How To Use Pues In Spanish

By Last updated: July fourteen, 2022

Fill up in the Gaps: 13 Mutual Spanish Filler Words You've Gotta Learn

Um, uh, like, I guess, I mean—whether nosotros like it or not, these words are a part of our natural speech patterns, and they tin can be extremely hard to eradicate.

The Spanish language has a variety of filler words, or muletillas (little crutches).

Read on to learn xiii of the nearly common Spanish muletillas, plus how and why to use them in your everyday life.

Why Learn Spanish Filler Words?
Mutual Spanish Filler Words
- ane. Pues…
- two. A ver…
- iii. En programme…
- 4. Digo…
- 5. O sea…
- half dozen. Entonces…
- vii. Así que…
- 8. Bueno…
- ix. Es que…
- ten. Este…
- 11. ¿Sabes?
- 12. Eso…
- 13. En fin
How to Learn Spanish Filler Words

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Why Acquire Spanish Filler Words?

For non-native Spanish speakers, learning filler words is a useful investment of time for a number of reasons.

Outset, Spanish speakers use filler words all the time, and knowing them volition help y'all amend your Spanish comprehension skills. Even someone with a good grasp of Spanish vocabulary may have a difficult fourth dimension getting the gist of a coincidental conversation when every other word is "o sea" or "así que." These words are not always taught in formal Spanish classes, but they are an important component in everyday conversation.

Second, using filler words makes your spoken Spanish sound more like that of a native speaker. Muletillas are bully connecting words—they form the glue that holds together a judgement and makes it sound fluid and natural. These words tin help you express subtle shades of significant or emotion in the way that native speakers practise.

Finally, filler words are great for non-native speakers because they allow you to stall for fourth dimension while you call up of how to say something! When I speak Spanish, I despise the intimidating silence that comes when I forget a certain vocabulary give-and-take or verb conjugation. Usually, having nothing to say makes me so nervous, it becomes even harder to remember the word I'thou looking for! Even worse is relying on English filler words due to nervousness. Inserting "like" and "um" into your spoken Spanish not just makes your Spanish sound disjointed—information technology too makes it harder for native speakers to understand you.

Common Spanish Filler Words

ane. Pues…

A highly useful word, pues is the Castilian equivalent to the English filler word "well…" Throw information technology at the first of a judgement to show uncertainty or indecisiveness. You can besides use information technology to stall while y'all think of the all-time manner to answer to someone (or to recall how to cohabit a tricky verb).

A: ¿Quieres salir esta noche?
(Do yous want to go out this night?)

B:Pues… no sé, tengo mucho sueño…
(Well… I don't know, I'1000 really tired…)

2. A ver…

A ver directly translates as "to see." Every bit a filler discussion, use it like the English phrase "let's see…"

A ver … ¿qué podemos hacer esta noche?
(Let's run across… what can we exercise tonight?)

You lot can also use the similar vamos a ver.

Vamos a ver qué hay para hacer esta noche.
(Allow'southward see what at that place is to do tonight.)

I find that vamos a ver is also useful to get people's attention when lots of people are talking over one another, or when it'southward hard for everyone to achieve a consensus.

¡Vamos a ver! ¿Os podéis callar ya?
(Alright and then! Can everyone be repose already?)

3.En program…

The filler give-and-take of choice for teenagers all over Spain, this versatile phrase is similar to the English language "like." Spanish adolescents use it all the time in whatever part of a sentence. Specifically, you can apply it before describing the style in which you were doing something.

Estábamos allí en plan descansando cuando llegó Miguel.
(Nosotros were in that location, like, relaxing, when Miguel arrived.)

No te enfades, lo hice en plan broma.
(Don't get aroused, I meant information technologylike, every bit a joke.)

four. Digo…

Using digo tin can allow you to audio natural and fluent even when yous've made a error in your speaking. This word, which comes from the verb decir (to say/tell) and directly translates to "I say," is used to right yourself after you've misspoke.

Me dijo que la fiesta empieza a las nueve—digo, a las diez.
(She told me the party starts at nine—I mean, at x.)

v. O ocean…

Useo ocean to clarify, explicate or nuance something you've just said. It's similar to the English phrases "I mean…" or "in other words…" Another similar Castilian phrase is es decir.

¿Vas a salir otra vez con él? O sea, ¿lo pasasteis bien?
(You're going to leave with him over again? I mean, you had a good time?)

vi. Entonces…

Entonces is a great connecting or transition discussion, used like the English "so" or "therefore." It'south certainly a formal word appropriate for written Spanish, simply in spoken Spanish it also serves as a handy filler word to throw at the beginning of a sentence.

Entonces, ¿qué vas a hacer?
(So, what are you lot going to do?)

7. Así que…

Grammatically, the phrase así que serves a like role as entonces: It's a transition discussion that means "so" or "therefore." Just like entonces, you can too apply it equally a filler word, especially at the beginning of a sentence.

¿Así que al last fuiste al restaurante?
(And then you ended up going to the restaurant?)

You lot can also use así que bueno or así que aught as filler phrases—they both translate roughly to "then yeah…" or "then anyways…"

Así que bueno , esa es toda la historia.
(Then yeah, that's the whole story.)

viii. Bueno…

Bueno, which actually translates to "good," has a number of different meanings equally a filler give-and-take.

You lot can use it like pues, at the get-go of the sentence when you're trying to think of how to respond.

Bueno… lo tengo que pensar un poco más.
(Well… I have to call back about it a niggling more.)

You can use it to limited agreement, or when someone proposes an idea that sounds good to you.

Bueno … sí, eso me parece una muy buena idea.
(Well… yeah, that seems like a really good idea to me.)

A loud or drawn-out bueno tin express exasperation, annoyance or atheism. For extra emphasis, add the word pero beforehand.

¿Todavía no habéis fregado los platos? ¡Pero bueno!
(Y'all still haven't washed the dishes? Well then!)

nine. Es que…

Es que is a great filler word to use when you demand to explain yourself or rationalize a conclusion. I've constitute it's especially useful when you need to politely decline, deny or disagree with somebody.

Instructor: ¿No has terminado la tarea?
(You oasis't finished the homework?)

Student: ¡Es que es muy difícil!
(It's just that it'due south really difficult!)

A: ¿Por qué no quieres ir al cinematics?
(Why don't you want to become to the movies?)

B: Es que no me gustan las películas de terror.
(It's just that I don't actually like horror movies.)

10. Este…

I heard this 1 all the time when I lived in Argentina. Utilize it exactly as you would use "uh" or "um" in English. For full effect, draw the 2 syllables out as long as you can: esssssssteeeeeee……

Este is highly useful in therioplatense Spanish of Buenos Aires. Your mileage may vary if you try to utilize information technology anywhere else.

11. ¿Sabes?

Sabes literally translates to "you know," and you tin can use it exactly as you employ the colloquial English language expression "You know?"

Es muy importante para mí, ¿sabes?
(It'south really important to me, you lot know?)

You lot tin also use ¿Sabes qué? (You know what?) as an introduction to a sentence.

¿Sabes qué voy a hacer? Voy a dejar mi trabajo y mudarme a Hawái.
(You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to quit my job and move to Hawaii.)

12.Eso…

Eso has many meanings in Spanish; primarily, it means "that," as in, eso es muy bueno (That is very good). Merely on its own, you can utilize eso as a lead-in to a summary or decision of a conversation. It's a good way to reiterate something that you lot've already said but want to echo or emphasize.

Pues, eso, que lo siento mucho pero vas a tener que volver mañana.
(Well, like I said, I'yard sorry, only y'all're going to take to come back tomorrow.)

thirteen. En fin

En fin is a great way to wrap up a conversation. Use it to fill that awkward silence when the conversation has come up to its natural conclusion you don't really take anything else to say.

Utilise it by itself to end a conversation. Or use it like eso as a lead-in to a summary or terminal thought on the conversation.

En fin … pues, me tengo que ir. ¡Hasta luego!
(So, that'due south it… well, I have to go. Come across you lot later on!)

En fin …lo pasamos muy bien hoy, gracias por todo.
(All in all… nosotros had a bang-up time today, cheers for everything.)

How to Learn Spanish Filler Words

Of course, listening to Castilian speakers having conversations is the all-time way to pick up on filler words. If yous are lucky enough to be learning Castilian by immersion, this should not be hard—but become talk to people!

If you don't take anyone to talk to, y'all tin can starting time past listening to filler words in the context of authentic, natural Castilian on a language learning programme such as FluentU. It has a library of native Spanish content to help you get started, plus tools to keep track of any study your new filler words.

Take notation of the words you hear frequently, at the beginning of sentences or when they are at a loss for what to say. It never hurts to directly ask what the significant of a give-and-take is, only if you don't want to interrupt the conversation, you tin can too jot the word or phrase downwardly and await information technology upward afterwards on WordReference.com. Word Reference's forums are a corking identify to get native speakers' input on the meanings of vernacular expressions.

About news, books and scripted Idiot box shows—resource which are great for learning other aspects of Castilian—will exist more or less useless for picking up on filler words. Instead, look for unscripted television, such as reality TV or talk shows.

Currently, "Gran hermano" (Big Blood brother) is king in Espana. Luckily, you lot can stream "Gran hermano" online through this website. Because the characters' conversations are unscripted, they often use filler words and vernacular expressions. Some other unscripted shows to check out are "Cámbiame" and "Mujeres y hombres y viceversa."

Video bloggers, who tend to speak casually and informally, are also a good resource for learning filler words. Check out HolaSoyGerman of Chile, AuronPlay of Spain or Mariana Bonilla of United mexican states.

En fin… This article is an introduction to filler words, which tin help bring your Spanish comprehension and conversation to the next level.

Thesemuletillas will assistance yous sound more like a native speaker in no time—it just takes a little practice, ¿sabes?Pues, eso… report your Spanish muletillas and yous'll thank yourself in the hereafter!

Download: This web log post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you tin can have anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)