Let’s be honest—sounding fluent in Spanish feels great. It’s like pulling off a convincing salsa dance at a wedding without anyone realising you actually learned the steps from a YouTube short. But the truth is, you don’t need to be fluent to sound fluent. You just need a few tricks up your sleeve.
Here are five phrases (plus a cheeky intonation tip or two) that’ll help you fake it ‘til you make it. Ready? ¡Vamos!
1. ¿Sabes qué? – You know what?
This little phrase is the Spanish equivalent of “You know what?” and it makes your speech sound way more natural. It’s a great way to start a thought or shift a conversation, even if you’re stalling for time while your brain catches up.
Use it like this:
???? ¿Sabes qué? Me encanta esta canción.
(You know what? I love this song.)
Confidence bonus: Pair it with a knowing nod. Works every time.
2. O sea… – I mean / Like…
This is the Spanish version of a verbal cushion. It gives your brain time to load the next sentence while making you sound very in-the-know.
???? O sea, no es tan difícil, ¿no?
(I mean, it’s not that hard, right?)
Use it sparingly, though—you don’t want to sound like a teenage TikToker in Madrid.
3. ¡Qué fuerte! – No way! / Wow!
This one is gold for reacting to stories. It’s the perfect “wow” moment—think raised eyebrows, dramatic gasp, clutching imaginary pearls.
???? ¿En serio te dijo eso? ¡Qué fuerte!
(Seriously, he said that to you? No way!)
It’s expressive, dramatic, and just a little bit extra.
4. Bueno… – Well…
This tiny word does a lot of heavy lifting. You can use it to start a sentence, change the subject, or soften bad news.
???? Bueno… no tengo mucho dinero, pero podemos compartir una tapa.
(Well… I don’t have much money, but we can share a tapa.)
Top tip: Pause slightly after bueno for extra Spanish flair.
5. The Secret Sauce: Intonation
Even if your vocab’s a bit shaky, sounding confident is half the battle. Spanish speakers often go up at the end of questions and exaggerate certain words for emphasis.
Try saying:
???? ¡Qué bonito! with a rising, sing-song tone.
Now try it flat. See? Total difference.
So next time you’re chatting in Spanish and your brain is buffering, just throw in a bueno or o sea, raise your eyebrows, and channel your inner telenovela star. You’ll be sounding fluent (and fabulous) in no time.
¿Sabes qué? You’ve got this. ???? Scroll down to watch a mini lesson about this that will help with your pronunciation.
