diff --git a/elastic/query.go b/elastic/query.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ded4f51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elastic/query.go
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+package elastic
+
+type Query map[string]any
+
+// Not is a shortcut for an ids query
+func Ids(values ...string) Query {
+	return Query{"ids": map[string]any{"values": values}}
+}
+
+// Term is a shortcut for a term query
+func Term(field string, value any) Query {
+	return Query{"term": map[string]any{field: value}}
+}
+
+// Exists is a shortcut for an exists query
+func Exists(field string) Query {
+	return Query{"exists": map[string]any{"field": field}}
+}
+
+// Match is a shortcut for a match query
+func Match(field string, value any) Query {
+	return Query{"match": map[string]any{field: map[string]any{"query": value}}}
+}
+
+// MatchPhrase is a shortcut for a match_phrase query
+func MatchPhrase(field, value string) Query {
+	return Query{"match_phrase": map[string]any{field: map[string]any{"query": value}}}
+}
+
+// GreaterThan is a shortcut for a range query where x > value
+func GreaterThan(field string, value any) Query {
+	return Query{
+		"range": map[string]any{
+			field: map[string]any{
+				"from":          value,
+				"include_lower": false,
+				"include_upper": true,
+				"to":            nil,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// GreaterThanOrEqual is a shortcut for a range query where x >= value
+func GreaterThanOrEqual(field string, value any) Query {
+	return Query{
+		"range": map[string]any{
+			field: map[string]any{
+				"from":          value,
+				"include_lower": true,
+				"include_upper": true,
+				"to":            nil,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// LessThan is a shortcut for a range query where x < value
+func LessThan(field string, value any) Query {
+	return Query{
+		"range": map[string]any{
+			field: map[string]any{
+				"from":          nil,
+				"include_lower": true,
+				"include_upper": false,
+				"to":            value,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// LessThanOrEqual is a shortcut for a range query where x <= value
+func LessThanOrEqual(field string, value any) Query {
+	return Query{
+		"range": map[string]any{
+			field: map[string]any{
+				"from":          nil,
+				"include_lower": true,
+				"include_upper": true,
+				"to":            value,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// Between is a shortcut for a range query where from <= x < to
+func Between(field string, from, to any) Query {
+	return Query{
+		"range": map[string]any{
+			field: map[string]any{
+				"from":          from,
+				"include_lower": true,
+				"include_upper": false,
+				"to":            to,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// Any is a shortcut for a bool query with a should clause
+func Any(queries ...Query) Query {
+	return Query{"bool": map[string]any{"should": queries}}
+}
+
+// All is a shortcut for a bool query with a must clause
+func All(queries ...Query) Query {
+	return Query{"bool": map[string]any{"must": queries}}
+}
+
+// Not is a shortcut for a bool query with a must_not clause
+func Not(query Query) Query {
+	return Query{"bool": map[string]any{"must_not": query}}
+}
+
+// Bool is a shortcut for a bool query with multiple must and must_not clauses
+func Bool(all []Query, none []Query) Query {
+	bq := map[string]any{}
+
+	if len(all) > 0 {
+		bq["must"] = all
+	}
+	if len(none) > 0 {
+		bq["must_not"] = none
+	}
+
+	return Query{"bool": bq}
+}
+
+// Nested is a shortcut for a nested query
+func Nested(path string, query Query) Query {
+	return Query{"nested": map[string]any{"path": path, "query": query}}
+}
diff --git a/elastic/query_test.go b/elastic/query_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1da3fbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elastic/query_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package elastic_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/nyaruka/gocommon/elastic"
+	"github.com/nyaruka/gocommon/jsonx"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
+	tcs := []struct {
+		q    elastic.Query
+		json []byte
+	}{
+		{elastic.Ids("235", "465", "787"), []byte(`{"ids": {"values": ["235", "465", "787"]}}`)},
+		{elastic.Term("age", 42), []byte(`{"term": {"age": 42}}`)},
+		{elastic.Exists("age"), []byte(`{"exists": {"field": "age"}}`)},
+		{elastic.Match("name", "Bob"), []byte(`{"match": {"name": {"query": "Bob"}}}`)},
+		{elastic.MatchPhrase("name", "Bob"), []byte(`{"match_phrase": {"name": {"query": "Bob"}}}`)},
+		{elastic.GreaterThan("age", 45), []byte(`{"range": {"age": {"from": 45, "include_lower": false, "include_upper": true, "to": null}}}`)},
+		{elastic.GreaterThanOrEqual("age", 45), []byte(`{"range": {"age": {"from": 45, "include_lower": true, "include_upper": true, "to": null}}}`)},
+		{elastic.LessThan("age", 45), []byte(`{"range": {"age": {"from": null, "include_lower": true, "include_upper": false, "to": 45}}}`)},
+		{elastic.LessThanOrEqual("age", 45), []byte(`{"range": {"age": {"from": null, "include_lower": true, "include_upper": true, "to": 45}}}`)},
+		{elastic.Between("age", 20, 45), []byte(`{"range": {"age": {"from": 20, "include_lower": true, "include_upper": false, "to": 45}}}`)},
+		{
+			elastic.Any(elastic.Ids("235"), elastic.Term("age", 42)),
+			[]byte(`{"bool": {"should": [{"ids": {"values": ["235"]}}, {"term": {"age": 42}}]}}`),
+		},
+		{
+			elastic.All(elastic.Ids("235"), elastic.Term("age", 42)),
+			[]byte(`{"bool": {"must": [{"ids": {"values": ["235"]}}, {"term": {"age": 42}}]}}`),
+		},
+		{
+			elastic.Not(elastic.Ids("235")),
+			[]byte(`{"bool": {"must_not": {"ids": {"values": ["235"]}}}}`),
+		},
+		{
+			elastic.Bool([]elastic.Query{elastic.Ids("235"), elastic.Term("age", 42)}, []elastic.Query{elastic.Exists("age")}),
+			[]byte(`{"bool": {"must": [{"ids": {"values": ["235"]}}, {"term": {"age": 42}}], "must_not": [{"exists": {"field": "age"}}]}}`),
+		},
+		{
+			elastic.Bool([]elastic.Query{}, []elastic.Query{elastic.Exists("age")}),
+			[]byte(`{"bool": {"must_not": [{"exists": {"field": "age"}}]}}`),
+		},
+		{
+			elastic.Bool([]elastic.Query{elastic.Ids("235"), elastic.Term("age", 42)}, []elastic.Query{}),
+			[]byte(`{"bool": {"must": [{"ids": {"values": ["235"]}}, {"term": {"age": 42}}]}}`),
+		},
+		{elastic.Nested("group", elastic.Term("group.id", 10)), []byte(`{"nested": {"path": "group", "query": {"term": {"group.id": 10}}}}`)},
+	}
+
+	for i, tc := range tcs {
+		assert.JSONEq(t, string(tc.json), string(jsonx.MustMarshal(tc.q)), "%d: elastic mismatch", i)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/elastic/sort.go b/elastic/sort.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4c04f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elastic/sort.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package elastic
+
+type Sort map[string]any
+
+// SortBy is a shortcut for a simple field sort
+func SortBy(field string, ascending bool) Sort {
+	return Sort{field: map[string]any{"order": order(ascending)}}
+}
+
+// SortNested is a shortcut for a nested field sort
+func SortNested(field string, filter Query, path string, ascending bool) Sort {
+	return Sort{field: map[string]any{
+		"nested": map[string]any{"filter": filter, "path": path},
+		"order":  order(ascending),
+	}}
+}
+
+func order(asc bool) string {
+	if asc {
+		return "asc"
+	}
+	return "desc"
+}
diff --git a/elastic/sort_test.go b/elastic/sort_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..86df842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elastic/sort_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package elastic_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/nyaruka/gocommon/elastic"
+	"github.com/nyaruka/gocommon/jsonx"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestSort(t *testing.T) {
+	tcs := []struct {
+		q    elastic.Sort
+		json []byte
+	}{
+		{elastic.SortBy("name", true), []byte(`{"name": {"order": "asc"}}`)},
+		{elastic.SortBy("name", false), []byte(`{"name": {"order": "desc"}}`)},
+		{
+			elastic.SortNested("age", elastic.Term("fields.field", "1234"), "fields", true),
+			[]byte(`{"age": {"nested": {"filter": {"term": {"fields.field": "1234"}}, "path": "fields"}, "order":"asc"}}`),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i, tc := range tcs {
+		assert.JSONEq(t, string(tc.json), string(jsonx.MustMarshal(tc.q)), "%d: elastic mismatch", i)
+	}
+}