30 Spanish Expressions Native Speakers Use All the Time
Sound more natural with 30 everyday Spanish expressions like no pasa nada, me da igual, qué más da and tener ganas, with meanings and examples.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
Textbook Spanish is correct but stiff. These everyday expressions are what make native speakers sound like native speakers. Learn them as chunks and drop them into your conversations.
Reacting
- ¡No me digas! — No way! / You don't say!
- ¿En serio? — Seriously?
- ¡Qué fuerte! — That's crazy! (Spain)
- ¡Qué bárbaro! — Wow! (Latin America)
- ¡Ni modo! — Oh well, nothing to do (Mexico)
- ¡Ojalá! — I hope so!
- ¡Ya era hora! — About time!
Expressing feelings
- Me da igual. — I don't mind / it's all the same to me.
- Me da pena. — It makes me sad (Spain) / I'm embarrassed (Latin America).
- Tengo ganas de… — I feel like… / I'm looking forward to…
- Estoy harto/a. — I'm fed up.
- Me muero de hambre. — I'm starving.
- Estoy que no puedo más. — I can't take any more.
Keeping it light
- No pasa nada. — No problem / it's fine.
- Tranqui. — Relax (casual).
- Poco a poco. — Little by little.
- Más vale tarde que nunca. — Better late than never.
- Así es la vida. — That's life.
Agreeing and disagreeing
- Claro que sí. — Of course.
- Tienes razón. — You're right.
- Para nada. — Not at all.
- Depende. — It depends.
- Ni idea. — No idea.
- ¿Qué más da? — What does it matter?
In conversation
- Lo que pasa es que… — The thing is…
- Por cierto… — By the way…
- A propósito… — Speaking of which…
- En fin… — Anyway…
- ¿Me explico? — Do you know what I mean?
- Vamos a ver. — Let's see.
How to make them stick
- Learn three per week.
- Use each in a real sentence the same day.
- Notice them in series and songs.
Mini dialogue
- A: Lo que pasa es que no tengo tiempo para estudiar.
- B: No pasa nada. Poco a poco. ¿Tienes diez minutos al día?
- A: Pues… sí, claro que sí.
- B: ¡Pues ya está!
Practice them out loud
Expressions only become yours when you say them in conversation. In Lolo's free chat, try to use three new expressions per call, then check the summary for natural alternatives. See Spanish filler words and Mexican Spanish slang.
Frequently asked questions
What does "no pasa nada" mean?
"It's fine" or "no problem". It's used to reassure someone.
How do you use "me da igual"?
To say you don't mind either option: ¿Pizza o tacos? — Me da igual.
What does "ojalá" mean?
"I hope" or "hopefully". It comes from Arabic and is followed by the subjunctive: Ojalá que llueva.
