Sure, if you memorize only these 100 verbs, you will not speak Spanish. But at least you would be able to explain yourself. I have heard a lot that in Spain almost everyone can speak English… So… Dream on! My brother comes to visit us every year. He knows English and speaks well. When he was about to come to us for the first time, he was sure that he would not be lost with his English. What a naivety!
He tried to find people to speak with at the cash desks in the stores, at the bus stops, at the stations… But everything ended up in failure. He found nothing more than trivial phrases and figures from one to ten. No, of course, many people speak English but they are not just people from the street.
See also: Spanish audio lessons.
So, let’s arm with our hundred verbs and go to Spain without fear!
1. abrir – to open
2. acabar — to finish
3. aceptar — to accept
4. alcanzar — to reach
5. aparecer — to appear
6. ayudar — to help
7. buscar — to seek
8. caer — to fall
9. cambiar — to change
10. comenzar — to start
11. comprender — to understand
12. conocer — to know
13. conseguir — to reach, achieve
14. considerar — to consider
15. contar — to count
16. convertir — to convert
17. correr — to run
18. crear — to create
19. creer — to believe
20. cumplir — to execute
21. dar — to give
22. deber — to be due
23. decir — to say
24. dejar — to leave
25. descubrir — to open
26. dirigir — to guide; send
27. empezar — to start
28. encontrar — to find
29. entender — to understand
30. entrar — to enter
31. escribir — to write
32. escuchar — to listen
33. esperar — to wait
34. estar — to be
35. estudiar — to study; learn
36. existir — to exist
37. explicar — to explain
38. formar — to form
39. ganar — to earn; win
40. gustar — to like
41. hablar — to talk
42. hacer — to do
43. intentar — to try
44. ir — to go
45. jugar — to play
46. leer — to read
47. levantar — to go up
48. llamar — to call
49. llegar — to arrive; come
50. llevar — to carry
51. lograr — to reach
52. mantener — to support
53. mirar — to watch
54. morir — to die
55. nacer — to be born
56. necesitar — to need
57. ocurrir — to occur
58. ofrecer — to offer
59. oír — to hear
60. pagar — pay
61. parecer — to seem
62. partir — to divide
63. pasar — to pass
64. pedir — to ask
65. pensar — to think
66. perder — to lose
67. permitir — to allow
68. poder — to be able to
69. poner — to place, to put; to put on
70. preguntar — to ask
71. presentar — to present
72. producir — to produce
73. quedar — to stay
74. querer — to want
75. realizar — to fulfill
76. recibir — to receive
77. reconocer — to recognize
78. recordar — to remember
79. resultar — to appear, get
80. saber — to know
81. sacar — to extract, take out
82. salir — to go out
83. seguir — to follow
84. sentir — to feel
85. ser — to be
86. servir — to serve
87. suponer — to assume
88. tener — to have
89. terminar — to finish
90. tocar — to touch
91. tomar — to take; to accept
92. trabajar — to work
93. traer — to bring
94. tratar — to use; to communicate
95. usar — to use, to apply
96. utilizar — to use
97. venir — to come
98. ver — to watch
99. vivir — to live
100. volver — to return
Of course, you can get to Spain without speaking Spanish. This is exactly how we moved here. We knew only how to say thank ‘you’ and ‘hello’. And it was OK… We achieved everything we needed using signs, facial expressions, and English words helped a little. Again, there is a dozen English words that everyone knows. Also, ingenious people never get lost.