Spanish is the language of prayer for more Catholics than any other language in the world, and the basic prayers are the same ones prayed in English: the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be, the Creed and the Hail, Holy Queen. Below, each prayer is given in Spanish with its English equivalent, so you can pray with Spanish-speaking family and friends, learn the prayers for a bilingual Mass or Rosary, or teach them to children. The Spanish texts come from the classic catechism of Father Gaspar Astete, which taught generations of Spanish-speaking Catholics to pray; where the wording used at Mass today is slightly different, the difference is noted.
La señal de la cruz (The Sign of the Cross)
Spanish-speaking Catholics often make three small crosses, on the forehead, the lips and the breast, while saying the first part (“Por la señal de la Santa Cruz, de nuestros enemigos líbranos, Señor, Dios nuestro”), and then the large Sign of the Cross while saying “En el nombre del Padre…”. This double form is called persignarse and santiguarse.
Por la señal de la Santa Cruz, de nuestros enemigos líbranos, Señor, Dios nuestro.
En el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo.
Amén.
In English: “By the sign of the Holy Cross, deliver us from our enemies, O Lord our God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” The English Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
El Padre Nuestro (The Our Father)
The traditional text, as Astete’s catechism gives it:
Padre nuestro, que estás en los cielos, santificado sea el tu nombre; venga a nos el tu reino; hágase tu voluntad, así en la tierra como en el cielo.
El pan nuestro de cada día, dánosle hoy; y perdónanos nuestras deudas, así como nosotros perdonamos a nuestros deudores; y no nos dejes caer en la tentación; mas líbranos de mal.
Amén.
Today’s wording. Since the 1980s most Spanish-speaking countries pray a common modern version at Mass. Its main differences are “venga a nosotros tu reino” (for “venga a nos el tu reino”), “danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día,” “perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden,” and “líbranos del mal.” Many older Catholics still pray the traditional words.
The Our Father in English:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
El Ave María (The Hail Mary)
Dios te salve, María, llena eres de gracia; el Señor es contigo; bendita eres entre todas las mujeres, y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre, Jesús.
Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros, pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.
Amén.
Today most people say “bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres.” The Hail Mary in English:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
El Gloria (The Glory Be)
The Spanish Glory Be, a direct translation of the Latin Gloria Patri:
Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo, y al Espíritu Santo.
Como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.
The Glory Be in English:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
El Credo (The Apostles’ Creed)
Creo en Dios Padre todopoderoso, Creador del cielo y de la tierra, y en Jesucristo su único Hijo, nuestro Señor, que fue concebido por obra y gracia del Espíritu Santo, y nació de la Virgen María, padeció debajo del poder de Poncio Pilato; fue crucificado, muerto y sepultado, descendió a los infiernos, al tercero día resucitó de entre los muertos, subió a los cielos y está sentado a la diestra de Dios Padre todopoderoso, desde allí ha de venir a juzgar los vivos y los muertos.
Creo en el Espíritu Santo, la santa Iglesia católica, la comunión de los santos, el perdón de los pecados, la resurrección de la carne y la vida perdurable.
Amén.
Today’s wording differs in a few phrases: “Creo en Dios, Padre todopoderoso,” “nació de Santa María Virgen,” “al tercer día,” “a la derecha de Dios,” “a vivos y muertos” and “la vida eterna.” The Apostles’ Creed in English:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified;
died, and was buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
La Salve (Hail, Holy Queen)
The Salve is sung or prayed at the end of the Rosary and, in many Spanish-speaking parishes, at the end of the day.
Dios te salve, Reina y Madre de misericordia, vida, dulzura y esperanza nuestra;
Dios te salve.
A ti llamamos los desterrados hijos de Eva; a ti suspiramos, gimiendo y llorando en este valle de lágrimas.
Ea, pues, Señora, abogada nuestra, vuelve a nosotros esos tus ojos misericordiosos; y después de este destierro muéstranos a Jesús, fruto bendito de tu vientre.
¡Oh clementísima, oh piadosa, oh dulce Virgen María!
Ruega por nos, santa Madre de Dios, para que seamos dignos de las promesas de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
Amén.
Today the last petition is usually “para que seamos dignos de alcanzar las promesas de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.” The Hail, Holy Queen in English:
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy! Hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Acto de contrición (Act of Contrition)
The classic Spanish act of contrition, “Señor mío Jesucristo,” is longer than the usual English one. It tells Jesus that I am sorry for having offended him because he is who he is and because I love him above all things; promises never to sin again, to go to confession, to do my penance and to avoid every occasion of sin; offers him my life, works and troubles; and trusts that he will forgive me through his Precious Blood.
Señor mío Jesucristo, Dios y hombre verdadero, Creador y Redentor mío: a mí me pesa de todo corazón de haberos ofendido, por ser vos quien sois y porque os amo sobre todas las cosas; y propongo firmemente de nunca más pecar, de confesarme, de cumplir la penitencia que me fuere impuesta y de apartarme de todas las ocasiones de ofenderos; ofrézcoos mi vida, obras y trabajos en satisfacción de todos mis pecados; y confío en vuestra divina bondad y misericordia infinita, me los perdonaréis por los méritos de vuestra preciosísima sangre, pasión y muerte, y me daréis gracia para enmendarme y para perseverar en vuestro santo servicio hasta el fin de mi vida.
Amén.
A common English act of contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
See the Act of Contrition page and how to go to confession.
Yo pecador (I Confess)
The traditional Spanish Confiteor, prayed before confession:
Yo pecador me confieso a Dios todopoderoso, a la bienaventurada siempre Virgen María, al bienaventurado san Miguel Arcángel, a san Juan Bautista, a los santos apóstoles san Pedro y san Pablo, a todos los santos, y a vos, Padre, que pequé gravemente con el pensamiento, palabra y obra, por mi culpa, por mi culpa, por mi grandísima culpa.
Por tanto, ruego a la bienaventurada siempre Virgen María, al bienaventurado san Miguel Arcángel, a san Juan Bautista, a los santos apóstoles san Pedro y san Pablo, a todos los santos, y a vos, Padre espiritual, que roguéis por mí a Dios nuestro Señor.
The traditional English Confiteor:
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
May the Almighty God have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.
May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen.
Ángel de la guarda (Guardian Angel prayer)
The best-loved children’s prayer in Spanish, taught by parents and grandparents for generations:
Ángel de mi guarda, dulce compañía,
no me desampares ni de noche ni de día.
In English: “My guardian angel, sweet companion, do not forsake me by night or by day.” See the Guardian Angel prayer in English and Latin.
Grace before meals
The Spanish grace before meals (“Bendícenos, Señor…”) is on our Catholic grace before meals page, with the English and Latin versions.
Useful words for praying in Spanish
- Oración: prayer. Rezar or orar: to pray.
- Misa: Mass. Comunión: Communion. Confesión: confession.
- Rosario: Rosary. Misterios: mysteries (gozosos, luminosos, dolorosos, gloriosos).
- Virgen María, Nuestra Señora: the Virgin Mary, Our Lady.
- Espíritu Santo: Holy Spirit. Santísima Trinidad: Most Holy Trinity.
- Amén: Amen.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say the Our Father in Spanish?
“Padre nuestro, que estás en los cielos, santificado sea tu nombre…” Both the traditional and the modern Mass wording are explained above.
Why are there two versions of the Padre Nuestro?
The traditional wording, taught in catechisms for centuries, was updated in the late twentieth century so that Spanish-speaking countries would share one common text at Mass. Both are the same prayer, and both are fine for private prayer.
What is the Hail Mary in Spanish?
The Ave María: “Dios te salve, María, llena eres de gracia, el Señor es contigo…”
What prayers do Spanish-speaking Catholics say before bed?
Many pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary and the Guardian Angel prayer, “Ángel de mi guarda, dulce compañía.”
More prayers in other languages
- Preces (en español)
- Recuerdos para Primera Comunión
- Las Posadas
- Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day
- El bautismo de Jesús
- Requisitos para el bautizo
- Recordatorios para misa de difuntos
- Catholic prayers in Latin
- Oración de los fieles (prayers of the faithful in Spanish)
- Partes de la misa
- Oraciones para la primera comunión
- Rosary prayers
- Our Lady of Guadalupe novena
Texts and sources
- Spanish texts of the Sign of the Cross, Padre Nuestro, Ave María, Credo, Salve, Yo Pecador and Acto de Contrición: Gaspar Astete, Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana (1599), Valladolid edition of 1787, Spanish Wikisource; spelling, accents and punctuation modernized, wording unchanged.
- The Spanish Gloria is translated from the Latin Gloria Patri; the Guardian Angel verse is a traditional children’s prayer.
- English texts: Baltimore Catechism No. 3 (1891) and other public-domain prayer books, as on this site’s prayer pages.