In the third class of our Absolute Beginner Spanish course we are going to learn how to solve an issue we’re going to be having all the time at the beginning: we don’t know something, but we want to know something.
With a few questions you’ll be able to ask how to say something, what something means, how to pronounce a word, etc.
Questions to solve doubts
When you want to know how to say a word in Spanish, you can ask:
—¿Cómo se dice pocket?
—Pocket se dice bolsillo.
If you want to know how to say something more complex or delicate, ask:
—¿Cómo dirías I’m vegan, so I wouldn’t enjoy your barbeque party?
—Puedes decirle: «Como soy vegano, creo que no disfrutaría tu barbacoa».
If you want to know the meaning of a word in Spanish, you may ask:
—¿Qué quiere decir me aburro?
—Me aburro quiere decir I’m bored.
Another way to ask the same is this:
—¿Qué significa pizarra?
—Pizarra es blackboard.
If what you want to know is the pronunciation of a word, say:
—¿Cómo se pronuncia esta palabra (pintxo)?
—Se pronuncia (como) pincho.
If you want the opposite, to know the spelling of a word, you can ask:
—¿Cómo se escribe gobierno? ¿Con b o con v?
—Con b.
—¿Ahorrar lleva hache?
—Sí, va con hache intercalada entre a y o.
—¿Jirafa va con j o con g?
—En español se escribe con j.
That’s it for now! Remember that not knowing is normal. Even Socrates knew nothing! As far as you’re willing to learn, not knowing at the beginning is perfectly fine.