Spanish A2
CEFR A2 · Elementary
A2 is where Spanish starts to move in time: the preterite for finished actions (fui, comí, hablé), the present perfect with he + participle, and reflexive verbs like levantarse and acostarse for daily routines. You use tú commands to give directions, gustar-style verbs (me duele, me gusta) to talk about your body and your feelings, and the vocabulary of transport, weather, shopping and work to get around a Spanish-speaking city.
80 words · 6 units · 22 grammar points
Spanish A2, unit by unit
Daily routines & habits
Talk about what you do every day, what time, and how often. Reflexive verbs and frequency adverbs.
- Waking up & getting ready - Reflexive verbsUse reflexive verbs · Describe your morning routine
- During the day - Verbs that break in the middle: o becomes ueTalk about a typical workday or school day · Sequence actions with 'luego', 'después', 'antes'
- Evening & sleep - Dormir or dormirse? The pronoun changes the meaningTalk about evenings, hobbies after work · Use 'acostarse' and 'dormir'
- How often do you...? - How often: where the frequency word goesUse frequency adverbs · Ask and answer about habits
- I wake up at seven every morning.
- Me despierto a las siete todas las mañanas.
- I take a shower and then I have breakfast.
- Me ducho y luego desayuno.
- My sister gets dressed very quickly.
- Mi hermana se viste muy rápido.
Closing conversation: telling a new flatmate what your typical weekday looks like
Talking about the past
Tell stories about yesterday, last weekend, and life experiences. Preterite for finished actions, and 'haber' + participle for life experiences.
- Yesterday I... (regular preterite) - The preterite: finished past actionsForm regular preterite for -ar, -er, -ir verbs · Talk about a single past action
- When did it happen? (time markers + irregulars) - The irregular preterites, and how to say agoUse past time markers · Use the most common irregular preterites: ir/ser, hacer, tener, estar
- Last weekend / a trip - Telling a trip: reflexives and -ir verbs in the pastNarrate a short sequence of past events · React with 'fue increíble', 'lo pasé bien'
- Have you ever...? (life experiences) - The present perfect: he + participleAsk about life experiences with the present perfect · Answer with 'ya', 'todavía no', 'nunca'
- Yesterday I worked until ten at night.
- Ayer trabajé hasta las diez de la noche.
- I studied Spanish for two hours this morning.
- Estudié español durante dos horas esta mañana.
- I listened to music and then I cooked dinner.
- Escuché música y luego cociné la cena.
Closing conversation: telling a friend what you did last weekend
Travel & directions
Get around in a Spanish-speaking city: take transport, ask the way, check into a hotel, and buy a ticket.
- Getting around - Estar for location (and al / del)Name common modes of transport · Say how you go somewhere with 'ir en'
- Asking the way - Tú commands for directionsAsk where something is · Understand left/right/straight directions
- At the hotel - Saying it without repeating it: lo, la, los, lasCheck into a hotel · Ask about room type and breakfast
- Buying a ticket - Quisiera and me gustaría: asking politelyBuy a train or bus ticket · Ask about times and platforms
- I take the bus to work every day.
- Voy al trabajo en autobús todos los días.
- The train leaves at eight in the morning.
- El tren sale a las ocho de la mañana.
- How long does it take to get to the airport?
- ¿Cuánto se tarda en llegar al aeropuerto?
Closing conversation: asking a stranger the way to the station, then buying your ticket
Body, health & feelings
Talk about your body, common illnesses, and how you feel. Visit a doctor or pharmacy and describe symptoms.
- Body parts & 'me duele' - Doler: saying what hurtsName common body parts · Use 'me duele' / 'me duelen' to describe pain
- Common illnesses & symptoms - Symptoms use tener, where English uses to beDescribe common symptoms · Say you don't feel well
- At the doctor / pharmacy - Who it happened to: me, te, le, nosDescribe symptoms to a professional · Ask for medicine and follow basic advice
- Feelings & moods - Es nervioso or está nervioso? Ser and estar with moodsTalk about how you feel emotionally · Use 'estar' for moods
- My head hurts a lot today.
- Hoy me duele mucho la cabeza.
- My eyes hurt when I work at the computer.
- Me duelen los ojos cuando trabajo con el ordenador.
- I have a stomach ache after eating so much.
- Me duele el estómago después de comer tanto.
Closing conversation: describing your symptoms at a pharmacy and asking what you should take
Planes y citas
Proponer un plan, quedar con alguien, cambiar o cancelar una cita, y hablar del tiempo que decide los planes.
- Proponer un plan - Proponer planes: ¿Quedamos…? y Vamos a…Hacer una propuesta y responder a ella · Aceptar o rechazar una invitación con cortesía
- Citas y horarios - Fixing a time: a, de... a, antes de, después deConcertar, cambiar o cancelar una cita · Preguntar cuándo tiene tiempo alguien
- El tiempo y los planes - Si llueve, nos quedamos: planning around the weatherDescribir el tiempo y entender el pronóstico · Cambiar un plan según el tiempo que hace
- Shall we meet on Friday evening?
- ¿Quedamos el viernes por la noche?
- I want to invite you to my birthday.
- Quiero invitar a mi cumpleaños.
- Thanks for the invitation, but I can't.
- Gracias por la invitación, pero no puedo.
Closing conversation: making weekend plans with a friend, then moving them when something comes up
Teléfono, mensajes y pequeños problemas
Llamar y escribir, disculparse, aclarar un malentendido y pedir ayuda: la vida diaria cuando algo no sale como estaba previsto.
- Llamar y escribir - Poder, tener que y deber: los verbos modalesMantener una conversación telefónica corta y dejar un mensaje · Pedir algo con cortesía
- Cuando algo sale mal - It broke itself: se me rompióDisculparse y explicar un error · Quejarse con cortesía
- Lo solucionamos - Two pronouns at once: se lo, me lo, te loPedir y ofrecer ayuda · Proponer una solución y confirmarla
- Can you call me later, please?
- ¿Puedes llamarme más tarde, por favor?
- I'll leave you a message.
- Te dejo un mensaje.
- Nobody answered the phone.
- Nadie contestó el teléfono.
Closing conversation: phoning about an order that arrived damaged, and getting it put right
A2 verb tables
A2 grammar points
- Reflexive verbs
- Verbs that break in the middle: o becomes ue
- Dormir or dormirse? The pronoun changes the meaning
- How often: where the frequency word goes
- The preterite: finished past actions
- The irregular preterites, and how to say ago
- Telling a trip: reflexives and -ir verbs in the past
- The present perfect: he + participle
- Estar for location (and al / del)
- Tú commands for directions
- Saying it without repeating it: lo, la, los, las
- Quisiera and me gustaría: asking politely
- Doler: saying what hurts
- Symptoms use tener, where English uses to be
- Who it happened to: me, te, le, nos
- Es nervioso or está nervioso? Ser and estar with moods
- Proponer planes: ¿Quedamos…? y Vamos a…
- Fixing a time: a, de... a, antes de, después de
- Si llueve, nos quedamos: planning around the weather
- Poder, tener que y deber: los verbos modales
- It broke itself: se me rompió
- Two pronouns at once: se lo, me lo, te lo
Spanish A2 vocabulary
All 80 words, in frequency order.
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lunes | Monday | Tengo clase el lunes.I have class on Monday. |
| martes | Tuesday | Nos vemos el martes.See you Tuesday. |
| miércoles | Wednesday | El miércoles es mi día libre.Wednesday is my day off. |
| jueves | Thursday | El jueves trabajo hasta tarde.On Thursday I work late. |
| viernes | Friday | ¡Por fin viernes!Friday at last! |
| sábado | Saturday | El sábado salgo con amigos.On Saturday I go out with friends. |
| domingo | Sunday | El domingo descanso.On Sunday I rest. |
| semana | week | La semana próxima.Next week. |
| mes | month | Este mes ha llovido mucho.It has rained a lot this month. |
| fin de semana | weekend | Buen fin de semana.Have a good weekend. |
| minuto | minute | Espera un minuto.Wait a minute. |
| media hora | half an hour | Llego en media hora.I'll arrive in half an hour. |
| tarde | afternoon; late | Llego tarde.I'm arriving late. |
| temprano | early | Me levanto temprano.I get up early. |
| calor | heat | Hace calor hoy.It's hot today. |
| frío | cold | Hace frío en invierno.It's cold in winter. |
| lluvia | rain | Lleva paraguas, hay lluvia.Bring an umbrella, it's raining. |
| sol | sun | Hace sol.It's sunny. |
| viento | wind | Hace mucho viento.It's very windy. |
| nieve | snow | La nieve cubre el pueblo.The snow covers the town. |
| verano | summer | En verano voy a la playa.In summer I go to the beach. |
| invierno | winter | En invierno hace frío.In winter it's cold. |
| primavera | spring | La primavera es bonita.Spring is pretty. |
| otoño | autumn, fall | Las hojas caen en otoño.The leaves fall in autumn. |
| tren | train | El tren llega a las nueve.The train arrives at nine. |
| autobús | bus | Tomo el autobús al trabajo.I take the bus to work. |
| avión | plane | El avión sale mañana.The plane leaves tomorrow. |
| metro | subway | El metro es rápido.The subway is fast. |
| billete | ticket | Un billete de ida y vuelta.A round-trip ticket. |
| coger | to take, to catch (Spain) | Voy a coger el autobús.I'm going to take the bus. |
| tomar | to take, to drink | Vamos a tomar un café.Let's have a coffee. |
| llegar | to arrive | Llego a las ocho.I arrive at eight. |
| salir | to leave, to go out | Quiero salir esta noche.I want to go out tonight. |
| volver | to return, to come back | Voy a volver en una hora.I'll be back in an hour. |
| buscar | to look for | Busco las llaves.I'm looking for my keys. |
| encontrar | to find | Encontré tu libro.I found your book. |
| perder | to lose; to miss (a train) | Perdí el tren.I missed the train. |
| esperar | to wait; to hope | Te espero aquí.I'll wait for you here. |
| tienda | shop, store | La tienda abre a las diez.The shop opens at ten. |
| supermercado | supermarket | Voy al supermercado.I'm going to the supermarket. |
| mercado | market | Compro fruta en el mercado.I buy fruit at the market. |
| dinero | money | No tengo dinero.I don't have any money. |
| tarjeta | card (credit, ID) | Pago con tarjeta.I pay by card. |
| barato | cheap | Es muy barato.It's very cheap. |
| caro | expensive | Es demasiado caro.It's too expensive. |
| pagar | to pay | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?Can I pay by card? |
| costar | to cost | ¿Cuánto va a costar?How much is it going to cost? |
| vender | to sell | Aquí venden pan recién hecho.They sell freshly made bread here. |
| horario | schedule, timetable | Mi horario es de nueve a cinco.My schedule is nine to five. |
| oficina | office | La oficina está cerrada.The office is closed. |
| jefe | boss | Mi jefe es simpático.My boss is nice. |
| compañero | colleague, classmate | Mi compañero de trabajo es muy simpático.My coworker is very nice. |
| reunión | meeting | Tengo una reunión a las dos.I have a meeting at two. |
| correo | email; mail | Te mando un correo.I'll send you an email. |
| ayudar | to help | ¿Puedo ayudarte?Can I help you? |
| explicar | to explain | Te explico después.I'll explain it to you later. |
| entender | to understand | Es difícil entender este texto.It's hard to understand this text. |
| recordar | to remember | No puedo recordar su nombre.I can't remember his name. |
| olvidar | to forget | Olvidé las llaves.I forgot my keys. |
| creer | to believe, to think | No lo puedo creer.I can't believe it. |
| pensar | to think | Pensamos que tienes razón.We think you're right. |
| parecer | to seem | Me parece bien.It seems fine to me. |
| preguntar | to ask (a question) | Te pregunto algo.I'm asking you something. |
| responder | to answer, to reply | Responde a mi correo.Reply to my email. |
| contar | to tell (a story); to count | Te lo voy a contar luego.I'll tell you later. |
| contento | happy, content | Estoy muy contento con mi trabajo nuevo.I'm very happy with my new job. |
| triste | sad | Me siento triste.I feel sad. |
| cansado | tired | Estoy muy cansado.I'm very tired. |
| ocupado | busy | Hoy estoy ocupado.Today I'm busy. |
| fácil | easy | Es muy fácil.It's very easy. |
| difícil | difficult, hard | El examen fue difícil.The exam was difficult. |
| rápido | fast, quick | El tren es rápido.The train is fast. |
| lento | slow | Mi internet es lento.My internet is slow. |
| antes | before, earlier | Antes vivía en París.Before, I lived in Paris. |
| después | after, later | Hablamos después.We'll talk later. |
| siempre | always | Siempre llego a tiempo.I always arrive on time. |
| nunca | never | Nunca como carne.I never eat meat. |
| a veces | sometimes | A veces salgo a correr.Sometimes I go out for a run. |
| casi | almost | Casi terminé.I almost finished. |
| demasiado | too, too much | Es demasiado tarde.It's too late. |