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Essential Travel Phrases: A Simple Guide to Exploring Spain

Updated: Aug 25, 2023

Welcome to Spain, a country renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and warm-hearted people.

an afternoon along one of the roads in spain.

While English is widely spoken in major tourist areas, taking the time to learn some essential travel phrases in Spanish will undoubtedly enhance your travel experience.


In this blog series, "Essential Travel Phrases," we'll equip you with practical phrases to navigate Spain with ease and create meaningful connections with the locals.


Embracing the Spanish language and customs will open doors to unforgettable experiences, allowing you to immerse yourself in the charm of this beautiful country.


Disclaimer: The images used in this blog series have been generated in the style of painting using an AI image creator. Any resemblance to real places, people, or events is purely coincidental and unintentional. While the AI image creator endeavors to represent the cultural essence of each country, we acknowledge that the outcome might not always be entirely accurate or culturally sensitive. We apologize if any images inadvertently depict offensive or inappropriate gestures, as it was not the intention of the AI image creator.

Address and Title


a young person talking to an elderly person in spain.

In Spain, addressing someone with respect is vital, and using appropriate titles is a sign of courtesy. Here are some common ways to address people:


  • Formal Address: Use "Señor" (seh-nyor) for a man and "Señora" (seh-nyor-ah) for a woman. These are similar to "Sir" and "Madam" and are suitable for formal situations or addressing elders.

  • Informal Address: Use "Tú" (too) for informal situations or when addressing someone of a similar age. It's a friendly and relaxed way to communicate.



Greetings


a group of locals greeting some tourists in spain.

  • Hello (informal): "Hola" (oh-lah)

  • How are you?: "¿Cómo estás?" (koh-moh es-tahs?)

  • I am fine, thank you: "Estoy bien, gracias" (es-toy byen, grah-see-yas)

  • Good morning: "Buenos días" (bweh-nos dee-ahs)

  • Goodbye: "Adiós" (ah-dee-ohs)

  • See you later: "Hasta luego" (ahs-tah loo-eh-go)


Gesturing


locals gesturing goodbye to the camera in spain.

  • Excuse me: "Perdón" (pehr-dohn)

  • Yes: "Sí" (see)

  • No: "No" (noh)

  • Please: "Por favor" (por fah-vor)

  • Thank you: "Gracias" (grah-see-yas)


Dining


a group of friends enjoying a meal in spain.

  • Do you have an English menu?: "¿Tienes un menú en inglés?" (tye-nehs oon meh-noo ehn een-gles?)

  • Can I have [dish name]?: "¿Puedo tener [nombre del plato]?" (pweh-doh teh-nehr [nohm-breh del plah-toh]?)

  • Bill, please: "La cuenta, por favor" (lah kwehn-tah, por fah-vor)

  • Hot / Cold: "Caliente / Frío" (cah-lyen-te / free-o)

  • Regular / Large: "Normal / Grande" (nohr-mahl / grahn-deh)

  • Less sugar / No sugar: "Menos azúcar / Sin azúcar" (meh-nohs ah-thoo-kahr / seen ah-thoo-kahr)

  • Less spicy / Not spicy: "Menos picante / Sin picante" (meh-nohs pee-kahn-teh / seen pee-kahn-teh)

  • I am allergic to..: "Tengo alergia a.." (tehn-goh ah-lehr-hee-ah ah..)

    • Common allergens include:

      • Nuts (frutos secos)

      • Shellfish (mariscos)

      • Dairy (lácteos)

      • Eggs (huevos)

      • Wheat (trigo)

      • Soy (soja)

      • Fish (pescado)

      • Gluten (gluten)

      • Sesame (sésamo)

      • Peanuts (cacahuetes)



Shopping and Friendly Haggling


a tourist doing some shopping along a busy shopping street in spain.

  • How much is this?: "¿Cuánto cuesta esto?" (kwan-toh kweh-stah ehs-toh?)

  • Can I try this?: "¿Puedo probar esto?" (pweh-doh proh-bahr ehs-toh?)

  • Do you accept credit card?: "¿Aceptan tarjeta de crédito?" (ah-thep-tahn tah-reh-hah deh kreh-dee-to?)

  • It's too expensive!: "¡Es demasiado caro!" (ehs deh-mah-see-ah-doh kah-roh!)

  • Cheaper, please!: "Más barato, por favor" (mahs bah-rah-toh, por fah-vor!)

  • Give me a discount!: "Dame un descuento" (dah-meh oon dehs-kwen-toh)



Getting Around


a tourist asking some people for direction in spain.

  • Where is the nearest...:

  • Toilet: "¿Dónde está el baño más cercano?" (dohn-deh ehs-tah ehl bahn-yoh mahs sehr-kah-noh?)

  • Convenience store: "¿Dónde está la tienda de conveniencia?" (dohn-deh ehs-tah lah tee-ehn-dah deh kohn-veh-nyehn-thyah?)

  • Bus station: "¿Dónde está la estación de autobuses?" (dohn-deh ehs-tah lah ehs-tah-syon deh ow-toh-boo-sehs?)

  • Train station: "¿Dónde está la estación de tren?" (dohn-deh ehs-tah lah ehs-tah-syon deh tren?)


Emergency


a tourist approaching a policeman in spain.

  • Help!: "¡Ayuda!" (ah-yoo-dah)

  • Can you speak English?: "¿Hablas inglés?" (ah-blahs een-gles?)

  • I need a doctor: "Necesito un médico" (neh-seh-see-toh oon meh-dee-koh)

  • I need an ambulance: "Necesito una ambulancia" (neh-seh-see-toh oo-nah ahm-boo-lahn-thyah)

  • I need the police: "Necesito la policía" (neh-seh-see-toh lah poh-lee-thee-ah)



Bonus Phrase


beso, a friendly kiss on the cheek, a common greeting gesture among friends and family in spain.

In Spain, it's common to greet people with a kiss on each cheek, especially among friends and family. This gesture, known as "beso", represents warmth and closeness.



Final Thoughts


As you embark on your Spanish adventure, armed with these essential travel phrases, you'll find yourself better equipped to connect with the locals and experience the true essence of Spain.


Embrace the Spanish language and immerse yourself in the country's cultural richness.


The effort you put into learning these phrases will be met with warm appreciation from the friendly and hospitable people of Spain.


So, enjoy your journey, savour the delights of Spanish cuisine, explore the mesmerizing landmarks, and let the language of Spain open doors to unforgettable memories and cherished experiences.


¡Buen viaje! (Have a great trip!)


Note: In our "Essential Travel Phrases" blog series, we explore the rich linguistic diversity within each country and across continents. While regions may belong to the same country, slight variations in slang and style of speech make them unique. We aim to provide essential phrases tailored to specific countries to help you navigate cultural nuances and connect with locals effortlessly.


Author: Booms Ho, New Age Nomads


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