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75 Spanish Transition Words to Connect Your Thoughts Seamlessly

Transition words are the knots that hold sentences together. They help things blend together and smooth out our sentences:

Fui al parque, luego al gimnasio y finalmente a la tienda. ( I went to the park, then the gym and finally the store.)

Without them, our speech would sound choppy and oversimplified.

What Are Transition Words?

Types of spanish transition words, 1. transition words for time, 2. transition words for location, 3. transition words for explaining, 4. transition words for add-ons, 5. transition words for results, 6. transition words for emphasis, 7. transition words for comparison and contrast, 8. transition words for summarizing, quiz on spanish transition words, and one more thing….

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Transition words in Spanish are words and phrases that help us connect ideas between sentences .

When we connect sentences with transition words, we add only a couple of words, but we make the meaning of what we are saying much clearer. Have a look:

No tengo mucho tiempo. Voy a ir a la fiesta. (I don’t have much time. I will go to the party.)

The sentences may be correct, but what is the relation between them? By adding transition words to the mix, everything starts to make sense:

No tengo mucho tiempo pero voy a ir a la fiesta. (I don’t have much time but I’ll go to the party.)

Aunque no tengo mucho tiempo, voy a ir a la fiesta. ( Although I don’t have much time, I’ll go to the party.)

No tengo mucho tiempo. Además , voy a ir a la fiesta. (I don’t have much time. Besides , I’m going to the party.)

Depending on the meaning of your sentence, you’ll want to use a different set of transition words to help you with it.

They’re classified into different groups depending on the resource, but here are the eight types of transition words often referred to:

• Time • Location • Explanation • Add-ons • Result • Emphasis • Comparison and c ontrast • Summary

If you pay attention to how native speakers converse, you’ll notice how these transition words can come into play and help a sentence flow.

The first type of transition words have to do with time, whether we’re talking about something that already happened, will happen or maybe just constructing a timeline:

Note that luego, después and más tarde can be used interchangeably when describing a succession of events or giving instructions.

If we’re looking at where one thing is relative to another, we can use these transitional phrases:

If we need some help in explaining something smoothly, we can use these words to provide context:

If you’ve made one statement, but have additional details to add, you can tack them on with these words:

Just remember that y can only connect two words, phrases or sentences of the same category. This is called coordination, and y is a coordinating conjunction.

When referring to cause and effects, you can use these phrases to transition from one to the other:

Using these transition words correctly will really strengthen whichever part of your phrase that you emphasize it with:

Comparing and contrasting requires lots of transition words in order to flow and make sense:

Sometimes we need some help transitioning into a concluding statement, which is why these terms can come in handy:

Now that you’ve learned some Spanish transition words, it’s time to test your knowledge! Choose the best option to complete each sentence in the quiz below. To retake the quiz, just refresh the page. 

These small but powerful words help us to convey exact meaning we want and sound more fluent, so be sure to practice them!

The best way to learn how to use these Spanish transition words properly is by seeing and hearing them used in context.

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Using Transition Words in Spanish

To sound natural when writing in Spanish, it is important to use conectores ( transition words ). Transition words link your ideas together, allowing them to flow smoothly from one sentence to the next.

There are many types of transition words you can use when you are writing in Spanish. Let’s take a closer look!

Sequence and Order

The following transition words help us arrange ideas, events, and reasons according to their order of importance or to the order in which they happened chronologically .

Let’s put some of these into context!

Cause and Effect

Use these transition words to make a connection between cause and effect .

Let’s take a look at some examples!

Addition and Agreement

The following transition words add information , express agreement , and reinforce relationships and ideas that came before .

Check out these examples!

Examples, Emphasis, and Clarification

The following transitions are used to introduce examples as support , emphasize a particular fact , or explain a point .

Use these transition words to connect two things by focusing on their differences .

Here are some examples!

Summarizing and Concluding

These transition words can be used to conclude an argument or to summarize ideas .

Want more tips on writing in Spanish? Check out these articles!

• Spanish Punctuation
• Advanced Spanish Punctuation
• Spanish Words to Use in an Essay
• How to Write a Letter in Spanish
• Ace the AP Spanish Exam

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100+ Spanish Transition Words and Phrases to Sound Like a Native Speaker

Below you will find over 100 Spanish transition words and phrases to help you sound more natural both in your writing and speaking. Transitional devices or connetors as they’re also called, help connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs smoothly so there are no abrupt breaks between thoughts. Brief explanations and example sentences are included.

Spanish Transition Words Related to Time

1. después (de) – after, afterward.

“Después (de)” can be used to connect two events expressing that something occurs after something else.

Fui a ver una película con Tom después de clases. (I went to see a movie with Tom after school.)

Mi padre salió a correr después de la cena. (My father went for a run after dinner.)

2. ya – already

“Ya” can be used for expressing that something has already occurred or has occurred in the past.

Cuando llegué, él ya se había ido. (When I arrived, he had already left.)

Ya me he disculpado. (I already apologized.)

3. siempre – always

For describing something that happens always or at any moment, use siempre.

Yo siempre desayuno a las 7 am. (I always eat breakfast at 7 am.)

Siempre está bromeando. (He is always joking.)

4. en cuanto – as soon as, when, once

The phrase “en cuanto” can mean when or “as soon as”. It can also mean “while”.

En cuanto ellos vuelvan, te llamo. (As soon as they return, I will call you.)

La reconocí en cuanto la vi. (I recognized her as soon as I saw her.)

En cuanto haga la tarea, voy a leer. (Once I do my homework, I’m going to read.)

5. tan pronto como – as soon as

“Tan pronto como” means “as soon as” or “immediately after” much like the phrase “en cuanto”.

Hazlo tan pronto como puedas. (Do it as soon as you can.)

Él comerá tan pronto como llegue a casa. (He’ll eat as soon as he gets home.)

6. al principio – at first, at the beginning

“Al principio” means “initially”, or “at the start of something.” This phrase is commonly used at the beginning of a sentence.

Al principio no le gustaba. (She didn’t like him at first.)

Al principio puede ser confuso. (It can be confusing at first.)

Al principio será duro, pero todo es duro al principio. (At the beginning it will be tough, but everything is tough at the beginning.)

7. por fin – at last, finally

For describing something that occurs after a long wait or expressing the end of a long-awaited situation with emphasis, use “por fin”.

¡Por fin! Por fin conseguí trabajo. (I finally got a job.)

El héroe por fin derrotó al científico malvado. (The hero finally defeated the evil scientist.)

8. al mismo tiempo – at the same time, simultaneously

For describing events that occur at the same time, “al mismo tiempo” can be used.

Llegamos al mismo tiempo. (We arrived at the same time.)

Al mismo tiempo, él empezó a correr. (At the same time, he began to run.)

9. a la misma vez – at the same time, simultaneously

Like “al mismo tiempo”, “a la misma vez” can be used to describe two things happening at the same time.

Mi hija estudia y ve la tele a la vez. (My daughter studies and watches TV at the same time.)

10. inmediatamente – at once, immediately, right away

“Inmediatamente” is an adverb, and it can be used to express that something happens without any interruptions.

Cuando leí la noticia, te llamé inmediatamente. (When I read the news, I called you immediately.)

11. antes de (que) – before

Don’t forget to use the Spanish present subjunctive after the phrase “antes de que”. This phrase means “before”.

Habla con tu padre antes de que se vaya. (Talk to your father before he leaves.)

12. brevemente – briefly

“Brevemente” is an adverb that can be used to express that something is done shortly.

Quiero hablar brevemente acerca de las ideas que queremos proponer. (I would like to briefly talk about the ideas that we want to propose.)

13. antes de ayer, antier – the day before yesterday

This adverb also expresses time, and it can appear at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.

Mis amigos y yo estuvimos aquí antes de ayer. (My friends and I were here the day before yesterday.)

14. durante – during

The word “during” is a Spanish preposition , and it denotes simultaneity.

Ellos escucharon la radio durante el viaje. (They listened to the radio during the trip.)

15. eventualmente – eventually

For expressing an action that occurs occasionally, use the Spanish adverb “eventualmente”.

Es probable que se produzcan cambios eventualmente en el sistema. (It is likely that changes occur eventually in the system.)

16. primero – firstly

The word “primero” is both, an adverb and an adjective. To use it as a Spanish transition word use it to describe an action that occurs firstly.

Primero nos bajamos del carro y luego entramos al edificio. (First, we will get off the car and then we will enter the building.)

17. primero que nada – first of all

Just as the word “primero”, the phrase “primero que nada” also means “firstly”, or “first of all”.

Primero que nada, terminemos el proyecto. Luego podremos descansar. (First of all, let’s finish the project. Then we can rest.)

18. frecuentemente – frequently, often

For expressing actions that occur regularly, use the Spanish adverb “frecuentemente”.

Mis hermanos y yo visitamos a nuestro abuelos frecuentemente. (My siblings and I visit our grandparents frequently.)

19. al rato – in a little while, shortly after

“Al rato” is a phrase that expresses time, and it can be used to express that something happened soon after something else.

Vino Karen y me trajo el libro al rato de haberse ido. (Karen came and brought me the book shortly after she left.)

20. en primer lugar – in the first place

“En primer lugar” and “primero” are very similar. They both mean “first” or “firstly”. “En primer lugar” though is more formal than “primero”.

En primer lugar, vamos a hablar de los problemas de esta ciudad. (Firstly, we will talk about the problems of this city.)

21. mientras tanto – in the meantime, meanwhile, until then

“Mientras tanto” is a Spanish adverbial phrase that can be used to express that an activity happens at the same time a different activity is taking place.

Yo estoy trabajando; mientras tanto, tú estás haciendo nada. (I am working. Meanwhile, you are doing nothing.)

22. en el pasado – in the past

This phrase simply means “before”. You can use it at the beginning or at the end of sentences.

Esta ciudad era más tranquila en el pasado. (This city was quieter in the past.)

23. en segundo  lugar  – in the second place, secondly

This phrase is usually used to introduce a second idea.

En primer lugar, hablaré de mi libro y, en segundo lugar, contestaré sus preguntas. (First, I will talk about my book, and, secondly, I will answer your questions.)

24. anoche – last night, yesterday evening

You can use this Spanish adverb at the end or at the beginning of sentences.

Anoche publiqué una nueva entrada en mi blog. (Last night I published a new entry on my blog.)

25. por último – lastly, finally, last but not least

This phrase can be used to express that something was done in the end or to introduce one last idea.

Por último, los estudiantes dieron las gracias a su profesor. (Finally, the students thanked their tutor.)

26. la mayor parte del tiempo – most of the time, mostly

This adverbial phrase can be used at the end or beginning of sentences, and it means “mostly”.

José es de Guatemala, pero vivió en México la mayor parte del tiempo. (José is from Guatemala, but he mostly lived in Mexico.)

27. luego – next, close (Mexico), soon (Latin America)

In general, the word “luego” means “next” or “then”. However, in Mexico, it means “close”, and in Latin America, it means “soon”.

Me levanté y luego me duché. (I woke up and then I took a shower.)

La casa de mis padres está acá luego. (My parent’s house is very close.)

Espérame un momento que luego estoy contigo. (Wait for me! I will soon be with you.)

28. al otro día – (the) next day

This phrase means “the other day” or “next morning/day”.

Quedamos en vernos al otro día. (We made plans to meet the other day.)

29. por la mañana – in the morning

For expressing that something was done in the morning, use the Spanish phrase “por la mañana”.

El sol se pone temprano por la mañana. (The sun rises early in the morning.)

30. nunca – never, ever (after not)

Use the adverb “nunca” before the main verb of a sentence.

Nunca he cantado en frente de otras personas. (I have never sung in front of other people.)

31. ahora – now, in a minute, currently

The word “ahora” has more than one meaning. It can mean “now” or “soon”.

Ahora es mi turno. (Now it is my turn.)

Ahora regreso. (I’ll be back in a minute.)

32. muchas veces – often, many times

Native Spanish speakers usually use this phrase at the end of sentences.

He estado en España muchas veces. (I have been in Spain many times.)

33. el siguiente año – the following year

You can also say “el siguiente día” (the following day), “el siguiente mes” (the following month), or “la siguiente semana” (the following week).

Me mudaré de casa el siguiente año. (I will move out the following year.)

34. raramente – rarely, seldom

For expressing an action that occurs rarely, use the Spanish adverb “raramente”.

Yo raramente me enfermo. (I rarely get sick.)

35. desde entonces – since then, ever since

For expressing that an action started to take place since a specific point in time, use “desde entonces”.

Ella dejó de comer lácteos y se ha sentido mejor desde entonces. (She stopped eating dairy and has felt better since then.)

36. algunas veces – sometimes, a few times, occasionally

This adverb expresses frequency. It means that something happens at times.

Normalmente camino a la escuela, pero algunas veces tomo el bus. (I usually walk to school, but sometimes I take the bus.)

37. pronto – soon, fast, quickly, early (Spain)

“Pronto” means “soon”, but in Spain, it means “early”.

Tenemos que terminar el reporte pronto. (We need to finish the report soon.)

Es muy pronto para desayunar. (It is too early to have breakfast.)

38. de repente – suddenly, all of a sudden, maybe (South America)

The phrase “de repente” has a different meaning. It means “suddenly”. In South America, it means “maybe” and “probably”.

De repente escuchamos un gran ruido. (Suddenly, we heard a big noise.)

De repente se le olvidó la clase. (He probably forgot the lesson.)

39. entonces – then

The word “entonces” has different meanings. It means “at that time” or “then”. It is also used to express a conclusion.

Si te gustan las fresas, entonces te gustará este postre. (If you like strawberries, then you’ll like this dessert.)

Se casarán el otro mes y entonces se irán a vivir a Costa Rica. They will get married next month, and then they will move to Costa Rica.

40. mientras tanto – in the meantime, meanwhile, until then

41. para continuar – to continue.

If you use a verb after this phrase, make sure to add -ando or -iendo to it. Use Spanish present participles after the verb “continuar”.

Apagué la alarma para continuar durmiendo. (I turned off the alarm to continue sleeping.)

42. cuando – when, if

“Cuando” can be used as an adverb and conjunction. It means “when” and can be used in conditional sentences.

Cuando sea grande, seré un policía. (I will be a police officer when I grow up.)

43. tercero – third

This word can be used to introduce a third idea.

Primero, debes ser responsable. Segundo, debes trabajar duro. Tercero, debes ser puntual. (First, you need to be responsible. Second, you need to work hard. Third, you need to be punctual.)

44. ayer – yesterday

Use the adverb “ayer” to express that something happened yesterday.

El accidente ocurrió ayer. (The accident happened yesterday.)

Spanish Transition Words Related to Place

45. encima de – at the top of.

For expressing that something is in one place superior to another one, use the Spanish prepositional phrase “encima de”.

Pon la taza encima de la mesa. (Put the cup on the table.)

46. en medio de – midst, in the middle of

For expressing that something is in the middle of something or between two things, use the Spanish prepositional phrase “en medio de”.

¡Ten cuidado! Hay una animal en medio de la calle. (Be careful! There is an animal in the middle of the street.)

47. alrededor de – around, about

“Alrededor de” expresses time and place. When it expresses time, it approximately indicates a number. When it indicates a place, it means “around”.

Los niños corren alrededor de la silla. (Children run around the chair.)

Son alrededor de las 5 de la tarde. (It’s about 5 in the afternoon.)

48. abajo – below, down

This Spanish adverb indicates that something is in a place that is in a lower position than something else.

Encontrarás la traducción de este documento abajo. (You will find the translation of this document below.)

49. al lado de – next to, by

For expressing that something is close to something else, use the Spanish phrase “al lado de”.

Mi cama está al lado de la ventana. (My bed is next to the window.)

50. más allá – beyond, further

This phrase is used to express that something is far away from something else.

Hay un pequeño pueblo más allá del río. (There is a small town beyond the river.)

51. adelante – forward, ahead, onward

This adverb indicates that something is in the direction that someone is facing. If someone tells you “¡Adelante!”, he means “carry on”.

Estamos cansados, pero seguimos adelante. (We are tired, but we are moving forward.)

52. de – of, from

This is the most used Spanish preposition. It is usually translated as “of” or “from”.

Mis padres son de España. (My parents are from Spain.)

53. desde – from, since

This denotes a point in time or place. Use “desde” with specific dates or places.

No te puedo ver bien desde aquí. (I cannot see you well from here.)

54. aquí – here

This Spanish adverb means at, on or in this place.

¡Ven aquí! Quiero mostrarte algo. (Come here! I want to show you something.)

55. delante de – in front of, before

“Delante de” means “at the sight of” or “in the presence of”.

Me gusta cantar delante de mucha gente. (I like to sing in front of many people.)

56. dentro de – within

If something is “dentro de” something else, it is inside a real or imaginary space.

La carta está dentro del sobre. (The letter is inside the envelope.)

57. cerca de – close to

For expressing that something is close to something else, use the Spanish prepositional phrase “cerca de”.

Hay un parque cerca de mi casa. (There is a park near my house.)

58. sobre – on, about

The word “sobre” has more than one meaning. It can mean “on”, “about” or “over”.

Puse tus libros sobre la mesa. (I put your books on the table.)

59. frente a – in front, in the face of

“Frente a” and “delante de” have the same meaning. It means “at the sight of” or “in the presence of”.

Estoy frente a la tienda, no al lado de ella. (I’m in front of the store, not next to it.)

60. afuera – outside

For expressing that something is outside of the site where it is, use the Spanish adverb “afuera”.

Estamos afuera de la casa. (We are outside the house.)

61. a través de – through, across

“A través de” is a Spanish prepositional phrase, and it means “through” or “across”.

Todos los turistas caminamos a través de las montañas. (All the tourists walked through the mountains.)

62. entre – between, among, amid

If you are “entre” two things, you may be “between”, “among” or “amid” them.

Hay un espacio grande entre la mesa y la pared. (There is a large space between the table and the wall.)

63. debajo de – below, under, underneath

The words “debajo de”, “bajo” and “abajo” can be translated into English as “below” or “under”.

Encontré mi libro debajo de la cama. “I found my book under the bed.”

64. junto a – next to

For expressing that something is “next to” or “close to” something else, use the phrase “junto a”.

Me senté junto a mi amigo en la reunión. (I sat next to my friend at the meeting.)

Spanish Transition Words to Add an Idea

65. aparte de – besides, apart from, aside from.

Use the prepositional phrase “aparte de” to add an idea. It means “besides” or “apart from”.

Aparte de mí, todos tienen hambre. (Apart from me, everyone is hungry.)

66. además – moreover, additionally, in addition

For adding information to the one already presented, use the Spanish adverb “además”.

La fruta es buena para tu salud y, además, son deliciosas. (Fruit is good for your health and, in addition, it’s delicious.)

67. asimismo – also

For expressing equality and similarity, use the Spanish adverb “asimismo”.

Ellos donaron dinero a la organización. Asimismo, donaron algunos juguetes. (They donated money to the organization. They also donated some toys.)

68. de todas formas – in any case, anyhow

This Spanish phrase is used to confirm or support an idea.

Mi profesor no sabía la respuesta a mi pregunta, pero me ayudó de todas formas. (My teacher did not know the answer to my question, but he helped me anyway.)

69. de todas maneras – in any case, anyhow, all the same

The phrase “de todas maneras” is used in the same way “de todas formas” is used. They both mean the same.

Quédate. De todas maneras, todos somos responsables. (Stay. We are responsible all the same.)

70. de todos modos – in any case, anyhow

The phrase “de todos modos” is used in the same way “de todas formas” is used. They both mean the same.

Quedémonos en casa. De todos modos, no podremos ir a la fiesta. (Let’s stay at home. Anyway, we cannot go to the party.)

71. de cualquier manera – in any case, in any way, anyhow

The phrase “de cualquier manera” is used in the same way “de todas formas” is used. They both mean the same.

Está lloviendo, pero pienso ir al colegio de todos modos. (It’s raining, but I plan to go to school anyway.)

72. sobre todo – above all, particularly, especially

You can use this Spanish phrase to give special emphasis to an idea.

A mí me gustan las rosas, sobre todo las rojas. (I like roses, especially red ones.)

73. también – also, too

“También” means “in addition”.

Yo quiero aprender a bailar salsa también. (I want to learn to dance salsa, too.)

74. otra vez – again

The phrase “otra vez” means “another time” or “once more”.

Me estás haciendo la misma pregunta otra vez. (You are asking me the same question again.)

75. y – and

The word “y” is a conjunction. It is used to connect two ideas or words of the same part of speech. It is used to introduce an additional idea.

Mi hermana no come carnes rojas, y mi hermano no come carnes blancas. (My sister does not eat red meat, and my brother does not eat white meat.)

76. en primera instancia – in the first place, first of all

For introducing an initial idea, you can use the phrase “en primera instancia”.

En primera instancia, quiero agradecerles su presencia. (First of all, I want to thank you for your presence.)

77. de igual manera – similarly, likewise, in the same way

You can use this Spanish phrase to express a similarity between two facts or events.

De igual manera, quiero agradecerte por tu participación. (In the same way, I want to thank you for your participation.)

Spanish Transition Words to Contrast an Idea

78. a diferencia de – in contrast to, unlike.

For expressing that something is different from something else, use the phrase “a diferencia de”.

A diferencia de mis abuelos, muchas personas prefieren quedarse en casa. (Unlike my grandparents, many people prefer to stay at home.)

79. a pesar de – in spite of, despite

“A pesar de” means “without being affected by”. This phrase is usually translated into English as “despite” or “in spite of”.

Llegamos a tiempo al trabajo a pesar del tráfico. (We arrived on time to work despite the traffic.)

80. a pesar de que – despite the fact that, although

The phrase “a pesar de que” usually introduces a subordinate sentence. It means “although”.

A pesar de que no me gustan las películas de acción, esta me gustó. (Even though I do not like action movies, I liked this one.)

81. al contrario – on the contrary,  in contrast

Don’t confuse “al contrario” and “de lo contrario”. “Al contrario” means “on the contrary”. “De lo contrario” means “if not”.

No tengo ninguna objeción. Al contrario, estoy de acuerdo contigo. (I have no objection. On the contrary, I agree with you.)

82. aunque – although, even though

The word “aunque” introduces a subordinate sentence. It means “although”.

Llegaré a tu casa aunque no quieras. (I’ll come to your house even if you do not want to.)

83. con todo – nevertheless, still

This phrase introduces a comment that is opposed to what is expressed. Hemos tenido muchos problemas. Con todo, hemos progresado. (We have had a lot of problems. Nevertheless, we have made progress.)

84.  en cambio – on the other hand, instead

This prepositional phrase expresses a complete contrast.

Creí que pocos vendrían a mi fiesta. En cambio, muchos vinieron . (I thought that few would come to my party. Instead, many came.)

85. en contraste con – in contrast to

This phrase is used to compare two things or people and say that the second one is different from the first one.

En contraste con el agua de los ríos, el agua del mar es salada. (In contrast to the water of rivers, the water from the sea is salty.)

86. en lugar de – instead of, rather than

You can use this Spanish phrase to say that something replaces something else.

Prefiero ayudar en lugar de quedarme aquí sentada. (I prefer to help instead of sitting here.)

87. en vez de – instead of, rather than

“En vez de” and “en lugar de” have similar meanings. You can use this phrase to express that something replaces something else.

Muchos envían correos en vez de cartas. (Many send emails instead of letters.)

88. no obstante – nevertheless, however, notwithstanding

This Spanish phrase is used to express contrast, and it is usually used at the beginning of sentences.

Ese problema no es importante; no obstante, necesita mi atención. (That problem is not important; however, it needs my attention.)

89. por el contrario – on the contrary, by contrast

This phrase is also used to compare two things or people and say that the second one is different from the first one.

Mi padre es muy serio y, por el contrario, mi madre es muy sonriente. My father is very serious and, on the contrary, my mother is very smiling.

90. por un lado…por el otro lado – on the one hand…on the other hand

It is a Spanish connector (or link word) that allows you to sort the information of a speech.

Ten en cuenta dos cosas: por un lado el tiempo que invertirán y, por el otro, el dinero que necesitarán para llevar a cabo este proyecto.

(Keep in mind two things: on the one hand the time they will invest and, on the other, the money they will need to carry out this project.)

91. sin embargo – nevertheless, however

El equipo jugó muy bien. Sin embargo, perdió el campeonato. (The team played very well. However, it lost the championship.)

92. pero – but

The word “pero” is a conjunction, and it joins two sentences, clauses, phrases or words of the same part of speech. It is used to express contrast.

Ella quiere un café sin leche, pero yo lo quiero con leche y azúcar. (She wants a coffee without milk, but I want it with milk and sugar.)

93. aún así – even so

For expressing a statement that seems surprising after what you said before, use “aún así”.

Hay muchos policías en las calles y, aún así, hay muchos robos en la ciudad. (There are many policemen in the streets. Even so, there are many robberies in the city.)

94. de lo contrario – otherwise, differently

This phrase can be used to express how an idea is related to what was said before.

El caviar es delicioso y nadie puede convencerme de lo contrario. (Caviar is delicious and no one can convince me otherwise.)

Spanish Transition Words to Compare an Idea

95. así como – as well as, just as.

“Así mismo” means “to an equal degree than”.

Pienso invitar a mi familia así como a mis amigos. (I plan to invite my family as well as my friends.)

96. con relación a – with regard to, regarding

“Con relación a” means “regarding” or “about”.

Quiero hacerte unas preguntas con relación al accidente de ayer. (I want to ask you a few questions with regard to yesterday’s accident.)

97. de la misma forma/manera/modo – in the same way, likewise

For expressing that something was performed in the way or in the like manner as something else, use “de la misma manera”. “Forma” and “modo” are other ways of saying “manera”.

Todos los trabajadores de esta empresa deben ser tratados de la misma forma que los de otras empresas. (All the workers of this company must be treated in the same way as those of other companies.)

98. en cuanto a – in terms of, in respect of

The phrase “en cuanto a” means “in connection to” or “in terms of”.

Mi opinión en cuanto a los gastos de la empresa es que debemos acortarlos. (My opinion regarding the expenses of the company is that we must shorten them.)

99. sin duda – without a doubt, certainly, surely

For emphasizing that what is being said is true, use the Spanish phrase “sin duda”.

Mi amigo es muy generoso y sin duda te ayudará. (My friend is very generous and will undoubtedly help you.)

100. tal como – just like, such as

The phrase “tal como” also means “for example”.

La situación es tal como la han descrito. (The situation is just like it was described.)

101. de cierta manera – in a way, in some way, in a sense

For expressing that something was done in an unspecified way or manner, use the Spanish phrase “de cierta manera”. De cierta manera, estoy de acuerdo contigo. (In a way, I agree with you.)

Spanish Transition Words to Explain an Idea

102. está claro que – of course, admittedly, it is clear that.

You can use this Spanish phrase to agree that something is true.

Está claro que todos hemos entendido la explicación. (It is clear that we have all understood the explanation.)

103. en efecto – indeed, in fact

For confirming what has been stated, use the phrase “en efecto”.

Esta oferta es, en efecto, muy buena. (This offer is, in effect, very good.)

104. en realidad – indeed, in fact, actually

This phrase is usually used at the beginning of sentences, and it means “actually”.

En realidad, las cosas no son como tú crees. (Actually, things are not as you think they are.)

105. en resumen – in short, in summary, in essence

For summing up ideas, use the Spanish phrase “en resumen”.

La reunión de ahora fue, en resumen, muy provechosa. Today’s meeting was, in short, very helpful.

106. es decir – that is to say, in other words

For expressing something in a different way, use the phrase “es decir”.

Ellos hablan de la capital de Francia, es decir, de Paris . They speak of the capital of France, in other words, Paris.

107. por ejemplo – for example

For introducing examples, use the phrase “for example” in Spanish.

Compremos productos de belleza: maquillaje, por ejemplo. Let’s us buy beauty products: makeup, for example.

108. por lo general – in general, usually

To indicate that you are talking about something as a whole, use the Spanish phrase “por lo general”.

Por lo general, esta reunión se realiza a fin de mes. (Usually, this meeting is held at the end of the month.)

109. por supuesto – of course, naturally

For introducing an idea that is expected, use the Spanish phrase “por supuesto”.

Por supuesto que quiero conocer a tus hijos. (Of course, I want to meet your children.)

110. en otras palabras – in other words

For expressing something in a different way, use the phrase “en otras palabras”.

La hermana de mi mamá es, en otras palabras, mi tía. (My mom’s sister is, in other words, my aunt.)

111. en particular – in particular

To state that an idea or a statement applies to one person or thing more than any other, use the phrase “en particular”.

Ahora hablamos de dos temas en particular. Today we talked about two issues in particular.

112. específicamente – specifically, particularly

For giving special emphasis to a statement, use the Spanish adverb “específicamente”.

Este juguete fue diseñado específicamente para niños de dos años. (This toy was designed specifically for two-year-old children.)

113. para ilustrar – to illustrate

For explaining ideas or making something clear, use the phrase “para ilustrar”.

Quiero decir algo para ilustrar lo que acabo de decir. (I want to say something to illustrate what I just said.)

Spanish Transition Words to Express Results

114. en consecuencia – consequently, accordingly, as a consequence.

Use the phrase “en consecuencia” to express the result. You can also use the adverb “consecuentemente”.

Los colegios privados son populares; en consecuencia, atraen más estudiantes. (Private schools are popular; consequently, they attract more students.)

115. por consiguiente – consequently, therefore

“Por consiguiente” and “en consecuencia” have similar meanings. You can also use the phrase to express the result.

Has trabajado todo el día y por consiguiente deberías descansar. You have worked all day; therefore,  you should rest.

116. por eso – therefore, for this reason, that’s why

For introducing a logical result, use the Spanish phrase “por eso”.

No consumo lácteos; por eso, no como pizza. (I do not consume dairy; for this reason, I do not eat pizza.)

117. por lo tanto – therefore, hence

“Por lo tanto” and “por eso” have a similar meaning. Use this phrase to introduce a logical result.

La oferta es buena; y por lo tanto, la aceptaremos. (The offer is good; therefore, we will accept it.)

118. por lo visto – apparently, by all accounts, with that in mind

Use “por lo visto” to express that you are not certain about what you are stating.

Por lo visto, la compañía ha alcanzado sus metas. (Apparently, the company has reached its goals.)

119. resulta que … – it turns out that . . .

For expressing result, use the Spanish phrase “resulta que”. If you want to use this phrase in the past, use “resultó que”.

Estela me dijo que vendía, pero ahora resulta que no vendrá. Estela told me she would come, but now it turns out she will not come.

120. ya que – since, because of

For introducing reasons or explanations, use the phrase “ya que”.

No pude llegar a la reunión ya no que había transporte. (I could not go to the meeting since there was no transportation.)

Spanish Transition Words to Conclude an Argument

121. al fin y al cabo – after all.

For supporting a statement you just said, use the Spanish phrase “al fin y al cabo”.

Hasta mi profesor de matemáticas se equivoca. Al fin y al cabo, él también es humano. (Even my math teacher makes mistakes. After all, he is also human.)

122. finalmente – finally, eventually, lastly, at last

This Spanish adverb is used to express that something was done in the end.

My sister could finally solve the math problem! (Finalmente, mi hermana pudo resolver el problema de matemáticas.)

123. para terminar –  lastly, finally

For indicating that something is last in a series of actions, use the phrase “para terminar”.

Para terminar, quiero hablarles acerca del proyecto en el que están trabajando. (To finish, I want to talk to you about the project you are working on.)

Spanish Transition Words Practice

And finally.

Memorizing vocabulary is easier than you think! When learning a new word, look at its spelling, meaning, usage and pronunciation. And don’t forget to learn it in context so you learn when, where, and how it’s used. Clozemaster can help you with all that and more! Check it out.

4 thoughts on “100+ Spanish Transition Words and Phrases to Sound Like a Native Speaker”

Muchas gracias por esta lista. This seems to be quite extensive and will be a very useful addition to anyone trying to learn the ins and outs of Spanish. You have put a lot of thought into this and I for one am very grateful.

Very good list, I learned a lot! I’m gonna save this. I was just hoping there would be transition words for changing the subject, not so abruptly lol

Perfect to use for the persuasive essay on the AP Spanish exam! Thank you very much.

. This is the best list ever. It is quite exhaustive, which is a good thing. I will use this forever and ever as I continue to work on improving my Spanish. It’s very easy to read and follow. You will get a lot of use out of this. No need to reinvent the wheel because someone has already done it for you.

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Spanish Transition Words: Simple Guide to Connecting Words

Have you ever had the impression that, when speaking or writing Spanish, your sentences are independent thoughts that don’t seem to flow? Don’t worry. This happens to many learners! To improve your coherence and fluency, you must learn transition words in Spanish. 

Whether it’s for an essay or a conversation, linking your ideas together is fundamental to sounding cohesive and coherent. Since they help you achieve this, in this guide, you’ll learn how to use connecting words and transitional phrases in Spanish. 

Here is an overview of the topics we’ll cover:

• What Are Transition Words & How Do They Work
• To add information
• To explain cause and effect
• To describe opposition or contrast
• To explain or provide examples
• To emphasize an idea
• To express purpose
• To describe sequence and time
• To express similarity

What Are Spanish Transition Words?

Spanish transition words, also called transitional, connecting, or linking words, have a primary function: to connect ideas and describe the relation between them.

Confused? Let’s see an example.

Charlotte está enojada. Rompí su teléfono. Charlotte is mad. I broke her phone.

The example above expresses two ideas. #1 Charlotte is mad, and #2 I broke her phone. Is there a connection between these facts? Yes! But since it’s unclear, I’m forcing you to make that assumption.

Things will sound more fluid and make more sense if you use a Spanish transition word to express causation (cause and effect). 

Charlotte está enojada porque rompí su teléfono . Charlotte is mad because I broke her phone .

With this rewritten example, ‘porque’ (because) is the connecting word, linking the two ideas together. Now the reason why Charlotte is mad is perfectly clear.

So, Spanish transition words link your ideas together while describing how those ideas relate to each other. Since connecting words in Spanish can be used to link ideas, sentences, or paragraphs together, they help others understand what you’re saying.

Take Note: Connectors in Spanish can be made by one word, such as porque. However, transitional phrases are built with two or more words . For example, ‘ya que’, ‘debido a’ or ‘a cause de’, are all more complex ways of saying ‘because’.

List of Connecting Words in Spanish

Connecting words in Spanish are classified based on the type of relationship they express. 

• Cause and effect

Explanation or examples

Sequence and time, similarity .

In the sections below, you’ll find lists with common transition words and phrases in Spanish and examples of how to use them. 

Tip: Transition words in Spanish are often associated with writing essays. But you’d also use these connectors in daily conversations.  

As its name suggests, Spanish transitional words of addition allow you to introduce new information .

Lucas dobló la ropa, también preparó la cena . Lucas folded the clothes; he also prepared dinner .

No pude venir porque estaba ocupada. Además , me sentía mal . I couldn’t come because I was busy. Also , I was feeling sick .

Cause and effect or Reason

As shown at the beginning of this article, this type of Spanish transitional word helps you describe the cause and effect of an action or behavior. 

Llegué tarde debido al tráfico . I’m late due to the traffic .

Carlos está enfermo, así que no vendrá esta noche . Carlos is sick, so he won’t be coming tonight .

Mañana es día feriado. Por lo tanto , no se trabaja . Tomorrow is a public holiday. Therefore, people don’t have to work .

Take Note: Just as in English, some transitional words in Spanish may be more formal than others. 

Contrast or opposition 

Spanish transition words of contrast express an opposite relationship between ideas. When writing essays, these words are helpful to contrast ideas, theories or someone’s position about a certain issue.  

Me gustaría ir, pero tengo trabajo . I would like to go, but I have work to do .

Aunque te cueste trabajo , debes practicar tu español. Although it may be difficult , you should practice your Spanish.

Samantha se distrae fácilmente. Sin embargo , sus calificaciones son buenas . Samantha gets easily distracted. However, her grades are good .

Tip: In Spanish, these transition words can be placed at the beginning or the middle of a sentence. Notice that, if they start the sentence, they are always followed by commas. 

Whether you’re writing or having a conversation, sometimes you need to explain or clarify what you’re saying. To do this, you can use the following transition words and phrases in Spanish:

Cocinar es muy difícil. Mejor dicho , a mí me cuesta mucho trabajo . Cooking is very difficult. Or rather , it’s very difficult for me .

El libro relata hechos fantásticos, es decir , hechos que no son reales . The book tells fantastic stories, meaning , unreal facts .

Creo que todos podemos ayudar. Por ejemplo , yo puedo limpiar la casa . I think we all can help. For example, I can clean the house .

Take Note: In Mexican Spanish , o sea is a popular filler word. 

As their name suggests, these Spanish connecting words are used to emphasize important ideas that people should pay attention to. 

Sin duda, este año fue muy difícil para todos . Without a doubt , this year was difficult for all of us .

Me gustan mucho las películas, especialmente, las de terror . I like movies very much, especially horror movies .

When it comes to transition words for essays and formal writing in Spanish, terms and phrases that express purposes are very important because they help you describe the goal of the text itself or a section within it.  

Some examples of these transitional words include:

Incluí ejemplos con el fin de que este artículo sea más fácil de entender . I included examples in order to make this article easier to understand .

El objetivo de este artículo es enseñarte a usar conectores en español . The purpose of this article is to teach how to use connectors in Spanish .

Spanish transition words and phrases also allow you to describe the order or sequence of your ideas or the time when specific actions occur. These connections are helpful when you need to establish chronological order or the steps of a process.

Here are some examples of these words: 

Primero encuentra tus llaves y, después , nos podemos ir. First , find your keys and , then , we can leave. 

Finalmente, los resultados encontrados no prueban… Finally , the results found do not prove…

Por último, me gustaría mencionar… Lastly, I would like to mention…

If you need to point out similarities between two ideas or paragraphs, you can use the following Spanish connectors:

Estos celulares son igualmente buenos. These phones are equally good.

De igual manera , todos tienen que entregar su proyecto. Likewise, every one must deliver their project.

Take Note: In Spanish, igualmente is also used as a response to ‘ nice to meet you ’ or ‘ have a nice day ’. 

Transition words in Spanish are necessary to have a more fluid and natural conversation. 

Entonces, don’t be afraid to use them! (See what I did there?). Here are some key points you should keep in mind:

• Transition words connect ideas and explain how those ideas relate to each other. 
• Add new information
• Describe cause and effect
• Contrast two ideas
• Provide explanations and introduce examples
• Emphasize ideas
• Express the purpose of a text or section
• Describe the sequence your ideas follow
• Point out the similarities between two or more ideas
• These words and phrases are mostly placed at the beginning or middle of a sentence.
• Unless they’re followed by a preposition, transition words that start a new sentence or paragraph must be accompanied by a comma . 

Now that you know this new vocabulary, it’s time for you to go and apply it! ¡ Buena suerte!

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

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Transition Words In Spanish: How To Sound Like a Native Speaker

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Learning the most common transition words in Spanish is a great way to go from speaking in broken, clunky Spanish to sounding more fluid, almost instantly.

Transition words (in any language) help us add more coherence to what we say or write, by linking and connecting our ideas.

In case you still aren’t sure what we mean, below is a list of the most common transition words in Spanish that you will hear in a regular conversation:

• También (also)
• Además (beside)
• De hecho (in fact)
• Sin embargo (nonetheless)
• Antes que nada (first of all)
• Por ejemplo (for example)
• Entonces (so)
• En conclusión (in conclusion)
• Por suerte (luckily)

Here are a couple of examples of these words in action:

• Carlos told me he managed to organize everything. He also  told me that he helped his teammates – Carlos me dijo que logró organizar todo. También  me dijo que ayudó a sus compañeros.
• This month we had good sales,  however , complaints about late deliveries increased. – Este mes tuvimos buenas ventas, sin embargo , aumentaron las quejas por tardanzas en entregas.
• We have to book the ticket before anything else  – Tenemos que reservar el boleto antes que nada
• I wanted to go to the beach,  but  I got sick – Quería ir a la playa,  pero me enfermé
• I was promoted at work,  in fact now I have an assistant – Me ascendieron en el trabajo,  de hecho  ahora tengo una asistente
• My grandfather fell out of bed, but luckily  he’s not hurt – Mi abuelo se cayó de la cama, pero por suerte no está herido

In this post, we will cover a bunch of different transition words in Spanish which will help you reinforce information, give information about time or sequence, contrast ideas and much more.

To talk about a sequence, order or time

• We have to finish the sales report as soon as possible – Hay que terminar el reporte de ventas  tan pronto como  sea posible
• I will  briefly explain what we will do at the festival – Les voy a explicar  brevemente  lo que haremos en el festival
• First of al l, I want to thank you for coming to the meeting – Primeramente  quiero agradecer que hayan venido a la reunión
• Now we will talk about students behavior, then  we’ll talk about their grades – Ahora hablaremos del comportamiento de los alumnos, luego  hablaremos de sus calificaciones
• At the moment  the band was playing, they launched fireworks – Cuando la banda estaba tocando, en ese momento , lanzaron fuegos artificiales

To talk about change or contrast of ideas

• I love traveling on vacation,  although  sometimes I rest more staying at home – Me encanta viajar en vacaciones, aunque  a veces descanso más quedándome en casa
• Despite  having studied, I didn’t do well on the exam – A pesar de  haber estudiado, no me fue bien en el examen
• On the contrary,  I think this advertising campaign is very good – Al contrario , creo que esta campaña publicitaria es muy buena
• They found the restaurant very good, but  not me – A ellos les pareció muy bueno el restaurante, en cambio  a mí no
• I want to go to the movies, but  I don’t have money – Quiero ir al cine, pero  no tengo dinero

To emphasize or add information

• It is not common for children to eat vegetables, they usually  prefer candies – No es común que los niños coman vegetales,  por lo general prefieren los dulces
• This morning I went to the gym and also  to the park to walk  –  Esta mañana fui al Gimnasio y  también  al parque a caminar
• We won first place as a result  of teamwork – Ganamos el primer lugar como resultado del trabajo en equipo
• Without a doubt , a sedentary life is dangerous – Sin duda alguna , una vida sedentaria es peligrosa
• In addition  to having meals included in the hotel, they also  included drinks – En el hotel además  de tener las comidas incluidas, también  incluían las bebidas

To make a comparison

• Indeed, Our product is better than the competition – En efecto , nuestro producto es mejor que el de la competencia
• I don’t like those shoes either , they are just as ugly as the previous ones – Tampoco  me gustan esos zapatos, son igual  de feos que los anteriores
• Like  my brother, we are vegetarians – Al igual que  mi hermano, somos vegetarianos
• We will also  go to the concert – Nosotros  también  iremos al concierto
• She has  another way to cook the roast – Ella tiene otra forma  de cocinar el asado

To give examples

• For example , if you buy the plane ticket now, it will be cheaper – Por ejemplo , si compras el pasaje de avión ahora, será más económico
• Suppose you are shipwrecked on a desert island – Supongamos  que naufragas en una isla desierta
• Let’s look at this example  of how we can reduce the consumption of plastic – Veamos este ejemplo  de cómo podemos reducir el consumo de plástico
• Let’s say  that tomorrow he surprises you with a gift. What would you do? – Digamos que mañana él te sorprende con un regalo. ¿Qué harías?

To talk about causes and effects

• Luckily  we all sign up on time – Por suerte  todos nos inscribimos a tiempo
• Due to  the hurricanes, many homes have disappeared – A causa de  los huracanes, muchas casas han desaparecido
• As a result  of poor diet, I was diagnosed with gastritis – Como resultado de una mala alimentación, me diagnosticaron gastritis
• I am allergic to dairy, therefore  I cannot eat cheese – Soy alérgica a los lácteos,  por lo tanto  no puedo comer queso
• Considering  your great effort, we decided to give you a chance –  En vista de  tu gran esfuerzo, decidimos darte una oportunidad

To conclude an idea

• Finally , we will announce the winner –  Finalmente , anunciaremos al ganador
• Last but not least , I want to thank you for coming – Por último pero no menos importante , quiero dar las gracias por haber venido
• I couldn’t travel the weekend, after all,  I didn’t want to do it either – No pude viajar el fin de semana, al fin y al cabo , tampoco quería hacerlo
• To conclude  the meeting, I would like to hear your opinions – Para concluir  la reunión, me gustaría oír sus opiniones
• To sum up , What can you tell us about your experience in the Amazonia? – Para resumir , ¿Qué podrías decirnos sobre tu experiencia en El Amazonas?

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List of Spanish Transition Words

Are you struggling to connect your ideas in Spanish? Look no further! This article has got you covered with a comprehensive list of Spanish transition words.

Whether you want to add information, contrast ideas, or express cause and effect, we’ve got the perfect transition words for you.

With our organized and fluent style, you’ll be able to sequence and organize your ideas like a pro.

Get ready to elevate your Spanish writing to the next level!

Key Takeaways

• Transition words are important in Spanish writing as they improve the flow and coherence of ideas.
• They create a logical structure and make the writing more organized and understandable.
• Transition words help connect thoughts smoothly and guide the reader through the text.
• Spanish transition words can be used to add information, contrast ideas, express cause and effect, and sequence and organize ideas.

Commonly Used Spanish Transition Words

You should use ‘por otro lado’ to transition to a different point in the current discussion. Transition words are essential in Spanish writing to improve the flow and coherence of your ideas. They allow you to connect your thoughts smoothly and guide your reader through your text. Using transition words helps to create a logical structure and make your writing more organized and understandable.

In Spanish communication, transition words also play a crucial role. They enable you to express contrasting ideas, add information, provide examples, and summarize your thoughts effectively. By using these words, you can enhance the clarity and coherence of your speech, facilitating comprehension for your audience.

Transition Words for Adding Information in Spanish

Using the transition word ‘además’ will help you seamlessly add more information to your Spanish writing or speech. Transition words play a crucial role in connecting ideas and making your writing or speech more coherent. When it comes to adding information or giving examples, there are several other useful transition words in Spanish. These words not only help you provide more details but also emphasize your points effectively. Take a look at the table below for some examples:

Spanish Transition Words for Contrasting Ideas

Don’t forget to utilize the transition word ‘a pesar de’ when contrasting ideas in your Spanish writing or speech. This transition word is commonly used to express a contradiction or disagreement between two ideas.

Here are some other Spanish transition words that you can use to compare and contrast ideas:

• En cambio (On the other hand)
• Sin embargo (However)
• Por otro lado (On the other hand)
• Aunque (Although)

These transition words are essential when expressing different viewpoints or presenting contrasting ideas in Spanish. They help to create a clear and organized flow in your writing or speech.

By using these words effectively, you can convey your thoughts and arguments more effectively and engage your audience in a meaningful discussion.

Expressing Cause and Effect With Spanish Transition Words

Make sure to incorporate the transition word ‘porque’ when expressing cause and effect in your Spanish writing or speech. When exploring the different types of cause and effect relationships in Spanish writing, it’s important to understand how to effectively use Spanish transition words to convey cause and effect.

‘Porque’ is a commonly used transition word that means ‘because’ and is used to introduce the cause of an action or event. For example, ‘No pude salir con mis amigos porque tenía que estudiar’ (I couldn’t go out with my friends because I had to study).

Additionally, other transition words such as ‘ya que’ (since), ‘debido a’ (due to), and ‘por lo tanto’ (therefore) can be used to express cause and effect relationships in Spanish writing.

Mastering these transition words will greatly enhance your ability to convey cause and effect in Spanish.

Spanish Transition Words for Sequencing and Organizing Ideas

Have you learned how to effectively use Spanish transition words to sequence and organize your ideas? Transition words are essential in providing coherence and structure to your writing or speaking. They allow you to smoothly guide your audience from one idea to the next, making your message clear and easy to follow.

When it comes to giving examples and illustrating ideas in Spanish, you can use transition words such as ‘por ejemplo’ (for example), ‘como’ (like), ‘es decir’ (that is to say), and ‘en otras palabras’ (in other words). These words help you provide concrete examples and clarify your point.

Additionally, when summarizing and concluding your thoughts, you can rely on transition words like ‘en resumen’ (in summary), ‘finalmente’ (finally), ‘en conclusión’ (in conclusion), and ‘para concluir’ (to conclude). By using these transition words, you can effectively wrap up your ideas and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any transition words in spanish that can be used to express emphasis or intensify an idea.

To express emphasis or intensify an idea in Spanish, there are several transition words you can use. These words can help you effectively connect your thoughts and make your writing more coherent. Here are some tips for improving your Spanish writing with transition words.

Are There Specific Transition Words in Spanish That Can Be Used to Introduce Examples or Provide Further Support to an Idea?

When it comes to introducing examples or providing further support in Spanish, there are specific transition words for that. They help emphasize and intensify your ideas, making your point even stronger.

Can You Provide Some Transition Words in Spanish That Are Commonly Used to Summarize or Conclude an Argument or Discussion?

To summarize or conclude an argument or discussion in Spanish, commonly used transition words include "en resumen" (in summary), "en conclusión" (in conclusion), and "finalmente" (finally). ¿Cuáles son los conectores de cambio de tema en español? ¿Existen palabras de transición en español que puedan usarse para resumir o concluir un argumento o discusión?

Are There Any Transition Words in Spanish That Can Be Used to Express a Result or Consequence?

To express a result or consequence in Spanish, you can use transition words like "por lo tanto" (therefore) or "así que" (so). Knowing how to use these effectively is key. Avoid common mistakes by practicing and seeking feedback.

Can You Recommend Some Transition Words in Spanish That Can Be Used to Indicate a Change in Topic or Shift in Focus?

To effectively use transition words in Spanish and improve your writing flow, it is important to know how to indicate a change in topic or shift in focus. Avoid common mistakes and ensure a knowledgeable, fluent, and organized style for better understanding.

In conclusion, mastering Spanish transition words is crucial for effective communication. These words not only help to connect ideas smoothly but also add depth and coherence to your writing.

Just like a well-orchestrated symphony, transition words serve as the conductor, guiding the flow of thoughts and providing a seamless transition between different sections.

So, whether you’re adding information, contrasting ideas, or expressing cause and effect, incorporating these words into your writing will elevate it to a whole new level.

It’s like adding the final brushstroke to a masterpiece, creating a harmonious and captivating composition.

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Step-By-Step Guide to Using Transition Words in Spanish

Spanish transition words are necessary to connect sentences and, therefore, ideas. Use them to organize your speech and sound more natural.

Written or spoken, a sentence must sound clean. Whether you desire to contrast information or add a new perspective to nourish the speech, transition words need to be used.

Spanish transition words help the language user provide a different style to the sentences and this is unique to every person.

In this article, you are going to find a list of the Spanish transition words you will most likely listen to in conversations or read, maybe the case be.

Why are Spanish transition words important?

It’s completely natural to start building quick sentences when we are learning a new language . Those sentences usually go with a subject, a verb, and a short complement.

However, after properly learning some grammar rules, and acquiring more and more vocabulary , you should be able to start building complex phrases. You can’t talk about your routine separate by dots like this:

“I woke up and took a shower. I ate breakfast. I went to the park to exercise.”

As was said before, this is entirely natural at the beginning of the learning trip . The thing here is, as English is your mother tongue, you won’t express the sentence that way.

The goal would be to use similar expressions to link those ideas not to sound like a robot in Spanish. Hence:

“After waking up, I took a quick shower. Then, I ate breakfast, I was hungry! After that, I went to the park for some exercise. Finally, I came back home to start working.”

That paragraph is not the summit of the amusement but people reading it or listening to it will be a lot more interested than with the first one thanks to the transition words.

How many Types of Spanish transition words are there

In Spanish, we have 8 types of transition words: 

• Spanish transition words for time.
• Spanish transition words for place.
• Spanish transition words to add an idea.
• Spanish transition words to explain an idea.
• Spanish transition words to compare and contrast ideas.
• Spanish transition words to show a result.
• Spanish transition words to emphasize an idea.
• Spanish transition words to summarize.

Let’s take a look at each one with the translation and some examples. That way, you will be able to place them in similar real-life situations.

Also, information is added by means of a description so you can understand its usage.

Spanish transition words for time

Ya / todavía: now / already / still.

Spanish native speakers would always use these two even when it’s not necessary. Actually, ya has become a very common filler in this language.

• ¿ Todavía estás usando la computadora? – Are you still using the computer?
• Te lo voy a decir ahora si no te lo había dicho ya . – I’m going to tell you now if I hadn’t already told you

Todavía no: not yet

Following the previous transitions but in a negative way…

• ¡No, todavía no abras la puerta! – No, do not open the door yet!

Ya no: not anymore

Sentences containing these first types of transitional words are quite popular in Spanish.

• Ya no quiero hablar contigo. – I no longer want to talk to you.
• Tu opinión ya no es relevante. – Your opinion is not relevant anymore.

Primero / en primer lugar: first / first of all / firstly

The ideas to be expressed will be enumerated by using ordinal numbers .

• Primero , yo no dije eso. Segundo , no deberías estar aquí. Y tercero , ¿por qué le dirías a la gente sobre esto? – First, I didn’t say that. Second, you shouldn’t be here. And third, why would you tell people about this?

Luego / más tarde / después: later / then

You might be wondering how to use a word with three different meanings, but let’s not take things that far, yet. Luego and después are basically the same, they both talk about something occurring after another event.

Más tarde , on the other hand, refers to an action occurring after another without the sense of continuity the previous ones have. Instead, this one says the next action is taking place further in the future .

For example:

• Esperaremos a los niños para luego salir. – We’ll wait for the kids to then go out.
• Voy a pensarlo y te diré más tarde . – I’m going to think about it and I’ll tell you later. 

Learning Spanish you will find that building a phrase with these words is actually pretty simple. 

If you want to go further, there are synonyms available:

• Para empezar: to start / for starters / to begin with.
• En primer lugar: in the first place / firstly.
• En segundo lugar: in second place / secondly.
• Inicialmente: initially.
• Próximo: next.
• Antes de: before.
• Después de: after.
• Para concluir / para finalizar / finalmente: finally / to conclude.
• Por último: lastly.

Spanish transition words for time is the longest category as the employed words possess many synonyms.

Memorizing the ones you like better will help you focus and not be looking for another word. Aside from the types that we have already covered, there are some other transitions that express time differently.

Mientras / mientras tanto: while / as long as / in the meantime / meanwhile

• Quédate junto a mí mientras esperamos. – Stay next to me while we wait. 
• Mientras seas la siguiente, no seré el último. – As long as you’re next, I won’t be the last one. 
• Mientras tanto , yo escribía la última palabra. – Meanwhile, I was writing the last word.

Cuando: when

• Entreguen sus trabajos cuando estén listos para corregirlos aquí. – Hand over the papers when you’re ready to grade them here.

Durante: during / over

• Hubo muchas protestas durante la transición política. – There were a lot of protests during the political transition.

En cuanto / tan pronto como: once / as soon as

• En cuanto aprenda español, hablaré bien con mis amigos. – Once I learn Spanish, I’ll talk well with my friends.

Spanish transition words for place

Not many can be found under the label of transition words when talking about the place.

Sobre / por encima: on / above

The first one refers to the position in which you are stepping on something and, with the second one, you express you are over with something or you don’t care.

• Ellos necesitan empezar a hablar sobre el calentamiento global. – They need to start talking about global warming.
• Ellas hablaron del calentamiento global por encima . – They barely talked about global warming during the conference.

Enfrente de / delante: facing / in front of

These two are different when the physical position is relevant and we must be specific. When we use these two as transitional words, it makes no difference if you choose one or the other.

• Vamos a caminar al parque que está enfrente . – Let’s walk to the park across the street.
• Ella no dirá que no si está delante del problema. – She won’t say no if she’s in front of the problem.

Spanish transition words to add an idea

It’s well-known that y in Spanish translates to and in English.

It’s any Spanish-language starter’s favorite conjunction. But, did you know it’s considered a coordinating conjunction because it connects two sentences within the same category? For example:

• Encendí la luz y me puse a trabajar. – I turned the light on and started to work.

Por un lado / por otro lado: on one hand / on the other hand

Por una parte… por otra parte can be used in Spanish with the same meaning.

• Por un lado , nuestros niños pueden correr libremente en el parque. Por otro lado , se pueden lastimar. – On one hand, our kids can run freely in the park. On the other hand, they can get hurt.

Asimismo / igualmente / del mismo modo / de la misma manera: also / likewise / furthermore

Use these to add new information to something we already knew which was expressed in the previous sentence.

• Este será nuestro último examen. Asimismo , es requerido que cada uno de ustedes pase para que el resto sea aprobado. – This will be our last test of the term. Also, it’s required that each of you passes so the rest is approved.

Asimismo must not be confused with a sí mismo (to oneself) or así mismo (in the same way).

Además / además de: in addition / in addition to / furthermore / moreover / besides

• Además de Google, ¿Qué otros motores de búsqueda usas? – Besides Google, what other search engines do you use? 
• Katherine es linda; además , ella es muy inteligente. – Katherine is cute; moreover, she’s very smart.

También: as well / also / too

• Yo también quiero salir a jugar. – I want to go out and play as well.
• No me gusta esta camisa. También , mis pantalones son demasiado cortos. – I don’t like this shirt. Also, my pants are too short.

Spanish transition words to explain an idea

Es decir / esto es / quiere decir: that is / i.e. / that is to say.

These expressions will help you use other words to express something you said.

• Lo despidieron, quiere decir que no podrá venir con nosotros. – He got fired, that is, he won’t be able to come with us.

Como: like / as / since

Three different meanings in English again. Depending on the position como occupies in the sentence, the meaning will differ.

• Ámame como yo te amo. – Love me as I love you.

“Like” would be the same there if we replaced it.

• Como llegaron temprano, agarraron los mejores puestos. – Since you got there early, you got the best places.

Entre ellos / entre otros: among them / among others / among other things

• Tengo muchos amigos, entre ellos , los de mi infancia. – I have a lot of friends, among them, my childhood ones. 
• Entre otras cosas , el deporte es lo que amo. – Among other things, sports is what I love.

Por ejemplo: for example / for instance

The favorite transitional phrase for beginners in this category since its purpose is pretty straightforward. Use it to add an explanation by means of a more illustrative phrase.

• Para comer sanamente debes ser responsable. Por ejemplo , el alcohol no está permitido. – To eat healthily you have to be responsible. For instance, alcohol is not allowed.

Así: thus / thereby

• Duerman temprano, así , descansarán más. – Sleep early, thus, you’ll rest more.

Spanish transition words to compare and contrast ideas

Every category has a favorite word or phrase. This time, “but”.

• Voy a las 7, pero de la mañana no de la tarde. – I’m coming at 7 but in the morning not in the evening.

A pesar de: despite / in spite of

It adds a contrasting idea in a more polite way. Use it with a noun or an infinitive.

• A pesar del calor, ellos siguieron trabajando. – In spite of the heat, they kept on working. 
• A pesar de correr tan rápido, perdió. – Despite running so fast, he lost.

Al contrario / contrariamente / por el contrario: on the contrary / as opposed to / contrary to

• No me dijiste la verdad, al contrario , seguiste mintiendo todo el tiempo. – You didn’t tell me the truth, on the contrary, you kept lying the whole time. 
• Contrariamente a lo que se creía, esas teorías resultaron acertadas. – Contrary to what it was believed, those theories were right.

You can add some nuance to your regular pero transition with sino .

Be careful, you can also find si no in Spanish which has a totally different meaning. Si no is used for conditionals in Spanish . In English, its equivalent would be “if”.

• No eran pocos, sino muchos amigos. – They were not a few but a lot of friends.

Sin embargo: however / nevertheless

A fine transition phrase to start improving your Spanish.

• Yo quería responder, sin embargo , no encontré las palabras adecuadas . – I wanted to respond, however, I couldn’t find the right words.

No obstante: However / nevertheless

This Spanish transition is not distinct from the latter in meaning, only in terms of politeness. No obstante is a formal expression.

• Ellas hicieron promesas. No obstante , ellas nunca las cumplieron. – They made promises. Nevertheless, they never fulfilled them.

Aunque: although / while / even though / even if

Common transition word in Spanish with a lot of equivalent words in English. We know these are the words and phrases that give you headaches but no worries, it’s simpler than it looks.

• Aunque haga frío, no necesito usar un abrigo así como tú. – Although it’s cold, I don’t need to wear a sweater just like you

Spanish transition words to show a result

In this kind of transition, we’ll find more words together to provide a specific meaning.

Por esta razón: for this reason

• El conductor del programa fue muy ofensivo con los invitados, por esta razón ellos se retiraron antes de tiempo. – The host of the program was very offensive to the guests, which is why they left early.  

Por consiguiente / por lo tanto: therefore / thus

More formal than the first one, this Spanish transition phrase is also used to convey the outcome.

• Estudié todos los tipos posibles de verbos reflexivos en Español. Por lo tanto , estoy listo para el examen. – I studied all possible types of reflexive verbs in Spanish. Therefore, I am ready for the exam.

Por lo tanto is in the middle between formality and informality. People like using it a lot.

Como resultado: as a result

• Tuve un accidente, y como resultado , perdí mi carro. – I had an accident. As a result, I lost my car.

En consecuencia / a consecuencia de: as a consequence / as a result of / because of

• En consecuencia , por no seguir las reglas, fueron expulsados. – As a consequence of not following the rules, they got expelled. 
• Las calles se inundaron a consecuencia del aguacero. – The streets flooded as a result of the heavy rain.

Por eso / Por esto: Therefore / for this reason / that’s why

In Spanish, these two are informal. Use this transition often to add naturality to your sentences.

• Son las mismas camas, por eso tienen el mismo precio. – They are the same beds, that’s why they have the same price.

Así que / de modo que: so

A phrase with these words is simple, and beginners widely use it. 

• Me faltó una palabra de la lección de inglés, de modo que no completé la frase. – I missed a word from the English lesson so I didn’t complete the phrase.

Spanish transition words to emphasize an idea

Add these Spanish transition words and phrases every time you can. There is almost no difference in the formality level for the following phrases.

Sobre todo / especialmente: particularly / especially / above all / mainly

• Esas palabras de transición en español no son difíciles, sobre todo las de énfasis. – Those Spanish transition words are not difficult, particularly the emphasis ones. 
• No quiero estudiar la misma lección sobre todo . – I don’t want to study the same lesson above all. 
• El tiempo vuela especialmente cuando juego. – Time flies especially when I play.

Principalmente: especially / particularly / mainly

The idea for this Spanish transition is to demonstrate we have other options yet we are choosing one in specific.

Even when sobre todo and principalmente use the same words in English, they have that small difference in Spanish. These types of differences are quite common and practicing will help you tell them apart.

• He usado todas mis faldas muchas veces, principalmente las negras. – I’ve used all my skirts many times, mainly the black ones.

Efectivamente / realmente: effectively / actually / really / truly

Used at the beginning or at the end of the phrase. For example:

• Esa oración es efectivamente correcta. – That sentence is effectively correct. 
• No estoy seguro de si ellos me van a ayudar realmente . – I’m not sure if they are really going to help me.

De hecho: in fact / indeed / as a matter of fact

• Para aprender no es necesario ser un genio. De hecho , para aprender solo se necesita dedicación. – It isn’t necessary to be a genius to learn. In fact, the only thing you need to learn is dedication.

Spanish transition words to summarize

En otras palabras: in other words

This transition can help you both summarize and give a better explanation.

• En otras palabras , para finalmente encontrar la cura, debemos comprar muchos tipos de químicos. – In other words, to finally find the cure, we must buy many types of chemicals.

Después de todo: after all

• Después de todo , casi terminamos con este artículo sobre transiciones en español. – After all, we’re almost finished with this article about the transitions in Spanish.

En general: in general

• En general , para terminar una idea, usamos este tipo de palabra de transición. – In general, to finish an idea, we use this kind of transition word.

En resumen / para resumir / en síntesis: to sum up / in summary / in short / in a nutshell

• Para resumir , estos tipos de transiciones son muy útiles. – To sum up, these types of transitions are very helpful. 
• En síntesis , para dar la oración final perfecta en una conversación, usa estos tipos de transiciones. – In summary, to provide the perfect ending sentence in a conversation, use these types of transitions

Final Thoughts

In the end, it doesn’t matter which Spanish transition words you choose to use, as long as you do use them, your speech will have a sense of organization.

Needless to say, there is a time for informal and a time for formal transitions. Spanish could be a relaxed, rich language but the formality is something we can’t overlook.

You’re probably itching to start putting some transition words on to use. So go ahead and sign up for a free private class or a 7-day free trial of our group classes so you can practice what you learned!

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The Essential Guide to Spanish Linking Words

What are Spanish linking words? 

Well, they simply make you sound better, both in speech and in writing. 

Your sentences flow naturally, and your ideas logically build on each other. 

Sparkle your essay with a couple of good linking words in Spanish and you’ll surely get an A.

Let’s take a closer look at Spanish linking words, different types that exist, and how to use them in a sentence. 

Spanish Linking Words

Spanish linking words, also called connective words, are words and phrases you use to connect ideas in a piece of writing. We connect phrases and clauses within a sentence and sentences and paragraphs when writing, for example, an essay.

Two types of linking words exist:

Conjunctions

• Transition words

Conjunctions connect ideas within clauses and sentences, meanwhile transition words connect sentences and paragraphs. 

Keep reading as we cover the following details about Spanish connecting words:

• how and when to use them
• rules of linking in Spanish
• list of useful linking words in Spanish, organized by function

Conjunctions connect words, clauses, phrases, and sentences. These Spanish linking words can be single words or two or more words that form conjunctive expressions. In Spanish, there are two main conjunction groups: 

• Coordinating conjunctions
• Subordinating conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences of equal value. You can separate them, and they can exist individually.

Coordinating conjunctions have one of the following functions:

• express addition: y (and)
• give an alternative: o (or)
• express contrast: pero (but)

You can find a full list of coordinating conjunctions at the end of this post (with translation!), but let’s have a look at some sample sentences with coordinating conjunctions.

Me encanta tu personalidad y tu sonrisa. I love your personality and your smile.

Puedes leer el libro o ver la tele. You can read a book or watch TV.

La busqué pero no la encontré. I looked for it but could not find it.

To learn more about coordinating conjunctions, check out the following articles. You can also complete a quiz and try some Spanish connectors exercises!

• 9 Coordinating Conjunctions in Spanish Essential to Know
• The Ultimate Guide to Using ‘And’ in Spanish  
• What’s the Difference Between Pero and Sino?

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are a type of Spanish linking words that introduce subordinate clauses. These clauses cannot exist by themselves, and they depend on the main clause. The tricky part about subordinating clauses is whether to use the indicative or subjunctive mood, which is determined by the linking word you use.

There are 9 types of subordinating conjunctions. As I mentioned before, there’s a full list of them at the end of this post with information about what mood should be used, but let’s have a quick look at some of the Spanish linking words in each of these groups.

1. Causal Conjunctions

These connective words introduce a clause with a reason or cause of the action in the main clause. They translate to “because,” “since,” or “as.” For example, como :

Como a Pedro no le gusta caminar, siempre viaja en carro. Since Pedro doesn’t like walking, he always travels by car.

2. Conjunctions of Comparison

These Spanish linking words compare information in two clauses. For example, como si (as if):

Hace flexiones como si fuera un gran atleta. He does push-ups as if he was a great athlete.

3. Relative Conjunctions

Relative conjunctions, such as si or que translate to “if” or “that” in English.

No sé si lo puedo terminar a tiempo. I don’t know if I can finish it on time.

4. Conjunctions of Concession

These Spanish linking words introduce information that contradicts the main clause. For example, aun cuando (although, even though).

Él trabaja mucho aun cuando está de vacaciones. He works a lot, even when he’s on vacation.

5. Conjunctions of Result

Do you want to introduce the effect or consequences of the action in the main clause? Conjunctions of result are for these. For example, de modo que (that):

Hay que hacerlo de modo que sea seguro para todos. It must be done in a way that is safe for everyone.

6. Conjunctions of Condition

Si (if), siempre y cuando (as long as) are examples of linking words used in conditional sentences.

Lo haré, siempre y cuando me devuelva el dinero. I will, as long as I get my money back.

7. Conjunctions of Purpose

If you want to talk about intentions or goals of the verbs from the main clause, use linking words such as para que (so that)

Te lo dije para que lo hicieras tú sola. I told you so that you do it yourself.

8. Illative Conjunctions

Illative conjunctions introduce something that can be inferred from the main clause. In English, it’s “therefore” for example, and in Spanish luego.

Pienso, luego existo. I think, therefore I exist.

9. Conjunctions of Time

These conjunctions determine the time period of the action in the main clause. For example mientras (while):

Mientras corres, puedes escuchar música. While you’re running, you can listen to music.

To learn more about subordinating conjunctions, check out:

• 9 Types of Subordinating Conjunctions in Spanish That Will Supercharge Your Fluency
• The Ultimate Guide to ‘Even Though’ in Spanish

Transition Words

Transition words connect ideas between sentences and they give a natural flow to your speech or writing. These are so-called “Spanish essay linking words” because they help to transition your ideas in a smooth way in any text.

Transition words are sometimes the same conjunctions you use to link ideas within a sentence but you have a sea of other possibilities. Depending on your purpose, you can use transition words from one of the eight groups: 

• Explanation

See the full list of transition words from each of the above categories at the end of this post, but first, let’s see how they look in a text.

Primero, quiero contarte una historia. Allá voy, espera. Además, te quiero contar una historia que nadie antes haya oído. Es decir, vas a ser el único en saberlo. Así que, presta atención, sobre todo cuando mencione algunas fechas. Aunque, si quieres, la puedes contar después a tus propios hijos. Al fin y al cabo, esta historia ya será tuya.

First, I want to tell you a story. Here I go, wait. Also, I want to tell you a story that no one has heard before. I mean, you’ll be the only one to know it. So pay attention, especially when I mention some dates. Although if you want, you can tell it later to your own children. After all, this story will already be yours.

Learn more: 50 Useful Transition Words in Spanish for Everyday Speech and Writing

A List of Spanish Linking Words

Here’s a handy list of Spanish linking words in one single place! 

Download the PDF and take it with you while writing essays—you’ll amaze your Spanish teacher!

Download the Spanish Linking Words Cheat Sheet!

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Spanish Linking Words Chart

Después de todo.

Now that you know all types of Spanish linking words it’s time to check how they feel in a speech. Sign up today for a free class to practice your conversational skills with one of our friendly, native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. They can give you more tips on how to improve your oral and writing skills supercharged now by Spanish connective words.

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• 23 Common Spanish Prepositions You Can Use Today
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• What Is an Infinitive in Spanish?
• A Complete Guide to Imperfect Conjugation for Beginners
• How to Talk About the Temperature in Spanish: Fahrenheit, Celcius, and Descriptions
• A Complete Guide to Preterite Conjugation for Beginners
• Spanish Words with Multiple Meanings in Latin America
• How Many Words Are in the Spanish Language? Really?
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• Spanish Transition Words (Muletillas) and Sentence Starters: The Grease of the Language Gears

by Andrew | Feb 16, 2011 | Articles/Posts (go here to start learning Spanish!) , Popular , Spanish | 0 comments

Haz De Cuenta Que

This phrase means something like “Imagine that…”, “Pretend that…”, or “Make believe that…” and is used whenever you would want to say one of those phrases in English – don’t use “ pretender ” or “ imaginar “, neither are appropriate really: “pretender” means something more like “to aspire to” and “imaginar” is used like “imagine” in the sense of “I thought” or “I suppose” e.g. “I imagine you’re quite busy” or “I thought you’d have already heard about it.”

If you wanted to say anything along the lines of “Make believe that you are a car made of cheese”, or “Pretend that you’re the mayor of Cheeseville, what would you do?”, you would use this phrase as such:

“Haz de cuenta que eres un carro de queso.”

“Haz de cuenta que eres el alcalde de Quesovilla, ¿qué harías?”

Edit: A couple native speakers have told me that they’ve also heard this phrase used to mean something like “remember that” or “keep in mind that”, etc.  So that’s also a possible alternative meaning depending on the dialect.

This is the Spanish filler word.  It’s like “bueno”, but more informal.  It frequently finds itself in places where an English speaker would say “Well”, “ummm”, “let’s see”, “errr…”, “Hang on, let me see here…”, etc.  Examples:

“¿Quieres ver una película?” (“Do you want to see a movie?”) may be answered with something like: “Pueeesss…..no sé, ehh….sí.” (“Weeelllll….I dunno, ehh….sure.”)

In many places, Mexico in particular, “pues” will be shortened to “pos” or even just a hiss that kind of sounds like “pss”.  In Spain, it’s “pue” instead.  Which one you should use should be determined, as always, by how the people around you are speaking.

La Verdad Es Que

“The truth is that…” or “The truth of the matter is that…”, but a more contextual translation that would give you a really good English equivalent would be “actually”, because they use it the same way we do that word and about as frequently (in other words: very).  Many beginning learners will say “Actualmente…” when they want to say “Actually…” but that’s incorrect, as you’ll learn further down when I cover the phrase “actualmente”, you’ll see that it translates more to “currently” than “actually” and is used to express what’s currently going on right now.

“¿Estás bien?” (“Are you ok?”)

“Pues…la verdad es que no me siento bien.” (“Well…actually, I don’t feel well.”)

It literally and contextually means “then” and is used in a very similar way that we use that word.  Normally it’s used to indicate that one event followed another, just as we use it (“Then I went to the store” = “Entonces fui a la tienda”), and it’s also used in a sort of “So what, then?” kind of way, sometimes used the same way we use “so”, as in:

“So, what happened next?” = “Entonces, ¿qué pasó después?”

“So…you’re not coming then?” = “Entonces…¿no vienes?” or “Pues…¿no vienes, entonces?”

“In other words…”, “That is to say…”, or “I mean…”

There’s an interesting structure to this phrase, because you’ve got the Spanish subjunctive involved (click me if you need help with that) due to the fact that’s sort of a hypothetical (as in, it means something like “ if one were to say it this way” or “one could say it this way”).  “O” means “or” and “ sea ” is the 3rd person present subjunctive form of “ ser “, which means “to be”.  This is an extremely common verbal crutch that you’ll hear used quite frequently in the way we would use “like” or “you know”.  Examples:

“El jefe no me ha hablado todavía, o sea de verdad no sé.” = “The boss hasn’t talked to me yet, so in other words I don’t really know.”

“[blah blah blah long explanation about something], o sea la verdad es que solo me gusta mucho la ropa interior feminina.” = “[blah blah blah long explanation about something], in other words I just really like women’s underwear.”

More literally means “that is to say” and can be used pretty much anywhere you would use “o sea”, except it’s considered a bit more correct and less slangy than “o sea” is.

“Luego” also technically translates to “then” and is frequently interchangeable with “entonces”, though “luego” is more often used to indicated something happening next in sequence, e.g. “…then I went to the store, then the airport, then home.” would be something like “…luego fui a la tienda, luego al aeropuerte, y luego a la casa.”

Sometimes it’s used when we would use “later”, as in the most common example of “Hasta luego” which means “See you later”.  Other similar expressions include “Luego voy” (“I’ll go later”), “Luego te digo” (“I’ll tell you later”), “Luego lo hago” (“I’ll do it later”), etc.

Actualmente

Not “actually”, first of all.  This is a false friend , it doesn’t mean what it looks like it does. “ Actualmente ” actually (see what I did there?) means “currently”, “at the moment”, “these days”, or, as the dictionary defines it, “nowadays”.  The best basic translation is probably “currently”.  Examples:

“Qué pasa?” “Pues, actualmente no sé, creo que esperamos a que Juan llegue.” = “What’s happening?” “Well, currently I don’t know, I think we’re waiting for Juan to arrive.”

“Actualmente hace muy buen tiempo, pero podría llover más tarde.” = “Currently the weather is very nice, but it could rain later.”

A Propósito / Por Cierto

They both pretty much just mean “By the way”.  Just as with “by the way”, they usually indicate a change in subject or a transition into some new sort of business.  Just use them the same way you would “by the way”, e.g. “A propósito, ¿sabes dónde está María?” = “By the way, do you know where Maria is?” or “Por cierto, ¿no ibas a ir a la tienda?” = “By the way, weren’t you going to go to the store?”

Por Lo Menos

It means “At least”.  “Por” means “for”, “lo” means “that” or “it”, and “ menos ” means “less” or “least” in this case, so you put them together and you get “that which is least”, or…”at least”.  Examples:

“¡Por lo menos pregúntale el nombre antes de que le quites la ropa, hombre!” = “At least get her name before you try to take her clothes off, man!”

“Finally” or “At last”.

Frequently said with exasperation that the thing in question is finally happening. Examples:

“¡Por fin! ¡Estás aqui!” = “Finally! You’re here!”

“Por fin, tenemos la tarea de todos.” = “At last, we’ve got everyone’s homework.”

This is the Spanish equivalent of “It’s that…” or “It’s such that…” or “The thing is that…”, all of which are roughly the same thing.  This is one of the most common and most useful, all-purpose phrases in Spanish, and can be used for nearly anything–I guarantee you that if you ask a Spanish-speaking person “Why?” or “Why is ____ ?”, there’s a superb chance that their answer will begin with “Es que…”, meaning “Well, it’s that…” or even “Pues, es que…” (hey, don’t forget: you can mix-‘n-match all this stuff!)

“Es que” is always used to answer something, in response to something, it requires some sort of preceding question or statement to actually respond to.

This is pretty much exclusive to Argentina and just means something like “Hey!”, or “Hey buddy”, e.g.

“¡Che! Me gustan tus zapatos.” = “Hey, I like your shoes.”

“¡Che! ¿Qué tal, hombre?” = “Hey! What’s up, man?”

Lo Que Pasa Es Que

“What’s happening is that…” or “What’s going on is…”, that’s it.  It can be used anytime “Es que…” can, which means pretty much any time.  This is a very common Spanish transition phrase that you’ve likely already heard unless you’re just now starting to learn Spanish.

Quizás / Tal Vez

They both just mean “maybe” or “perhaps”, that’s it, very simple.  You’ll sometimes see it spelled “quizá” minus the “s” on the end. Examples:

“Quizás no debí haberme comido todas esas ardillas, creo que tengo una bola de pelos.” = “Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten all those squirrels, I think I have a hairball.”

“Tal vez El Presidente nos preste algunas de sus prostitutas si nos aburrimos.” = “Perhaps the President will let us borrow some of his prostitutes if we get bored.”

Resulta Que

Literally, “It results that…” or “It results in…”, more accurately it means something like “It turns out that…”.  If you wanted to say “Well, it turns out that the dog doesn’t like broccoli!” you would say that “¡Pues, resulta que al perro no le gusta el brócoli!”

You would also use this particular expression to mean “it works out that” in a mathematical context, such as saying “The price of the car works out to 20,000 pesos.” would be done as “Resulta que el precio del carro son veinte mil pesos.”

Just another way of saying “So” when used at the beginning of a sentence, such as “So, you think I’m fat?” would be “¿Así que crees que estoy gordo?”, or “So, you’re coming then?” would be “¿Así que vienes?”.  The reason it’s used in this very specific manner is due to what it really means, “así” means “this way” or “like this” or “in this manner”, and “que”, of course, means “that”, so “así que” literally means something like “It’s going to be like this, then is it?” in reference to whatever follows that “Así que” – got it?

“Although”, “Even though”, etc.  Examples:

“Aunque me dicen que estoy loco, aún voy a rezar al monstruo volador de espaguetti.” = “Even though they tell me I’m crazy, I’m still going to pray to the flying spaghetti monster.”

“Aunque hui del “Superbowl” como de la peste, aún tuve que oír personas quejándose sobre Christina Aguilera. Yo no estaba feliz.” = “Although I avoided the Superbowl like the plague, I still had to hear people complain about Christina Aguilera.  I wasn’t happy.”

“Moreover”, “Besides…”, “Also”, etc.

This is occasionally also used where we would use “too”, e.g.

“Él es guapo y además inteligente.” = “He’s handsome and smart, too.”

“El queso es demasiado suave, demasiado débil, y además huele muy mal.” = “Cheese is too soft, too weak, and besides, it smells terrible.”

Ni Modo Que

“No way that…”, or “No way in hell that…”.  “Modo” literally means “way” so this one is pretty intuitive.  It’s never just used on its own like “No way!” is in English, something always follows it and that something will always involve the subjunctive . Examples:

“¡Ni modo que vaya a hablar con ella!” = “Like hell I’m going to talk to her!”

“Ni modo que yo pueda ir contigo, lo siento” = “No way can I go with you, sorry.”

Sin Embargo

“Sin embargo” means “However”, “Nonetheless”, “Nevertheless”, “Notwithstanding”, etc.  It is one of the Spanish transition words that you will hear the most often.

This is frequently used while someone is shaking their finger at you.  They’ll acknowledge your point, quite aware that they’re about to invalidate it, and then say “sin embargo” right before they do so. As such:

“Entiendo que el queso no es tan furte como el acero, pero sin embargo voy a hacer un carro con él.” = “I understand that cheese isn’t as strong as steel, but nevertheless I’m going to make a car out of it.”

Menos Mal Que

“Good thing that…”, or “It’s just as well that…”.  Fantastic little sentence-starter that you can get a ton of mileage out of.  It literally means “Less bad that”, and is just they’re way of saying “It’s good that this thing happened.”  Examples:

“Menos mal que no estacioné mi carro de cheese al sol, ¡se derretiría!” = “Good thing I didn’t park my cheese car in the sun, it would have melted!!”

“Menos mal que no olvidaste los ratones, ¡las serpientes tienen mucha hambre!” = “Good thing you didn’t forget the mice, the snakes are really hungry!”

“Look”, “Look here, …”, or “Look at that…”, etc.  “ Fijar ” means “to fix” in the sense of to focus or fixate on something, not as in “to repair” (that’s “ arreglar “), so “Fíjate”, as you can imagine, means something like “fix yourself” (as in, “focus yourself”, i.e. “pay attention”) and “que” means “that”, so “fíjate que” means something like “fixate yourself on that”, or “focus yourself on that” and best translates to what we might say as “Look, …” or “Look at that”.  It’s just used to call someone’s attention to something.

An example would be if you wanted to say “Look, there’s a giant car made out of cheese!”, it would be “¡Fíjate, hay carro enorme hecho de queso!”

“Fíjate” without the “que” means “Watch out!”, “Look out!”, or “Pay attention, …”

Also, note that “Fijarse que + subjunctive” = “Make sure that…”, as in “Make sure that the oven is off.” (“Fíjate que  esté apegado el horno.”).  This is usually used the way that we would say “Check that…” instead of what most English-speakers will be inclined to use, “ checar “–most Spanish speakers use “Fijarse que + subjunctive”, not “checar”.

Lo Bueno / Lo Malo

“The good thing…” / “The bad thing…”

“Lo” = “It” and when placed before another word it means “that which is ____”, e.g. “lo bueno” means “That which is good”, “lo malo” means “That which is bad”, and of course the more accurate contextual translation in English would be “The good/bad thing…”.  This works with a ton of other words, such as:

“lo peor ” = “the worst thing…”

“lo único ” = “the only thing…”

“lo extraño ” = “the strange thing…”

“lo gracioso ” = “the funny thing…”

Such as in “¡Lo mas extraño es que El Ministerio de Transporte no me daba permiso que manejar mi carro de queso en las carreteras públicas!” = “The strange thing is that the Department of Transportation wouldn’t let me drive my cheese car on the public roads!”

“Let’s see…” or “Let’s see here…”

Fantastically useful little Spanish sentence-starter here.  It’s frequently used to call attention to something, such as:

“¿Tienes un dólar?” “A ver…” = “Do you have a dollar?” “Let’s see…”

“A ver si mi paquete ya ha llegado…” = “Let’s see if my package has arrived yet…”

“A ver si mi carro de queso flota…” = “Let’s see if my cheese car floats…”

It will be frequently used with “si” or “qué” to mean “Let’s check and see…” or “Let’s check…”, as in:

“A ver qué hay en televisión…” = “Let’s see what’s on TV…”

“No wonder…” or “Little wonder that…”

“Razón” means “reason”, so with “con razón” you get “with reason”, e.g. “Con razón tu carro de queso se derretió, ¡lo dejaste al sol!” = “No wonder your cheese car melted, you left it in the sun!” or, using the literal translation (see if this makes sense to you now , it should), “With reason your cheese car melted, you left it in the sun!”

“Because” or “That’s why”.

It’s frequently used to explain or to help make things understood when it might not be clear what’s going on, e.g.

“Señor Andrew, ¡manejas un carro de queso!”, “Sí, por eso mis pantaloncillos están amarillos.” = “Señor Andrew, you drive a cheese car!”, “Yes, that’s why my pants are yellow.”

“Fíjate, hay un video musical de Shakira en la televisión.”, “Sí, por eso no puedo levantarme” = “Look, there’s a Shakira music video on TV.”, “Yes, that’s why I can’t stand up.” 😀

“Well, anyway…” or “So, anyhow…”

It literally means something like “In conclusion…” but isn’t always necessarily used to conclude something (though it frequently is, that is it’s often used to lead into the conclusion), sometimes it’s used to change subjects or bring the conversation back to what was originally being discussed. Examples:

“En fin, la verdad es que sobreviví sólo comiéndome mi carro de queso cuando quedé varado en el desierto.” = “So anyway, I actually did survive only by eating my cheese car when I was stranded in the desert.”

This is one of the less-used Spanish transition words but it’s still common in some dialects.  It means something like, “So it turns out that…”

“ Total ” literally (and normally) means, simply, “total” as in “complete”, but when it’s put at the beginning of a sentence as a starter it basically means something like “So anyway, it turns out that…” and is frequently paired with “que” in the process of doing so e.g.:

“Pues, total que no me levanté a tiempo esta mañana.” = “Well, turns out that I didn’t wake up on time this morning.”

Not very common at all in this particular context in Latin America, but I’ve noticed that it’s used all the time in Spain (I spent three months there, in Zaragoza , in 2015), it’s their equivalent of our “ok” or “you know”, it’s a constantly used filler word there.  You can use it like you would “ok”, you can use it like you would “well” (“vale” and “pues” are frequently interchangeable), you can use it like you sometimes would “ummm”!  See below:

“¿Vale?” “Sí, vale.” = “Ok?” “Yeah, ok.”

“Pueesss, vale, vamos a ver lo que tenemos aquí…” = “Wellll, ok, let’s see what we’ve got here…”

“Creo que mi carro de queso no funciona muy bien, vale?” = “I think my cheese car didn’t work very well, you know?”

“Vale…ehhh…donde puse mi busto del culo de Shakira, es doscientos kilos de bronce, sé que está en algún lugar por aquí…” = “Ok…ehhh….where’d I put my bust of Shakira’s ass, it’s two hundred kilos of bronze, I know it’s around here somewhere…”

What a fantastic little word.  It’s a bit difficult because if you use the literal translation of “ya”, which is “already”, every time you hear it, it won’t make sense, but you have to understand this word because you will hear it used constantly, it’s an extremely common Spanish filler word.

It can mean “already”, of course, it can also mean “now”, or if made negative it can mean “anymore” as in “not anymore”, e.g. “Ya no viene” = “He’s not coming anymore.”  It’s often used simply as emphasis, usually to emphasize that something is being done, it’s being done now , or that something will be gotten to in just a second if the listener would just be patient and quit friggin’ bugging you about it.  Examples:

“Ya voy.” = “I’m already going” / “I’ll go in a minute” / “I’m going!!!!” [in response to someone repeatedly insisting that you go] – which translation is correct depends on the context.

“Ya están las hamburguesas.” = “The hamburgers are ready/here now.”

“¡Ya estoy allí!” = “I’m already there!”

“La verdad es que ya quiero salir.” = “Actually, I already want to leave.” / “Actually, I want to leave now .”

To confuse you even further, when “ya” is combined with “que” it means something completely different: “Since…”, “Seeing that…”, “Seeing as how…”, etc.  It’s used to mean something like “Well, since ___ has/is already occurred/occurring…”.  Here, look at these and see if you get it:

“Ya que comiste mi carro de queso, ¡¿cómo vamos a ir a la casa?!” = “Since you’ve eaten my cheese car, how are we going to get home?!”

“Ya que compraste todo lo que necesitábamos, supongo que podemos ir a casa ahora.” = “Seeing as how you already bought everything we needed, I suppose we can go home now.”

Additional Reading and Further Resources: Places to learn even  more conversational Spanish, slang, and expressions!

First and foremost I strongly recommend you check out a podcast called Español en 3000 , it’s run by an Australian guy living in Medellin, Colombia, and they do such an excellent job with their interviews and how they use them to teach Spanish.  Unlike most other podcasts focused on teaching Spanish, these are entirely unscripted and natural, with native speakers, so you learn the kind of Spanish people speak in conversation every day.  People talk normally, naturally, in their native language.  They interview Spanish-speakers living in and around Medellin, and though they talk to more Colombians than anyone they’ve made a point to represent all dialects of the Spanish-speaking world (they have interviews with people from Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Venezuela, Chile, and many more).  They include a verbatim transcript of each interview as well as a lesson at the end focusing on the Spanish used.  The mobile version of the site is excellent, everything worked perfectly when I tested it , so you can listen to it on the go.  Check out my review of them here (yes, there’s a free trial).

I have a whole category of posts on this website dedicated to teaching this sort of colloquial, “everyday” Spanish called  Learn Spanish for Real: Spanish Slang, Colloquialisms, & Cursewords .  Learn the 4 different ways to say somebody is naked in Spanish , or  how to say something is a “rip-off” in Spanish , or even how to say something is a pain in the neck/ass in Spanish (I cover both so you have the polite and the not-so-polite way of saying it).

Edit (12/9/2011): Thanks to a commenter below, I can highly recommend this very extensive article (be warned: it’s entirely in Spanish) on muletillas, definitely worth checking out.  Thanks, Mijail999.

Additionally, I have a few other similar posts you might be interested in:

• How to Not Sound Like a Gringo – The 17 Most Common Spanish Errors and How to Avoid Them
• Manners in Spanish – The Basics of Being Polite in Spanish-Speaking Cultures
• Spanish Conversation Connectors: “it seems to me”, “all joking aside”, “I presume”, etc. – 4 Pages Worth!

 There’s a list of muletillas (what this stuff is called in Spanish) over on Spanish Wikipedia organized by country, though it’s all in Spanish.

First and foremost the wonderful Spanish speakers I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and talking to over the years, whether that was in person or via Skype.  Secondly, my own personal experience based on reading and listening to actual contemporary Spanish-language media (which I can’t recommend enough).  Also, the guys over at HTLAL (if you’re not a member you should be), Joseph Keenan’s fantastic Breaking Out of Beginner’s Spanish , and the Foro de Español forums .

I await your corrections and questions in the comments (and I do appreciate them, by the way).

Edit (7/15/2013): Many thanks to Jared Romey at Speaking Latino and his wife, Diana, for pointing out several grammatical errors in this article and then being kind enough to put together a whole word document outlining them and how to fix them for me!  Fantastic!  Additionally, Nélida Kreer at Traducciones-Montevideo was the one who originally caught the errors and mentioned it to Jared.

I learned to  speak conversational Spanish in six months using TV shows, movies, and even comics: I then wrote a book on how you can, too

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Spanish Oral Presentation Guide for Beginners

by TruFluency | Featured Spanish Blog , Learn Spanish , Spanish Presentation

The moment to show off your Spanish skills is here, and we’ll teach you how to wow your audience, coworkers, boss, or clients. The way you introduce and close your presentation can have a positive or negative effect on your audience. So, it’s normal that you get nervous about speaking in front of a crowd and communicating your ideas effectively.

Practicing oral presentations in Spanish helps you focus on pronunciation and clarity while broadening your academic, job, and business opportunities . However, what may be even more valuable is that it gives you the chance to take risks, gain confidence, and exercise persuasion in a foreign language.

If you have a presentation soon, and want to blow everyone’s mind, here is your guide to giving oral presentations in Spanish for beginners.

5 Engaging Presentation Openings

The first part of our Spanish oral presentation guide is to help you find the most engaging ways to open your speech.

1. Start with a Reflexive or Engaging Question

For example:

¿Sabían ustedes que la entonación de nuestra voz no es sonido sino emoción? (Did you know that the intonation of our voice is not sound but emotion?)

Starting with a question allows you to keep your audience attentive throughout your message.

2. Tell an Anecdote

55% of our communication stems from non-verbal language ; everything our audience reads through our expressions, mannerisms, tone, etc., while 38% of our communication is vocal and 7% is words.

Hence, the importance of telling a story at the beginning of your presentation, so your audience connects with what you are going to deliver. We are all natural communicators.

At first, you may feel shy about opening yourself to the world, but believe it or not: your story counts, your story inspires, and even more than you think.

3. Utilize Objects

Generate interest with an object that’s relevant to your message. For instance, you can follow a similar script to this one:

Esta cartera que hoy acompaña mi atuendo tiene un significado muy especial. Esta cartera ha sido elaborada, tejida y pensada por gente que cree en sus sueños. ¡Qué gusto estar el día de hoy aquí hablando con emprendedores que creen en construir!

(This purse that matches my outfit today has a very special meaning to me. This purse has been sewn, knitted, and created by people that believe in their dreams. What a pleasure to be here today talking with entrepreneurs that believe in building things!)

Utilizing resources as elements of your speech will help your public to relate and feel part of your speech. Everything has a meaning and a representation. Remember that your public will forget what you said but will always remember how you made them feel. So, make them feel welcome!

4. Statistics

Using statistical data will help give your statement a significant rational weight. Remember that statistics aren’t read, they’re interpreted. This forces you to describe exhaustive research about a topic.

This isn’t about boring your audience with numbers, it’s about using statistics as a tool to make people reflect on your message. An example of an introduction in Spanish with statistics is:

¿Sabían ustedes que el 80% de los consumidores que adquieren sus productos en línea confían más en las recomendaciones de sus amigos o familiares que de las propias empresas?

(Did you know that 80% of consumers that buy your products online trust more in the recommendations of their friends and family than on the ones of companies?)

5. Who are you?

Greet your audience. This is fundamental to bond with them. Say your name, who you are, what your topic is and why it is important to pay attention to you. Let’s put it into practice with this example:

Hoy me encuentro feliz de estar con ustedes compartiendo lo que sé. Mi nombre es Liam Jones, soy periodista y locutor de radio, y hoy quiero que aprendas a utilizar tu voz para hacerte escuchar.

(Today I am very happy to be with you sharing what I know. My name is Liam Jones. I am a journalist and radio host, and I want you to learn to use your voice to make yourself heard.)

Respect your essence, know yourself and regularly practice the above types of introduction.

Verbal and Non-Verbal Presentation Tips

The next part of our Spanish oral presentation guide is divided into verbal and non-verbal language.

Non-Verbal Language Tips

Your gestures can emphasize, substitute or contradict what you express with words.

Use open gestures, like moving your hands, stretching your arms and legs, and opening your shoulders. Additionally, avoid having objects in your way between your body and the audience, such as folders, books, and tables. Your face should be visible all the time.

Choose gestures that ease people’s understanding of your speech. For example, pointing in a direction.

Avoid fidgeting out of nervousness. For instance, touching your hair or glasses.

Distribute your gaze amongst your audience, so everybody feels included. You can divide your audience into different quadrants. Let’s say, four, and choose a person of each quadrant to “talk to”.

Volume and Intonation

Mentally “take measurements” of the room, so the volume you choose to use is enough for both people in the front row and in the back to hear you. Also, avoid monotonous intonation. Highlight with your voice the keywords of your speech.

Rhythm and Pronunciation

Slow down when you need to separate ideas, this reflects confidence and helps you recover people’s attention. Pronunciation should be clear , so be careful with mumbling sounds.

Nobody has the right to tell you how to dress, but it’s recommendable that your attire matches both your personality and the context of your presentation.

Verbal Language Tips

Order and structure.

A presentation that has order and structure is easy to follow, understand, and remember.

Organize your speech in parts. For example: importance, data, chronology, interesting bullet points, zoom in, and zoom out.

Use discourse markers; words that organize and connect ideas. Some examples are:

To Start Interventions El objetivo de esta exposición es… / Hablaré en primer lugar de… / Para comenzar… (The objective of this presentation is… / Firstly, I’ll speak about… / For starters…)

To Introduce Comments or Examples Por ejemplo… / Como es el caso de… / Recordemos, en ese sentido, que… (For example… / As is the case with… / Let’s remember, in this sense, that…)

To Structure the Discourse En primer lugar… / En segundo lugar… / Por un lado,…por otro lado… / Finalmente… (In first place… /In second place… /On the one hand…on the other hand… /Finally…)

To Resume the Subject Volviendo a lo que hemos visto al principio… / Como decía… / Señalaba que… (Going back to what we’ve seen at the beginning… /Like I was saying… / I was pointing out that…)

To Establish Logical Relationships Consecuentemente… / Eso nos demuestra que… / Deducimos, entonces… (Consequently… / That shows us that… / We deduce, then…)

To Conclude Tratemos, finalmente, el último aspecto… / En resumen,… / Para terminar… / En conclusión… (Let’s address, finally, the last aspect… / In summary… / Lastly… / In conclusion…)

You should adapt it to your audience’s knowledge, formality level, and the purpose of your presentation.

Sentences should be short and simple. Avoid the overuse of muletillas (catch phrases).

Oral Presentation Conclusions in Spanish

When you’re giving a presentation in Spanish, do not miss the chance to leave a good impression. The final part of a speech is what we remember the most. So, use it to deliver a message or briefly summarize what you want to convey. You can create a compelling conclusion with a phrase, rhetorical question, quote, or call-to-action.

En conclusión, cualquiera puede padecer de un problema de salud mental. (In conclusion, anyone can have a mental health problem.)

Si las personas más brillantes pueden padecer problemas de salud mental, ¿por qué nosotros no? (If the most brilliant people can have mental health issues, why can’t we?)

La mente es como un paracaídas, si no se abre, no sirve para nada. Muchas gracias, público oyente, por haber abierto su mente a escucharme en esta exposición. (The mind is like a parachute, if it isn’t opened, it doesn’t work. Thank you very much, listening public, for having opened your minds to listen to me in this presentation.)

Ready to be confident in your next Spanish oral presentation?

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30 essential spanish transition words and phrases for everyday conversations.

The difference between mastering Spanish vocabulary and grammar and being able to hold a fluid, casual conversation in Spanish is quite vast. That’s because – just like in English – a lot of the nuance and fluidity in a conversation is due just as much to little, seemingly meaningless words as it is to vocabulary and proper verb conjugation.

These little ‘meaningless’ words and phrases are also known as linking words or transition words. As a native English speaker, I had no idea just how important they were until I realized that I had no idea how to say them in my host country’s language. A fact which often left me frustrated and frequently caused me to either: 1) come to a dead stop mid-sentence, or 2) simply insert the English word in place of the Spanish word I didn’t know, leaving whoever was listening to me totally confused or amused.

To spare you and your listeners the same amusing confusion and frustration, I decided to compile a list of 30 essential Spanish words that helped me take my conversations from stilted to fluid.

30 Essential Spanish Transition Words and Phrases

• Aunque – even though, although
• Además – furthermore, in addition to
• Mientras – meanwhile
• Por lo menos – at least
• Entonces – then
• Pues – well
• Como – like, as
• Al principio; al final/por ultimo – to start, in the first place; to finish, in the end
• Desde luego – of course, certainly
• Ya / todavía – yet, already / still
• Asi que; por lo tanto – that’s why; for that reason
• Por si acaso – in case
• Lo/la que sea; donde sea; cuando sea; cualquier – whatever; wherever; whenever; whichever
• Por ejemplo – for example
• Sobre todos – above all, especially
• Por fin – finally
• Un rato, un ratito – A little while
• Luego – next, then
• De repente – suddenly
• Sino – rather, but, instead
• Apenas de – barely
• De todas formas, de todas maneras – in any case
• Por otro lado – on the other hand
• Sin embargo – nonetheless
• De hecho – in fact
• Pues nada, venga – anyway…
• Sabes – y’know
• Es que – honestly, I have no translation for this one, but it’s one of those non-meaning albeit ubiquitous conversational words like ‘like’ in English. As in, “Like, so are we gonna go to the movies, or maybe, like, get some food, cuz I’m, like, hungry as hell.”
• A ver – let’s see
• Qué va – no way! I dun beleevit. Yeah, right.

Of course, the list above isn’t a comprehensive collection of all  Spanish transition words – click here and here for more.

What are some Spanish transition words and phrases that you’ve found useful? Share them in the comments!

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Speech transitions: words and phrases to connect your ideas

June 28, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant.

This can be done using speech transitions because these act as signposts to the audience – signalling the relationship between points and ideas. This article explores how to use speech transitions in presentations.

What are speech transitions?

Speech transitions are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

This makes it easier for the audience to understand your argument and without transitions the  audience may be confused  as to how one point relates to another and they may think you’re randomly jumping between points.

Types of transitions

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different types, here are a few:

Introduction

Introduce your topic:

• We will be looking at/identifying/investigating the effects of…
• Today I will be discussing…

Presentation outline

Inform the audience of the structure of your presentation:

• There are three key points I’ll be discussing…
• I want to begin by…, and then I’ll move on to…
• We’ll be covering… from two points of view…
• This presentation is divided into four parts…

Move from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shift between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Shift between disagreeing points

You may have to introduce conflicting ideas – bridging words and phrases are especially good for this:

• Conversely…
• Despite this…
• However…
• On the contrary…
• Now let’s consider…
• Even so…
• Nonetheless…
• We can’t ignore…
• On the other hand…

Transition to a significant issue

• Fundamentally…
• A major issue is…
• The crux of the matter…
• A significant concern is…

Referring to previous points

You may have to refer to something that you’ve already spoken about because, for example, there may have been a break or a fire alarm etc:

• Let’s return to…
• We briefly spoke about X earlier; let’s look at it in more depth now…
• Let’s revisit…
• Let’s go back to…
• Do you recall when I mentioned…

This can be also be useful to introduce a new point because adults learn better when new information builds on previously learned information.

Introducing an aside note

You may want to introduce a digression:

• I’d just like to mention…
• That reminds me…
• Incidentally…

Physical movement

You can  move your body  and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Emphasising importance

You need to ensure that the audience get the message by informing them why something is important:

• More importantly…
• This is essential…
• Primarily…
• Mainly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Cause and effect

You will have to transition to show relationships between factors:

• Therefore…
• Thus…
• Consequently…
• As a result…
• This is significant because…
• Hence…

Elaboration

• Also…
• Besides…
• What’s more…
• In addition/additionally…
• Moreover…
• Furthermore…

Point-by-point or steps of a process

• First/firstly/The first one is…
• Second/Secondly/The second one is…
• Third/Thirdly/The third one is…
• Last/Lastly/Finally/The fourth one is…

Introduce an example

• This is demonstrated by…
• For instance…
• Take the case of…
• For example…
• You may be asking whether this happens in X? The answer is yes…
• To show/illustrate/highlight this…
• Let me illustrate this by…

Transition to a demonstration

• Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s practically apply it…
• I’ll conduct an experiment to show you this in action…
• Let me demonstrate this…
• I’ll now show you this…

Introducing a quotation

• X was a supporter of this thinking because he said…
• There is a lot of support for this, for example, X said…

Transition to another speaker

In a  group presentation  you must transition to other speakers:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Gayle will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Gayle”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Simon.”

From these examples, you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

You can  tell personal stories  or share the experiences of others to introduce a point. Anecdotes are especially valuable for your introduction and between different sections of the presentation because they engage the audience. Ensure that you plan the stories thoroughly beforehand and that they are not too long.

Using questions

You can transition through your speech by asking questions and these questions also have the benefit of engaging your audience more. There are three different types of questions:

Direct questions require an answer: “What is the capital of Italy?” These are mentally stimulating for the audience.

Rhetorical questions  do not require answers, they are often used to emphasises an idea or point: “Is the Pope catholic?

Loaded questions contain an unjustified assumption made to prompt the audience into providing a particular answer which you can then correct to support your point: You may ask “Why does your wonderful company have such a low incidence of mental health problems?”.

The audience will generally answer that they’re happy. After receiving the answers you could then say “Actually it’s because people are still unwilling and too embarrassed to seek help for mental health issues at work etc.”

Transition to a visual aid

If you are going to introduce a visual aid you must prepare the audience with what they’re going to see, for example, you might be leading into a diagram that supports your statement. Also, before you  show the visual aid , explain why you’re going to show it, for example, “This graph is a significant piece of evidence supporting X”.

When the graphic is on display get the audience to focus on it:

• The table indicates…
• As you can see…
• I’d like to direct your attention to…

Explain what the visual is showing:

• You can see that there has been a reduction in…
• The diagram is comparing the…

Using a visual aid to transition

Visual aids can also be used as transitions and they have the benefit of being stimulating and breaking-up vocal transitions.

You might have a slide with just a picture on it to signify to the audience that you’re moving on to a new point – ensure that this image is relevant to the point. Many speakers like to use cartoons for this purpose but ensure its suitable for your audience.

Always summarise your key points first in the conclusion:

• Let’s recap on what we’ve spoken about today…
• Let me briefly summarise the main points…

And then conclude:

If you have a shorter speech you may choose to  end your presentation  with one statement:

• In short…
• To sum up…
• In a nutshell…
• To summarise…
• In conclusion…

However, using statements such as “To conclude” may cause the audience to stop listening. It’s better to say:

• I’d like to leave you with this…
• What you should take away from this is…
• Finally, I want to say…

Call to action

Requesting the audience to do something at the end of the presentation:

• You may be thinking how can I help in this matter? Well…
• My aim is to encourage you to go further and…
• What I’m requesting of you is…

Common mistakes

When transitions are used poorly you can annoy and confuse the audience. Avoid:

• Using transitions that are too short – transitions are a key part of ensuring the audience understands your presentation so spend sufficient time linking to your next idea.
• Too many tangents – any digressions should still be relevant to the topic and help the audience with their understanding, otherwise cut them out.
• Incompatible transitions – for example, if you’re about to introduce an example that supports your statement you wouldn’t introduce this by saying “but”. Use transitions that signify the relationship between points.
• Over-using the same transition because this is boring for the audience to hear repeatedly. Ensure that there is variety with your transitions, consider including visual transitions.
• Miscounting your transitions – for example, don’t say “first point”, “second point”, “next point” – refer to your points consistently.

Speech transitions are useful for unifying and connecting your presentation. The audience are more likely to remain engaged since they’ll be able to follow your points. But remember that it’s important to practice your transitions beforehand and not just the content of your arguments because you risk looking unprofessional and confusing the audience if the presentation does not flow smoothly.