Episode 001 Greetings and First Steps with Zak ✌🏼
Hey there, Spanish learners!
Today, we're diving into the very first episode of the Learn Spanish with Silvia podcast. If you're just starting out with Spanish or want to brush up on the basics, this episode is a great place to begin.
What’s This Episode About?
The episode kicks off with a friendly introduction. I introduce you to Zak, a new student who’s starting his journey of learning Spanish from scratch. Zak is originally from Ireland but currently lives in Spain. Even though Zak knows a little Spanish, he chooses to start from the very beginning, just like many of you listening.
1. Greetings (Saludos)
Hola - Hello
Adiós - Goodbye
Note: Literally means "to God".
Hasta luego - See you later
Hasta mañana - See you tomorrow
2. Asking How Someone Is (Preguntar cómo está alguien)
¿Qué tal? - How are you? / What's up?
Usage: An informal way to ask someone how they’re doing.
¿Cómo estás? - A more formal way to ask "How are you?"
3. Responding to "¿Qué tal?"
Bien - Good
Muy bien - Very good
Mal - Bad
Muy mal - Very bad
Fatal - Awful / Very bad
Regular - So-so / Okay
Estupendo - Wonderful
Genial - Great
Fenomenal - Fantastic
4. Now it's our turn to Ask Back: "And you?"
¿Y tú? - And you?
¿Y tú? ¿Cómo estás? - And you? How are you?
Practice Phrases
Hola, ¿Qué tal? - Hello, how are you?
Bien, ¿Y tú? - Good, and you?
Adiós, hasta mañana. - Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
Estoy regular. - I'm feeling so-so.
Estoy fatal. - I’m feeling awful.
¡Estoy estupendo! - I’m wonderful!
A Message from Silvia
¡Hola, queridos estudiantes!
I’m so proud of you for taking the first steps in learning Spanish! Remember, practice is key to mastering a new language. Use this grammar sheet as a guide while you listen to the podcast episodes. Repeating the phrases out loud will help you build confidence and improve your pronunciation.
Don’t worry if you don’t get everything perfect right away—learning a language is a journey, and every bit of practice gets you closer to your goal. Keep listening, keep practicing, and most importantly, enjoy the process. ¡Estoy segura de que lo harás genial! (I’m sure you’ll do great!)
¡Hasta luego, chicos! Keep up the great work, and I’ll see you in the next episode. 👋
Con cariño,
Silvia
