Spanish phrases for Spain

Essentials

• Yes

  Sí

  SEE

• No

  No

  NOH

• Please

  Por favor

  pohr fah-VOHR

• Thank you

  Gracias

  GRAH-thyahs

• Do you speak English?

  ¿Habla inglés?

  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-thyoh, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

• How much does it cost?

  ¿Cuánto cuesta?

  KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah

• Where is the bathroom?

  ¿Dónde están los servicios?

  DOHN-deh ehs-TAHN lohs sehr-VEE-thyohs

  Many people also say "el baño". Signs often read "Aseos", "Servicios" or "WC".

Greetings

• Hello

  Hola

  OH-lah

• Good morning

  Buenos días

  BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs

  In Spain it is used until lunchtime, around 2 p.m.; after that, people say "buenas tardes".

• Goodbye

  Adiós

  ah-DYOHS

• How are you?

  ¿Qué tal?

  keh TAHL

  The everyday way to ask in Spain, fine with almost anyone.

• Nice to meet you

  Mucho gusto

  MOO-choh GOOS-toh

  You will also often hear "encantado" or "encantada", which mean the same.

  Literally: “Much pleasure”

Courtesy

• Excuse me

  Perdone

  pehr-DOH-neh

  Formal

  "Disculpe" is also common.

• I'm sorry

  Lo siento

  loh SYEHN-toh

  For a small slip, like bumping into someone, "perdón" is more usual.

• 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 la carta en inglés?

  TYEH-nehn lah KAHR-tah ehn een-GLEHS

  Formal

  In Spain the menu is "la carta"; "el menú" usually means the fixed-price set meal.

• I'll have this, please.

  Para mí, esto, por favor.

  PAH-rah MEE, EHS-toh, pohr fah-VOHR

• Water, please

  Agua, por favor

  AH-gwah, pohr fah-VOHR

  You will usually be brought bottled water; ask for "agua del grifo" if you want tap water.

• 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-KHEH-tah

Directions

• How do I get to the station?

  ¿Cómo llego a la estación?

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

• Is it far from here?

  ¿Está lejos de aquí?

  ehs-TAH LEH-khohs deh ah-KEE

• Can I walk there?

  ¿Se puede ir andando?

  seh PWEH-deh eer ahn-DAHN-doh

Getting Understood

• I only speak a little.

  Solo hablo un poco de español.

  SOH-loh AH-bloh oon POH-koh 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

  Formal

• What time do you close?

  ¿A qué hora cierran?

  ah keh OH-rah THYEH-rrahn

  Formal

Transport & Tickets

• One ticket, please.

  Un billete, por favor.

  oon bee-YEH-teh, pohr fah-VOHR

  For museums, shows and matches, a ticket is "una entrada".

• Which platform?

  ¿De qué vía sale?

  deh keh VEE-ah SAH-leh

  Train departure boards show the platform as "vía"; bus stations use "andén" or "dársena".

• Does this go to the airport?

  ¿Este va al aeropuerto?

  EHS-teh vah ahl ah-eh-roh-PWEHR-toh

• Stop here, please.

  Pare aquí, por favor.

  PAH-reh ah-KEE, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

Hotels & Lodging

• I have a reservation.

  Tengo una reserva.

  TEHN-goh OO-nah reh-SEHR-vah

  To give the name, add "a nombre de" followed by your name.

• What time is check-out?

  ¿A qué hora hay que dejar la habitación?

  ah keh OH-rah eye keh deh-KHAHR lah ah-bee-tah-THYOHN

• Could I leave my bags here?

  ¿Puedo dejar aquí las maletas?

  PWEH-doh deh-KHAHR ah-KEE lahs mah-LEH-tahs

Airport & Border

• I'm here on holiday.

  Estoy aquí de vacaciones.

  ehs-TOY ah-KEE deh vah-kah-THYOH-nehs

• Where is baggage claim?

  ¿Dónde está la recogida de equipajes?

  DOHN-deh ehs-TAH lah reh-koh-KHEE-dah deh eh-kee-PAH-khehs

Shopping & Money

• I'm just looking, thank you.

  Solo estoy mirando, gracias.

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

• That's too expensive.

  Es demasiado caro.

  ehs deh-mah-SYAH-doh KAH-roh

• Could I have a receipt, please?

  ¿Me da el tique, por favor?

  meh dah ehl TEE-keh, pohr fah-VOHR

  Formal

  Often written "ticket". For a full invoice with tax details, ask for "una factura".

Wi-Fi & Phone

• Is there Wi-Fi here?

  ¿Hay wifi aquí?

  eye WEE-fee ah-KEE

• I'd like a SIM card with data.

  Quisiera una tarjeta SIM con datos.

  kee-SYEH-rah OO-nah tahr-KHEH-tah SEEM kohn DAH-tohs

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?

  ¿Ya saben qué van a tomar?

  yah SAH-behn keh vahn ah toh-MAHR

  Formal

• Cash or card?

  ¿Efectivo o tarjeta?

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

• Go straight ahead.

  Siga todo recto.

  SEE-gah TOH-doh REHK-toh

  Formal

  Younger people may say "sigue todo recto", or just "todo recto".

• Turn left.

  Gire a la izquierda.

  KHEE-reh ah lah eeth-KYEHR-dah

  Formal

  You may also hear "tuerza a la izquierda", or "gira" and "tuerce" from younger people.

• Turn right.

  Gire a la derecha.

  KHEE-reh ah lah deh-REH-chah

  Formal

  You may also hear "tuerza a la derecha", or "gira" and "tuerce" from younger people.