¿Hablas Espanol? (Do you speak Spanish?)
Even if you know a few words in Spanish, it can be scary trying out a new language in the real world. After all, having a conversation in Spanish is a lot different than practicing the language on your own.
However, if you want to get the most out of your travel experience, it pays to be willing to talk the talk. There are over 400 million Spanish speakers worldwide. Being able to communicate with them using Spanish travel phrases will make your vacation 10x better.
For those who want to overcome their Spanish speaking jitters, we can help! We’ve created a short guide that includes the essential Spanish words and phrases you need to know.
Read on to learn conversational Spanish phrases for your next vacation.
Table of Contents
Spanish Travel Phrases for Airplanes
Do you plan on flying for your vacation? If you’re taking an airplane to a Spanish speaking country, you’ll want to make sure you’re familiar with the common airplane terms.
Here’s a shortlist of Spanish travel phrases for airline passengers:
- Airplane: Avion
- Pilot: Piloto
- Flight attendant: Sobrecargo
- Economy class: Clase de economia
- First-class: Primera clase
- Emergency exit: Salida de emergencia
- Life jacket: Chaleco salvavidas
- Motion sick: Mareo
Once you’re familiar with the common airplane words, you can begin putting them into sentences. By adding in the words, “¿Donde Esta?” (where is it?) you can ask for the location of things.
For example, you could say, “¿Donde Esta la Salida de emergencia?” (Where is the emergency exit?). You could also ask, “¿Donde Esta el sobrecargo?” (Where is the flight attendant?).
Spanish Phrases for Greetings
Now you’re ready to learn the Spanish phrases for when you’re meeting people. Since first impressions are so important, you’ll want to make sure you master these phrases before moving on.
Here are a few Spanish greetings and familiar words:
- Hello: Hola
- Thank you: Gracias
- Your welcome: De nada
- Do you speak English? : Hablas Ingles?
- I don’t speak Spanish: No, hablo Espanol
- Good Morning: Buenos Dias
- How are you?: Como estas
- I’m doing good, thanks: Bien, gracias
- Good afternoon: Buenas tardes
- Good evening: Buenas noches
You can say “Hola” (Hello) to greet someone, no matter what time of day it is. When you want to thank someone, saying “Gracias” (Thank you), is polite.
However, if you’re really thankful, add in the word “Muchas” to make it “Muchas Gracias” (many thanks). If someone’s thanking you, reply with “De nada”(your welcome) or (don’t mention it!).
Learning, “¿Como estas?” (how are you?) will come in particularly handy if you’re learning family vocabulary. Instead of only asking someone how they are, you can ask about family members too. For instance, let’s say you want to ask someone how their “Madre” (mother), is doing. You could say, “¿Como Esta tu Madre?” (how is your mother?).
Express Yourself in Spanish
Now that you know how to greet people, you’ll want to move on to learning how to express yourself. Here are a few key Spanish phrases to let people know a little more about you:
- I only speak a little Spanish: Yo solo hablo un poco Espanol
- I’m sorry: Lo siento
- Slower please: Mas despacio porfavor
- I like it: Me Gusta
- I don’t like it: No me Gusta
- Of course: Por supuesto
Letting others know you “solo hablo un poco Espanol” (I only speak a little Spanish), helps direct the conversation. Now, locals know they’ll have to slow things down for you to understand them. If they don’t slow down, just remind them gently, “Mas despacio porfavor” (slow down please), chances are they’ll be happy to accommodate you.
To be extra polite, you can add in, “Lo siento” (I’m sorry), when you’re telling people you don’t speak Spanish fluently. For example, you could say, “Lo siento, yo solo hablo un poco Espanol” (I’m sorry, I only speak a little Spanish).
Let Them Know What You Like
Next, it’s helpful to know how to tell restaurant workers, and vendors, whether or not you like a dish, or product. When you taste or see something you like, express your satisfaction by saying, “Me gusta” (I like it).
Of course, if you’re not pleased, you’ll want to say, “No, me gusta” (I don’t like it). You can also use “Me gusta” (I like it), to talk about things you like doing. Let’s say you’re trying to find a karaoke spot.
The word for sing in Spanish is “Cantar.” To let a Spanish local know you like to sing, you’d say, “Me gusta cantar.” If someone’s trying to drag you up on a karaoke stage, and you hate singing, you’d say, “¡No me gusta cantar!”.
Spanish Sentences
Now, let’s dive into the Spanish sentences you’ll need to know. Here are a few sentences you should be familiar with:
- What’s your name? ¿Como te llamas?
- My name is: Soy ____ or Me llamo ____
- How old are you? ¿Cuantos anos tienes?
- Where are you from? ¿De donde eres?
- I’m from ____: Soy de ____
- Could you take a photo of me? ¿Me puedes sacar una foto?
Once you meet someone, they’re likely to ask for your name by saying, “¿Como te llamas?”. You can reply by saying, “Soy + your name,” or “Me llamo +your name.”
Another common thing you’ll hear people asking you is, “¿De donde eres?” (where are you from?). If you’re from America you could say, “Soy de America” (I’m from America). You can also reply with, “Soy Americano” (I’m an American). If you’re a woman, you’ll want to use an “a” instead, making it “Soy Americana.”
Speak with Confidence
Now you know some of the best Spanish travel phrases! The next time someone asks you, “¿Hablas Espanol?” (Do you speak Spanish?), you’ll be able to reply with more than one word! What new phrases are you most excited about trying out?
Are you looking forward to greeting Spanish speakers? Or perhaps you’re just happy to be able to tell people whether or not you like something. Whatever phrases you choose to use, your ability to communicate is sure to enhance your trip. For more ways to have the best vacation, check out the rest of this site.