Spanish Phrases for Beginners to Communicate in the Classroom

Learn how to communicate in Spanish and improve your skills. Begin your first private Spanish lesson knowing how to express some feelings, ideas and asking some questions.

• Hablá más lento por favor: Speak slowly, please. If the person you are talking to is speaking too fast, let them know. Saying “Hablá más lento por favor” is a nice way to ask for it.
• No entiendo / Entendí: I don’t understand / I get it. When someone says something or the teacher explains something to us, it is good to let them know if we understand what they say. That’s why you can say “No entiendo” when you don’t understand and “I get it” when you do.
• Podés / Podrías repetir?: Can / Could you repeat? If you didn’t understand what someone said, you could kindly ask them to repeat it.
• Permiso / Con permiso: Excuse me. We use these words when we want to ask for permission for something in a polite way.
• Gracias: Thank you. The magic word to express gratitude towards generosity or help. In response to “Gracias” we may say “De nada” which means “You’re welcome.”
• Puedo ir al baño?: Can I go to the bathroom? If you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the class, you have a question that will be useful for you.
• Podrías prestarme una lapicera / una hoja?: Could you lend me a pen / a piece of paper? We’ve all been there: you went to your Spanish lesson and you forgot your pen and notebook. Now, how are you supposed to ask your partners for them? With this simple question, you can solve this problem.
• Listo!: I’m ready! This way you can tell to your teacher that you finished an exercice or a lecture.
• Qué significa … ?: What does it means…? It’s important to know how to ask the meanings of words we don’t know. That’s why you should ask “Què significa…?” When an unknown word turns up.
• Como se escribe … ?: How do you write…? Have you heard a word in Spanish but you don’t know how to write it? Before making a mistake, it is good to ask for help.
• Como se pronuncia … ?: How do you pronounce…? If you’re not sure about a word's pronunciation, this question may help you.
• Como se dice … ?: How do you say…? If you’re looking for a word you don’t know, you can ask “Como se dice…?” and then mention the word in your native language or the one you share with your teacher. For example: “Como se dice dog en español?”.
• Tenemos tarea?: Do we have homework? It’s true that homework is not our favourite activity, but it’s a great ally. Don’t leave the lesson before asking if there's homework for the next time.
• Tengo una duda: I have a doubt. Ask everything, don’t remain the doubts. Always let your teacher know if something is unclear.
• Puedo hacer una pregunta?: Can I ask a question? Your teacher is there to help you and answer your questions, so ask all the questions you need.