Spanish-English Glossary: 100 Commonly Used Words in Chinese, English, and Spanish, with Pronunciation and Example Sentences.
Why is memorizing just "hola" enough? What many Hong Kong learners truly need isn't scattered vocabulary, but a Spanish-English bilingual table that directly addresses exams, travel, and daily communication : a list of 100 commonly used words in Chinese, English, and Spanish . If you want to start from scratch, the most practical aspect of this table isn't filling it with words, but rather helping you grasp high-frequency function words, basic sentence structures, and common scenarios , enabling you to speak and understand more quickly, and making it easier to handle DELE, IB, IGCSE, or HKDSE type tasks.
Key Takeaways
Learning high-frequency words first is more effective than memorizing an average of 100 nouns, because the first 100 words of Spanish are mostly composed of articles, pronouns, prepositions, verbs, and conjunctions , which form the true grammatical framework.
The trilingual parallel text is most suitable for Hong Kong learners because the parallel presentation of Chinese, English, and Spanish reduces semantic jumps and is especially suitable for parents to accompany their children in their studies, students to study on their own, and for exam preparation.
Vocabulary should be context-dependent . If a vocabulary list lacks example sentences and contexts, even after learning it, one may not dare to speak it.
The common goals for learning Spanish in Hong Kong are very clear: travel, further education, exams, and business. When choosing a course, one should directly target the intended use.
To ensure a solid learning experience, small class sizes, native-speaker teachers, and free trial classes are more important than simply looking at the course name.
If you want to actually use this form, you can download and print it first, and then use it in conjunction with classroom exercises and oral demonstrations. The Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association offers small-group teaching, native language teachers, and free trial classes, suitable for beginners who want to quickly build a foundation, as well as students who want to prepare for exams. You can first clarify your goals before deciding whether to directly inquire about class placement and trial class arrangements via WhatsApp.
Table of contents
1. Greetings / Saludos - How to practice greetings most effectively?
2. Family Members / Miembros de la Familia - How to express family vocabulary meaningfully.
3. Numbers and Time - Practice numbers first, then practice scenarios.
4. Food and Drinks / Comida y Bebidas - Learn menu vocabulary in context.
5. Colors and Descriptions - Using concrete examples and adjectives is faster than memorizing.
6. Daily Activities and Verbs - Learn common verbs first, then learn their variations.
7. Shopping and Money / Compras y Dinero - Shows prices, sizes, and discounts together.
8. Transportation and Directions - Memorize directional terms along with maps.
9. Health and Body Parts / Health and Body Parts / Salud y Partes del Cuerpo - Health vocabulary should be tailored to real-life situations.
10. Course Structure and Exam Relevance Overview - What should exam-oriented learners prioritize?
Next step: Download the form and schedule a free trial class.
1. Greetings / Saludos
Greetings may seem simple, but they are the easiest way to learn Spanish and see immediate results. If Hong Kong students master high-frequency words like Hola , Buenos días , Buenas noches , Gracias , and Por favor , they can build initial confidence in polite interactions in the classroom, while traveling, and in daily life.
In small classes in Hong Kong, instructors usually guide students to distinguish between formal and informal greetings. "¿Cómo estás?" is more like a casual greeting between classmates or friends, while "¿Qué tal?" is more natural and conversational, suitable for breaking the ice at the beginning. If you are preparing for an oral exam, these short phrases will come in handy earlier than a lengthy self-introduction.
How to practice greetings most effectively?
The most practical method is to put words into complete sentences, rather than just memorizing the Chinese meaning. For example, with "Buenos días, ¿ cómo estás?" , you not only need to remember "Good morning", but also the entire intonation and rhythm of the response.
Practical principle: Master the basics of greetings before pursuing a wider vocabulary. If a beginner can't even speak naturally with the first sentence, it will be difficult to actually speak even if they memorize many words later.
You can try reading it in a free trial class in Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay, and then have a simple conversation with a native speaker teacher to get a feel for the rhythm of sentences like "Hola, ¿ qué tal?" . If you want to expand on more authentic expressions, you can refer to this list of commonly used Spanish greetings in Hong Kong . If you have children at home, having them simulate meeting, saying goodbye, and first acquaintances in class will help them remember better than simply memorizing it.
2. Family Members/Miembros de la Familia
Family vocabulary is important for learners in Hong Kong because many oral exams, self-introductions, and essay topics involve family members. Words like Mi padre , mi madre , mi hermano , and mi abuela are not just about memorizing words, but also about being able to tell a complete family story.
Many families in Hong Kong are multigenerational, providing ample real-life material for Spanish language learning. You can practice directly using home scenarios, such as "Mi abuela vive con nosotros en Hong Kong " or " Tengo dos hermanos y una hermana ." These sentences are natural and well-suited for the A1 beginner level.
How to make family vocabulary more meaningful
The theme of family should not be limited to "who is who". It is more effective to talk about it together with occupation, place of residence, age and relationship, like Mi padre es ingeniero, mi madre es doctora . As soon as the sentence comes out, the language has a picture.
If you're arranging second language learning for your child, family-themed activities are particularly suitable for using photos and family tree diagrams. When the teacher asks "¿Quien es?" in class, and the child points to a photo and answers "Es mi tío ," this interaction easily builds confidence. Family-themed group classes in Causeway Bay or Tsim Sha Tsui school buildings also frequently use this method to help students transform abstract vocabulary into tangible, expressible content.
Tip: It's best to learn family vocabulary along with photos, because the pictures help you establish relationships between people, making it much easier to remember than just memorizing words individually.
3. Numbers and Time / Números y Hora
Numbers and time are the first practical words you need to master. Whether you're asking "¿Qué hora es?" , giving a phone number, stating a date, or preparing for an exam in Hong Kong, you'll always need these words.
Sentences like " Son las tres y media" are worth practicing first. Because once you can accurately state the time, many everyday scenarios become clearer, including arranging meetings, ordering food, rushing to catch public transport, and handing in homework. For example, "El examen es el 15 de junio a las 14:00" directly incorporates the date and time into the exam context, closely reflecting the expressions Hong Kong students use in daily life.
Practice numbers first, then practice scenes.
Telephone numbers, floors, tickets, and bus routes are the most common numerical scenarios that Hong Kong people encounter. You can repeatedly say aloud formats like 2754 3680 to train your ears to recognize each set of numbers. For beginners, being able to listen and speak is often more important than being able to memorize.
If you have academic needs, especially for IGCSE, IB, or other language requirements, the accuracy of numbers and times will directly affect the clarity of your answers. Children's classes can use card games to practice quick thinking, while adult classes can use real schedules and classroom recordings for practice. During free trial classes, if you can recite a short, complete dialogue within a given timeframe, you'll usually know where you're stuck.
4. Food and Drinks / Comida y Bebidas
Food vocabulary is one of the most interesting categories in Spanish. Phrases like "Me gustaría un bocadillo de jamón , " "La paella es un plato típico de Valencia , " and "Soy vegetariana, no como carne " are not only practical but also naturally evoke the culture.
Hong Kong students learn food vocabulary not only for ordering food while traveling, but also often to prepare for international school or exam situations. Menu reading, restaurant conversations, and expressing food preferences are all common tasks. When you can say whether you eat meat, whether you like certain ingredients, and what kind of meal you want, communication becomes much smoother.
Menu vocabulary should be learned in context.
Memorizing " pan ," "polo ," and "agua" is just the first step. What's truly useful is putting them into conversation, such as "¿Qué quieres comer?" , to which you reply "Quisiera una ensalada ," which sounds like you're actually ordering food.
When learning to order food in Hong Kong, it's best to incorporate real-life restaurant practice into your routine. Practice looking at the menu, reading the prices, and stating your preferences—doing all three together will lead to faster progress than simply memorizing vocabulary.
If you'd like to practice restaurant scenarios further, you can refer to this guide to Spanish restaurant ordering vocabulary . The Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association also incorporates food themes into cultural activities and classroom role-playing, allowing students to familiarize themselves with tone and sentence structures through simulated ordering.
5. Colors and Descriptions
Color and descriptive words are a group of words that students easily underestimate, but they are the core of sentence construction. Words such as azul marino , dorado , pequeño , gris , and roja , when paired with nouns, directly involve gender and number changes, which is precisely where many Hong Kong learners often get stuck.
For example, "Mi uniforme es azul marino con botones dorados " describes both the object and the adjective. Another example is "El gato es pequeño, suave y de color gris ," which describes not only the color but also the feel and appearance, making the sentence much more natural.
Using concrete examples and adjectives is faster than memorizing them.
Small group classes are perfect for matching games. The teacher takes out a bag, a book, a pen, and clothes, and the students say "la bolsa roja ," " el libro negro ," and " la camiseta blanca ." This kind of exercise not only helps students memorize words but also practices articles and adjectives in matching.
Key learning point: Color words don't exist in isolation; they need to be practiced together with nouns. Even if you memorize the words, if you don't know how to match them to gender and number, you'll still struggle with sentences.
If Hong Kong students are accustomed to visual learning, they can use school uniforms, backpacks, stationery, and room items for description. Children's classes can use cartoons and pictures for input, while adult classes can use interactive whiteboards for real-time description exercises. This method makes it easier to develop a feel for Spanish than using plain text.
6. Daily Activities and Verbs
Verbs are the true skeleton of Spanish. If you can say Me levanto , desayuno , voy , estudié , haré , you can already string together the daily, the past, and the future, and sentences will naturally become complete.
A sentence like " Me levanto a las 7 de la mañana, desayuno, y voy a la escuela" is a typical daily routine sentence. If it were changed to the past tense, "Ayer estudié para el examen ," the tone would immediately become retrospective. The future tense, like "Mañana voy a hacer la tarea ," would directly connect to the next action.
Learn common verbs first, then learn their variations.
Hong Kong students often try to memorize a lot of nouns first, but what really affects comprehension is a small number of high-frequency verbs, such as ser , estar , tener , and hacer . Once you master their basic functions, you can solve many sentence problems.
If you've always had trouble distinguishing between "ser" and "estar ," you can first read this article on how to differentiate between them . Once you can distinguish between verbs, writing diaries, taking oral exams, and writing essays will become much smoother.
In class, teachers often have students match verb cards with time-related words, such as ayer , hoy , and mañana with estudié , estudio , and estudiaré . This kind of training is very suitable for Hong Kong students because it is directly related to exams and daily schedules, rather than just memorizing rules.
7. Shopping and Money / Compras y Dinero
Shopping and money vocabulary is almost mandatory for Hong Kong learners. Sentences like "¿ Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?" , " Necesito una talla mediana en color negro ?", and "¿ Hay descuento si compro dos pares?" directly relate to travel, shops, and business scenarios.
In Hong Kong's high-density business environment, asking about prices, sizes, discounts, and payment methods is like turning language into a truly usable tool. If you're preparing for IGCSE or IB shopping-themed exams, these vocabulary words are also very practical, as they can easily become role-playing or oral exam questions.
Show prices, sizes, and discounts together
When practicing shopping conversations, it's best to practice three things at a time: price, size, and quantity. While asking "¿Cuánto cuesta?" is basic enough, adding "Necesito una talla mediana" makes the conversation more complete.
The Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association's Business Spanish course incorporates formal purchasing and negotiation language into scenarios, making it suitable for working professionals or students requiring corporate training. You can also use websites of brands like Zara and H&M as practice materials, directly reading product descriptions and engaging in customer service conversations. If you attend classes at the Causeway Bay or Tsim Sha Tsui campus, hands-on role-playing will be more effective in developing a feel for shopping language than simply looking at paper forms.
8. Transportation and Directions
Transportation and direction vocabulary is particularly important for Hong Kong learners because Hong Kong itself is a highly mobile city. Learning phrases like "¿ Cómo llego a la estación de MTR?" , " Gira a la izquierda" , " sigue recto ", and "está enfrente " will allow you to directly apply them to local life.
Hong Kong students have an advantage because they are familiar with the MTR, buses, ferries, transfer points, and exits, so learning directional terms is very relatable. You can practice directly with a Hong Kong map, saying "La estación está al lado del centro comercial" (meaning " the city center"), or simulating the route from the MTR station to a restaurant. This method of practice is very useful for oral exams and everyday travel.
You should memorize directional words along with maps.
If you only memorize izquierda , derecha , and recto , you'll forget them quickly. Put them into a complete route, such as turning left, going straight, and then crossing the street; this will help you remember them better.
Map exercises are very useful for beginners because they force you to turn vocabulary into action, rather than just staying at the level of memorization.
If you want to compile both transportation and travel vocabulary, you can combine the virtual map exercises in class with oral practice after class. The Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association often conducts these navigation simulations in both face-to-face and online classes to help students familiarize themselves with the language contexts of both regions. This is very helpful for university entrance exams, travel planning, or exchange programs.
9. Health and Body Parts / Salud y Partes del Cuerpo
Health vocabulary is more important than many people realize because it directly relates to medical care, exercise, and descriptions of daily conditions. Phrases like "Me duele la cabeza ," " Tengo fiebre ," and "dolor agudo en el brazo izquierdo," though not frequently used, are crucial when needed.
In Hong Kong's fast-paced lifestyle, students, parents, and working professionals may encounter situations where they need to describe their symptoms simply. If you can clearly describe a headache, fever, or arm pain, doctors or teachers will be more likely to understand you. Body part terms are also frequently used in sports classes and children's classes, such as when playing football, stretching, or running.
Health-related vocabulary should be used in a realistic context.
It's more practical to practice "where I feel uncomfortable" than to simply memorize body parts. Phrases like " Tengo fiebre ," " Me duele el brazo ," and "Tengo alergia " are easier to use directly than just reciting words.
If you're a parent, this vocabulary is great for role-playing at home, simulating seeing a doctor, taking your temperature, and asking for medication instructions. Adult classes can extend it to formal medical terminology, such as appointments, consultations, and first aid scenarios. When vocabulary is linked to physical experience, learning is usually much more effective.
10. Course Structure and Exam Relevance Overview
If you are learning Spanish for further education or exams, you shouldn't just treat the vocabulary list as a dictionary, but also as a course map. Common pathways in Hong Kong include DELE, SIELE, IGCSE, IB, and HKDSE , and these exams all rely on high-frequency words, basic sentence patterns, and situational applications.
The Education Bureau's methodology for the "Senior High School English Reference Vocabulary List" states that vocabulary frequency is based on usage statistics and is not equivalent to learning difficulty. This is very enlightening for learning Spanish in Hong Kong, because the truly practical approach is not to memorize an average of 100 words, but to first learn the most frequently occurring function words, and then gradually add nouns, adjectives, and verbs. This is also why the Spanish-English bilingual list: 100 commonly used words in Chinese, English, and Spanish is best suited as a grading chart, rather than simply a large-print poster.
What should test-taking learners prioritize?
If you are a DSE, IB, or IGCSE candidate, it's best to practice your vocabulary along with your speaking, listening, and writing practice. Memorizing a lot of words doesn't mean you can construct sentences, especially the core parts where errors are most likely to occur, such as articles, pronouns, ser/estar, and gender/number agreement . These require repeated input.
Local Hong Kong teaching materials also directly point out that the biggest difficulty for Hong Kong people learning Western languages usually lies in masculine and feminine genders, gender and number agreement, and verb conjugation . This cannot be solved by simply memorizing dozens of words, because Cantonese lacks corresponding concepts. Therefore, you need to gradually build this knowledge through example sentences, group interactions, and oral practice. Simply looking at static comparison tables is usually less efficient than a combined approach of word frequency, example sentences, and contextual learning.
The Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association's courses incorporate this learning approach into their class structure, starting at A1 level and gradually progressing to exam requirements. Classes are also grouped by age and learning goals. This approach is clearer for parents because they know their child isn't just memorizing words, but building a foundation that extends to exams.
A list of ten categories of commonly used vocabulary with English-Chinese and Spanish translations.
Project | 🔄Implementation complexity | ⚡Resources/Efficiency | ⭐Expected Results | 📊Ideal Use Case | 💡Key Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Greetings | 🔄 (Low) | Low resources, ⚡⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Elementary conversation, social occasions, A1 classroom | Easy to learn and use immediately |
Family Members | 🔄🔄 (Chinese) | Chinese resources, ⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Family introduction, personal topics, DELE A1–A2 | Highly individualistic and possessing a strong understanding of culture |
Numbers & Time | 🔄🔄 (Chinese) | Low resources, ⚡⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Reservations, shopping, and exams (IGCSE/IB) | Widely used, rich in listening materials |
Food and Drinks | 🔄🔄 (Chinese) | Chinese resources, ⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Restaurant ordering, cultural activities, and tourism scenarios | Highly visual and interactive in the classroom |
Colors & Descriptions | 🔄🔄 (Chinese) | Low resources, ⚡⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐ | Shopping descriptions, item identification, and writing basics | Helps to master adjective changes |
Daily Activities & Verbs | 🔄🔄🔄 (High) | Medium to high resources, ⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Diary, tense practice, oral exam preparation | High frequency testing, wide range of applications |
Shopping & Money | 🔄🔄 (Chinese) | Chinese resources, ⚡⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Business communication, travel, and retail scenarios | Highly practical and applicable immediately |
Transportation and Directions | 🔄 (Low) | Low resources, ⚡⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐ | Travel navigation, tourism, location guidance | Strong practical application and child-friendly |
Health & Body Parts | 🔄🔄🔄 (High) | Medium to high resources, ⚡⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Medical communication, exercise and health discussion | Medical applications are important and highly personalized. |
Course Structure and Exam Focus Overview | 🔄🔄🔄 (High) | High resources, ⚡ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Study planning and exam preparation (DELE/IGCSE/IB/HKDSE) | Systematized, exam-oriented, and focused on advanced learning paths |
Next step: Download the form and schedule a free trial class.
If you've read this far, it means what you need isn't more vocabulary, but a truly practical learning method. This Spanish-English bilingual vocabulary list: 100 commonly used words in Chinese, English, and Spanish is perfect for building a foundation first, then combining it with example sentences, pronunciation, and scenario practice to ensure the vocabulary doesn't just remain on paper, but enters your speaking, listening, and writing skills.
For Hong Kong learners, the most practical approach is to download and print the form first, and then use it according to their goals. Parents can use it to help their children get started; secondary school students can use it to prepare for IGCSE, IB, or HKDSE; and adult beginners can start with three scenarios: greetings, shopping, and transportation. If you want a more solid start, the Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association's small-group teaching , mother tongue teachers , and free trial classes are all suitable for the first step of assessment.
If you're looking for a place that connects vocabulary, conversation, and exam requirements, print out this chart now and do a self-assessment against your level. You can also inquire directly via WhatsApp to book a free trial class and level assessment to see if you're suited for an introductory class, children's class, adult class, or exam preparation class. Taking the first step steadily is more important than blindly memorizing 100 words.
The courses offered by the Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association combine trilingual vocabulary, example sentences, and situational exercises in a very practical way, making them suitable for Hong Kong learners who want to start from scratch and also want to improve their skills for exams and everyday use. You can first visit the Hong Kong Spanish Cultural Association to learn about the courses and then book a free trial class to directly transform this comparison sheet into a practical tool that you can use to speak and take exams.