Follow the small words and conversation markers that give speakers time and organize ideas.
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Spanish fillers for pausing and starting
Eh, em and este can hold the floor while a speaker thinks. Este as a hesitation word is especially common in Latin America; it also has ordinary grammatical uses.
The English prompts identify conversational functions. These words rarely have one exact translation in every sentence.
pueswell (hesitating) · PWEHS
buenowell (starting a response) · BWEH-noh
esteum (Latin American filler) · EHS-teh
ehuh · EH
emum · EHM
a verlet's see (thinking) · ah BEHR
digamoslet's say · dee-GAH-mohs
en finanyway (wrapping up) · ehn FEEN
Spanish conversation markers for clarifying
O sea introduces a reformulation; mejor dicho corrects wording. De hecho adds a fact that supports or adjusts the point.
These are discourse markers, not all empty hesitation sounds. Compare their full conversational use with common phrases.
o seaI mean · oh SEH-ah
mejor dichorather (correcting yourself) · meh-HOR DEE-choh
en realidadactually (in reality) · ehn rreh-ah-lee-DAHD
de hechoin fact · deh EH-choh
por ciertoby the way · por SYEHR-toh
entoncesso (continuing a thought) · ehn-TOHN-sehs
totalin short (informal summary) · toh-TAHL
pues bienwell then · pwehs BYEHN
Spanish words for keeping a conversation going
Mira and oye can draw attention even when no literal looking or listening is requested. ¿Sabes? and ¿verdad? check shared understanding.
Use these naturally and sparingly. Vale is especially associated with Spain; neutral agreement words include sí and de acuerdo.
miralook (attention marker) · MEE-rah
oyelisten (attention marker) · OH-yeh
verásyou see (introducing an explanation) · beh-RAHS
¿sabes?you know (conversation tag) · SAH-behs
¿verdad?right? (seeking agreement) · behr-DAHD
¿no?isn't that so? (tag) · NOH
claroof course (acknowledgment) · KLAH-roh
yaI see (acknowledgment) · YAH
valeokay (Spain, agreement) · BAH-leh
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Spanish Filler Words: full list
Review the meanings, pronunciation and usage notes, then use the printable worksheet to recall the Spanish.
Quick answer:well (hesitating) is pues, well (starting a response) is bueno, um (Latin American filler) is este, uh is eh, um is em, let's see (thinking) is a ver, let's say is digamos, and anyway (wrapping up) is en fin.
