Can you think of any Spanish word that contains all five vowels? Believe it or not, there are many words in Spanish that have all five vowels. In this brief lesson, we will list some of the most common ones. However, before you go through our list, we would like to invite you to do the following:
1. Read this lesson about the vowels in Spanish.
2. Try to come up with some word in Spanish that has all 5 vowels.
If nothing comes to mind, get ready to check out the following list of words, which we have classified into 3 big groups: Nouns, Adjectives, and Conjugated Verbs. If you have been studying Spanish, we are sure you are already familiar with several of the words we have included in this list. Are you ready to unveil these words and hear how to say them? Let's get started!
El abuelito merece la mejor fiesta
Grandpa deserves the best party
Caption 10, Cleer y Carolina Organizando la fiesta del abuelo
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España está dividida en diecisiete comunidades autónomas.
Spain is divided into seventeen autonomous communities.
Caption 11, Ariana España
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Mi escultura es la solución a una ecuación
My sculpture is the solution to an equation
Caption 25, San Sebastián Peine del viento
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El uso de las computadoras y el internet forman parte de la educación de los estudiantes
The use of computers and the internet are part of the students' education
Captions 38-39, Aprendiendo con Karen Útiles escolares - Part 2
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¿Qué es eso de la euforia?
What is that [whole] euphoria [thing]?
Caption 5, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 6
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dice que si tú tienes tu menstruación,
says that if you're on your period,
Caption 37, Melyna El aguacate
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Los murciélagos se llaman "morciguillos",
Bats are called "morciguillos,"
Caption 73, Soledad El argot
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O sea... que esa imagen que tenemos de la orquídea,
In other words... that image that we have of the orchid
Captions 29-30, Estepona Orquidario - Part 1
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A veces era una fuente, otras un riachuelo,
Sometimes, it was a fountain, other times, a stream,
Captions 50-51, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3
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para un taco auténtico:
for an authentic taco:
Caption 23, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y los tacos - Part 2
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o algo que puede ser cuestionable.
or something that could be questionable.
Caption 17, Carlos explica 20 formas de decir no sin decir no
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y servían como necrópolis para los enterramientos funerarios.
and were used as a necropolis for funeral burials.
Caption 7, Rosa Los Dólmenes de Antequera
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Pero claro, muñeca. No te preocupes que averiguo todo y te cuento, ¿listo?
But of course, doll. Don't worry as I'll find out everything and I'll tell you, alright?
Caption 32, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 1 - Part 5
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Sí, querida, te llamé porque quería comunicarte
Yes, dear, I called you because I wanted to communicate to you
Caption 12, Muñeca Brava 39 Verdades - Part 10
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And those were the words with all five vowels in Spanish! How many did you know? While there are, of course, many more words Spanish words containing all five vowels, we have limited this list to some of the more common ones. Is there any word that you think we should have included? Do let us know, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.
You've probably learned the Spanish word listo as an adjective that means "ready." But did you know that the Spanish word listo can have different meanings and function as a noun or interjection as well? Let's explore the many meanings of the word listo in Spanish. ¿Estás listo/a (Are you ready)?
The word listo in Spanish can be used as an adjective with the verb estar to describe the state of being mentally or physically complete or prepared for some situation, activity, or action. When employed as an adjective, the Spanish word listo must match the noun it modifies in terms of number and gender, as follows:
Masculine singular: listo
Feminine singular: lista
Masculine/mixed plural: listos
Feminine plural: listas
Let's see some examples:
El nuevo estadio estará listo para el próximo año.
The new stadium will be ready by next year.
Caption 41, Carlos explica - Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para'
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Estoy lista para mi entrevista.
I am ready for my interview.
Caption 66, Maquillaje Con Cata y Cleer
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When describing readiness for an action, the formula estar listo/a para + infinitive is often utilized:
Estamos listos para comer.
We're ready to eat.
Caption 30, Ana Carolina - El comedor
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"Hello", ya estoy lista para triunfar ante las cámaras.
Hello, now I am ready to triumph in front of the cameras.
Caption 45, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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When used with the verb ser in lieu of estar, the Spanish adjective listo instead means "intelligent." Let's take a look:
un "lince" es un ser listo, muy inteligente.
a "lynx" is a smart, very intelligent being.
Caption 64, Beatriz - Palabras polisémicas
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Sam, eres listo. Hablas muy bien el español.
Sam, you're smart. You speak Spanish very well.
Caption 19, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 2: Sam va de compras
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As an extension of the "smart" meaning, the Spanish adjective listo can also be employed with ser to mean "cunning" or "sly," which sometimes has a negative connotation. The following caption describes un jornalero listo (a crafty day laborer) who is able to able to reap financial gain by tricking others:
Hay que ver qué listo era este jornalero.
You've got to see how crafty this day laborer was.
Caption 54, Cleer - El cuento de las tres palabras
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As a noun, the Spanish word listo/a can refer to either a crafty person or a "smarty pants" (or the more vulgar English equivalent), in the sense of a person who thinks they know everything.
En cada clase, siempre hay un listo que cree saberlo todo.
In every class, there's always a smarty pants who thinks they know everything.
Finally, you will often hear the Spanish word listo in its masculine singular form as an interjection to indicate agreement, acknowledgement, or completion. You might recognize this use from our lesson on Colombian slang, although it is used similarly in many Spanish-speaking countries. Let's see a few examples of the Spanish word listo as an interjection, with varying translations:
Entonces van: la tía Olga, el tío Juan, el tío Óscar y mi mamá.
So: Aunt Olga, Uncle Juan, Uncle Oscar, and my mom are going.
OK, listo.
OK, done.
Captions 17-18, Cleer y Carolina - Organizando la fiesta del abuelo
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Voy a ir a darle la buenas noches. -Bueno, listo.
I'm going to say good night to her. -OK, great.
Caption 48, X6 - 1 - La banda - Part 10
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Listo! Por hoy terminamos
That's it! We're done for the day.
Caption 23, Muñeca Brava - 48 - Soluciones
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And speaking of being done for the day, that's all for this lesson, which we hope has helped you to understand the many uses of the Spanish word listo. Don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Do you know how to say that something "is necessary" in Spanish? Do you like telling people what "has to" be done? We'll teach you a simple formula!
To say something "is necessary" in Spanish, you might use the literal phrase es necesario (it's necessary) plus a verb's infinitive, or "to" form:
Es necesario usar papel, carbón o madera para encenderlo.
It's necessary to use paper, charcoal, or wood to light it.
Caption 22, El Aula Azul Adivina qué es - Part 1
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And, to tell someone what they "have to" do, you could use verbs like tener que (to have to) or deber (must) plus the infinitive:
Tienes que mejorar esto.
You have to improve this.
Caption 28, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Hay y estar
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Bueno, primero debemos hacer la lista de invitados
Well, first, we must make the guest list
Caption 15, Cleer y Carolina Organizando la fiesta del abuelo
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However, if you are looking for a non-literal, conjugation-free alternative (to conjugate just the present indicative tense of tener que, for example, you have to memorize tengo que, tienes que, tiene que, tenemos que, tenéis que, and tienen que), we invite you to use the following, very simple formula, which can express the same thing as the previous three options in various contexts:
Hay que + infinitive
Don't get us wrong— you are going to have to learn those verb conjugations sooner or later! But, perhaps while you do, or as a viable alternative that native speakers often employ, you could opt for hay que + infinitive.
Hay comes from the Spanish verb haber, which is an auxiliary, or helping, verb that means "to have" or "to be" and appears in its conjugated forms as part of different verb tenses (e.g. the present perfect, pluperfect, etc.). Hay is haber's impersonal form, which never changes (it is always just hay in the present tense) and can mean "there is" or "there are." However, when hay is combined with que + infinitive, it becomes a fixed expression that means "it's necessary" (to do something). Let's see a couple of examples:
hay que darle la oportunidad de defenderse.
it's necessary to give him the opportunity to defend himself.
Caption 22, Los casos de Yabla Problemas de convivencia - Part 2
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¡Hay que reclamar el premio antes de las diez de la noche!
You have to claim the prize before ten p.m.!
Caption 61, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 6: El día de la Primitiva - Part 4
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Note that the second example has been translated with "you have to," a more colloquial equivalent of "it's necessary" that includes the "universal you," implying "people" or "everyone." "One has to" or "one must" would also be valid translations.
The construction hay que + infinitive can be used in basically any context in which you want to say that "it's necessary" to do a particular thing. That said, we have included below a few scenarios in which you are likely to come across it. When reading the translations, keep in mind that while this impersonal construction has no specific subject, in cases in which the context or sentence makes clear who the speaker feels "has to" or "must" act in a particular way, the construction is often translated as if the subject were explicitly stated.
Since the construction hay que + infinitive explains what "people have to do," it only makes sense that it is often heard when talking about perceived wisdom about life:
En la vida hay que saber relajarse,
In life, you need to know how to relax,
Caption 44, Ana Teresa 5 principios del yoga
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El pasado hay que olvidarlo, hay que enterrarlo,
The past, you have to forget it, you have to bury it,
Captions 38-39, Yago 2 El puma - Part 1
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As we mentioned earlier, you might use the expression hay que + infinitive to tell someone what to do without explicitly saying "you must," as in these two examples from the popular series Confidencial: Asesino al Volante:
Yo sé que les dijimos que no vinieran por acá pero hay que darles la buena noticia.
I know we told them not to come here, but we have to give them the good news.
Captions 65-66, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 2 - Part 11
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Hay que demostrar que tú no eres ningún criminal,
You have to show that you're no criminal,
Caption 61, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 10
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In other cases, one might give a suggestion as to what they generally feel that "people" should do:
pues, hay que ir a México.
well, you have to go to Mexico.
Caption 32, World Travel Market en Londres Raúl nos habla de México
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Since giving directions entails explaining what "has to be done," you will often hear the construction hay que + infinitive in this context:
Después hay que torcer la primera calle a la izquierda.
Then you have to turn to the left on the first street.
Caption 34, Curso de español Disculpe, ¿hay un cine por aquí?
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Primero hay que ir todo derecho, ¿sí?
First you have to go straight ahead, right?
Caption 23, Curso de español Direcciones en la ciudad
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Similarly, hay que + infinitive will often be heard in contexts where specific instructions are given, such as cooking a particular recipe or for some other process:
Hay que añadir el agua poco a poco y vamos amasando hasta obtener una mezcla homogénea.
It's necessary to add the water little by little and we start kneading until obtaining a homogeneous mixture.
Captions 11-12, Recetas de cocina Arepas colombianas
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Cuando se bañan, hay que estar seguros de que no se mojen,
When they are bathed, you have to make sure they don't get wet,
Caption 39, La veterinaria "Huesos" visita a la doctora - Part 1
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These are, of course, just a few of the many situations in which you might use or encounter the construction hay que + infinitive.
While haber que + infinitive is probably most commonly seen the present indicative tense, it can also be found in other tenses. Let's see some examples in the imperfect tense , the preterite tense, and the future tense:
Definitivamente había que dejar el trabajo para dedicarme al restaurante.
I definitely had to leave my job to dedicate myself to the restaurant.
Caption 13, La Sub30 Familias - Part 9
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hubo que salir corriendo porque la Señora Di Carlo se moría.
we had to leave running because Mrs. Di Carlo was dying.
Caption 84, Muñeca Brava 2 Venganza - Part 6
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En fin, supongo que habrá que esperar hasta el lunes.
Anyway, I guess that it will have to wait until Monday.
Caption 86, Negocios La solicitud de empleo - Part 2
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And remember that, just like for the present, you only have to remember one form of haber for each tense: había que for the imperfect, hubo que for the preterite, and habrá que in the future. Yabla's lesson entitled Había o habían muchos libros? elaborates further.
As you've probably surmised from our plethora of examples, the construction haber que + infinitive is extremely common and useful, and now that you're familiar with it: hay que practicarlo mucho (you have to practice it a lot)! And don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
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