Many Spaniards in tourist areas speak some English, but knowing a few essential phrases makes travel easier and more enjoyable. For more see the Spanish language.
Pronunciation in brief
- j, and g before e, i: a strong guttural h (jamón, gente).
- z, and c before e, i: in the centre and north like English th (gracias, cerveza); in the south and Canaries like s.
- ll and y: like the y in yes (calle, playa).
- ñ: like ny in canyon (España).
- h: always silent (hola sounds like ola).
- v and b: pronounced the same.
- qu: like k (queso).
Greetings and courtesy
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hola |
| Good morning | Buenos días |
| Good afternoon / Good evening | Buenas tardes (until sunset) / Buenas noches |
| Goodbye / See you later | Adiós / Hasta luego |
| Please | Por favor |
| Thank you / You're welcome | Gracias / De nada |
| Excuse me | Perdone / Disculpe |
| I'm sorry | Lo siento |
| Yes / No | Sí / No |
| I don't understand | No entiendo |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Habla inglés? |
| How do you say...? | ¿Cómo se dice...? |
| My name is... | Me llamo... |
Numbers and time
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, veinte, cincuenta, cien, mil. Today is hoy, tomorrow mañana, yesterday ayer; ¿Qué hora es? means "what time is it?". Days: lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, domingo.
Getting around
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Where is...? | ¿Dónde está...? |
| the station / the bus stop | la estación / la parada del autobús |
| the airport | el aeropuerto |
| right / left / straight on | a la derecha / a la izquierda / todo recto |
| Is it far? | ¿Está lejos? |
| A ticket to... | Un billete para... |
| return | ida y vuelta |
| What time does it leave? | ¿A qué hora sale? |
At the hotel
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| I have a reservation | Tengo una reserva |
| a double / single room | una habitación doble / individual |
| for two nights | para dos noches |
| Is breakfast included? | ¿Está incluido el desayuno? |
| the key | la llave |
Restaurants and bars
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Una mesa para dos, por favor |
| The menu / the set lunch | La carta / el menú del día |
| What do you recommend? | ¿Qué me recomienda? |
| I'm allergic to... | Soy alérgico/a a... |
| A small draught beer / a glass of red wine | Una caña / una copa de vino tinto |
| An espresso / with a dash of milk | Un café solo / un cortado |
| Still / sparkling water | Agua sin gas / con gas |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor |
See eating in Spain and tapas.
Shopping
¿Cuánto cuesta? (how much is it?), ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? (can I pay by card?), Solo estoy mirando (I'm just looking), Es demasiado caro (it's too expensive), abierto / cerrado (open / closed).
Emergencies and health
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Help! | ¡Socorro! / ¡Ayuda! |
| Call a doctor / an ambulance | Llamen a un médico / una ambulancia |
| the pharmacy / the hospital | la farmacia / el hospital |
| I feel ill | Me encuentro mal |
| I've lost my passport | He perdido el pasaporte |
| My wallet has been stolen | Me han robado la cartera |
The single emergency number is 112.
Watch out for false friends
Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed; constipado means having a cold; éxito means success, not exit (salida); librería is a bookshop; carpeta is a folder; sensible means sensitive; actual means current. See also the Spain glossary.