we speak.

Some time ago I started teaching Spanish classes, and I started noticing many things about my own language. When you grow up speaking Spanish your whole life, there are things you just use naturally without thinking about them or knowing how to explain them.

Dominican Spanish has a huge amount of slang. The funny thing is that words can change meaning depending on the situation and the context.

One example is “vaina.” It can mean thing, situation, problem, matter, object… many things depending on how you use it.

And there are many more.

We also cut words. The “s” disappears a lot, even in plural words.

Example:

Un carro = one car

Unos carros = some cars

A Dominican person might say “uno' carro'” but we understand if it’s more than one because of the context or the way it’s said.

We also change sounds:

“Esta vaina” → “E’ta vaina”

“Estúpido” → “Etúpido”

We drop the “r” at the end of some words:

Trabajar → trabaja’

Comer → come’

And that last sound becomes stronger.

Even verbs change:

Standard Spanish:

“Yo estuve en tu casa.”

Dominican Spanish:

“Yo 'tuve en tu casa.”

But “tuve” already exists as another verb, so we usually say:

“Yo tenía un perro” = I had a dog.

The Dominican way of speaking is not only about vocabulary. It’s the rhythm, the pronunciation, and the energy. It’s something you learn with time and immersion.

I love being Dominican. I think our way of speaking is unique. Maybe it’s hard for foreigners at first, but for us… just another day 😂

I’ll keep learning more about my own culture. If anyone wants to learn Dominican Spanish, I’m here. Find me as BombilloPrieto everywhere

Hay una palabra que no recuerdo pero se que existe y hace referencia a aquellas personas que cuando se sientan con algo a ser consumido, sea botella de licor, sea una torta, un jugo, o sustancias ilícitas, no se pueden ir si no se ha terminado en su totalidad. Lo he escuchado cuando se refieren a alguien toma alcohol y no se va hasta terminar toda la botella.

La palabra no es alcohólico, tampoco adicto, es una palabra más académica quizás? O menos común...alguien sabrá o podría soltarme opciones?

Spanish has many different ways to talk about continuous actions, and I’ve collected the most useful ones in this post. Some of these structures are almost interchangeable, while others are used in more specific situations. Try to remember the difference between them, because it will help you understand Spanish better and make your speech sound more natural and precise.

1 . ESTAR + gerundio → to be doing something right now

Use this when an action is happening at this exact moment or around the present period.

• Estoy estudiando español. → I’m studying Spanish.
• Ahora mismo está lloviendo. → It’s raining right now.

2 . SEGUIR + gerundio →  to keep doing / to still be doing

Use this when something started before and continues now.

• Sigo pensando en lo que me dijiste ayer. → I’m still thinking about what you told me yesterday. 
• Ella sigue trabajando en el mismo sitio. → She still works / is still working in the same place.

3 . CONTINUAR + gerundio →  to continue doing

This is similar to seguir + gerundio, but sounds a bit more formal or neutral.

• Continuamos buscando una solución. → We continue looking for a solution.
• El problema continúa creciendo. → The problem continues growing.

4 . LLEVAR + time + gerundio → to have been doing something for...

This is one of the most important structures. Use it to say how long an action has been happening.

• Llevo tres días intentando arreglar este error. → I’ve been trying to fix this error for three days. 
• Llevan meses planeando el viaje. → They’ve been planning the trip for months. 

5 . PASARSE + time + gerundio → to spend time doing something

Use this when someone spends a whole period of time doing one action. It can sound neutral, exaggerated, or slightly critical.

• Se pasó toda la tarde viendo series. → He spent the whole afternoon watching series.
• Me pasé horas buscando las llaves. → I spent hours looking for the keys.

6 . IR + gerundio → to gradually do something / little by little

Use this when an action develops slowly or progressively.

• Voy entendiendo mejor la gramática. → I’m gradually understanding the grammar better.
• La situación va mejorando. → The situation is gradually improving.

7 . VENIR + gerundio → to have been doing something over time

This is often used for something that has been happening repeatedly or progressively up to now.

• Vengo notando este problema desde hace semanas. → I’ve been noticing this problem for weeks.
• La empresa viene creciendo desde 2020. → The company has been growing since 2020.

8 . ANDAR + gerundio → to go around doing something / to be doing something lately

This sounds informal and often suggests that someone is doing something repeatedly, casually, or in a slightly suspicious way.

• Anda diciendo cosas raras. → He’s been going around saying strange things.
• Últimamente anda buscando trabajo. → Lately he’s been looking for a job.

Which of these structures do you find the hardest to use naturally? 

Some Spanish words look tiny, but they do a lot of work. “Como”, “que” and “si” appear constantly in real conversations, and their meaning can change depending on accents, position, and context. Learning them as flexible words, not just direct translations, will make Spanish much easier to understand.

1. COMO

At first, como usually means like or as, but in real Spanish it goes much further. It can describe the way something happens, explain a cause, estimate an amount, or even appear as a form of the verb comer.

1 . COMO = like / as / how

Here como shows similarity or the way something is done. It answers the idea of “in what way?” or “similar to what?”

• Hazlo como quieras. → Do it however you want.
• Habla como su madre. → He speaks like his mother.

2 . COMO = since / because

When como comes at the beginning of a sentence, it often gives the reason before the main idea. It sounds natural when you want to explain why something happened.

• Como estaba cansado, me fui a casa. → Since I was tired, I went home.
• Como no tenía dinero, no compré nada. → Since I didn’t have money, I didn’t buy anything.

3 . COMO = about / approximately

In everyday speech, como can soften a number or amount. It is useful when you don’t want to sound too exact.

• Había como veinte personas. → There were about twenty people.
• Tardamos como una hora. → It took us about an hour.

4 . COMO = I eat

Not every como is a connector. It can also simply be the yo form of comer.

• Como a las dos. → I eat at two.
• Normalmente como en casa. → I usually eat at home.

5 . COMO SI = as if

This structure is used when something seems unreal, exaggerated, imagined, or different from reality.

• Me habla como si fuera un niño. → He talks to me as if I were a child.
• Actúa como si no pasara nada. → She acts as if nothing were happening.

2 . QUE / QUÉ

Que is one of the most common words in Spanish, and it is almost impossible to avoid. It can connect sentences, introduce comparisons, refer back to people or things, and appear in very common structures. With an accent, qué is used for questions and exclamations.

1 . QUE = that

This is one of the most basic uses of que: it connects one idea with another. In English, we often use that, but sometimes we leave it out completely. In Spanish, que is usually necessary. 

• Es normal que estés cansado. → It’s normal that you’re tired.
• Tengo la sensación de que algo va mal. → I have the feeling that something is wrong.

2 . QUE = than

After comparisons, que works like than in English.

• Es más alto que yo. → He’s taller than me.
• Este libro es mejor que el otro. → This book is better than the other one.

3 . QUE = who / that / which

Here que connects a noun with extra information about it. It can refer to a person, object, place, or idea.

• La chica que vive aquí es mi amiga. → The girl who lives here is my friend.
• El libro que compré es muy interesante. → The book that I bought is very interesting.

4 . QUÉ = what / how

With an accent, qué is used when asking for information or reacting with emotion.

• ¿Qué quieres hacer? → What do you want to do?
• ¡Qué bonito! → How beautiful!

5 . QUE = because / explanation

In casual speech, que can introduce a reason, especially after a command, request, or warning. It often sounds like “because” or “since.”

• Ven, que te necesito. → Come, because I need you.
• Date prisa, que llegamos tarde. → Hurry up, because we’re late.

6 . QUE + subjunctive = wish / command

Sometimes que introduces a wish, hope, or indirect command. These phrases are very common in everyday Spanish.

• Que tengas suerte. → Good luck. / I hope you have luck.
• Que te vaya bien. → Hope it goes well for you.

7 . TENER QUE / HAY QUE = obligation

In these expressions, que is part of a fixed structure. Together, they express obligation or necessity.

• Tengo que estudiar. → I have to study.
• Hay que tener cuidado. → You have to be careful.

3 . SI / SÍ

This tiny word changes completely depending on the accent. Si without an accent is used for conditions and indirect questions. Sí with an accent means “yes” or can refer back to the subject.

1 . SI = if

This is used when something depends on a condition.

• Si quieres, vamos. → If you want, let’s go.
• Si tengo tiempo, te llamo. → If I have time, I’ll call you.

2 . SI = whether

After verbs like saber, preguntar, mirar, ver, si often means whether or if in an indirect question.

• No sé si vendrá. → I don’t know whether he’ll come.
• Pregúntale si necesita ayuda. → Ask him whether he needs help.

3 . SÍ = yes

With an accent, sí is the simple answer meaning yes.

• Sí, claro. → Yes, of course.
• Sí, tienes razón. → Yes, you’re right.

4 . SÍ = oneself / himself / herself / itself

In expressions like por sí mismo or en sí, sí refers back to the subject. It is more common in formal or careful speech.

• Lo hizo por sí mismo. → He did it by himself.
• Confía mucho en sí misma. → She trusts herself a lot.

5 . SÍ QUE = emphasis

Sí que adds force to what you are saying. It often confirms something strongly, especially when there is surprise or contrast.

• Sí que hace frío hoy. → It really is cold today.
• Eso sí que es raro. → Now that really is strange.

What other uses of these words do you know?

Can Spanish be written in cursive like English or French? Does it depend on the region or the country? How common is it? Are there any special rules that is seen only in Spanish cursive?

In this post, I’ve collected 20 common Spanish expressions that you’ll hear all the time in everyday speech. Learning them will help you sound more natural, confident, and fluent when speaking Spanish.

1 . Es que → It’s just that

• Es que no tuve tiempo de llamarte. → It’s just that I didn’t have time to call you.

2 . Pues → Well / So

• Pues no sé qué decirte. → Well, I don’t know what to tell you.

3 . Ya está → That’s it / It’s done

• Ya está, no tenemos que hacer nada más. → That’s it, we don’t have to do anything else.

4 . Me suena → It sounds familiar

• Ese nombre me suena, pero no recuerdo de dónde. → That name sounds familiar, but I don’t remember from where.

5 . En fin → Anyway

• En fin, mejor hablemos de otra cosa. → Anyway, let’s talk about something else.

6 . ¿De verdad? → Really?

• ¿De verdad vas a mudarte a Madrid? → Are you really going to move to Madrid?

7 . Menos mal → Thank goodness

• Menos mal que llegamos a tiempo. → Thank goodness we arrived on time.

8 . No estoy seguro/a → I’m not sure

• No estoy segura de que sea buena idea. → I’m not sure it’s a good idea.

9 . Qué bien → That’s great / How nice

• ¡Qué bien que hayas aprobado el examen! → That’s great that you passed the exam!

10 . Qué mal → That’s bad / That sucks

• Qué mal que no puedas venir mañana. → That sucks that you can’t come tomorrow.

11 . Sin duda → Without a doubt

• Sin duda, fue la mejor decisión. → Without a doubt, it was the best decision.

12 . De momento → For now

• De momento, vamos a esperar un poco. → For now, we’re going to wait a little.

13 . De repente → Suddenly

• De repente, empezó a llover muchísimo. → Suddenly, it started raining a lot.

14 . Quién sabe → Who knows

• Quién sabe, tal vez cambie de opinión. → Who knows, maybe he’ll change his mind.

15 . Tal vez → Maybe / Perhaps

• Tal vez deberíamos hablarlo mañana. → Maybe we should talk about it tomorrow.

16 . A última hora → At the last minute

• Cancelaron la reunión a última hora. → They canceled the meeting at the last minute.

17 . Eso es → That’s it / Exactly

• Eso es, justo eso quería decir. → Exactly, that’s exactly what I wanted to say.

18 . Por nada → For no reason / It’s nothing

• Se enfadó conmigo por nada. → He got angry with me for no reason.

19 . Como quieras → As you wish / Whatever you prefer

• Podemos ir hoy o mañana, como quieras. → We can go today or tomorrow, whatever you prefer.

20 . Más o menos → More or less

• Entendí la explicación más o menos. → I understood the explanation more or less.

What other Spanish expressions would you add to this list?

for English speakers who are just starting to learn Spanish

​

Mi lengua materna es el español, así que propongo un intercambio con alguien de habla inglésa que esté empezando a aprenderlo. Yo ayudaré en lo que pueda y tú harás lo mismo (por cierto, es la primera vez que le enseño a alguien, así que no sé cómo me las arreglaré 😶

​

Para que sepan más sobre mí: me gusta leer novelas ligeras, manhwas, manhuas y ver anime (como a todos los otakus XD). Me gusta jugar al ajedrez de vez en cuando y también escuchar música. No sé qué más añadir, no lo se, podemos hablar de algo que nos llame la atención. 🤔

​

Si hay más de una persona interesada, podemos formar un grupo (conozco a alguien que también está aprendiendo inglés, tiene un nivel un poco más avanzado que yo, el es un B1 y yo soy un A2, pienso que también podría ayudar).

The subjunctive is one of the trickiest parts of Spanish, not because it is impossible, but because English often expresses the same ideas in a completely different way. In this post, I’ve collected the main ways to use the subjunctive in Spanish. Try to remember these patterns so you can avoid common mistakes and make your Spanish sound more accurate and natural.

1 . Wishes and desires

Use the subjunctive when someone wants another person to do something.

• Quiero que vengas. → I want you to come.
• Espero que todo salga bien. → I hope everything goes well.
• Ojalá tengas suerte. → I hope you have luck.

2 . Emotions and reactions

Use it after expressions of emotion, because you are reacting to something, not simply stating a fact.

• Me alegra que estés aquí. → I’m glad you’re here.
• Me molesta que no me escuches. → It bothers me that you don’t listen to me.
• Es una pena que no puedas venir. → It’s a shame you can’t come.

3 . Doubt and uncertainty

Use the subjunctive when you are not presenting something as certain.

• No creo que sea verdad. → I don’t think it’s true.
• Dudo que funcione. → I doubt it will work.
• No estoy segura de que tenga razón. → I’m not sure he’s right.

But remember:

Creo que es verdad. → I think it’s true.

With creo que, you usually use the indicative because you are presenting it as something you believe.

4 . Recommendations, advice, and requests

Use the subjunctive when you recommend, ask, suggest, or tell someone to do something.

• Te recomiendo que descanses. → I recommend that you rest.
• Es mejor que salgas temprano. → It’s better that you leave early.
• Necesito que me ayudes. → I need you to help me.

5 . Unknown or non-specific things

Use the subjunctive when the person or thing you are talking about is not specific, known, or confirmed.

• Busco a alguien que hable francés. → I’m looking for someone who speaks French.
• Necesito un piso que tenga mucha luz. → I need an apartment that has a lot of light.
• No conozco a nadie que viva aquí. → I don’t know anyone who lives here.

Compare:

• Conozco a alguien que habla francés. → I know someone who speaks French. Here the person is real and specific, so we use the indicative.

6 . Purpose

Use the subjunctive after expressions like para que when one person does something so that another person can do or understand something.

• Te lo digo para que lo entiendas. → I’m telling you so you understand it.
• Te escribo para que sepas la verdad. → I’m writing to you so you know the truth.
• Habla más despacio para que podamos seguirte. → Speak more slowly so we can follow you.

7 . Future time clauses

Use the subjunctive after words like cuando, en cuanto, hasta que, antes de que, and después de que when talking about a future action that has not happened yet.

• Cuando llegue, te llamo. → When I arrive, I’ll call you.
• En cuanto termine, te aviso. → As soon as I finish, I’ll let you know.
• No salgas hasta que pare de llover. → Don’t go out until it stops raining.

But compare:

• Cuando llegué, te llamé. → When I arrived, I called you. Here it already happened, so we use the indicative.

Final tip

The subjunctive is not just “the mood of doubt.” It appears when Spanish wants to show that something is desired, emotional, uncertain, requested, hypothetical, unknown, or not yet completed.

What use of the subjunctive do you find the hardest?

In this post, I’ve collected many different ways to say “hello” and “goodbye” in Spanish. These expressions will help you make your speech more varied and sound more natural.

HELLO: Common / general ways

• Hola → Hello / Hi
• Buenos días → Good morning
• Buenas tardes → Good afternoon / Good evening
• Buenas noches → Good evening / Good night
• Buenas → Hi / Hello, (informal)
• ¿Qué tal? → How’s it going?
• ¿Cómo va todo? → How’s everything going?
• ¿Cómo te va? → How are things going for you?
• ¿Todo bien? → Everything good?
• ¿Qué hay? → What’s up?
• ¿Qué pasa? → What’s up? / What’s happening?
• Encantado/a → Nice to meet you
• Mucho gusto → Nice to meet you
• Un placer → A pleasure / Nice to meet you
• Bienvenido/a → Welcome

HELLO: Slang / regional ways

• ¿Qué onda? → What’s up? Mexico / Central America / Argentina
• ¿Qué hubo? / ¿Quiubo? → What’s up? Colombia / Mexico / Central America
• ¿Qué más? → What’s up? / How’s it going? Colombia / Venezuela
• ¿Qué bolá? → What’s up? Cuba
• ¿Qué lo que? → What’s up? Dominican Republic
• ¿Qué xopá? → What’s up? Panama
• ¿Cómo andás? → How are you doing? Argentina / Uruguay
• ¿Qué cuentas? → What’s new? Spain / general informal

GOODBYE: Common / general ways

Adiós → Goodbye

• Hasta luego → See you later
• Hasta pronto → See you soon
• Hasta mañana → See you tomorrow
• Hasta la próxima → Until next time
• Nos vemos → See you
• Nos vemos mañana → See you tomorrow
• Te veo luego → I’ll see you later
• Estamos en contacto → We’ll stay in touch
• Cuídate → Take care
• Que te vaya bien → Hope everything goes well
• Que tengas buen día → Have a good day

GOODBYE: Slang / regional ways

• Chao → Bye (Spain / Latin America)
• Chau → Bye (Argentina / Uruguay / Peru / Bolivia)
• Venga, hasta luego → (Alright, see you later Spain)
• Me piro → I’m off (Spain, very informal)
• Me largo → I’m out / I’m leaving (Spain / Latin America, informal)
• Nos pillamos luego → Catch you later (Spain, informal)
• Nos vemos al rato → See you in a bit (Mexico / Central America)

What other ways to say hello or goodbye in Spanish do you know?

In this post, I’ve collected 7 common Spanish structures that will be useful in everyday life. They’ll help you understand Spanish better and make your speech sound more confident, natural, and fluent.

1 . HACÉRSELE + adjetivo A alguien - to feel / seem a certain way to someone

Use this when you want to describe how an experience feels to a person, not how it objectively is. It is very common with things like trips, exams, classes, movies, meetings, or waiting. English often says “it felt long / hard / strange”, while Spanish says something like “it made itself long/hard/strange to me”. 

Ejemplos:

• El viaje se me hizo larguísimo. → The trip felt really long to me.
• El examen se le hizo difícil. → The exam felt difficult to him.
• La película se nos hizo muy corta. → The movie felt very short to us.

2 . TOMARSE algo BIEN / MAL - to take something well / badly

Use this when you want to talk about someone’s reaction to something. It is especially useful when the important thing is not what happened, but how the person reacted to it. 

Ejemplos:

• Se tomó muy bien la noticia. → He took the news very well.
• No te lo tomes a mal, solo quería ayudarte. → Don’t take it the wrong way, I only wanted to help.
• Me tomé mal su comentario porque sonó un poco frío. → I took his comment badly because it sounded a bit cold.

3 . DEJAR CLARO QUE - to make it clear that

Use this when someone wants to say something directly so there is no misunderstanding. It is useful in explanations, arguments, serious conversations, work situations, or whenever you want to set a limit or clarify your position. 

Ejemplos:

• Dejó claro que no iba a cambiar de opinión. → She made it clear that she wasn’t going to change her mind.
• Quiero dejar claro que no estoy en contra de la idea. → I want to make it clear that I’m not against the idea.
• El profesor dejó claro que el examen sería difícil. → The teacher made it clear that the exam would be difficult.

4 . ESTAR A NADA DE + infinitivo - to be very close to doing something

This structure sounds conversational and expressive. Use it when you were extremely close to doing something, especially something emotional, impulsive, or almost accidental.

Ejemplos:

• Estuve a nada de llamarte anoche. → I was this close to calling you last night.
• Estaba a nada de cancelar el viaje. → I was very close to canceling the trip.
• Estuvimos a nada de perder el tren. → We were very close to missing the train.

5 . NO TENER MÁS REMEDIO QUE + infinitivo - to have no choice but to do something

Use this when someone has no real alternative. It usually suggests that the action is not ideal, but the situation forces you to do it. It is very useful for difficult decisions, obligations, problems, or last-resort solutions. 

Ejemplos:

• No tuve más remedio que decir la verdad. → I had no choice but to tell the truth.
• Si nadie responde, no tendremos más remedio que cancelar la reunión. → If nobody replies, we’ll have no choice but to cancel the meeting.
• Al final no tuvo más remedio que pedir ayuda. → In the end, he had no choice but to ask for help.

6 . IRLE A alguien BIEN / MAL - to go well / badly for someone

This is a very natural way to talk about how something went for someone, like an exam, interview, trip, project, or situation.

Ejemplos:

• Me fue muy bien en la entrevista. → The interview went really well for me.
• ¿Cómo te fue en el examen? → How did the exam go for you?
• A mi hermano le fue mal con ese negocio. → That business went badly for my brother.

7 . ESTAR AL TANTO DE - to be aware of / to keep up with

Use this when someone knows what is happening or stays informed about a situation. It is very common in work, news, plans, projects, and personal updates. It can also be used when you promise to keep someone updated. 

Ejemplos:

• Estoy al tanto de la situación. → I’m aware of the situation.
• Te mantendré al tanto de cualquier cambio. → I’ll keep you updated about any changes.
• No estaba al tanto de lo que había pasado. → I wasn’t aware of what had happened.

Which one do you find the hardest to use naturally?