Vocabulary · To begin with
The 50 words you start with
Fifty words grouped by the work they do inside a sentence rather than by the alphabet. Verbs have a list of their own.
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50 words
An alphabetical list of fifty words is a dictionary page: you read it, none of it stays, and you cannot build a single sentence out of it. Grouped by function you can, because that is how they get used.
Start with the glue — and, but, because, if. They mean almost nothing on their own and without them nothing at all can be said.
The glue of a sentence
None of them means much alone and nothing can be said without them. These are the words you will use most in your life.
and
y
Tea and toast.
but
pero
Cheap but good.
or
o
Now or never.
because
porque
I stayed because it was raining.
so
así que; tan
It was late, so we left.
if
si
Call me if you need anything.
with
con
Coffee with milk.
without
sin
I can't read without glasses.
for
para; durante
This is for you.
about
sobre, acerca de
A book about Rome.
very
muy
It's very cold today.
also
también
She also speaks Italian.
only
solo, únicamente
Only two people came.
again
otra vez
Say that again, please.
People
Watch the plurals: people is already plural, and child, man and woman do not take an -s.
people
gente, personas — siempre plural
Three people were waiting.
friend
amigo, amiga
She's an old friend.
family
familia
My family lives in Seville.
child
niño, niña — plural children
Two children were playing outside.
man
hombre — plural men
The man at the door.
woman
mujer — plural women
The woman who called yesterday.
name
nombre
What's your name?
Time
When something happens and how often. These ten place anything in time.
today
hoy
I'm working from home today.
tomorrow
mañana
See you tomorrow.
yesterday
ayer
It arrived yesterday.
now
ahora
I'm busy right now.
always
siempre
He's always late.
never
nunca
I've never been there.
sometimes
a veces
Sometimes I walk to work.
soon
pronto
We'll know soon.
year
año
It took a year.
week
semana
Next week is busy.
Place
Where. Home and work take no article when you mean your own: go home, at work.
here
aquí
I've been here since eight.
there
allí, ahí
Put it over there.
home
casa (la propia)
I'm going home.
work
trabajo
She's at work until six.
near
cerca de
It's near the station.
between
entre (dos)
Between the bank and the café.
Quantity
How much. The only real trap is many (countable) against much (uncountable).
more
más
I need more time.
less
menos
Less noise, please.
enough
suficiente
That's enough for today.
too
demasiado; también
It's too expensive.
many
muchos (contables)
Too many emails.
much
mucho (incontable)
Not much money left.
every
cada, todos los
Every morning at seven.
What something is like
What something is like. Six adjectives covering most everyday description.
good
bueno
That's a good idea.
bad
malo
The weather was bad.
big
grande
A big problem.
small
pequeño
A small change.
easy
fácil
It's not easy.
hard
difícil; duro
This part is hard.
fluvia.chat — The 50 words you start with
Fifty words are not learned by reading them
They are learned by using them and getting them wrong out loud, with someone who corrects you. That is what Fluvia does, from the first minute and with no account.