200+ Spanish Sight Words for Kids – Free Guide to Spanish High Frequency Words
In this post: Jumpstart Your Child’s Spanish Reading and Writing Skills with 200+ Spanish Sight Words – Free Spanish High Frequency Words Guide for Kids. Post contains affiliate links.
As a Spanish teacher and homeschool mom to bilingual kindergarteners, teaching children how to read and write in Spanish has taken over my life (and I’m not complaining!) I absolutely love helping children learn how to become not only bilingual, but also biliterate.
This blog post is dedicated to Spanish sight words, also known as high frequency words or palabras de alta frecuencia. If you’re looking for free printable resources to help teach Spanish sight words at home, Spanish sight word workbooks, and leveled high frequency word lists – you’ve come to the right place! Let’s jump in and learn all about sight words in Spanish.
Table of Contents
Spanish Sight Words or Spanish High Frequency Words?
First, let’s dive into the difference between Spanish sight words and Spanish high frequency words. Spanish is a wonderfully phonetic language, making it one of the easiest for native English speakers to learn. Unlike other languages with silent letters and complex pronunciation rules, Spanish words are typically pronounced just as they are written. This phonetic nature of Spanish makes learning new vocabulary, including sight words and high-frequency words, a relatively straightforward task.
Spanish High-Frequency Words (HFW): These are the words that are the most common Spanish words and appear most frequently in the Spanish language. They include common articles, prepositions, pronouns, and basic words such as “el” (the), “de” (of), and “y” (and). Learning these words is crucial because they form the foundation of everyday communication and are essential for reading fluency.
Spanish Sight Words: These are words that readers are encouraged to recognize instantly without needing to decode them phonetically. Sight words are more traditionally used when learning to read in English to help children memorize irregular words that can’t be sounded out easily. However, sight words in Spanish can still play a vital role in helping children read more quickly and fluently by recognizing common words on sight. There can absolutely be overlap between what is considered a sight word in Spanish and what is considered a high frequency word!
The Most Effective Way to Teach Spanish Sight Words and High Frequency Words to Young Learners
Teaching Spanish sight words and high-frequency words effectively involves more than just memorization. While the ultimate goal is for children to recognize these words quickly, the process should begin with decoding. Simple memorization is not the best strategy for young readers because it doesn’t help strengthen their reading skills. Instead, practicing the word enough and engaging with it until it is easily recognized is key. Here’s how to achieve this:
Start with Decoding:
- Phonetic Breakdown: Begin by teaching your child how to decode each word. Spanish is a phonetic language, so most words can be sounded out. Break down the word into its phonetic components and have your child practice pronouncing each syllable.
- Visual and Auditory Cues: Use visual aids such as flashcards (see free printable Spanish sight word cards below!) and auditory cues like repetition to help your child associate the sound with the written word.
Engage with each Spanish Word:
- Interactive Activities: Incorporate engaging activities such as word matching games, word searches, and crossword puzzles. These activities make learning fun and help reinforce word recognition.
- Use in Context: Practice using sight words and high-frequency words in sentences. Reading simple stories or creating sentences with these words helps children understand their usage and meaning in context.
- Word of the Day: Introduce a “Word of the Day” routine where a new sight word or high-frequency word is highlighted daily. Use this word throughout the day in different contexts to reinforce learning.
- Songs and Rhymes: Use songs, poems, and nursery rhymes that incorporate sight words and high-frequency words. Music and rhythm make learning memorable and enjoyable.
- Games and Challenges: Turn learning into a game. Use bingo, flashcard races, or scavenger hunts to make the process exciting. Reward progress to keep your child motivated.
- Spanish Sight Word Workbooks: These Spanish sight word workbooks are an amazing way to practice decoding each word and practicing it until easily recognized! If you’re wanting an easy open-and-go way to teach and practice Spanish sight words with your children in a fun way – these are perfect!
By focusing on decoding first and then engaging with words through a variety of activities, children can learn to recognize Spanish sight words and high-frequency words quickly and effectively. This approach not only improves reading fluency but also enhances overall literacy skills in a fun and engaging way.
100 Spanish Sight Words for Kindergarten
Now let’s move on to our leveled word lists. Spanish sight word lists are so useful to have when teaching young children how to read en español! I find that having sight word lists leveled out by age or grade level is particularly helpful, as it supports the gradual building of reading and writing proficiency. First I’ll share sight word lists for Kindergarten here, but keep scrolling and you can find printable versions as well!
Remember that this blog is equipped with text-to-speech in Spanish. To hear any Spanish word read aloud, simply highlight it and click the blue speaker button.
100 Spanish Sight Words & High Frequency Words for Kindergarten:
a – to/at
de – of/from
el – the (masculine)
la – the (feminine)
que – that/which
es – is
hay – there is/there are
ella – she
cómo – how
él – he
más – more
cada – each/every
por – by/through
uno – one
pero – but
los – the (masculine plural)
con – with
me – me
soy – I am
una – a (feminine singular)
para – for
sin – without
día – day
yo – I
en – in/on/at
aquí – here
hoy – today
ya – already
no – no
dice – says
sí – yes
veo – I see
sobre – about/on
eres – you are
hola – hello
niño – boy/child
tú – you
bien – well
dónde – where
alto – tall/high
voy – I go
cama – bed
del – of the/from the
vez – time (instance)
agua – water
fue – he/she/it was/went
ahora – now
mucho – much/a lot
mío – mine
se – himself/herself/itself/themselves
las – the (feminine plural)
te – you
quién – who
mira – look
está – is (he/she/it)
ve – sees
estoy – I am
feliz – happy
y – and
un – a (masculine singular)
así – so/like this
cuándo – when
mi – my
ayer – yesterday
van – they go
hace – does/makes
dos – two
esto – this
hacia – towards
le – to him/her
nada – nothing
gusta – likes
fui – I went
otro – other
usted – you (formal)
son – they are
niña – girl
cosa – thing
hasta – until
tengo – I have
al – to the
leer – to read
nosotros – we
vida – life
puedo – I can
vamos – let’s go
casa – house
su – his/her/their
nos – us
nunca – never
bueno – good
noche – night
tiene – he/she has
antes – before
allí – there
poco – little
grande – big
solo – alone
menos – less
mismo – same
This list is arranged for sequential learning, ideal for building skills step-by-step.
Free Printable Spanish Sight Word Lists & Flashcards
Before we dive into Spanish sight words for first grade, I want to share these great printable Spanish sight word flashcards that are leveled out by grades. Maravillas has amazing resources when it comes to helping children gain fluency en español. Grab their free printable sight word flashcards below for kindergarten & first grade.
Kindergarten Spanish Sight Word Flashcards
First Grade Spanish Sight Word Flash Cards – Over 100 Spanish High Frequency Word Cards!
If you want printable Spanish sight word lists from the ones in this blog post, you can grab them here:
100 High Frequency Spanish Words for First Grade
Spanish high frequency words and sight words continue to be important as your children gain more confidence reading en español! Next I’ll share 100 Spanish High Frequency words for first grade that can increase their confidence and proficiency on their reading journey.
afuera – outside
primero – first
cuánto – how much
escuela – school
tarde – afternoon
gracias – thank you
cerca – close
porque – because
ambos – both
después – after
árbol – tree
frío – cold
luego – later
dibujar – to draw
lejos – far
conmigo – with me
idea – idea
quién – who
ahora – now
mayor – older
debajo – under
ayuda – help
libro – book
pronto – soon
gente – people
viene – comes
calor – heat
animal – animal
adentro – inside
hacer – to do/make
busca – search
cuando – when
hago – i do/make
juego – game
próximo – next
mañana – tomorrow
parque – park
bajo – short
saluda – greet
amigo – friend
mejor – better
también – also
años – years
entre – between
grande – big
algunos – some
muchos – many
siempre – always
tiempo – time
color – color
familia – family
flores – flowers
juntos – together
allá – there
cantar – to sing
nadie – nobody
nombre – name
pequeño – small
viejo – old
encima – on top
cuatro – four
suelo – floor
tierra – earth
trabajo – work
atrás – behind
entonces – then
puede – can
cuerpo – body
difícil – difficult
cinco – five
blanco – white
buen – good
igual – equal
rojo – red
pues – well
piensa – thinks
todo – everything
seis – six
puedo – i can
tampoco – neither
azul – blue
nuevo – new
tienes – you have
vamos – let’s go
estaba – was
quiere – wants
verde – green
grupo – group
hora – hour
luz – light
mes – month
siete – seven
niños – children
nuestro – our
adiós – goodbye
días – days
fácil – easy
largo – long
mano – hand
dijo – said
Spanish High Frequency Word Workbooks
Having a printed, open and go Spanish workbook can make learning so easy. Whether you’re teaching your Kindergartener how to read in Spanish, or your growing fluency with your first grader – these workbooks are amazing resources!
Each workbook teaches 100 Spanish sight words and high frequency words with developmentally appropriate activities to achieve mastery of each word! Plus they each have fun extras for additional practice like word searches, color by sight word, word scrambles, and more.
Teach your Child to Read in Spanish
If you’re looking for a comprehensive Spanish early phonics curriculum, look no further! Introduce your child to the joy of reading in Spanish with Reading Con mi Familia! My 200+ page workbook is packed with fun and effective early phonics lessons, including letter formation, letter recognition, letter sounds, syllable formation, and early reading skills – all in Spanish!
Engaging activities like word searches and mazes make learning enjoyable, while academically appropriate worksheets ensure mastery. Perfect for classrooms and homeschooling, Reading Con mi Familia is the ideal tool for building a strong foundation in Spanish literacy.
More Spanish Learning Resources for Young Learners
Before you go, I’ll share two more resources for anyone teaching their kids Spanish at home. If you’re looking for a Spanish curriculum to help support your young learners, check out my Spanish curriculum options! Con mi Familia is my play-based Spanish preschool course that is great for families learning Spanish basics at home. For families that already speak a little (or a lot of) Spanish, Cuentos Conmigo is a hands-on, nature based Spanish course for the early years for families wanting to go beyond the basics.
No matter where you are on your journey learning Spanish at home, I have resources to help every step of the way! I hope this blog post helps you as you dive into the world of high frequency words in Spanish and Spanish sight words with your children. By learning the most common Spanish words with your children and practicing their recognition, you will soon have confident and capable Spanish readers!
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