JOURNEY

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Spain Travel Phrases

The most useful Spanish words and phrases to know for your travels in Spain

Learning a few key Spanish phrases can greatly enhance your travel experience in Spain. While many locals in tourist areas speak English, using Spanish shows respect for the culture and can make interactions smoother and more enjoyable.

Here’s a handy guide to essential Spanish phrases that will help you navigate the island with ease, along with phonetic pronunciations to help you sound more like a local.

Table of Contents

Basic Greetings & Politeness

  • Hello: Hola (oh-lah)
  • Good morning: Buenos días (bweh-nohs dee-ahs)
  • Good afternoon: Buenas tardes (bweh-nahs tar-days)
  • Good evening/night: Buenas noches (bweh-nahs noh-chays)
  • Goodbye: Adiós (ah-dee-ohs)
  • Please: Por favor (pohr fah-bohr)
  • Thank you: Gracias (grah-see-ahs)
  • You’re welcome: De nada (deh nah-dah)
  • Excuse me: Perdón / Disculpe (pehr-dohn / dees-kool-peh)
  • Yes: Sí (see)
  • No: No (noh)

Essential Travel Phrases

  • Do you speak English?: Habla inglés? (ah-blah een-glays)
  • I don’t understand: No entiendo (noh ehn-tee-en-doh)
  • Can you help me?: Puede ayudarme? (pweh-deh ah-yoo-dar-mehs)
  • Where is…?: Dónde está…? (dohn-deh eh-stah)
  • How much does it cost?: Cuánto cuesta? (kwahn-toh kwes-tah)
  • I would like…: Quisiera… (kee-see-eh-rah)
  • What time is it?: Qué hora es? (keh oh-rah ehs)
  • I’m lost: Estoy perdido/a (eh-stoy pehr-dee-doh/dah)
  • I need a doctor: Necesito un médico (neh-seh-see-toh oon meh-dee-koh)

Dining Out

  • A table for two, please: Una mesa para dos, por favor (oo-nah meh-sah pah-rah dohs, pohr fah-bohr)
  • Can I see the menu?: Puedo ver el menú? (pweh-doh vehr ehl meh-noo)
  • What do you recommend?: Qué me recomienda? (keh meh reh-koh-mee-en-dah)
  • I am vegetarian: Soy vegetariano/a (soy veh-heh-tah-ree-ah-noh/nah)
  • Check, please: La cuenta, por favor (lah kwehn-tah pohr fah-bohr)
  • Water: Agua… (ah-gwah)
  • Wine: Vino (vee-no)
  • Beer: Cerveza (sehr-veh-sah)

Directions and Transportation

  • Where is the bus stop?: Dónde está la parada de autobús? (dohn-deh eh-stah lah pah-rah-dah deh ow-toh-boos)
  • How do I get to…?: Cómo llego a…? (koh-moh yeh-goh ah)
  • Turn right/left: Gire a la derecha/izquierda (hee-reh ah lah deh-reh-chah/eess-kyehr-dah)
  • Straight ahead: Todo recto (toh-doh reh-toh)
  • Is it far?: Está lejos? (eh-stah lay-hohs)
  • Near: Cerca (sehr-kah)
  • Far: Lejos (lay-hohs)

Shopping and Services

  • How much is this?: Cuánto cuesta esto? (kwahn-toh kwes-tah ehs-toh)
  • Can I try it on?: Puedo probármelo/la? (pweh-doh proh-bahr-meh-loh/lah)
  • Do you have…?: Tiene…? (tyeh-neh)
  • I am just looking: Solo estoy mirando (soh-loh eh-stoy mee-rahn-doh)
  • Open: Abierto (ah-byehr-toh)
  • Closed: Cerrado (seh-rah-doh)

Emergency Phrases

  • Call the police: Llame a la policía (yah-meh ah lah poh-lee-see-ah)
  • I need help: Necesito ayuda (neh-seh-see-toh ah-yoo-dah)
  • Emergency: Emergencia (eh-mehr-hen-see-ah)
  • I’ve lost my passport: He perdido mi pasaporte (eh pehr-dee-doh mee pah-sah-pohr-teh)
  • There’s been an accident: Ha habido un accidente (ah ah-bee-doh oon ahk-see-den-teh)

Tips for Learning and Using Spanish

  • Practice regularly: Use language apps like Duolingo, Ling or Babbel to practice daily.
  • Engage with locals: Don’t be afraid to practice your Spanish with locals; they often appreciate the effort.
  • Carry a phrasebook: A small phrasebook or a translation app on your phone can be very handy.
  • Listen and repeat: Pay attention to how locals speak and try to mimic their pronunciation and intonation.
  • Stay patient and positive: Learning a new language takes time. Don’t be discouraged by mistakes, and enjoy the learning process.

By mastering these key phrases and tips, you’ll find your trip to Spain more enjoyable and immersive. Plus, showing respect for the local language can open doors to more authentic and rewarding experiences.