Everyday situations · Family
Spanish for simple family conversations.
Begin with a greeting, ask one simple question and give yourself room to try again. A small exchange is a useful place to start.
Choose one small exchange.
For an adult beginner, a short greeting can be enough for one practice session. Pick a willing conversation partner, agree on a simple prompt and keep a clarification phrase close.
Say hello
Start with Hola.
Ask one question
Try ¿Cómo estás?
Ask for help
Request repetition when you need it.
Family members are often happy to help. Telling them which phrase you are practising makes it easier for them to keep their reply short and simple.
Practise with a seven-day plan.
The free 7 Day Spanish Starter Plan gives you seven short tasks, two dialogues and a tracker, about ten minutes a day. Open it on the web or download the 5-page PDF.
The complete plan is free and open. No account or email needed; an emailed copy is optional.
Useful phrases to begin with.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Hola. | Hello. |
| ¿Cómo estás? | How are you? |
| Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? | Well, thank you. And you? |
| Me llamo Ana. | My name is Ana. |
| Mucho gusto. | Nice to meet you. |
| Encantado. / Encantada. | Pleased to meet you. (said by a man / a woman) |
| Estoy aprendiendo español. | I am learning Spanish. |
| No entiendo. | I do not understand. |
| ¿Puedes repetir, por favor? | Can you repeat, please? (familiar) |
| Gracias. | Thank you. |
Use Me llamo… when an introduction is needed, replacing Ana with your own name. Practise the phrases that fit your situation.
Encantado and Encantada are greeting formulas used when you are introduced to someone. The ending follows the speaker, not the listener: a man says Encantado and a woman says Encantada. Mucho gusto stays the same for everyone, which makes it an easy first choice.
Try a familiar greeting.
A: Hola. ¿Cómo estás? · B: Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? · A: Bien, gracias.
A: Hello. How are you? B: Well, thank you. And you? A: Well, thank you. An original practice example; your partner may answer differently.
Read both parts, cover the Spanish and take one role. Then swap roles. When meeting a relative for the first time, try the introduction from Day 1 of the free plan and finish with Mucho gusto or Encantado / Encantada.
Choose familiar or polite wording.
Familiar singular: tú
¿Cómo estás?
How are you?
¿Puedes repetir, por favor?
Can you repeat, please?
Polite singular: usted
¿Cómo está?
How are you?
¿Puede repetir, por favor?
Can you repeat, please?
Tú is the usual choice with family and close friends. Usted shows more distance and courtesy; some families use it with grandparents or in-laws, and habits vary by country and household. In parts of Latin America people also use vos for familiar address. Follow your family’s lead, and if you are unsure, ask which they prefer. These examples address one person.
Try the free family prompts.
Choose one task and practise a short exchange. Say your phrase, add a clarification request if needed, then check the example.
Greet someone you know.
Say Hola, ask ¿Cómo estás? and practise the short reply above.
Meet someone new.
Say Me llamo… with your own name, then Mucho gusto.
Handle an unfamiliar reply.
Say No entiendo, then choose the repetition request that fits the person.
Ask your partner to keep the first reply short. Repeat a task or stop after one useful exchange. This is practice, not a fluency test.
- I used the example
- I needed a small prompt
- I did it from memory
Make a personal phrase card.
| My conversation partner | e.g. my partner’s aunt |
|---|---|
| My greeting | your greeting |
| My question | your question |
| My clarification phrase | your phrase |
| My next practice time | day and time |
Worked example
Hola. Hello.
¿Cómo estás? How are you?
¿Puedes repetir, por favor? Can you repeat, please?
This example uses familiar singular wording.
Your task: fill in your card, say each line aloud three times and plan one short exchange this week. The free Conversation Rescue Card has more clarification phrases, and the 10 Minute Practice Planner helps you choose a practice time.
Practice, not a promise. These tasks help you rehearse everyday Spanish at your own pace. Individual progress varies; nothing here promises a level, a qualification or a fixed learning speed. How we write and check our Spanish
Sources and editorial notes
- Content basis: the Smart Learning Path 7 Day Spanish Starter Plan and Conversation Rescue Card. Family exchanges are original illustrative practice examples.
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario panhispánico de dudas: tú and usted, retrieved October 18, 2026.
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la lengua española: encantado, da, retrieved October 18, 2026.
These are short practice prompts for adult beginners. They do not cover every reply, relationship or regional variation. Spanish checked by our editors. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Suggest a correction.
Related reading.
Visit the blogSpanish for Family
Greetings and short exchanges with family.
Spanish Greetings for Your First Conversation
Key phrases and when to use them.
How to Ask Someone to Repeat or Slow Down in Spanish
Polite phrases for a fast or unclear reply.
One greeting. One question. A useful next step.
Keep practising with the free seven-day plan, at your own pace.
No account or payment needed.