Spanish Conversation Strategies

Fillers, clarification, agreeing/disagreeing, softening, opinions and flow phrases.

Buying time (when you need to think)

ExpressionMeaningUse
Pues...Well...Most common filler
Bueno...Well... / OK...Starting or changing topic
A ver...Let's see...Thinking about something
O sea...I mean... / That is...Rephrasing or clarifying
Es que...The thing is...Giving a reason/excuse
Digamos...Let's say...Approximating or hedging
¿Cómo te digo?How do I say this?Searching for words

Asking for clarification

When you don't understand

¿Perdona? / ¿Cómo? (Sorry? / What?) — polite
¿Puedes repetir? (Can you repeat that?)
¿Qué significa "___"? (What does "_" mean?)
¿Cómo se dice "___" en español? (How do you say "___" in Spanish?)
No entiendo. (I don't understand.)
Más despacio, por favor. (Slower, please.)

Agreeing and disagreeing

AgreeingDisagreeing
Sí, claro. (Yes, of course.)No estoy de acuerdo. (I disagree.)
Tienes razón. (You're right.)No creo. (I don't think so.)
Exacto. / Eso es. (Exactly.)Depende. (It depends.)
Totalmente. (Totally.)Bueno, pero... (Well, but...)
Desde luego. (Of course.)Qué va. (No way.)
Sin duda. (Without doubt.)Para nada. (Not at all.)

Softening what you say

Conditional for politeness

Querría un café. (I would like a coffee. — very polite)
¿Podrías ayudarme? (Could you help me?)
¿Te importaría cerrar la puerta? (Would you mind closing the door?)
Diría que sí. (I'd say yes.)

Expressing opinions

From mild to strong

Creo que... (I think that...)
Me parece que... (It seems to me that...)
En mi opinión... (In my opinion...)
Estoy seguro/a de que... (I'm sure that...)
Está claro que... (It's clear that...)

Conversation flow phrases

Changing topic:

Por cierto... (By the way...)
Hablando de eso... (Speaking of that...)
Cambiando de tema... (Changing the subject...)

Interrupting politely:

Perdona, pero... (Sorry, but...)
Un momento... (One moment...)
Déjame decir algo... (Let me say something...)

Ending a conversation:

Bueno, me voy. (Well, I'm going.)
Ha sido un placer. (It's been a pleasure.)
Nos vemos. (See you.)
Cuídate. (Take care.)

Quick quiz

1. The most common Spanish filler word is _____.

2. "The thing is..." = _____.

3. "Can you repeat that?" = ¿Puedes _____?

4. "You're right" = Tienes _____.

5. "I disagree" = No estoy de _____.

6. "By the way..." = _____.

7. "Would you mind?" = ¿Te _____?

8. "Slower, please" = Más _____, por favor.

9. "It's been a pleasure" = Ha sido un _____.

10. "I'd say yes" = _____ que sí.

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