Personal Information

English Vocabulary

Personal information questions are the basis for any conversation in English and so are
important for when you meet somebody for the first time. They are the building blocks from
which the rest of the conversation can develop.

Some common questions and a correct form for the answer are as follows:
Notice that we are giving our answers in complete sentences to practice using them though
normally we only give short answers.

Names
What is your name?
My name is _______.

What is your surname / last name?

My surname / last name is _______.

Do you have a nickname?

Yes, my nickname is _______ or No, I don't.

Work & Occupation

What do you do?
I am a _______.

Where do you work?

I work at _______.

Do you like your job?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

Why do you like your job?

I like my job because _______.

Marital Status
Are you married / single?
Yes, I am. or No I'm not.

Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

What is your partner's name?

My partner's name is _______.
Family
Do you have any children?
Yes, I have _______ children. or No, I don't

What are their names?

Their names are _______.

How many brothers and sister do you have?

I have _______ brothers and _______ sisters.

Age
How old are you?
I am _______ years old.

When is your birthday?

My birthday is on the _______ of _______.

Where were you born?

I was born in _______.

Contact Information
Where are you from?
I am from _______.

What is your address?

My address is _______.

What is your phone number?

My phone number is _______.

What is your cell phone number?

My cell phone number is _______.

Do you live with your parents?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

Do you live alone?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

Who do you live with?

I live with my _______.

Do you live in a house or an apartment?

I live in a/an _______.

What is your e-mail address?

My e-mail address is _______.

Free time activities

What do you do in your free time?
In my free time I _______.
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies are _______.

What type of music do you like?

I like _______ music.

Do you have a favourite singer or group?

My favourite singer / group is _______.

What types of movies do you like?

I like _______ movies.

Do you like to read?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

What do you like to read?

I like to read _______.

Habits
Do you have any bad habits?
Yes, one of my bad habits is _______.

Do you snore?
Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

Do you smoke?
Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

How many cigarettes do you smoke a day?

I smoke _______ cigarettes a day.

Other Personal Information

What is your favourite food?
My favourite food is _______.

Is there any food that you do not like?

Yes, I don't like _______. or I like all food.

What is your favourite colour?

My favourite colour is _______.

Why do you want to learn English?

I want to learn English because _______.

What languages do you speak?

I speak _______.

Do you have any pets?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.
What pets do you have?
I have _______.

What are their names?

Their names are _______.

Which sports do you like?

The sport I like is _______.

Do you have a favourite team?

My favourite team is _______.

What is something you do well?

I am good at _______.

What is something you do not do well?

I am bad at _______.

Are you romantic?

_______ romantic.

Do you have any tattoos?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

Describe yourself using only two words.

I am _______ and _______.

What makes you happy?

I am happy when _______.

Are you a good cook/singer/driver?

Yes, I do. or No, I don't.

Next Activities
The structure of the question may be very different to your own native languages but there are
rules concerning the structure of sentences in English.

For more information regarding the correct use of the question words such
as What, Where, How and When refer to our student notes on Question Words.

For more information regarding the correct us of do/does in questions refer to our student
notes on Do vs. Does.

With just a little practice you can become very good at asking and answering these basic
questions with any native English speaker. Try them the next time you meet an English
speaker and you may make a new friend.

Try our interactive games to practice this: Personal Information.

Greetings and Farewells
Spanish Vocabulary

Greetings in Spanish
In Spanish there are different ways of greeting and saying hello depending on the context of
the situation, the time of day and who you are talking to. Some of the most common
expressions are:

 Hola (informal)
- Hi. - For any time of day. This is the most common greeting in Spanish.
 Buenos días
- Good morning
 Buenas tardes
- Good afternoon
 Que tengas buenos días ... (informal)
- Have a good day
 Que tenga (ud.) buenos días ... (formal)
- Have a good day
 Que gusto de verte (informal)
- It's nice to see you
 Que gusto de verlo (formal)
- I'm glad to see you
 Tanto tiempo sin verte
- Long time no see

Asking how someone is in Spanish

Normally the difference between a formal and informal greeting depends on the use
of tú or usted. These are different ways of asking how someone is:

Remember for questions in Spanish we begin with an inverted question mark (¿)

 ¿Cómo estás (tú)? - informal

- How are you?
 ¿Cómo está Usted? - formal
- How are you?
 ¿Qué tal?
- What's up?
 ¿Cómo has estado? - (se refiere a tu salud o eventos nuevos de tu vida privada)
- How have you been?
 ¿Cómo te ha ido?
- How's everything been going?
 ¿Cómo te va? (informal)
- How's it going?
 ¿Cómo le va? (formal)
- How are things going for you?
 ¿Cómo está(n) tu _____? hermano(s), novia, familia, padre(s), etc.
- How is (are) your brother(s), girlfriend, family, parents...

Asking people what they have been doing of late

These questions are asking about new things the other person has been doing recently (or
since the last time you met):

 ¿Qué has hecho (últimamente)?

- What have you done (lately)?
 ¿Qué hay de nuevo?
- What's new?
 ¿Qué (me) cuentas?
- What's new? (literally: What can you tell me?)

These were the day to day greetings, now let's look at the ones for special days and occasions

Greetings for Christmas, New Year and other

celebrations
 Feliz año nuevo
- Happy New Year
 Próspero año nuevo
- Prosperous / Happy New Year
 Les deseamos una feliz navidad
- We wish you a merry Christmas
 Felices fiestas
- Happy celebrations
 Felices fiestas patrias
- Happy National day
 Quisiera desearles unas bonitas fiestas
- I would like to wish you a beautiful / wonderful celebration
  Que tengan unas bonitas fiestas
- Have a beautiful / wonderful celebration
 Feliz día de la madre
- Happy Mother's day
 Feliz día del padre
- Happy Father's day
 Feliz Santo (Santa)
- Happy Saint's day

Birthday greetings in Spanish

 Nosotros te deseamos muchas / muchísimas felicidades en tu cumpleaños
- We wish you a lot of happiness on your birthday
 Con todo nuestro cariño para ti en este día especial
- With all of our affection for you on this special day
 Quisiera desearte muchas felicidades en tu día
- I would like to wish you much happiness on your day
 Que tengas un muy feliz cumpleaños
- Have a happy birthday
 Te deseo lo mejor en este día
- I wish you the best on this day

What to say in Spanish when someone is sick

 Que te mejores pronto
- Get well soon
 Que te recuperes pronto
- Get well / recover soon
 Le deseo una pronta recuperación (formal)
- I wish you a quick recovery.

Wishing someone good luck in Spanish

 ¡Que tengas suerte!
- Good luck!
 ¡Qué te vaya bien!
- Good luck (I hope everything goes well)
 Buena suerte en ... tu(s) prueba, proyectos, universidad, etc.
- Good luck in ... your test, project, university etc
 Te deseamos mucha suerte con ...
- I wish you a lot of luck with ..
 Te deseamos lo mejor ...
- I wish you the best ...
 ¡Mejor suerte para la próxima vez!
- Better luck next time!

How to congratulate someone in Spanish

  ¡Felicitaciones!
- Congratulations
 ¡Muy bien!
- Very good
 ¡Qué bien!
- Great!
 ¡Excelente!
- Excellent!
 ¡Qué bien hecho!
- Well done!
 ¡Buen trabajo!
- Good work!
 ¡Felicidades por tu ... (nuevo hijo, nuevo trabajo...)!
- Congratulations for your ...
 ¡Enhorabuena!
- Congratulations (when someone has just done something - passing an exam, getting
a new job - also for the birth of a child or getting married)

Saying goodbye in Spanish

Farewells also depend on the context and the person you are speaking to.

 Adiós
- Goodbye / Bye
 GOOD night adiós/ hasta mañana
 Nos vemos
- See you
 Saludos a ... tu mamá, papá, etc.
- Say hi to ... your mum, dad etc
 Hasta pronto
- See you soon
 Hasta luego
- See you later / soon
 Hasta siempre
- A final goodbye, you will most likely not see each other again
 Hasta nunca
- Until never (as in, we'll never see each other again, sometimes said when angry)
 Hasta mañana
- Until tomorrow
 Hasta la otra semana
- Until next week
 Hasta el próximo fin de semana
- Until next weekend
 Te veo luego
- See you soon
 Chao
- Bye
 ¡Cuídate! (very common en Chile)
- Take care
 Nos estamos viendo...
- We'll see you around
  Buenas noches
- Good evening

How to begin a letter in Spanish

 De nuestra consideración (formal - impersonal)
- To whom it may concern
 Estimado señor (formal - for a man)
- Dear Sir (or Dear Mr... when it is followed by a surname)
 Estimada señora/señorita (formal - for a woman)
- Dear Madam (or Dear Mrs... when it is followed by a surname)
 Querido amigo
- Dearest Friend (a male friend)
 Querida amiga
- Dearest Friend (a female friend)
 Hola amigo / amiga
- Hi Mate, Hi friend

Ways of ending a letter in Spanish

 Saluda cordialmente a Ud. (formal)
- Yours faithfully
 Atentamente (formal)
- Yours truly
 Sinceramente (formal)
- Yours Sincerely
 Cariñosamente
- Affectionately
 Marta y yo les deseamos lo mejor (a ustedes)
- Marta and I wish you the best
 Déle mis saludos a... (persona indeterminada)
- Give my regards to ...
 Esperando... tu respuesta/recibir tu respuesta/saber de ti.
- Waiting... for your reply/ to receive a reply/to hear from you
 Quedo a la espera de tu/su respuesta.
- I await your response
 Abrazos / Besos de parte de...
- Hugs / kisses from ...
 Un saludo desde... (Chile, Londres... etc).
- Greetings from ... (Hi or Bye from...)
 Con amor
- With love
 Con cariño
- With affection
 Escríbeme pronto
- Write soon