FILLER WORDS | MULETILLAS

Previously on Spectrum Monkey we looked at the filler expression “O sea…”. So today we’re going to take another look at some more Spanish filler phrases and words and explore how using such words can help us sound a little more Spanish.

Filler words are words that we use in conversation all the time and whilst they might not add any more information, they are extremely useful nonetheless.

“Umm… well… it’s like Spanish is totally my favourite language, you know?”

Take the above example. Whilst this kind of sentence is unlikely to crop up in any written text, the vocabulary used is likely to occur in a real conversation. Here then we have a sentence packed with filler words and expressions. These function in a number of ways. Often to fill a silence whilst we are thinking about what to say next, sometimes to emphasis the point or even just to affirm that the person has understood correctly.

Whatever the reason for the use of filler words in the above example, we could remove all of them and simply be left with: “Spanish is my favourite language”.

In Spanish we call filler words and expressions ”muletillas”. This is a diminutive word from “una muleta” meaning a crutch. Therefore, muletillas are “little crutches” which is a fantastic description, as we all need some support when learning a new language, right?!

Muletillas are often an overlooked aspect of the Spanish language. However, as hopefully our above example shows, whilst they might not add any more information to a situation, they occur with a high frequency in real-world conversations. Therefore, being able to spot a muletilla is an essential part of auditive comprehension.

Let’s see a few examples of some very common Spanish muletillas, explaining their purpose and how we might use them in everyday conversation:

Pues
Pues is a Spanish conjunction meaning “then”, “so” or “well”. It is used extensively as a filler word, usually at the start of a sentence to afford the speaker a little more time to think. In this case, it tends be a long drawn out “pueees” while deciding what to say next. Equally, it can be used to convey a degree of uncertainty to a situation:

Spanish	Meaning
“Pues... sí”	Then... yes
“Pues, no estoy seguro”	Well, I'm not sure
“Pues... aquí está”	So... here it is

Entonces
Entonces is a Spanish adverb which also means “then”, “so” or “well”. It can be used to connect ideas together or to transition the conversation, but also is commonly used rather like pues as a filler word at the start of a sentence.

Spanish	Meaning
“Entonces, ¿qué hacemos?”	So, what shall we do then?
“¿Entonces... por qué estás aquí?”	Then... why are you here?
“Entonces...”	So... / Well... / Then...

Bueno
Bueno can function as an adjective, an adverb and a conjunction. Bueno means “good” and it can also mean “well”. It is used in Spanish as a common filler word rather like pues and entonces.

Bueno is a great example of a word where we can buy ourselves a little extra time by really dragging out the pronunciation. In this case, we tend to stretch out the e sound “bueeeeno”.

Spanish	Meaning
“Bueno, me tengo que ir”	Well, I have to go now
“Bueeeeno...”	Weeeell... (pausing for thought)
“Bueno… la verdad es...”	Well... the truth is...

Fíjate
Not all muletillas are about buying a little extra time to think. Take “fíjate” for instance, this word is used to add a little emphasis to a situation.

In this context it is used to mean “look (at this)”, “notice (this)” or “pay attention” and is commonly used at the start of a sentence to really sign post that what is about to be said is really important.

The word itself comes from the reflexive version of the verb fijar (to fix). When used reflexively its meaning changes from to fix to to pay attention. As one is fixing one’s attention on something.

Spanish	Meaning
“¡Fíjate!”	Look at that! / Look!
“Fíjate bien”	Watch carefully / Look closely

¿Sabes?
Sabes literally means “you know”, and it is used exactly as we do in English, whereby we seek agreement or to make sure that the other person is following the conversation. Usually peppering the conversation along the way, or as a closing word to a statement.

Spanish	Meaning
“Ha sido un día largo, ¿sabes?”	It's been a long day, you know?
“Fue ... bueno ... ya sabes...”	It was... well.. you know...

A ver
“A ver” is a very idiomatic construction which means “Let’s see”. It is used with a surprisingly high frequency to start a sentence. This is a tricky one to explain in isolation, as not only does it function to buy the speaker a little more time, but it also indicates that the speaker is still thinking and may be considering what to say next.

An alternative construction is “Vamos a ver” which literally means “We are going to see” but more in the spirit of “We will see”, “Wait and see” or “Alright then, let's see…”. This construction is usually said in summary of the situation rather than because we don't know what we going to say next.

Spanish	Meaning
“A ver...	Let's see...
“Vamos a ver, mañana es otro día”	Let's see, tomorrow is another day

Vale
If we had to choose a muletilla by frequency, then surely vale would win hands down. Vale means “okay” and is the de facto interjection when expressing agreement. I actually can’t think of a word that sounds more Spanish!

Spanish	Meaning
“Ajjj... vale”	Ahhh... okay
“Vale... vale... vale...”	Okay... sure... right...
“Vale, gracias”	Okay, thanks

¡Ay!
Ay is an interjection but also a muletilla. It means a few different things including: “Ow!”, “Ouch!”, “Oh!”, “Oh dear” and can be considered a general exclamation, cry or gasp.

Ay is often used at the start of sentences to make them more emphatic. Let’s see some examples:

Spanish	Meaning
“¡Ay! ¡Qué lástima!”	Oh! What a pity!
“¡Ay!”	Ow! / Oh dear! / Jeez! / Oh!
“¡Ay! Perdí el camino”	Oh! I lost my way

Conclusion | En conclusión
There are literally thousands of muletillas found in the Spanish language and depending which part of the Spanish speaking world you find yourself in will largely dictate which ones you are likely to hear. Today we have covered some very basic one and two-word muletillas, although others can extend into full idiomatic phrases. We will certain return to muletillas another time and investigate some more complex examples.

Being able to pick out filler words and muletillas is often an overlooked part of learning a new language. The types of word we encounter in the written rarely reflect how people actually speak, and when we consider that many real-world conversation consists of these types of filler words, we soon realise how important these words really are.

Beyond just comprehension in general, being able to use muletillas in conversation is a fantastic confidence boost to any beginner, as very quickly these types of word help us form more natural sounding interactions. Certainly being able to use filler words to buy a bit of extra time to think is an invaluable tool for any newcomer and in addition to this, with the use of muletillas we actually begin to sound more Spanish when we speak.

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