Hola 👋🏻
Gracias por estar aquí.
Master Spanish Weekly is a weekly email (duh!) with real Spanish, cultural moments, and simple lessons to help you connect en Español.
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Did you watch the Grammys last weekend?
The 2026 Grammy Awards were a big moment for Latin music, especially for Bad Bunny, who made history by winning Album of the Year for his Spanish-language album Debí Tirar Más Fotos. His win marks the first time a Spanish-language album has won this top prize 🇵🇷
Speaking of memorable moments from the Grammys, here’s one that went viral:
🎥 Trevor Noah singing part of Bad Bunny’s song — Debí tirar más fotos (DtMf)
In the clip, Trevor Noah starts singing 👇🏼
Debí tirar más fotos de cuando te tuve
Debí darte más besos y abrazos las veces que pude
Ey, ojalá que los míos nunca se muden
Y si hoy me emborracho, pues, que me ayuden
Do you know what that part means? 👀 Take a minute to look it up if you don’t.
Lesson of the Week: Filler Words in Spanish (the secret weapon)
When I was learning English, I was taught to avoid filler words.
“Um,” “like,” “you know.” They make you sound unsure.
Here’s the real truth: filler words are not bad.
They help your brain think in the language.
In Spanish, you’ll hear them everywhere, and using them makes you sound natural, not hesitant.
Here are some you can start using:
Spanish | Meaning / Use |
|---|---|
Este… | “Um…” (thinking) |
A ver… | “Let’s see…” (pausing to think) |
Pues… | “Well…” (starting a thought) |
O sea… | “I mean…” (clarifying) |
Es que… | “The thing is…” (explaining) |
¿Me entiendes? | “You know what I mean?” (checking understanding) |
Digamos… | “Let’s say…” (giving an example) |
La verdad… | “Honestly…” (being direct) |
Tipo… | “Like…” (informal, casual) |
En plan… | “Like…” (colloquial) |
Ya sabes… | “You know…” (informal) |
Pues nada… | “So…” (transition) |
Bueno… | “Well…” (general pause) |
Entonces… | “So then…” (thinking/continuing) |
Así que… | “So…” (connecting ideas) |
📄 Download: A simple 1-page PDF with common Spanish filler words + examples you can start using today👇🏼
🧩 Mini Quiz: Filler Words
Choose the best filler word for each situation:
1. You want to start explaining something slowly:
A) O sea…
B) A ver…
C) ¿Me entiendes?
2. You want to check if someone understands you:
A) Este…
B) ¿Me entiendes?
C) Entonces…
3. You want to begin a thought with a thoughtful pause:
A) Pues…
B) Ya sabes…
C) En plan…
4. You want to mean “in other words…”:
A) O sea…
B) Digamos…
C) Bueno…
5. You want to signal a transition in your story:
A) Así que…
B) La verdad…
C) Este…
Gracias
Gracias por seguir aprendiendo conmigo.
Recuerda: tu español no tiene que ser perfecto para sonar natural. A veces, esas pequeñas palabras son las que hacen que tu español fluya a tu manera.
¡A por ello! 🇪🇸✨
— Alejandro Nuñez, Founder & Director @ Vokally
