Other ways to Say Hello: Hola!

Cómo estás? “bien”

Qué hay de nuevo? “nada” or “no mucho”

Quiubo”? (shorten from: Qué hubo?)

Qué tal? “bien”, “mas o menos”

Cómo andas? “bien,” “mas o menos”

Cómo van las cosas? “bien,” “mas o menos”

If you are really having a bad day: “mal”, pésimo, “ni te cuento”

"TENER QUE" AND "HAY QUE"

"TENER QUE" AND "HAY QUE"

Tener que + infinitive is one way to express obligation or necessity.

This expression can be translated as "someone has to do something."
I have to...., You have to..., he has to...., etc..
Tener is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence.

Tengo que ahorrar dinero.
I have to save money.

El tiene que leer el periódico.
He has to read the newspaper.

Ellos tienen que comprar una revista.
They have to buy a magazine

Hay que + infinitive is used to express the idea of "one must do something" or, "it is necessary to do something." It is a more general expression and since there is no subject, the verb form hay is always used.

Hay que tomar un taxi.
It is necessary to take a taxi.

Hay que estudiar mucho.
One must study a lot.

Speaking about the past and the present

Many times instead of saying "I talk", you can say: "I am talking", or instead of saying "I spoke", you can say: "I was talking". In Spanish, sometimes it is easier to remember these tenses because you only have to remember the conjugation of "estar" in present and the imperfect and add a verb that ends in "ando" for "ar" ending verbs and "endo" (for "er" ending verbs). Here are some examples:
Examples:
Yesterday...........Now:
I was talking,..... ............I am talking
Estaba hablando............Estoy Hablando

I was thinking................I am thinking
Estaba pensando............Estoy pensando

I was writing..................I am writing
Estaba escribiendo.......Estoy escribiendo

I was watching..............I am watching
Estaba mirando.............Estoy mirando

Estar/Imperfect Estar/Present
Yo estaba.......................Yo estoy
Tu estabas......................Tu estás
El Estaba.........................El está
Nosotros estábamos......Nosotros estamos
Ellos estaban...................Ellos están

Use of Estar/Ser

Very short lesson but very wise:
"How you feel and where you are, that is when you use estar." (however, not the only time.... of course)

Estoy cansado
Estoy triste
Estoy en la clase
estoy con mi amigo
Estaba ocupado


Other uses of ser/estar to be careful:
Estoy (bien) bueno(a): quiere decir que tengo un cuerpo maravilloso y soy guapo o bellisima.
Soy (bien) bueno(a): quiere decir que soy bondadoso(a)

Estoy malo= estoy enfermo
Soy malo= soy perverso, pésimo, inepto, etc.

EJEMPLOS:

I am sick: Estoy enfermo(a) or malo(a)

She feels fine/she is fine: Ella esta bien

They are in the class: ellos estan en la clase

She is here: Ella esta aqui