Spanish filler words: pues, bueno, vale, es que and o sea
A friend asks ¿Vienes mañana? (“Are you coming tomorrow?”) and you hear Pues… bueno… es que no sé. You know three of the words, and none of them seems to answer the question. They are filler words. Spanish speakers use them to start a reply, to gain time, to give a reason or to say something again more clearly. They carry little meaning on their own, and you hear them in almost every conversation, so it helps to know what each one does.
Starting a reply
Speakers often start an answer with pues, the way English speakers use “well”. ¿Vienes mañana? “Pues no sé.” means “Are you coming tomorrow?” “Well, I don’t know.” Pues can also mean “then” or “so”, as in Pues vamos (“Then let’s go”). When it opens a reply, it only marks that the speaker is about to answer.
Bueno means “good”, and at the start of a sentence it often means “okay” or “well”. Bueno, vamos means “Okay, let’s go”. A speaker can also use bueno to start a flat reply: Bueno… no sé is “Well… I don’t know”. In Mexico, people also answer the phone with ¿Bueno?, which means “Hello?”
To say “okay” or “agreed”, each place has its own word:
| Where | What speakers say | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | vale | ¿Nos vemos a las ocho? “Vale.” |
| Mexico | va, órale | ¿Nos vemos a las ocho? “Va.” |
| Colombia | listo | ¿Nos vemos a las ocho? “Listo.” |
| Argentina | dale | ¿Nos vemos a las ocho? “Dale.” |
All of them mean “Shall we meet at eight?” “Okay.” Vale is the word most associated with Spain, and you hear it all the time there, as Spanish in Spain describes. Speakers in other countries understand vale.
Giving a reason
Speakers use es que to give a reason or an excuse, like “the thing is”. Es que no tengo tiempo means “The thing is, I don’t have time”. Es que often follows a question or a request that the speaker is about to turn down, so it can sound like an excuse. ¿Por qué no vienes? “Es que estoy cansado.” means “Why aren’t you coming?” “The thing is, I’m tired.”
You also hear es que when a speaker explains something to a person who looks puzzled: Es que la tienda cierra a las dos means “It’s just that the shop closes at two”.
Saying it again more clearly
O sea means “I mean” or “in other words”. Speakers use it to say the same thing again in a clearer way, or to draw a conclusion. No puedo, o sea, no tengo tiempo means “I can’t, I mean, I don’t have time”.
O sea is also a way to finish a thought that came out unclear: Llegué tarde, o sea, perdí el tren means “I arrived late, I mean, I missed the train”. After o sea you hear the part that matters.
Gaining time
When English speakers say “um”, many Spanish speakers say este. Este… no me acuerdo means “Um… I don’t remember”. Here este has no meaning of its own. Speakers say it to hold their turn while they think. You hear it in Mexico, and many speakers in other Latin American countries use it too. In Spain, you hear esto or eh in the same place. Speakers also say a ver, “let’s see”, while they think: A ver… ¿dónde lo dejé? means “Let’s see… where did I leave it?”
Asking you to agree
Speakers often end a sentence with ¿no? or ¿verdad?, like “right?” in English. Es caro, ¿no? means “It’s expensive, right?” The speaker expects you to agree, and a short sí or sí, un poco is a complete answer. In Colombia, you also hear ¿cierto? in the same place.
With a question tag, the speaker checks something they already believe. Mañana es lunes, ¿verdad? means the speaker already thinks tomorrow is Monday and wants you to confirm.
What speakers use the small words for
| Word | What speakers use it for | English |
|---|---|---|
| pues | to start a reply | well |
| bueno | to start a reply, or to agree | well, okay |
| vale (Spain) | to agree | okay |
| es que | to give a reason | the thing is |
| o sea | to say it again more clearly | I mean |
| este (Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America) | to gain time | um |
| esto, eh (Spain) | to gain time | um |
| a ver | to gain time | let’s see |
| ¿no?, ¿verdad? | to ask you to agree | right? |
What to listen for
When you hear pues, bueno, es que, o sea or este at the start of a sentence, you do not need to translate it. Listen to the words after it. The speaker’s real answer comes after the small word.
If you want to use them, start with the ones you hear most from the speakers around you. Say pues or bueno before an answer. Use es que when you give a reason. Copy the rhythm of a speaker you like. A filler word in every sentence sounds as odd in Spanish as it does in English.
For what to say when the words after a filler are the part you missed, see when you don’t understand in Spanish. Small talk in Spanish has the questions people ask, with the little words that keep a conversation going.
The words in real sentences
- ¿Vienes mañana? “Pues no sé.” Are you coming tomorrow? “Well, I don’t know.”
- Bueno, vamos. Okay, let’s go.
- ¿Nos vemos a las ocho? “Vale.” Shall we meet at eight? “Okay.” (Spain)
- Es que no tengo tiempo. The thing is, I don’t have time.
- No puedo, o sea, no tengo tiempo. I can’t, I mean, I don’t have time.
- Este… no me acuerdo. Um… I don’t remember. (Mexico)
- Es caro, ¿no? It’s expensive, right?
- Mañana es lunes, ¿verdad? Tomorrow is Monday, right?
- A ver… ¿dónde dejé las llaves? Let’s see… where did I leave my keys?
- ¿Bueno? Hola, soy Ana. Hello? Hi, it’s Ana. (Mexico, answering the phone)
Questions people ask
What are filler words in Spanish? They are small words that speakers use to start a reply, gain time, give a reason or restate something. Common ones are pues, bueno, es que, o sea, este and vale.
What does pues mean in Spanish? At the start of a reply it works like “well”. It can also mean “then” or “so”, as in Pues vamos, “Then let’s go”.
What is the difference between bueno and vale? Both can mean “okay”. Vale is the usual word for “okay” in Spain. Bueno is used in all countries and can also start a reply that hesitates: Bueno… no sé.
What does es que mean? It means “the thing is”, and speakers use it to give a reason or an excuse. Es que no puedo means “The thing is, I can’t”.
What is the Spanish for “um”? Speakers say este in Mexico, and many speakers say it in other Latin American countries. In Spain, you hear esto or eh.
How do you say “right?” at the end of a sentence? Use ¿no? or ¿verdad?. In Colombia, you also hear ¿cierto?.
Do I have to use filler words to sound natural? No. Listen for them first. When you use one, put it where a speaker would, at the start of an answer or while you think.
Practise these words
pues, bueno, verdad, tiempo, caro. Vozelu is a free website for practising Spanish, and it has each of these. You see a sentence with one word missing, you type the word, and a native voice reads the sentence back. Practise the words on this page.