essential spanish for travel

Spanish FlagSource: bing.com

Spain is a popular destination for travelers all over the world. The country boasts beautiful beaches, historic architecture, and delicious cuisine. However, if you don’t speak Spanish, it can be challenging to communicate with the locals. Knowing a few key phrases can make your trip much more enjoyable and less stressful. In this article, we’ll cover the essential Spanish phrases you need to know before you travel to Spain.

Greetings and Basic Phrases

Greetings In SpanishSource: bing.com

When you arrive in Spain, the first thing you’ll need to know is how to greet people. Here are some basic phrases:

English Spanish Pronunciation
Hello Hola oh-lah
Good morning Buenos días bway-nos dee-as
Good afternoon Buenas tardes bway-nas tar-days
Good evening/night Buenas noches bway-nas no-chays
How are you? ¿Cómo estás? koh-moh es-tahs
Thank you Gracias grah-see-us
You’re welcome De nada day nah-dah
Goodbye Adiós ah-dee-ohs

Directions and Transportation

Directions In SpanishSource: bing.com

Getting around in a foreign country can be challenging, but knowing how to ask for directions or how to use public transportation can make it a lot easier. Here are some useful phrases:

English Spanish Pronunciation
Where is…? ¿Dónde está…? dohn-day es-tah
How do I get to…? ¿Cómo llego a…? koh-moh yay-go ah
Is it far? ¿Está lejos? es-tah lay-hos
Can you help me? ¿Puedes ayudarme? pway-dace ah-yoo-dar-may
Bus Autobús ow-toh-boos
Train Tren tren
Subway/metro Metro may-troh
Taxi Taxi tak-see

Food and Drink

Spanish FoodSource: bing.com

A trip to Spain wouldn’t be complete without indulging in some of the country’s delicious cuisine. Here are some phrases you should know when dining out:

English Spanish Pronunciation
Menu Menú may-noo
Water Agua ah-gwah
Beer Cerveza ser-vay-sa
Wine Vino vee-no
Bread Pan pan
Meat Carne kar-nay
Fish Pescado peh-ska-do
Vegetables Verduras ver-doo-ras
Bill, please La cuenta, por favor lah kwain-tah, por fah-vor

Emergencies and Health

Emergency In SpanishSource: bing.com

While we hope you won’t need to use these phrases, it’s important to know how to ask for help in an emergency.

English Spanish Pronunciation
Help! ¡Ayuda! ah-yoo-dah
Police Policía po-lee-see-ah
Hospital Hospital hos-pee-tal
Doctor Médico may-dee-co
Pharmacy Farmacia far-mah-see-ah
I’m allergic to… Soy alérgico a… soy ah-lair-hee-ko ah
Where is the nearest hospital? ¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano? dohn-day es-tah el hos-pee-tal mas thair-kah-no
Call an ambulance Llama a una ambulancia yah-mah ah oo-nah am-boo-lahn-see-ah

Conclusion

Learning a few basic Spanish phrases can make your trip to Spain much more enjoyable. Even if you don’t speak Spanish fluently, showing an effort to communicate with the locals can go a long way. We hope this guide has been helpful in preparing you for your travels to Spain. ¡Buen viaje!