Advanced Spanish Vocabulary: The Best Path to Fluency (+PDF)

When starting to learn a new language, the first thing we all discover are basic words and phrases typical for beginners. 

But, as we progress, over time, as we improve our Spanish pronunciation, reading, and listening skills, basic words are not enough. We need to expand our vocabulary.

We need more specific words and expressions so that we can use them on different occasions.

 

That is why, today, we are going to boost your knowledge by giving you some advanced Spanish vocabulary.

 

Once you learn these handy words, not only will you expand your vocabulary, but you will be able to go further in learning Mexican Spanish or slang words in Spanish. The possibilities are endless.

How Many Words Are Necessary?

 

There are millions of words in one language.

You don’t need to know all of them, of course.

Beginners know around 1.000 words. Those are the basic ones and some same words can be used in many different situations.

To be able to speak and understand Spanish on an intermediate level, a person needs around 3.000 words.

Having in mind that Spanish to English dictionaries consist of around 100.000 words, knowing only 3.000 of them seems like a piece of cake.

Why is all this important?

As you can see, to come to the advanced level of your vocabulary is not that hard as many might think.

 

Advanced Spanish Words And Phrases For Improving a Vocabulary

 

What does advanced Spanish vocabulary mean?

Imagine that you are cleaning your house from top to bottom.

To organize different things, you take boxes. In one box you put books, in other dishes, then in the third, you organize shoes, or cosmetics, etc.

 

The same is with advanced vocabulary.

‘Put’ specific words and phrases into separate boxes. You already have those boxes in your head in your native language. 

Now you upgrade your Spanish boxes. Some of them are half full, while others are empty. 

You don’t use those words every day, so that is why those boxes are sometimes empty.

But, we are going to fill them up with words and phrases.

You can also open a new ‘box’ of words, as well as to reorganize the existing ones.

 

So, let’s stop talking and start doing.

 

To make it easier for you, we’ve created a special Advanced Spanish Vocabulary List. You can print or download it on your mobile devices and use the words whenever and wherever you want.

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Get your copy of Advanced Spanish Vocabulary here

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Animals

Animals aren’t something you will have a hard time memorizing.

You probably know how to say ‘dog,’ ‘cat,’ or ‘rabbit’ in Spanish, but do you know the word for ‘feathers’ or, perhaps, ‘claws?’

 

That is why our Spanish Vocabulary list is here for you. 

Below, you will find names of animals you don’t use every day (perhaps, not even every week), but they can be more than handy in case you need them.

 

• la abeja – bee

• alas – wings

• la ardilla – squirrel

• el burro – donkey

• el cerdo – hog

• el chivo – goat

• cuernos – horns

• escamas – scales

• garra – claw

• la libélula – dragonfly

• piel – fur

• plumas – feathers

• el saltamontes – grasshopper

• el venado – deer

 

Describing People

 

When you want to describe someone, you need to know the proper word. You surely don’t want to make a mistake calling someone ‘avaro’ when you just wanted to compliment him. If you don’t know what it means, we are going to help you.

 

In the following lines, you will find some of the useful adjectives, but even more of them you can find in our Advanced Spanish Vocabulary List.

 

• alegre – cheerful

• aburrido – boring

• avaro – greedy

• cariñoso – loving

• cobarde – cowardly

• gracioso – witty

• insoportable – intolerable

• perezoso – lazy

Parts of the Body

When you have words that can describe people, it would be a shame not to have all body parts in one place.

You’ve already learned parts like nose, mouth, or head. But, do you know how we say ‘ headache, ’‘cheek,’ or ‘eyebrows’ in Spanish? Let’s find out.

 

• alta presión sanguínea – high blood pressure

• cejas- eyebrows

• dolor de cabeza – headache

• entrañas- guts

• hueso- bone

• mejilla- cheek

• muslo- thigh

• pantorrilla- calf

• pestañas- eyelashes

• uña- fingernail

• talón- heel

In The Office

In today’s world, perhaps, it is best to have all the necessary words and phrases that are related to office and work. 

So, when you feel you have enough ‘folders,’ ‘staplers, ‘and ‘business cards,’ take a glimpse at those words in Spanish.

We’ve listed for you some of the specific words that concern office. You can find even more in our Advanced Spanish Vocabulary list.

 

• carpetas- folders

• carta- letter

• cinta adhesiva- tape

• estantería- bookshelf

• estuche- pencil case

• grapadora- stapler

• pila- battery

• sujetapapeles- paperclip

• tarjeta de negocios- business card

• teclado- keyboard

DIY

Next time you want to DIY in your house, be prepared with a toolbox but in Spanish as well.

• abrazadera- clamp

• alambre- wire

• bricolaje- do it yourself, DIY

• clavo- nail

• destornillador- screwdriver

• ferretería- hardware store

• llave inglesa- wrench

• martillo- hammer

• papel de lija- sandpaper

• regla- ruler

• taladro- drill

Spanish Idioms

To get to the advanced level in Spanish, one of the mandatory parts that can help you are Spanish idioms.

In the following lines, you will find some of the ordinary Spanish idioms, and in the Advanced Spanish Vocabulary list, there are even more.

 

• con las manos en la masa – to be caught red-handed

• en pocas palabras – in a nutshell

• en un abrir y cerrar de ojos – in the blink of an eye

• jugársela a cara o cruz – to flip a coin

• más vale tarde que nunca – better late than never

• más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando – a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

• no se ganó Zamora en una hora – Rome wasn’t built in a day

• ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente – out of sight, out of mind

• parecerse como un huevo a otro – to be like two peas in a pod

• tomar el pelo – to pull someone’s leg

Final Thoughts

So, there you are; more than 100 words and phrases you can carry with yourself anywhere and use at any time.

Many of them, however, can be challenging to remember since we are not using them every day.

But nothing to worry! You learn them as you are already doing, and when the right occasion comes to use them, you will be glad to know them!

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Download Advanced Spanish Vocabulary

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You can even make your own groups where you will be writing down words and phrases, for example, Spanish travel phrases or perhaps, some juicy cursing words in Spanish (why not?).

 

To succeed in your goal, you need to be exposed to the Spanish because that is the only way to get to the goal - fluency. You can do it with Spanish tutors from Justearn.

 

Do you have your own list of advanced Spanish vocabulary? Share with us in the comments below!