You've learned the grammar and plenty of vocabulary, but when Spanish speakers chat with each other you still feel lost. Often it's not hard grammar that trips you up, but small, frequent expressions that textbooks skip. Here are twelve you'll hear every day, with examples you can borrow.
1. Vale
Spain's all-purpose OK. Agreement, acknowledgement, ending a phone call: vale covers it. In Latin America you'll hear dale (Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia), órale or sale (Mexico) instead.
— Quedamos a las ocho. — Vale, perfecto.— Let's meet at eight. — OK, perfect.
2. ¡Qué fuerte!
Literally how strong! It's what you say when you hear something shocking or unbelievable, good or bad.
¿Se han separado? ¡Qué fuerte!They've split up? No way!
3. Me da igual
I don't mind or it's all the same to me. It can sound indifferent, so add a smile or de verdad if you're being easy-going rather than rude.
— ¿Pizza o pasta? — Me da igual, elige tú.— Pizza or pasta? — I don't mind, you choose.
4. Ojalá
From Arabic, meaning God willing, now simply I hope or if only. It's followed by the subjunctive.
Ojalá haga sol mañana.I hope it's sunny tomorrow.
5. ¿En serio?
Seriously? Really? Use it whenever you're surprised. Said flatly, it can also mean you can't be serious.
6. Menos mal
Thank goodness or just as well. Relief after a near miss.
Menos mal que llevabas paraguas.Good thing you had an umbrella.
7. Estar en las nubes
To be in the clouds: daydreaming, not paying attention.
Perdona, ¿qué has dicho? Estaba en las nubes.Sorry, what did you say? I was miles away.
8. Tener mala leche
Literally to have bad milk: to be bad-tempered or spiteful. In Spain ¡Qué mala leche! also means what bad luck!
9. No pasa nada
No problem, it's fine, don't worry. The perfect reply when someone apologises.
— Perdona, llego tarde. — No pasa nada.— Sorry I'm late. — Don't worry about it.
10. Ponerse las pilas
To put your batteries in: to get your act together, to get going.
El examen es el lunes. Me tengo que poner las pilas.The exam is on Monday. I need to get my act together.
11. Ser pan comido
To be eaten bread: a piece of cake, really easy.
Tranquilo, el examen fue pan comido.Relax, the exam was a piece of cake.
12. Buen provecho / Que aproveche
Said to people who are eating, including strangers at the next table as you leave a restaurant. The usual reply is gracias.
A mini dialogue with all the favourites
— ¿Sabes que Lucía se va a vivir a Japón?— Did you know Lucía is moving to Japan?
— ¿En serio? ¡Qué fuerte!— Seriously? No way!
— Sí, y está aprendiendo japonés. Dice que es pan comido.— Yes, and she's learning Japanese. She says it's a piece of cake.
— Ojalá fuera tan fácil para mí con el español.— I wish it were that easy for me with Spanish.
— Pues ponte las pilas. ¿Quedamos para practicar?— Well, get going then. Shall we meet to practise?
— Vale. ¿Mañana o el sábado?— OK. Tomorrow or Saturday?