Spanish phrases for the Dominican Republic

Essentials

• Yes

  Sí

  SEE

• No

  No

  NOH

• Please

  Por favor

  pohr fah-VOHR

• Thank you

  Gracias

  GRAH-syahs

  You will often hear "a la orden" (ah lah OHR-dehn) in reply, meaning "you're welcome".

• Do you speak English?

  ¿Usted habla inglés?

  oos-TEHD AH-blah een-GLEHS

  Formal

• I don't understand

  No entiendo

  noh ehn-TYEHN-doh

• Please speak slowly

  ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?

  PWEH-deh ah-BLAHR mahs dehs-PAH-syoh, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

• How much does it cost?

  ¿Cuánto cuesta?

  KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah

  Prices are in Dominican pesos (RD$), but tourist areas sometimes quote US dollars. To check, ask "¿en pesos o en dólares?" (ehn PEH-sohs oh ehn DOH-lah-rehs).

• Where is the bathroom?

  ¿Dónde está el baño?

  DOHN-deh ehs-TAH ehl BAH-nyoh

Greetings

• Hello

  Hola

  OH-lah

• Good morning

  Buenos días

  BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs

• Goodbye

  Adiós

  ah-DYOHS

• How are you?

  ¿Cómo está?

  KOH-moh ehs-TAH

  Formal

  The respectful form for staff, officials and people you don't know.

• Nice to meet you

  Mucho gusto

  MOO-choh GOOS-toh

  Literally: “Much pleasure”

Courtesy

• Excuse me

  Disculpe

  dees-KOOL-peh

  Formal

  To get past someone, say "con permiso" (kohn pehr-MEE-soh).

• I'm sorry

  Lo siento

  loh SYEHN-toh

• You're welcome.

  De nada.

  deh NAH-dah

• Cheers!

  ¡Salud!

  sah-LOOD

Restaurants

• A table for two, please.

  Una mesa para dos, por favor.

  OO-nah MEH-sah PAH-rah dohs, pohr fah-VOHR

• Do you have a menu in English?

  ¿Tienen menú en inglés?

  TYEH-nehn meh-NOO ehn een-GLEHS

• I'll have this, please.

  Quiero esto, por favor.

  KYEH-roh EHS-toh, pohr fah-VOHR

• Water, please

  Agua, por favor

  AH-gwah, pohr fah-VOHR

  Tap water is not for drinking here. To be sure you get a sealed bottle, ask for "una botella de agua" (OO-nah boh-TEH-yah deh AH-gwah).

• The check, please

  La cuenta, por favor

  lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-VOHR

• Can I pay by card?

  ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

  PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tahr-HEH-tah

Directions

• How do I get to the station?

  ¿Cómo llego a la estación?

  KOH-moh YEH-goh ah lah ehs-tah-SYOHN

• Is it far from here?

  ¿Está lejos de aquí?

  ehs-TAH LEH-hohs deh ah-KEE

• Can I walk there?

  ¿Puedo ir caminando?

  PWEH-doh eer kah-mee-NAHN-doh

Getting Understood

• I only speak a little.

  Solo hablo un poquito de español.

  SOH-loh AH-bloh oon poh-KEE-toh deh ehs-pah-NYOHL

• Could you say that again, please?

  ¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor?

  meh loh PWEH-deh reh-peh-TEER, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

• Could you write it down, please?

  ¿Me lo puede escribir, por favor?

  meh loh PWEH-deh ehs-kree-BEER, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

Time & Opening Hours

• What time do you open?

  ¿A qué hora abren?

  ah keh OH-rah AH-brehn

• What time do you close?

  ¿A qué hora cierran?

  ah keh OH-rah SYEH-rrahn

Transport & Tickets

• One ticket, please.

  Un boleto, por favor.

  oon boh-LEH-toh, pohr fah-VOHR

  The fare itself is "el pasaje", as in "¿cuánto es el pasaje?" (how much is the fare?).

• Which platform?

  ¿De qué andén sale?

  deh keh ahn-DEHN SAH-leh

• Does this go to the airport?

  ¿Esta guagua va al aeropuerto?

  EHS-tah GWAH-gwah vah ahl ah-eh-roh-PWEHR-toh

  "Guagua" is the bus. For a car or train, ask "¿Este va al aeropuerto?".

• Stop here, please.

  Déjeme aquí, por favor.

  DEH-heh-meh ah-KEE, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

  On a guagua or concho, passengers call out "me quedo aquí" (meh KEH-doh ah-KEE) to get off.

  Literally: “Leave me here, please”

Hotels & Lodging

• I have a reservation.

  Tengo una reservación.

  TEHN-goh OO-nah reh-sehr-vah-SYOHN

  To give your name, add "a nombre de" (ah NOHM-breh deh) and then your name.

• What time is check-out?

  ¿A qué hora hay que entregar la habitación?

  ah keh OH-rah eye keh ehn-treh-GAHR lah ah-bee-tah-SYOHN

  Hotel staff also use the English "check-out".

• Could I leave my bags here?

  ¿Puedo dejar mis maletas aquí?

  PWEH-doh deh-HAHR mees mah-LEH-tahs ah-KEE

Airport & Border

• I'm here on holiday.

  Vengo de vacaciones.

  VEHN-goh deh vah-kah-SYOH-nehs

  At immigration, "turismo" (too-REES-moh) on its own also works.

• Where is baggage claim?

  ¿Dónde se recogen las maletas?

  DOHN-deh seh reh-KOH-hehn lahs mah-LEH-tahs

Shopping & Money

• I'm just looking, thank you.

  Solo estoy mirando, gracias.

  SOH-loh ehs-TOY mee-RAHN-doh, GRAH-syahs

• That's too expensive.

  Está muy caro.

  ehs-TAH mooy KAH-roh

• Could I have a receipt, please?

  ¿Me da la factura, por favor?

  meh dah lah fahk-TOO-rah, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

  Shops usually call a receipt "la factura"; "recibo" is also understood.

Wi-Fi & Phone

• Is there Wi-Fi here?

  ¿Hay wifi aquí?

  eye WAI-fai ah-KEE

• I'd like a SIM card with data.

  Quisiera un chip con datos.

  kee-SYEH-rah oon cheep kohn DAH-tohs

  "Chip" is the everyday word for a SIM card here, and many people call mobile data "internet".

Meeting People

• My name is…

  Me llamo…

  meh YAH-moh…

  Literally: “I call myself…”

• Where are you from?

  ¿De dónde es usted?

  deh DOHN-deh ehs oos-TEHD

  Formal

What you'll hear

Questions and answers people are likely to say to you. You only need to recognize them.

• Passport, please.

  Su pasaporte, por favor.

  soo pah-sah-POHR-teh, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

• How long will you be staying?

  ¿Cuánto tiempo se va a quedar?

  KWAHN-toh TYEHM-poh seh vah ah keh-DAHR

  Formal

• For how many people?

  ¿Para cuántas personas?

  PAH-rah KWAHN-tahs pehr-SOH-nahs

• Are you ready to order?

  ¿Le tomo la orden?

  leh TOH-moh lah OHR-dehn

  Formal

  To a group: "¿Les tomo la orden?".

  Literally: “Shall I take your order?”

• Cash or card?

  ¿Efectivo o tarjeta?

  eh-fehk-TEE-voh oh tahr-HEH-tah

• Go straight ahead.

  Siga derecho.

  SEE-gah deh-REH-choh

  Formal

• Turn left.

  Doble a la izquierda.

  DOH-bleh ah lah ees-KYEHR-dah

  Formal

• Turn right.

  Doble a la derecha.

  DOH-bleh ah lah deh-REH-chah

  Formal