Use Connectors and Gambits When Speaking Spanish
Gambits
Gambits are small words and phrases that are important to keep a dialogue going in Spanish. They are also available in English, but we do not have a similar categorization.
Fillers:
Pues/Bueno: Well
¡A ver !: Let me see!
Es decir que/o sea: That is
Vale: Okay
¿De acuerdo ?: Are you with? Do you agree?
It's worth it: That's true
Es que…: That's because/It's like ...
Puede ser: It can be
Es igual: It doesn’t matter
Eso es/eso sí: Exactly
Talk vez/quizás/a lo mejor: Maybe
If You Need to Dialogue
¡Mira!: Look here!
¡Oye (oiga)!: Listen, listen!
¡Anda/vamos!: Let's go.
Lo que pasa es que: That's because that
If You Have Understanding Problems
No lo sé/No sé: I don't know
No lo entiendo: I don't understand
No te entiendo: I don't understand you
¿Quieres repitir?: Will you repeat?
No te oigo bien: I don't hear you very well
¡Habla más despacio!: Speak slower
¡Habla and voz más alta!: Talk a little louder!
¡Cómo! huh?: Excuse me
¿Qué dices?: What do you say?
¿De qué estás hablando?: What are you talking about?
If You Want to Ensure Understanding
¿Me entiendes?: Do you understand me?
¿Me explico?: Is it understandable?
¿Me sigues?: Can you follow me?
Keep the Dialogue Going
¿Es verdad? ¿De Verdad?: is it true?
Sí, es verdad: Yes, it's true
¿No me digas?: You do not say?
Claro/Claro que sí: Of course/It is clear
Claro que no: Of course, not
Sí, teens razón: Yes, you are right
Me imagino: I can imagine that
The todos modos: In any case
Lo que quiero decir es: What I want to say is ..
El caso es que: Is the case that
Creo que sí: I think so
Fíjate: Mind you
Imagínate: Imaging
If You Want to Change Topic
Otra cosa…: Something completely different…
Hablando de…: Now we talk about…
Cambiando de theme: For changing topic
Como decía antes: As I said earlier
A propósito: By the way
¿Sabes un cosa?: You know what?
Díme: Now tell me
Ahora que me acuerdo: Now that I remember
If You Want to Take Over the Right to Speak
¿Puedo decir algo?: Can I say something?
No estoy de acuerdo: I do not agree
Vale, pero: Ok, though
Tengo una pregunta: I have a question
If You Want to Retain the Right to Speak
¿Me dejas terminar?: May I be allowed to speak out
Todavía no he terminado: I'm not done
Connectors
Connectors are words or groups of words that are used to create a logical context in a text or speech. Context is thus created by words that bind the individual sentences together. It can typically be hyphens (and, but, then, before, so that…), but also other word classes and larger sentence parts can link sentences together. The table below presents several examples of words and expressions that serve as clauses and help to emphasize the relationship (cause, contradiction, etc.) that exists between the different actions, things, and people in the text/speech.
Structuring and Classification Information
Primero/En primer lugar/Primeramente: First
Segundo/En segundo lugar: Next/Second
Por un lado/por otro lado: On the one hand/On the other hand
Para empezar/continuar: First
Antes que nada: Primarily
Ante todo: Above all
Finalmente/en último lugar: Finally
En conclusión: To conclude/as conclusión
Por fin/en fin: Finally/finally
Notify Personal Position
Para mí: It seems to me
En mi opinión: In my opinion
Creo que: I believe that
A mi entender/parecer: In my opinion
A mi juicio: As far as I can judge
Según mi punto de vista: From my point of view
Personalmente: Personally
Me parece que: It seems to me that
State Cause (Causal)
Porque: Because (not used after time period)
A causa de/debido a: Because of
Por esa razón: For this reason
Ya que: Well, because
Puesto que /dado que: Well, because
Como: Well, because
Indicate Conversation/Contrast
Pero: But
Sin embargo: However/yet
No obstante: Nevertheless/nevertheless [used as however]
Por otra parte: On the other hand
Por otro lado: On the other hand
A pesar de (que..): In spite of..)
Aunque: Though
En cambio: In turn/in contrast
A diferencia de: Unlike
Mientras que: whereas
Por el contrario: On the contrary
Al contrario de: In contrast to
Explain
Es decir (que)…: That is…
O sea: Or in other words
En efecto: Actually
Dicho de otra manera: Said in another way:
En otras palabras: In other words
Con esto quiero decir: With that I want to say
Exemplify
Por ejemplo: E.g
Concretamente/en concreto: Absolutely concrete
En particular: Especially
Indicate Impact
Por eso: Therefore
Por consiguiente: Therefore
Así que: Therefore/So…
Por lo tanto: Therefore
En consecuencia: Therefore/As a result:
De modo que: Therefore
Add Information
Además: Moreover
Incluso: Also/on top of the bargain
También: Also
Igualmente: Likewise
Entonces: So/Then
Por otro lado/por otra parte: On the other hand
Porque: Because
Ya que/puesto que /dado que/como: Since
A causa de/debido a: Because of
Led to Conclude/Exit
En resumen: In short/to summarize
Finalmente/para finalizar/en último lugar: Finally
En conclusión/para concluir: To conclude/as conclusion
Por fin: Finally/finally
Al fin y al cabo: After all
En fin: Finally
Por ultimo: As the last
Como conclusion: As a conclusion/as a conclusion
The Spanish people use these gambits and connectors a lot, and I hope this helps you to speak some more Spanish
