Learning a new language can be daunting, and many parents can feel overwhelmed. But it doesn’t have to be hard! With Spanish for Kids: Easy Words and Phrases to Start Learning Spanish, you’ll get right down to the basics with simple vocabulary that kids can use immediately. By breaking down words into simple phrases, you will see your child speaking in Spanish sooner than you think.
Learning this language will allow your child to start opening up to the world around them. It is widely spoken in various countries and can be used in many situations. By learning Spanish now, you’re allowing your child to travel the world while they’re young and expand their horizons in ways you’ve only dreamed of.
In this article, we’ll look at some basic Spanish simple words and phrases your child will need to start using from the moment they begin this language. We’ll also see how to introduce these words and phrases properly so your child can easily learn the rest of them.
Note: It’s been two years of fun and joy, and I know this has provided you with valuable information to share with your little one. To give it a fresh update, we have added more words to learn. Teach kids to learn Spanish for the Days of the Week and Months of the Year for a more comprehensive learning experience. Additionally, we have provided fun insights on how you, the parent, can make Spanish fun for kids!
What are The Benefits of Learning Spanish?
Since kids develop language skills naturally, they will pick up Spanish quite easily. This is because they already have a good grasp of their native language. They’ll be able to talk about familiar concepts in a new language much more easily than others and won’t feel pressured to speak it perfectly.
Even with kids who have never studied a foreign language, you will see them learning quickly and speaking confidently. Learning Spanish is such an amazing experience. Whether it be to discover a new culture and cuisine or embrace new people and places, learning Spanish can help you fit in anywhere in the world.
Here are the following benefits of learning Spanish:
1. It helps your child understand their native language better because it breaks down each word into syllables and gives them a visual representation of how words are formed. Once they learn the basics of Spanish, they’ll better understand how to read and write in their native language.
2. They can understand new cultures better since many cultures speak this language as their first (or sometimes only).
3. It allows your child to communicate with more people since Spanish is spoken by many people worldwide (especially in Central and South America).
4. It helps your child understand why some languages are similar and others are different; they will notice similarities between Spanish and their native language that they may otherwise not have seen.
5. Your child will learn about grammar rules in their native language better; again, this is because Spanish uses the same base rules as other languages.
How to Make Spanish Fun for Kids
Learning Spanish can be a delightful adventure filled with games, songs, and everyday moments. By turning language lessons into playful and engaging activities, children can cultivate a genuine love for Spanish. Let’s explore some Montessori-inspired strategies for making Spanish fun and effective for young learners.
Games and Activities:
- Engage with Language Games: Use fun and interactive games that involve vocabulary and basic grammar.
- Flashcards: Bright and colorful flashcards can help kids memorize words quickly.
- Apps: Kid-friendly language apps offer gamified learning experiences that keep children motivated and entertained.
Interactive Learning:
- Songs: Incorporate catchy Spanish children’s songs that make learning new words enjoyable.
- Cartoons: Watch Spanish-language cartoons that can introduce new vocabulary in a fun context.
- Videos: Use educational videos that combine visual and auditory learning.
Practice Regularly:
- Consistent Short Sessions: Practice Spanish daily in short bursts of 10-15 minutes to keep it fun and prevent overwhelm.
- Routine Integration: Make it a habit by including it in daily routines, ensuring it’s a natural part of their day.
Use Everyday Situations:
- Mealtime: Introduce Spanish simple words for food items and common phrases during meals.
- Playtime: Use Spanish simple words during play, encouraging children to describe their activities in Spanish.
- Shopping: Practice vocabulary related to shopping by naming items in Spanish while at the store.
Spanish Words for Beginners
First off, you’ll want to start with some basic words and phrases. These are words and phrases that will be used often and every day. This is essential for your child to start learning Spanish. Once they get these down, they’ll be able to put together sentences without thinking. This is also a great way to keep them interested in the language since they’ll have immediate success.
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Conversation
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Hola – Hi–Hello
- Adiós- Bye
- Buenos días – Good morning
- Buenas tardes – Good evening
- Buenas noches – Good night
- Hasta mañana – See you tomorrow
- Hasta pronto – See you soon
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Expressions
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Si – Yes
- No – No
- Por favor – Please
- Gracias – Thanks
- De nada – You’re welcome
- Estoy bien – I’m fine
- Mi nombre es – My name is
- Ayuda – Help
- Te quiero- I love you
- Soy alérgico / Soy alérgica – I’m allergic
- Tengo hambre – I’m hungry
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Questions
(Spanish to English Translation)
- ¿Cúal es tu nombre? – What’s your name?
- ¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?
- ¿Qué es eso? – What is that?
- ¿Cómo estás? – How are you?
- ¿Quieres jugar? – Do you want to play?
- ¿Puedo ir? – Can I go?
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms About Family
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Mamá – Mom
- Papá – Dad
- Hermano -Brother
- Hermana – Sister
- Abuela – Grandmother
- Abuelo – Grandfather
- Primo / Prima – Cousin
- Tio – Uncle
- Tia – Aunt
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Days & Seasons
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Hoy – Today
- Mañana – Tomorrow
- Ayer – Yesterday
- Fin de semana – Weekend
- Primavera – Spring
- Verano – Summer
- Invierno – Winter
- Otoño – Fall
- Navidad – Christmas
- Vacaciones – Vacations / Holidays
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Days of the Week
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Lunes — Monday
- Martes — Tuesday
- Miércoles — Wednesday
- Jueves — Thursday
- Viernes — Friday
- Sábado — Saturday
- Domingo — Sunday
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Months of the Year
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Enero — January
- Febrero — February
- Marzo — March
- Abril — April
- Mayo — May
- Junio — June
- Julio — July
- Agosto — August
- Septiembre — September
- Octubre — October
- Noviembre — November
- Diciembre — December
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For School
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Profesora / Profesor – Teacher
- Compañeros de clase – Classmates
- Salón – Classroom
- Escuela / Colegio – School
- Cuaderno – Notebook
- Libro – Book
- Lápiz – Pencil
- Colores – Colors
- Tijeras – Scissors
- Papel – Paper
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Home
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Casa – House
- Cuarto – Bedroom
- Baño – Bathroom
- Cocina – Kitchen
- Jardín – Garden
- Patio – Backyard
- Sala – Living room
- Cama – Bed
- Juguetes – Toys
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Nature & Animals
(Spanish to English Translation)
- La playa – The beach
- La montaña – The mountain
- El parque – The park
- El bosque – The forest
- El árbol – The tree
- Las flores – The flowers
- El río – The river
- Arcoiris – Rainbow
- Lluvia – Rain
- Sol – Sun
- Luna – Moon
- Stars – Estrellas
- Nubes – Clouds
- Animales – Animals
- Mascotas – Pets
- Aves – Birds
- Perro – Dog
- Gato – Cat
- Vaca – Cow
- Toro – Bull
- Oso – Bear
- Serpiente – Snake
- Conejo – Rabbit
- Cerdo – Pig
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Food and drinks
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Agua – Water
- Leche – Milk
- Jugo – Juice
- Refresco – Soda
- Galletas – Cookies
- Pastel – Cake
- Desayuno – Breakfast
- Almuerzo – Lunch
- Cena – Dinner
- Frutas – Fruits
- Vegetales – Vegetables
- Huevos – Eggs
- Pan – Bread
- Queso – Cheese
- Jamón – Ham
- Mermelada – Jam
- Salchicha – Sausage
- Perro caliente – Hot Dog
- Hamburguesa – Hamburger
- Pollo – Chicken
- Pescado – Fish
- Cotufas / Crispetas / Palomitas de maíz – Pop corn
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Activities
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Correr – To run
- Nadar – To swim
- Cantar – To sing
- Bailar – To dance
- Fútbol – Soccer
- Béisbol – Baseball
- Baloncesto – Basketball
- Oír música – Listen to music
- Jugar – Play
- Ver películas – Watch movies
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Numbers
(Spanish to English Translation)
- uno – one
- dos – two
- tres – three
- cuatro – four
- cinco – five
- seis – six
- siete – seven
- ocho – eight
- nueve – nine
- diez – ten
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Colors
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Rojo (Red)
- Naranja (Orange)
- Amarillo (Yellow)
- Verde (Green)
- Azul (Blue)
- Indigo (Indigo)
- Violeta (Violet)
- Negro (Black)
- Blanco (White)
- Gris (Grey)
Easy Spanish Words for Kids – Basic Terms For Body
(Spanish to English Translation)
- Cabeza (Head)
- Ojos (Eyes)
- Nariz (Nose)
- Boca (Mouth)
- Orejas (Ears)
- Hombros (Shoulders)
- Manos (Hand)
- Pies (Feet)
How Can Parents Help Their Children Learn Basic Spanish Words and Phrases?
There are several ways parents can help their children learn Spanish. Here are some of the most helpful tips that have worked for me:
1. Speak to them in Spanish. Even if they don’t understand what you are saying, they will learn the language better because they will hear it more often. This makes it easier to pick up on when they understand something you say because they get used to how it sounds in their ears.
2. Make a point of being around the children all the time. When I say all of the time, it doesn’t mean that you should watch television, read magazines, or play video games with them. Instead, you should be around them. They will learn Spanish by interacting with their parents, siblings, and friends. This is a better way of learning because they will get to speak Spanish more often, and it will become second nature to their ears!
3. If your child wants to speak with their family members, don’t be afraid to play along and converse with them in Spanish. They will get the wrong message if you are too embarrassed to do so. This will make your child think that speaking Spanish is wrong or bad! Make sure you have Spanish-English dictionaries lying around the house so that you can help your children if they get stuck on a word.
4. Arrange for them to watch television shows and movies that are in Spanish. This is a great way to get them used to hearing the language because they will listen to it constantly. When they see you watching the same show or movie, they will know that you are interested in what they protect, making them feel closer to you.
5. Encourage your children to play with a Spanish-speaking friend.
Wrapping Up
Children learn best by listening. When we were young, our parents, teachers, and family members spoke to us in a way we could comprehend. This is how we learn the language and how to say it correctly. We should do the same for our children and make Spanish fun. The more your children hear Spanish from you, the easier it will be for them to pick up on what they are learning.
At Montessori Academy, we make it fun for children to learn a second language. We want your children to enjoy learning a new language, and we make it fun. We believe that children shouldn’t have to be forced into learning a second language and should be able to pick up on what they are learning quickly.
Contact us today if you are interested in helping your child learn Spanish! Enroll them at our Culver City branch to provide the best nurturing environment. Call us at (310) 215-3388.
You can also expect the same quality of education at our West Adams location. Reach us at (323) 795-0200.
Lastly, our Downey campus is ready to welcome you. Contact us at (562) 291-2324, and our dedicated personnel will be happy to assist.