You need surprisingly few Spanish phrases to travel confidently around Spain or other Spanish-speaking countries and connect with locals and the culture. Like staples in a wardrobe, having a solid foundation of these basic Spanish phrases will help you navigate transportation, transactions, meals, and entertainment, so you can put more focus on being present for experiences.
While many people in Spain do speak English, especially in tourist locations, mastering these essential Spanish phrases will open up doors to connection and allow you to experience the culture in a meaningful way. If you put in some effort and sound polite and respectful, Spanish speakers will appreciate your effort and show understanding that you are still learning, so even complete beginners can use Spanish when traveling.
Table of Contents
Common Spanish phrases for short and simple conversations
Spanish culture is known for being abierta (open) and welcoming, and they’ll appreciate it if you learn their usual greetings and goodbyes for social interactions.
| Spanish | English |
| Hola | Hi/hello |
| Buenos días | Good morning (use until noon) |
| Buenas tardes | Good afternoon (use from 12 pm to 7 pm) |
| Buenas noches | Good evening (use after 7 pm) |
| Me llamo… | My name is…. |
| Mi nombre es… | My first name is… |
| Mi apellido es… | My last name is… |
| Soy de… | I am from (city/country) |
| Estoy aquí para… (negocio/turismo/estudios/visitar a mi familia) | I’m here for… (business/tourism/studies/to visit my family) |
| Aquí tiene. | Here you go. (use when handing something to someone). |
| ¡Qué le vaya bien! | Have a nice time! (use when you might normally say “Have a nice day”) |
| Hasta luego | See you later. (a common, universal goodbye in Spain, even if you don’t expect to see the person again) |
| Adiós | Goodbye (standard translation of “goodbye”) |
*Although ¡Qué tenga un buen día!, the direct translation of “have a nice day” will be understood, it’s not as common in Spain as in locations where speakers may be translating directly from English.
Hola (hello) and Adiós work in most situations
The first thing to know about showing respect is to greet the people around you, such as when entering or leaving a shop. The classic hola (hi/hello) works all day long, but there are more specific greetings for different times of day. Adiós (goodbye) works well in general.
Add a beso or two to some greetings and farewells
To communicate well in Spanish, you also need to be aware of non-verbal communication. This often depends on the culture. One of the main questions travelers wonder about is los dos besos (greeting with two “kisses”): When, with whom, and how?
In Spain, you’ll greet others socially with los dos besos if you’re being introduced to someone, when greeting friends, or when saying goodbye. In some social settings, this means greeting and saying goodbye to everyone in this manner.
- Don’t actually make lip-to-cheek contact. If any contact is made at all, it would be a light graze of cheek to cheek, with a slight kissing sound to the air.
- Your right cheek and the other person’s right cheek make “contact” first, meaning that you aim your head left first.
- This likely will not happen between two men, but it is common between women or a man and a woman. Two men may shake hands or do a “pat on the back with a hug.”
- It won’t be necessary in simple transactions like a shop or restaurant, or in many professional settings, but it could happen in a professional setting where you’re gaining trust.
In some other countries, like Ecuador, only one beso (kiss) is customary.
Spanish phrases for personal identification
Some Spanish phrases to know include very basic personal identification. You’ll likely need to answer ¿Cómo se llama usted? (“What is your name?” in Spanish) to check in for travel, reservations, and hotel rooms. And in social settings or business networking, this could be just the start of a friendly or professional relationship.
If you’re traveling from outside Europe, you’ll also be passing through aduanas (customs) and will need to know how to give some very simple personal information like “My name is” in Spanish. You’ll more than likely be permitted to answer questions in English, but you may also want to recognize the words for pasaporte (pasaporte) and questions like ¿Cuál es el motivo de tu viaje? (What is the purpose of your trip?)
Spanish phrases for basic politeness with strangers
If these are the only Spanish phrases for travel you learn ahead of your trip, the effort will make a difference in how locals perceive you.
- ¿Le traigo la cuenta? = Can I bring you the check?
- Sí, por favor. = Yes, please.
- No, gracias. = No, thank you.
- ¿Lo quieren para tomar o para llevar? = Do you want to have it here, or to go?
- Para llevar, por favor. = To take out, please.
- ¿Cómo está la pizza? = How is the pizza?
- La pizza está muy buena, gracias. = The pizza is very good, thank you.
Other simple words and Spanish phrases that go a long way for good manners are easy to learn and can help you break the ice if this is the first time you’ve spoken Spanish to strangers. Add them to your Spanish conversation practice on the plane or train ride in.
| Spanish | English |
| bienvenidos | welcome (to this location) |
| mucho gusto | nice to meet you |
| encantado/encantada | nice to meet you (literally: enchanted) |
| igualmente | nice to meet you, too (literally: equally) |
| por favor | please |
| gracias | thank you |
| muchas gracias | thank you very much |
| de nada | you’re welcome (very common, if a bit informal) |
| no hay de qué | you’re welcome (a bit more polished) |
| disculpe | excuse me (to get attention or interrupt) |
| con permiso | excuse me (to move past someone) |
| perdón | excuse me/sorry (quick apology for a small mistake) |
| no pasa nada | it’s ok/no worries (casual way to reply to “perdón”) |
| Lo siento. | I’m sorry. (more heartfelt, to express empathy when someone is distressed) |
Your body language signals politeness and respect, too
Prepare to be an observer of body language and gestures when you start participating in a Spanish-speaking culture. Gestures and other non-verbal communication may vary among regions and generations.
Pay attention to those around you to gauge things like:
- personal space and proximity
- how long to hold a gaze or look at someone
- acceptable volume of your voice in public
- if interrupting is considered rude vs. a sign you’re engaged in the conversation
- whether physical touch is common
Specific gestures you’re used to might need to be avoided. For example, los estadounidenses (United States citizens) in Spain should avoid pointing at a person or beckoning with a single finger, as this can be rude or suggestive.
Asking for what you need in Spanish
Ask any parent of a toddler, and they’ll tell you that one of the first functions of language is to ask for something you want. To get what you need, you could directly translate “Can I have?” in Spanish, but there are other options that sound more natural.
In Spanish, polite requests can range from straightforward to sophisticated, so you can use:
- direct commands like ponme un café, por favor (give me a coffee, please)
- short and to-the-point statements like quiero un café, por favor (I want a coffee, please)
- lengthier or more formal sentences with higher-level verb conjugations, such as Quisiera un café, por favor (I would like a coffee, please)
Don’t let a lack of grammatical knowledge stop you from starting a new conversation! Good manners depend on the context and how quickly you need to communicate. For instance, at a fast-paced counter service, it’s probably better to stick to a shorter response, whereas at a more upscale restaurant, you can take your time with longer Spanish phrases. Either way, show respect with por favor.
- ¿Mesa para cuántos? = Table for how many?
- Mesa para dos, por favor. = Table for two, please.
- Buenas noches. Queremos una mesa para cuatro, por favor. = Good evening. We want a table for four, please.
In general, Spain tends to be a bit more casual than Latin America, so even short-sounding phrases or more direct-sounding translations can be perfectly acceptable, and you’ll even hear a bit more tú vs. usted even with strangers in casual settings. The phrases in this table are all in the usted form because you can’t go wrong opting for the more formal verb forms, and you’ll likely be interacting with strangers.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cómo puedo…? | How can I… |
| Déjeme… | Give me… |
| ¿Dónde está(n)…? | Where is/are…? |
| Estoy buscando… | I’m looking for… |
| ¿Me dé… ? | Will you give me… |
| Me falta un/una… | I don’t have a… |
| Me gustaría… | I would like… |
| ¿Me puede ayudar? | Can you help me? |
| ¿Me puede recomendar un/una…? | Can you recommend a… |
| ¿Me puede traer…? | Can you bring me… ? (use instead of “can I have?”) |
| Necesito… | I need… |
| No tengo…. | I don’t have… |
| Quiero… | I want… |
| Quisiera… | I would like… (more formal) |
| ¿Tienen… ? | Do you have… ? |
Communication help in Spanish
Even with a high level of Spanish proficiency, you may encounter speakers who you don’t understand, and you might need to get clarification by asking “What do you mean?” in Spanish. You may simply feel more comfortable speaking in English, so you can assk “Do you speak English?” in Spanish if you need to change languages.
- No entiendo. = I don’t understand.
- ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor? = Can you repeat it, please?
- ¿Puede hablar más despacio? = Can you speak more slowly?
- ¿Qué quiere decir? = What does it mean?
- ¿Usted habla inglés? = Do you speak English?
Typical Spanish phrases to know for getting around
Getting around is easier than ever thanks to GPS and map applications, which have almost eliminated the need to stop a stranger on the street to ask for directions. But you still might need to use some of these basic Spanish phrases to orient yourself inside museums, hotels, and restaurants.
One of my top tips for learners as they prepare to travel to a Spanish-speaking location is to switch your favorite map application to Spanish and keep it on while you’re driving to familiar locations. You’ll hear directions like gira a la izquierda (turn left), gira a la derecha (right), and nouns like señal (sign) and semáforo (traffic light) often enough to immerse yourself in the basics.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cómo llego a…? | How do I get to…? |
| ¿Dónde está…? | Where is… |
| ¿Dónde puedo…? | Where can I…? |
| ¿Hay un/una… cerca de aquí/por aquí? | Is there a… close to here/around here? |
| ¿Me puede indicar…? | Can you show me…? |
| ¿Está cerca? | Is it close? |
| ¿Está lejos? | Is it far? |
| cruce | cross |
| dese la vuelta | turn around |
| gire | turn |
| a la derecha | to the right |
| a la izquierda | to the left |
| abajo | down |
| arriba | up |
| recto | straight ahead |
| pase | pass |
| siga | continue |
| tome | take |
| el/la siguiente | the next |
| primero/segundo/tercero | first/second/third |
| la estación (de bus/de metro/de tren) | station (bus/subway/train) |
| el aeropuerto | airport |
| la puerta | gate |
| la entrada | entrance |
| la salida | exit |
| los servicios/el aseo/el baño | public restroom |
| el ascensor | elevator |
| la escalera | stairs |
Expressions for keeping to a schedule or itinerary
Part of traveling is adhering to your itinerario (itinerary). Reservations, departure times, and when locations open and close will be important. You’ll at least need to know the numbers in Spanish from 1-23 to tell time in Spanish, but a few more phrases will help ensure you don’t miss anything important. Why 23 instead of 12? Many locations use the 24-hour clock, what some Americans call “military time,” so instead of 4 pm, you’ll see 16:00. Remember to subtract 12 for any time after 12 noon.
Another pitfall is misunderstanding any phrase including menos, such as menos cuarto (quarter to) or menos diez (ten minutes to). If you have a scheduled activity or departure at las ocho menos cuarto, this means 7:45, not 8:45.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿A qué hora…? | At what time…? |
| ¿Qué hora es? | What time is it? |
| a las # | at # o’clock |
| Son las # | It’s # o’clock |
| …y cuarto | :15 (quarter after) |
| …y media | :30 (half past) |
| …menos cuarto | :45 (quarter to the next hour) |
| empieza | it begins |
| se termina | it ends |
| una cita | appointment |
| la llegada | arrival |
| la salida | departure |
| una reserva | reservation |
| una reunión | meeting |
| con antelación | in advance |
| un retraso | delay |
| cancelado | cancelled |
Handling transactions in Spanish
Using dinero (money) to pagar (to pay) for things in Spain is also getting easier for travelers. Most of the time, you’ll be able to handle transactions with cards or digital payment options in much the same way as in the United States, but check with your bank.
These Spanish phrases will help you handle paying a check, visiting a cajero automático (ATM), or leaving a propina (tip).
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much does it cost? |
| el cambio | change (returned money after paying) |
| la caja (registradora) | cash register |
| el cajero automático | ATM |
| la cuenta | bill/check |
| dejar una propina | to leave a tip |
| un descuento | discount |
| el dinero | money |
| la entrada | entrance fee |
| el impuesto | tax |
| pagar | to pay |
| pagos en efectivo | cash |
| el precio | price |
| una rebaja | sale (better price) |
| retirar | to withdraw/take out money |
| una tarifa | fee |
| una tarjeta (de crédito/débito) | (credit/debit) card |
Spanish phrases in case of emergency
Words may fail us even in our own language when we’re anxious. If you need ayuda (help), use these simple words to get attention quickly.
- ¡Auxilio! = Help!
- ¡Socorro! = Help/Save me!
- ¡Cuidado! = Watch out!
- ¡Llame a la policía! = Call the police!
- ¡Llame una ambulancia! = Call an ambulance!
If someone offers help, you can respond with what you need.
- ¿Necesita ayuda? = Do you need help?
- No, no es una emergencia. = No, it’s not an emergency.
- Sí, es una emergencia. = Yes, it’s an emergency.
Finally, you’ll want to recognize a few key phrases to stay safe in new surroundings. Context will help as well, as signs in Spanish will often use familiar colors and symbols, such as the red circle with a slash through it to prohibit actions.
- peligro = danger
- cuidado = careful
- advertencia = warning
- aviso = warning
- cerrado = closed
More lists of Spanish phrases you’ll want to know
With these conversation basics covered, you can start to expand your vocabulary into specific travel scenarios that you’re likely to encounter using detailed vocabulary lists.
- Agree and affirm with various ways to say “yes” in Spanish.
- Learn how to order food in Spanish in restaurants and words for food in Spanish.
- Learn slang terms for money in different Spanish-speaking countries.
- Refer to common verbs to discuss actions and activities.
- Get directions to the bathroom in every situation.
- Master question words in Spanish to ask for more information.
0 Commentaires