Spanish Vocabulary for Daily Routines: Essential Words and Phrases
Mastering Spanish vocabulary for daily routines is a key step in becoming fluent. Talking about your day—from morning habits to evening activities—helps you connect with others, practice conversation, and understand Spanish media. This guide introduces essential words, phrases, and tips to talk about everyday routines confidently.
1. Common Daily Routine Vocabulary in Spanish
Here’s a list of typical daily activities with their Spanish translations:
English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Wake up | Despertarse | dehs-pehr-tar-seh |
Get up | Levantarse | leh-vahn-tar-seh |
Take a shower | Ducharse | doo-char-seh |
Brush teeth | Cepillarse los dientes | seh-pee-yar-seh lohs dyehn-tehs |
Wash face | Lavarse la cara | lah-var-seh lah kah-rah |
Get dressed | Vestirse | ves-teer-seh |
Eat breakfast | Desayunar | deh-sah-yoo-nar |
Go to work/school | Ir al trabajo / Ir a la escuela | eer al tra-bah-ho / eer ah lah es-kweh-lah |
Eat lunch | Almorzar | al-mor-thar |
Exercise | Hacer ejercicio | ah-sehr ehr-heh-see-see-oh |
Cook dinner | Cocinar la cena | koh-see-nar lah seh-nah |
Watch TV | Ver la televisión | vehr lah teh-leh-bee-see-ohn |
Go to bed | Acostarse | ah-kos-tar-seh |
Read | Leer | leh-ehr |
2. Useful Phrases to Describe Your Daily Routine
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Me despierto a las siete de la mañana. – I wake up at 7 a.m.
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Siempre me ducho antes del desayuno. – I always shower before breakfast.
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Voy al trabajo en coche. – I go to work by car.
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Después del trabajo, hago ejercicio. – After work, I exercise.
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Me acuesto a las diez de la noche. – I go to bed at 10 p.m.
Using time-specific phrases like “a las siete” or “después de” helps you describe your daily routine more naturally.
3. Talking About Frequency
To make your routine descriptions more precise, include frequency words:
English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Always | Siempre | see-ehm-preh |
Usually | Normalmente | nor-mal-mahn-teh |
Often | A menudo | ah meh-noo-doh |
Sometimes | A veces | ah veh-sehs |
Rarely | Rara vez | rah-rah vehs |
Never | Nunca | noon-kah |
Example:
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Normalmente me levanto a las seis, pero los fines de semana me levanto más tarde.
– I usually get up at 6, but on weekends I get up later.
4. Tips for Learning Daily Routine Vocabulary
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Practice in order – Learn words in the sequence of your daily routine.
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Speak aloud – Saying your routine in Spanish helps retention.
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Use flashcards – Write English on one side and Spanish on the other.
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Combine with time expressions – “por la mañana” (in the morning), “por la noche” (at night)
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Write a diary – Keep a simple Spanish journal describing your day.
5. Expanding Your Vocabulary
Once you know basic routines, add more activities:
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Preparar el café / té – Make coffee or tea
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Salir a caminar – Go for a walk
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Estudiar / hacer tareas – Study / do homework
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Limpiar la casa – Clean the house
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Cuidar a los niños / mascotas – Take care of children / pets
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Revisar correos electrónicos – Check emails
This helps you have richer conversations and describe your daily life in detail.
Summary
Learning Spanish vocabulary for daily routines allows you to:
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Describe your day from morning to night
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Ask others about their routines
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Talk about habits and frequency naturally
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Improve listening and comprehension of Spanish media
Start with the basic routine verbs, practice frequency words, and gradually add more activities. Soon, you’ll be able to discuss your daily life in Spanish confidently and fluently.