GitHub Start for free

These are the 10,000 words that come up most often in everyday Galician (Galego), counted as they are actually said rather than as dictionary headwords — so where Galician changes a word's ending, each ending is counted on its own. Work down from the top: the first few hundred carry most ordinary conversation.

The most common words in Galician, most frequent first, with English meanings.
#WordIn English
1 que that
2 a to, toward; indicating direction of motion
3 o masculine singular definite article; the
4 non no, not, not at all
5 de of; from
6 e and
7 é is; third-person singular present indicative of ser
8 un a, an, one
9 os the
10 unha a, one
11 se if
12 para for
13 por for
14 do of the; from the; 's
15 en in
16 da of the; from the
17 as the
18 como how
19 está to be
20 si himself, herself, itself
21 máis more, especially used in forming the superlative of…
22 no in the
23 ao contraction of a + o m sg
24 ben well
25 pero but
26 eu I
27 na in the
28 con with
29 aquí here
30 son sound
31 me I
32 todo everything
33 á to the, towards the
34 iso that
35 meu First-person singular possessive determiner
36 xa already
37 hai shall; ought to; should
38 ti you
39 cando when
40 ou or
41 no more than; merely
42 dos of the; from the
43 súa his, hers, its
44 miña mine, my
45 seu his
46 agora now
47 así so, thus
48 moi apocopic form of moito
49 onde where
50 nada nothing
51 era to be
52 ten to hold, have
53 facer to do, make
54 ser to be
55 foi to go
56 el he
57 teño have; first-person singular present indicative of ter
58 quen who; whom
59 esta this
60 algo something
61 nos in the
62 todos everything
63 vai to go
64 estou to be
65 porque because
66 este this
67 lle you
68 pode can
69 te you
70 casa to marry
71 sei to know
72 quero to desire; to want
73 mais and; with
74 xente people
75 señor elder, senior
76 tamén also, too, as well
77 das of the; from the
78 min I
79 vez time
80 tempo time
81 nunca never
82 teu yours
83 sen without
84 estás to be
85 podo can
86 estaba to be
87 día day
88 aínda still, yet
89 vida life
90 polo contraction of por + o m sg
91 che you
92 túa yours
93 ver to see
94 dicir to say, speak
95 anos year
96 vostede you
97 ela she
98 tan so, as
99 home human; person
100 pola through the; by the; for the
101 aos to the, towards the
102 mesmo even
103 moito much, a lot, lots
104 tes The name of the Latin script letter T/t
105 coma as
106 sobre on, atop
107 nin nor
108 vou to go
109 nós we, us
110 sempre always
111 están to be
112 co with the
113 noite night; period of dark, when the sun is below the horizon
114 mellor good
115 es to be
116 coa with the
117 traballo to work
118 cousas thing
119 temos have; first-person plural present indicative of ter
120 seus his, hers, its
121 antes before, prior to
122 queres to desire; to want
123 dous two
124 sabes to know
125 veña to come
126 ás to the, towards the
127 ir to go
128 ese that
129 mundo world
130 grazas plural of graza
131 ter to hold, have
132 imos to go
133 esa that
134 bo good
135 verdade truth
136 logo immediately, promptly
137 outra other, another
138 despois after
139 pai father
140 entón then
141 alí there, then
142 dun contraction of de + un m
143 eles they
144 creo to believe
145 estar to be
146 podes can
147 ninguén no one, nobody
148 falar to speak, to talk
149 quere wants; inflection of querer
150 nun in a, in one
151 fai to do, make
152 tiña to hold, have
153 pouco a little of something; not enough
154 noso our; ours
155 cada each
156 estamos to be
157 alguén someone
158 outro other, another
159 deus god, deity
160 mañá tomorrow
161 novo the young people
162 nai mother
163 entre between, among
164 cara to
165 hoxe today
166 dixo to say, speak
167 días day
168 homes human; person
169 cousa thing
170 ola hello
171 súas his, hers, its
172 fillo son
173 nosa ours
174 lugar place
175 guerra war
176 ata until, till, up to
177 meus mine
178 nas in the
179 tres three
180 muller woman
181 menos less
182 todas everything
183 sabe to know
184 dunha contraction of de + unha
185 sexa to be
186 claro clear, light
187 pasa to pass, cross
188 vas empty, devoid of content, containing only air
189 di to say, speak
190 boa good
191 contra against
192 parte to go away, to leave, to depart
193 podería can
194 nunha in a, in one
195 oh oh
196 dende from
197 podemos can
198 primeiro first
199 fóra outside
200 teñen to hold, have
201 mira to look
202 canto how much
203 veces time
204 tarde late, later
205 tanto so much
206 cos with the
207 nova new
208 mal badly
209 cidade city
210 vale to be useful
211 ó alternative spelling of ao
212 momento moment, instant
213 pois so; then
214 dúas two
215 quería to desire; to want
216 daquela then, back then
217 nome name
218 durante during
219 certo right, correct
220 tal such
221 será to be
222 calquera any; whichever; whatever
223 amor love
224 vamos to go
225 había shall; ought to; should
226 seguro secure; safe
227 penso to think
228 parece to seem, appear
229 grande large
230 outros other, another
231 tipo type
232 até alternative form of ata
233 poder can
234 gran apocopic form of grande
235 cartos money
236 xeito way, manner or fashion
237 medo fear
238 merda shit, dung, excrement
239 saber to know
240 vin to see
241 dixen to say, speak
242 terra soil, earth
243 ollos eye
244 pobo people, folk, commoners
245 debe should, ought, will likely
246 nosos ours
247 auga water
248 país country
249 van empty, devoid of content, containing only air
250 ven to see
251 problema problem
252 moitos much, many, a lot of, lots of
253 comigo with me
254 lles they
255 desde since
256 rei king
257 historia history
258 uns some
259 amigo friend
260 morte death
261 feito to do, make
262 cabeza head
263 ano year
264 vós second-person plural nominative personal pronoun; you
265 traballar to work
266 primeira first
267 somos to be
268 foron to go
269 ningún not any; not even one
270 poden can
271 estes these
272 familia family
273 acordo agreement, deal, decision
274 fixo to do, make
275 dentro inside
276 man hand
277 fin end
278 hora hour
279 persoas person
280 dar to give
281 cun with a, with one
282 policía police
283 irmán brother
284 case almost
285 amigos friend
286 mentres meanwhile
287 fillos son
288 sería to be
289 pasar to pass, cross
290 idea idea
291 razón reason
292 nenos boy; male child, especially before puberty
293 polos through the; by the; for the
294 cal which
295 vos second-person plural nominative personal pronoun; you
296 volta to return; to come back; to go back
297 ca than
298 moitas much, many, a lot of, lots of
299 camiño to walk
300 eran to be
301 teus yours
302 algunha some, any
303 volver to return
304 vén to come
305 estas these
306 debería should, ought, will likely
307 mans hand
308 filme film; movie; motion picture
309 vaia to go
310 contigo with you
311 mamá mum, mom
312 vivir to live
313 algún some, any
314 coas with the
315 conta to count; to compute
316 demasiado too, too much
317 eses those
318 pasou to pass, cross
319 ía to go
320 porta door
321 cinco five
322 exército army
323 adeus a goodbye
324 miñas mine
325 catro four
326 neste contraction of en + este, literally “in this”
327 mesma same
328 cunha with a, with one
329 vexo to see
330 algúns some, any
331 fas to do, make
332 fun to go
333 sabía to know
334 baixo below, under, underneath
335 xefe boss
336 igual in the same way; just like
337 síntoo sorry
338 rúa street
339 pensar to think
340 chegar to arrive
341 saír to exit, leave
342 rapaz rapacious
343 lado side
344 fixen to do, make
345 matar to kill
346 ningunha not any; not one
347 fose to go
348 único unique
349 ves to see
350 estado to be
351 morrer to die
352 segundo second; after the first
353 caso to marry
354 cuarto bedroom
355 coche car
356 vir to see
357 vello old
358 paz peace
359 importante important
360 corazón heart
361 aló there
362 tío uncle
363 gusta to be pleased, enjoy
364 deixa to leave
365 comer to eat
366 cres to believe
367 deste to give
368 queda to stay, remain
369 semana week
370 podía can
371 marchar to leave, depart
372 pequeno little, short, small; smaller
373 deixar to leave
374 puta whore
375 medio partly, somewhat, not completely
376 pensei to think
377 nosas ours
378 preciso to specify
379 sorte fate, fortune
380 persoa person
381 axiña soon, promptly
382 filla daughter
383 campo field
384 número digit, numeral, number
385 xuntos joined
386 levar to take, to carry, to transport
387 ah ah
388 estaban to be
389 fan to do, make
390 esas those
391 tiven to hold, have
392 goberno government
393 diñeiro money
394 queren to desire; to want
395 neno boy; male child, especially before puberty
396 corpo body, torso
397 adiante ahead, forward
398 sitio place
399 partido to go away, to leave, to depart
400 forma form, shape
401 axuda to help, aid
402 sangue blood
403 boas good
404 lonxe far, afar
405 feliz happy
406 ei gee up
407 difícil difficult
408 coido to think; to believe
409 din to say, speak
410 soa alone
411 moza young; younger
412 cadra to square
413 moita much, many, a lot of, lots of
414 fala to speak, to talk
415 irmá sister
416 del of him, of it, from him, from it
417 xusto just, fair
418 palabra word
419 suposto to suppose, assume
420 morto to die
421 pensas to think
422 leva to take, to carry, to transport
423 rápido quickly
424 dis to say, speak
425 quizais perhaps, maybe
426 liberdade liberty; freedom
427 forte strong
428 orde order
429 polas through the; by the; for the
430 digo to say, speak
431 dez ten
432 onte yesterday
433 mozo boy; teenager; young man; single man
434 comida food
435 tolo madman, crazy
436 negro black, dark colored
437 preto near, nearby
438 senón except
439 presidente president
440 forza force
441 significa to mean, signify
442 entendo to understand
443 grandes large
444 diante before
445 escola school
446 punto point
447 chegou to arrive
448 agarda to wait for
449 rapaza girl
450 voso your
451 abaixo down, downwards
452 outras other, another
453 unhas some
454 queremos to desire; to want
455 poida perhaps, maybe
456 dereito right, righthand
457 alto high
458 atopar to end, limit
459 debemos should, ought, will likely
460 maior bigger, greater, major
461 coidado to think; to believe
462 vosa yours
463 sinto to hear
464 situación situation
465 rapaces rapacious
466 culpa blame, guilt
467 pais father
468 sol sun
469 norte north
470 garda guard, watchman, escort
471 escoita to listen, to pay attention
472 deles of them, from them
473 alá there
474 pasado to pass, cross
475 supoño to suppose, assume
476 durmir to sleep
477 seis six
478 morreu to die
479 luz light
480 sur south
481 fago to do, make
482 quedar to stay, remain
483 pensa to think
484 sequera even
485 foot, part of the body
486 tivo to hold, have
487 bos good
488 carallo penis
489 tomar to take
490 cama bed
491 atrás behind, in back of
492 toma to take
493 carta letter, correspondence
494 faga to do, make
495 vivo to live
496 nena child, especially before puberty
497 fixeches to do, make
498 tería to hold, have
499 pequena little, short, small; smaller
500 maneira manner, method, way
501 entrar to enter
502 futuro future
503 última last; final; latest
504 acó here
505 realidade reality
506 palabras word
507 bastante enough
508 loita to fight, to struggle
509 facendo to do, make
510 axudar to help, aid
511 chega to arrive
512 querida feminine singular of querido
513 espero to wait
514 túas yours
515 propio own
516 segue to follow, come after
517 branco white
518 seguir to follow, come after
519 mar sea
520 tampouco neither
521 debo should, ought, will likely
522 noites night; period of dark, when the sun is below the horizon
523 seguinte next, following
524 houbo shall; ought to; should
525 fronte forehead
526 grupo group
527 millóns million
528 chama to call; to refer to
529 to give
530 veu to come
531 animais animal
532 traballadores worker, laborer
533 buscar to search for; to look for
534 peor badly
535 lume flame, fire
536 pregunta to ask
537 revolución revolution, revolt
538 cámara namely, the main bedroom of a house
539 libre free, not captive, unbound
540 estiven to be
541 ha shall; ought to; should
542 sentido to hear
543 mortos dead; deceased
544 fame hunger
545 detrás behind; at the back
546 estea to be
547 boca mouth
548 algunhas some, any
549 volve to return
550 negros black, dark colored
551 pobre poor
552 centro centre
553 ceo to dine
554 música music
555 malo bad
556 espera to wait
557 única unique
558 cantos how many
559 falta lack, shortage
560 dixeches to say, speak
561 saben to know
562 velo to keep vigil
563 sistema system
564 estivo to be
565 esquerda left, left-hand
566 nacional national
567 vostedes you
568 fixeron to do, make
569 colle to harvest
570 teña to hold, have
571 novas new
572 marcha to leave, depart
573 resto the rest
574 vive to live
575 can dog
576 coller to harvest
577 coñezo to know
578 xogo to play
579 capitán captain
580 política politician
581 dólares dollar
582 mes month
583 cre to believe
584 lei law
585 perder to lose
586 partes to go away, to leave, to depart
587 sete seven
588 duro hard
589 exemplo example
590 frío cold
591 chamar to call; to refer to
592 papel paper
593 voz voice
594 sabemos to know
595 soño dream
596 equipo team
597 último last; final; latest
598 café coffee
599 roupa clothing, clothes
600 director director
601 sociedade society, civilization
602 atención attention
603 festa festival
604 tras behind
605 silencio silence
606 tiñan to hold, have
607 vella old
608 ve to see
609 ler to read
610 mil one thousand; 1000
611 doutor doctor, physician
612 intre a moment in time
613 debes should, ought, will likely
614 lembro to remember
615 teléfono telephone, phone
616 sodes to be
617 fora to go
618 crer to believe
619 deben should, ought, will likely
620 estades to be
621 pagar to pay
622 fábrica factory
623 diga to say, speak
624 irmáns brother
625 cuestión question
626 dela of her, of it, from her, from it
627 hospital hospital
628 loitar to fight, to struggle
629 asunto matter, issue
630 comezar to start, begin, commence
631 simplemente simply
632 precisa necessary
633 libro book
634 exactamente exactly
635 estabamos to be
636 real royal
637 semanas week
638 viaxe to travel
639 querido to desire; to want
640 chan floor
641 vista feminine plural of visto
642 xogar to play
643 diferente different
644 raíña queen
645 pon to put, place
646 tiñamos to hold, have
647 comunista communist, Communist
648 barco ship
649 longo long
650 sae to exit, leave
651 gañar to win
652 oportunidade opportunity
653 media average
654 proba to prove
655 facemos to do, make
656 cala to shut up; to be silent
657 bonito pretty, lovely
658 casas structure serving as an abode of human beings
659 mirar to look
660 haberá shall; ought to; should
661 agardar to wait for
662 muro wall
663 estabas to be
664 deu to give
665 dese to give
666 hotel hotel
667 anda to walk
668 fagas to do, make
669 estraño weird, odd, peculiar
670 casar to marry
671 abondo a sufficient or more than sufficient quantity
672 seguridade safety, security
673 movemento movement
674 paso slowly
675 pensaba to think
676 cor color, hue
677 dereita right, righthand
678 banda band, strip
679 esposa wife
680 maioría majority
681 semella to seem
682 mo contraction of me + o
683 doce twelve
684 carne meat
685 estará to be
686 san apocopic form of santo
687 viva to live
688 batalla battle
689 ollo eye
690 idade age
691 pan bread
692 cabalo horse
693 dirección direction
694 soldado soldier
695 dicía to say, speak
696 compañía company, companionship
697 persoal personal
698 ouro gold
699 respecto respect
700 terá to hold, have
701 viches to see
702 parvo foolish, stupid
703 pena punishment, penalty
704 deberías should, ought, will likely
705 calor heat
706 cambio to change
707 oficina office
708 modo mode, manner
709 maio May
710 triste sad, unhappy
711 cho contraction of te + o, literally “to you, him/it ”
712 aquel that
713 público public
714 foto photo
715 ademais in addition
716 levo to take, to carry, to transport
717 precisamos to specify
718 poñer to put, place
719 minuto minute; 60 seconds
720 conseguir to get, obtain
721 tren fishing tackle; leadline
722 médico doctor
723 arma weapon, arm
724 río to laugh
725 oito eight
726 ante before, in front of
727 veñen to come
728 pelo hair
729 brancos white
730 negocio to negotiate
731 axente agent
732 fondo deep
733 viu to see
734 opinión opinion
735 existe to exist
736 aire air
737 comezou to start, begin, commence
738 radio radio
739 mellores plural of mellor
740 posíbel alternative form of posible
741 dixeron to say, speak
742 facía to do, make
743 aprender to learn
744 ós alternative spelling of aos
745 hei shall; ought to; should
746 servizo service
747 aqueles that
748 ficar to remain; to be left
749 ordes to warp, distort
750 liña line
751 escribir to write
752 contar to count; to compute
753 serán to be
754 odio hate
755 tedes to hold, have
756 igrexa church
757 xeral general
758 fomos to go
759 relación relation
760 rúas street
761 resposta answer, response
762 viño wine
763 pronto soon
764 vila town; urban settlement smaller than a cidade and larger…
765 poderías can
766 acción action
767 alma soul
768 mesa table
769 caer to fall, fall off, fall down
770 abonda a sufficient or more than sufficient quantity
771 entendes to understand
772 saúde health
773 espazo space
774 senta to seat
775 tempos time
776 avión aeroplane, airplane
777 novos new
778 preguntas to ask
779 tema to fear; to worry; to dread
780 fácil easy
781 pés foot, part of the body
782 illa island
783 cedo early, soon, before expected
784 forzas force
785 comezo to start, begin, commence
786 digas to say, speak
787 los alternative form of os
788 coñeces to know
789 vimos to see
790 zona zone, area
791 pracer to please
792 entra to enter
793 mala bad
794 ai ouch! expresses pain
795 falo to speak, to talk
796 rematou to finish
797 poucos few
798 portas to carry, bear
799 ren nothing
800 coñece to know
801 escoitar to listen, to pay attention
802 verán to see
803 imaxe image
804 sindicato trade union; syndicate
805 sendo to be
806 televisión television
807 elas they
808 sexas to be
809 estaría to be
810 posto to put, place
811 militar military
812 queiras to desire; to want
813 arredor around
814 obreiros worker
815 lista strip, band
816 cantas how many
817 arte art
818 posible possible
819 esperar to wait
820 información information
821 causa cause
822 perigo danger
823 mire to look
824 busca to search for; to look for
825 vinte twenty; 20
826 dúbida doubt
827 raro rare
828 beber to drink
829 violencia violence
830 queira to desire; to want
831 inimigo enemy
832 estiveches to be
833 haber shall; ought to; should
834 verte to leak
835 fermosa beautiful
836 vosos yours
837 falando to speak, to talk
838 usar to use
839 vellos old
840 imaxes image
841 unidos masculine plural of unido
842 baixa low
843 ponte bridge
844 costas side; flank
845 la la
846 manter to keep
847 mercar to buy
848 tenda tent
849 falla lack; shortage
850 marchou to leave, depart
851 dor pain
852 deberiamos should, ought, will likely
853 metade a half
854 necesito to need
855 memoria memory
856 parar to stop
857 prezo price
858 chea full
859 sexan to be
860 francés French
861 traballa to work
862 xunto joined
863 metros meter
864 cambiar to change
865 tía aunt
866 aldea village, hamlet
867 queredes to desire; to want
868 folga rest
869 matou to kill
870 cheo full
871 libros book
872 terras soil, earth
873 agardo to wait for
874 botar to throw
875 farei to do, make
876 completamente completely
877 social social
878 comeza to start, begin, commence
879 condicións condition
880 pedir to ask for; to request; to order
881 xamais never
882 estados state
883 subtítulos subtitle, subhead, subheading
884 pobres poor
885 fixemos to do, make
886 vermello red
887 edificio building, edifice
888 posición position
889 fuches to go
890 esperanza hope
891 valor price; cost
892 marabilloso marvellous
893 tivese to hold, have
894 cociña kitchen
895 cea to dine
896 fermoso beautiful
897 americanos American
898 pase to pass, cross
899 puiden can
900 faría to do, make
901 cabo next, by
902 cu ass, arse, booty, rear, behind, butt, buttocks
903 niso in that
904 destes to give
905 chamada feminine singular of chamado
906 avoa grandmother
907 americano American
908 perfecto perfect
909 inverno winter
910 bebé baby
911 morta dead; deceased
912 aquela that
913 sentir to hear
914 volveu to return
915 vento wind
916 simple simple
917 gusto taste
918 espírito spirit
919 connosco with us
920 tranquilo calm, tranquil
921 suficiente sufficient; enough
922 avogado lawyer, attorney
923 combate to combat
924 ataque to attack
925 teñas to hold, have
926 asasinato murder
927 trata to deal
928 negra black, dark colored
929 mensaxe message
930 interesante interesting
931 baño bath
932 rematar to finish
933 quente hot; warm
934 partir to go away, to leave, to depart
935 consello advice, counsel
936 falas to speak, to talk
937 domingo Sunday
938 présa hurry, rush, urgency
939 puido can
940 neve snow
941 presente to present; to show; to submit
942 alta tall
943 acaba to finish
944 lembras to remember
945 lúa the Moon
946 tivemos to hold, have
947 mesmos same
948 común common
949 sente to seat
950 soños dream
951 traballando to work
952 cadea chain
953 calma calm
954 canción song
955 demo devil; demon
956 tiñas to hold, have
957 irei to go
958 asasino murderer
959 galego Galician
960 falamos to speak, to talk
961 necesario necessary
962 época time, season
963 volva to return
964 amiga friend
965 poderiamos can
966 próxima near
967 preguntar to ask
968 nove nine
969 dereitos right, righthand
970 trae to bring
971 teremos to hold, have
972 central central
973 doado easy
974 mágoa minor injury, wound, excoriation
975 civil civil, civilian
976 vitoria victory
977 dabondo in abundance
978 pequenos little, short, small; smaller
979 branca white
980 podedes can
981 tola ditch used for watering a field
982 terás to hold, have
983 ocorre to occur, happen
984 vergoña shame
985 flores flower
986 verdadeiro true; authentic
987 humano human
988 fogar hearth
989 vender to sell
990 pra syncopic form of para
991 visita to visit
992 gato cat
993 mente mind
994 natureza nature
995 deuses god, deity
996 saíu to exit, leave
997 espada sword, which is designed to cut, stab, slash and/or hack
998 azuis blue
999 oeste west
1,000 padre father

Take the list with you

The whole list as a tab-separated file — rank, word, meaning — about 258 KB. It opens in any spreadsheet.

Download all 10,000 Galician words

Frequencies come from the OpenSubtitles corpus via hermitdave/FrequencyWords; English meanings from Wiktextract. Both are CC BY-SA 4.0, and so is this list.

Words stick once you use them

A list gets you the first few hundred. Saying them to someone who speaks Galician is what makes them stay.

Find someone who speaks Galician