Looking to brush up on your Spanish before heading to Spain? Nailing down a few essential Spanish phrases is a great way to prepare and feel confident communicating Spain-side.
One of our favorite parts of travel is interacting with locals. It’s the absolute best way to understand the culture and see how people really think and live. Even the smallest micro-interactions can have lasting impacts: the man who gave you directions to the metro stop, the grandfather who said good morning to you, or the generous restaurant server who helped you order her favorite dish. We often remember these moments more than we do the most exquisite paintings in the Prado museum or the most majestic monuments. They make us feel welcomed. They make the world feel just a bit smaller in the best way.
While you may be far off from having a full-on conversation with a Spanish abuela (grandmother), having a few phrases in your back pocket is a form of respect. Americans often have an unfortunately bad reputation of making no effort to speak Spanish. Part of responsible tourism is changing that narrative! A little goes a long way. And when in doubt, Google translate is actually very useful!
If you took a few Spanish classes in high school you may find that these phrases don’t all line up with what you learned from your maestro. The vocabulary isn’t the same every Spanish speaking country, so you’ll notice some differences.
Spain Savvy’s Essential Spanish Phrases for Travel
Hola – Hello
Adiós – Goodbye
Gracias – Thank you
Muchas gracias – Thank you so much
De nada – You’re welcome
Por favor – Please
Buenos días – Good morning
Buenas tardes – Good afternoon
Buenas noches – Good evening/Goodnight
¿Cómo estás? or ¿Qúe tal? – How are you?
Bien, gracias – Fine, thank you.
Mi nombre es… or Me llamo… – My name is…
Perdona or Perdón – Excuse me/sorry/pardon me
Encantada/o – Nice to meet you (Encantada for women, Encantado for men)
¿Hablas inglés? – Do you speak English?
No entiendo – I don’t understand
No hablo español – I don’t speak Spanish
Por favor, un poco más lento – Please, a little slower
¿Puedes repetir, por favor? – Can you please repeat that please?
¿Qúe hora es? – What time is it?
¿Cuánto cuesta? – How much is it?
¿Me puedes ayudar? – Can you help me?
¿Dónde está…? – Where is the…?
¿Dónde está el baño? – Where is the bathroom?
¿Dónde está el metro – Where is the metro/subway?
¿Dónde está la parada del autobús? – Where is the bus stop?
¿Dónde está la estación de tren? – Where is the train station?
¿Dónde está el banco? – Where is the bank?
Una mesa para dos, tres, cuatro... – A table for two, three, four…
Soy vegetariano/vegano – I am a vegetarian/vegan
Quiero una cerveza/copa de vino or ¿Me puedes poner una cerveza/copa de vino? – Can I have a beer/glass of wine? (red wine – vino tinto; white whine – vino blanco)
¿Que me recomiendas? – What do you recommend?
Yo no como... – I don’t eat…
Soy alérgica a… – I am allergic to…
La cuenta, por favor – The check, please.
Learn More Essential Spanish Phrases
This of course is just the beginning! There’s so much to learn when it comes to enriching your travel experiences and getting a handle on those essential Spanish phrases.
Want to go farther? Take a Spanish language class at home before you go, check out Spanish intercambios (language exchanges where English and Spanish-speakers get together to chat), or simply download Duolingo on your phone. ¡Suerte!