Daily Routines & Reflexive Verbs: A2 Vocabulary Guide
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Key Takeaways
- Learn essential Spanish vocabulary for daily routines and personal care
- Master reflexive verbs for talking about your daily schedule
- Understand how to use time expressions to sequence your day
- Practice describing your morning, afternoon, and evening routines
- Learn common adverbs of frequency for talking about habits
Talk About Your Day from Morning to Night
Mastering daily routine vocabulary is crucial for describing your life and understanding others. At the A2 level, you’ll combine these new words with reflexive verbs and time expressions to create detailed descriptions of your typical day.
Morning Routine (La Rutina de la Mañana)
Essential Morning Vocabulary – Start your day in Spanish
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence | Grammar Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| To wake up | despertarse* | Me despierto a las 7. | Reflexive Verb |
| To get up | levantarse* | Me levanto inmediatamente. | Reflexive Verb |
| To brush teeth | cepillarse los dientes* | Me cepillo los dientes después de levantarme. | Reflexive Body Parts |
| To take a shower | ducharse* | Me ducho por la mañana. | Reflexive Verb |
| To get dressed | vestirse* | Me visto para el trabajo. | Stem-changing Reflexive |
| To have breakfast | desayunar | Desayuno café y tostadas. | Regular -AR Verb |
| To leave home | salir de casa | Salgo de casa a las 8. | Irregular Verb Salir |
💡 Vocabulary Tip: The asterisk (*) indicates reflexive verbs. These are essential for talking about personal routines. Need a review? Check out our guide: Reflexive Verbs in Spanish ►.
Throughout the Day (Durante el Día)
Vocabulary for your entire day
| English | Spanish | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| To go to work/school | ir al trabajo/colegio | Voy al trabajo en autobús. |
| To work | trabajar | Trabajo de 9 a 5. |
| To study | estudiar | Estudio español cada día. |
| To have lunch | almorzar* | Almuerzo a la 1 en punto. |
| To return home | volver a casa* | Vuelvo a casa cansado. |
| To relax | relajarse* | Me relajo viendo la televisión. |
| To have dinner | cenar | Cenamos a las 8 de la noche. |
| To go to bed | acostarse* | Me acuesto a las 11. |
Time Expressions (Expresiones de Tiempo)
| Sequence Words: | Frequency Adverbs: |
|---|---|
| Primero (First) | Siempre (Always) |
| Luego (Then) | Usualmente (Usually) |
| Después (After) | A menudo (Often) |
| Antes de (Before) | A veces (Sometimes) |
| Finalmente (Finally) | Raramente (Rarely) |
| Por la mañana/tarde/noche (In the morning/afternoon/evening) | Nunca (Never) |
🔍 Grammar Connection: Use these time expressions with the Present Tense to talk about habits and routines. Learn more: Spanish Present Tense: Complete Guide► .
Putting It All Together: A Typical Day
Mi Día Típico
“Primero, me despierto a las 7 de la mañana. Luego, me levanto y me ducho. Después, me visto y desayuno. Normalmente, salgo de casa a las 8. Durante el día, trabajo en la oficina. A veces, almuerzo con mis compañeros. Finalmente, vuelvo a casa, ceno y me acuesto a las 11.”
Translation:
“My Typical Day: First, I wake up at 7 in the morning. Then, I get up and shower. After, I get dressed and have breakfast. Normally, I leave home at 8. During the day, I work in the office. Sometimes, I have lunch with my colleagues. Finally, I return home, have dinner, and go to bed at 11.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting reflexive pronouns: “Levanto temprano” (wrong) → “Me levanto temprano” (correct)
- Confusing “acostar” and “acostarse”: “Acuesto a las 10” (wrong) → “Me acuesto a las 10″ (correct)
- Wrong time preposition: “A la mañana” (less common) → “Por la mañana” (more natural)
- Mixing up sequence words: “Primero” for first step, “luego” for next steps
- Overusing “siempre”: Use frequency adverbs appropriately
Quick Reference Chart
| Category | Key Vocabulary | Grammar Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | despertarse, levantarse, ducharse | Reflexive Verbs |
| Meals | desayunar, almorzar, cenar | Verb Conjugation |
| Movement | salir, ir, volver | Irregular Verbs |
| Sequence | primero, luego, después | Time Expressions |
| Frequency | siempre, a menudo, a veces | Adverb Placement |
Practice Exercise: Describe Your Routine
Try describing your daily routine using:
- 3 reflexive verbs
- 2 time expressions
- 1 frequency adverb
Example: “Normalmente, me despierto a las 6:30. Primero, me ducho y luego me visto. Siempre desayuno antes de salir.”
📚 Need related vocabulary? Explore Food & Cooking or Transportation & Directions.
Ready to Describe Your Day?
Think you’ve mastered daily routine vocabulary? Test your knowledge with our interactive quiz!
Take Our Daily Routines Quiz ►