5 Basic Phrases In Spanish Every Traveler Should Learn

1. Simple conversational greetings

A simple greeting can go a long way in helping people warm up to you. Buenos días (BWAY-nos DEE-as) is how you say “good morning” in Spanish. Meanwhile, “Buenas tardes”, pronounced as “BWAY-nas TAR-des” is how “good afternoon” is translated. Finally, “buenas noches (bway-nas no-ches)” can be used if you want to greet someone “good evening” or “good night”.

Unsure about which greeting to use? “Hola” (O-la) is always a safe option, as it means “hi” or “hello”. “Adiós” (ah-dee-OS), meanwhile, is how goodbyes are said in Spanish.

2. Ordering food

One of the interactions you will not be able to avoid while you’re traveling is ordering food. If you want to get the server’s attention, say “Perdone/Oiga” (per-DON-ay/ OY-ga), which means “excuse me”. Say “un menú” (oon mey-noo) if you want to ask for the restaurant’s menu. If you’re unsure about a specific item there, ask “Qué es esto” (kay es ES-to), which translates to “What is this?”

Once you’re done eating and want to settle your bill, say “La cuente, por favor, gracias” (Lah KWEHN-tah, por-fav-ore, GRA-thee-as/GRA-see-as), a phrase that means, “The bill, please, thank you”. Watch the following video if you want to learn more phrases and words related to ordering food.

3. Asking for directions

Getting lost in an unfamiliar place can be nerve-wracking, especially if you speak a different language from the locals. Here are some phrases that you can use to help you find the place you are looking for. If you want to ask for help from someone, say “Puede ayudarme” (PWE-day ay-oo-DAR-may) and then follow it up with “Estoy perdido” (ehs-TOY pehr-DEE-doh), which means “I’m lost”. If you want to ask where a place is, use “Dónde está” (DON-day eh-STAH). If you want to know how far the place is, say “A que distancia” (Ah kay dhees-Tan-syah).

If you have trouble understanding what is being said to you and want the person to speak more slowly, say “Por favor, habla mas despacio” (pohr fah-VOR, AH-blah mahs dehs-PAHS-ee-oh).

4. Shopping/bargaining

For many travelers, a trip to somewhere will not be complete if they do not buy some souvenirs. Say “Cuánto cuesta eso” (KWAN-to KWES-ta eso) if you want to ask the price of an item. “Me gusta” (meh goos-tah) is a phrase you can use to say that you like something. If, however, you find the item too pricey, say “Es caro” (ehs kah-roh), which means “it’s expensive”. Ask if they accept credit card or cash by saying “tarjeta/efectivo” (tar-jeh-taah/ee-feck-tivo). Close the deal by saying “Bueno, me lo llevo” (bvooeh-noh meh loh yeh-bvoh), which translates to “Good, I’ll take it”.

5. Medical emergencies

Nobody wants to experience a medical emergency while overseas, but it’s better to be prepared by arming yourself with basic Spanish phrases that you can use, should something unfortunate happen. “Yo tengo una emergencia” (Yoh tehn-go ooh-nah eh-mehr-hen-see-yuh) is Spanish for “I have an emergency”.

Request for an ambulance by saying “Por favor mandeme una ambulancia” (Pore fah-vore, mahn-de-may ooh-nah ahm-buhl-lahn-see-yuh), or else say “Por favor envie ayuda inmediatamente” (Pore fah-vore, ehn-vee-yay eye-you-duh een-may-dee-yah-tah-men-tay) if you want to tell the person you are talking with to send help immediately.

“Me estoy desangrando” (Mayh eh-stoy des -sahn-grahn-doh) is translated to “I am bleeding profusely”. Say “Mi esposo/esposa tiene un Ataque al Corazon” (Mee eh-spo-so/eh-spo-sah tee-yehn-eh uhn ah-tack-Kay al Core-rah-zone) if you want to let the person you are talking with know that your spouse (esposo for husband, esposa for wife) had a heart attack.

Learn the basics of Spanish to get ready for your next trip

Before you think about what clothes you will be packing on your trip to one of the Spanish-speaking countries in the world, you might want to learn at least some of these phrases so you won’t find yourself helpless if you find yourself without a handy guidebook or phrasebook. Learning the basics will go a long way in helping you communicate with the residents, so you can navigate your way through their locale.