Working on our oral skills

When learning a new language, people are eager to start communicating and talking to each other. In order to achieve this without an accurate English level, there are several shortcuts to establish a conversation. These simple sentences and questions will help you break the ice.

• To say hello or to greet someone: Hello / Hi / How do you do? / What’s up? / (It’s) Nice to meet you / (It’s) Nice to see you / How are you today?/ Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening

• To say goodbye: Good morning / Good afternoon / Good day / Goodbye / Bye-bye / Bye / Good night

• To find out information about the other person: What’s your name? / How old are you? / What’s your address? / Where do you live? / Where are you from? / What’s your telephone number? / What’s your favourite colour (sport, animal, number...)? / Do you like spaghetti (football, cats, TV...)?

• To help you in class: Can you repeat, please? / Can you spell it, please? / How do you say (lápiz) in English? / What's the meaning of pencil in Spanish? / May I have some water, please? / May I go to the toilet, please? / Can you open (close) the window (door), please? / Can I borrow your pencil (rubber, sharpener...), please? = Can I have a pencil (rubber, sharpener), please? = Have you got a pencil (rubber, sharpener...), please? / Be quiet, please / Silence, please / Pay attention / Open (close) your books (notebooks), please / Which (What) page are we on, please? / Can you play it (the audio track) again, please? / Can you explain that again, please? / Can you write it on the (black)board?

• To help you out around the city: Excuse me, how can I get to Alfonso el Sabio Street (Santa Barbara Castle, the beach...)? / Excuse me, can I have a coke (a glass of water, a cup of tea...), please? / Would you like something to eat (drink)? / Excuse me, can you tell what time it is, please? / How much is it (this)? / Can I pay cash (credit card)? 

I will be adding more useful expressions soon. Please, use them.