¡Hola, Trotamundos! Weltenbummler, die es diese Saison auf die iberische Halbinsel verschlägt, sollten diese hilfreichen Sätze und Phrasen für zehn verschiedene Situationen im Spanienurlaub parat halten.
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30 helpful phrases for a vacation in Spain

¡Bienvenido, Trotamundos! Globetrotters heading to the Iberian Peninsula this season should have these helpful phrases and sentences ready for ten different situations while on vacation in Spain.

April 24, 2024


Spain beckons for many reasons: First, there are the fabulous coastal cities, like Málaga, Barcelona, or Valencia, which with rich culture and the typical Spanish joie de vivre invite you to relax and celebrate in equal measure. In the Bodegas, tapas and sangria are waiting to delight expectant palates. Sports enthusiasts will be transported from the sun kissed beaches to the numerous mountainous regions of the country, from the Pyrenees to cliff paths in the Balearic Islands.

In short: Spain overwhelms with its richness of facets. All comunidades have one common denominator: Castilian, the official High Spanish spoken by Basques, Catalans and Valencians alike. With these more than thirty helpful phrases - and many useful phrases - you won't be able to have a deep conversation - but they can still be extremely useful for travelers to Spain.

It pays to ask for directions: with the right phrases, you're sure to end up in Seville's enchanting Plaza de España. © V2F

30 useful Spanish phrases and sentences for 10 situations

 

1. greetings and goodbyes in Spanish:

¡Hola! Hello!
¡Buenos días! Good day, colloquially: ¡Buenas!
¡Buenas tardes! Good afternoon!
¡Buenas noches! Good night!
¡Adiós! Bye!

In Spanish, it is also common to add the following phrases to the greeting in an innocuous way:
¿Qué tal? How are you? 
¿Cómo está? How are you?
Muy bien, gracias. Very good, thank you.

¡Hola! A nice hello puts you in a good mood right from the first word. © V2F

2. getting familiar

¿Cómo te llama? What is your name?
Me llamo ... My name is ...
¿De dónde es usted? Where are you from?

3. sentences for understanding

¿Habla inglés o alemán? Do you speak English or German?
Lo siento, no hablo español. I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish.
Perdón, no entiendo. I'm sorry, I don't understand.
¿Podría hablar más despacio, por favor? Could you please speak more slowly?

¿Habla inglés? In the evening, you'll meet lots of locals in Spain's bar scene. © Michael Discenza

4. ask for help

Perdón, ¿Podría ayudarme? Can you help me?

5. ask for the toilet

¿Hay servicios por aquí? Are there restrooms nearby?
¿Dónde están los aseos? Where are the toilets?

6. important phrases and sentences in stores

abierto - open
cerrado - closed
Solo estoy mirando, gracias. Just looking around, thanks.
¿Cuánto cuesta? How much does it cost?

7. in the restaurant

¿Podríamos ver el menú? Could we see the menu?
¡Buen provecho! Bon appétit!
¿Podría traer más pan, por favor? Could you please bring some more bread?
Una botella de vino, por favor. A bottle of wine, please.
    vino blanco: white wine
    vino tinto: Red wine
¿Podría traernos la cuenta, por favor? Could you please bring us the bill?

¡Buen provecho! Bon appetit while enjoying hearty tapas. © Shutterstock

8. on tourist trails

¿Por favor, podría sacar una foto de nosotros? Excuse me, could you please take a picture of us?
¿Cuánto cuesta la entrada? How much is the entrance fee?
¡Vamos a la playa! Let's go to the beach!

In the evening, in a outpost , you should master the following two phrases:
¡Salud! Cheers!
¿Quieres bailar? Would you like to dance?

9. search for important places

¿Hay una parada de autobús cerca? Is there a bus stop nearby?
¿Dónde está el metro(politano)? Where is the subway?
Busco ... I am looking for ...
   un supermercado. a supermarket
   un hospital. a hospital
   una gasolinera. one tan
   un banco. A bank
   un cajero automático. an ATM
   una farmacia. A pharmacy
   el tren. the train

¿Dónde está el tren? A little Spanish can go a long way for travelers. © Shutterstock

10. at the hotel

¿Tiene habitaciones libres? Do you have rooms available?
Tengo una reserva. I have a reservation.
¿Cuánto cuesta una habitación por noche? How much does an overnight stay cost?

Also interesting: 5 phrases to master on holiday in Spain

On the pronunciation in Spanish

Spanish is not the same as English - if a "J" is written in the Iberian language, it is pronounced as a "ch". Many online platforms, such as Google Translate, provide translations of vocabulary and sentences as well as the correct pronunciation.

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