We have compiled the Spanish phrasebook for tourists so that you can use simple combinations of words to create a simple question and understand a simple answer. With the help of our phrasebook you will not be able to participate in a philosophical discussion or discuss an event.
In our Russian-Spanish phrasebook, intended for tourists, we have collected those words and expressions that we ourselves used. Only what is needed for communication.
Hasta la vista, baby!
I’ll say right away that Galya and I don’t speak Spanish, only spoken English. But before the trip, as always, we learned phrases that help simple communications.
Of course, we knew some things. Among these well-known phrases were the famous words: “Hasta la vista, baby.” Naively, we believed that this was a common farewell. Many Spanish phrasebooks we found on the Internet reported that “Hasta la vista” means “goodbye.”
Naturally, we used our knowledge of Spanish at the first opportunity. Imagine our surprise when the owner of the house in Santander where we booked a nice little room on the second floor, he turned pale and worried. We were going for a walk around the city and said goodbye to it in the way we know - “Hasta la vista”. Instead of “baby,” we naturally inserted his name.
Deciding that our pronunciation was not clear enough, we said goodbye in unison once again. This time more clearly and loudly, so that the Spaniard would understand us for sure.
He was stunned and began to ask what we didn’t like so much about his house. I had to resort to the application described above.
We soon learned that we were saying goodbye to the owner forever. He decided that we would not return again...
Conclusion: Spaniards almost never use this phrase. So much for “goodbye”! Just say: “Adios!” And, of course, smile)
Another useful word that we often heard from the Spaniards when they asked how to get to a boring place is “rotonda”.
Rotunda is a place on the road where a circular turn is made. In our country, intersections are more common, while in Spain, roundabouts are more common (this way they get rid of unnecessary traffic lights). Naturally, it is more convenient to indicate the direction in which Galya and I are moving from some point. In 80% it was a rotunda (circle).
It must be said that even with a city map in hand, it is not easy to navigate in Spain, because... they very rarely write street names on houses. The most convenient in this regard is Germany. In Germany, street names are on each post and indicate the direction.
Check . You need to know at least a little about the names of the numbers. It is better to have a notepad and pen on hand. When you buy something, calmly ask them to write down the price in a notebook.
The phrase helps: “speak more slowly, I don’t understand Spanish well.”
Another personal observation. In Russia, we often address strangers with the words: “Excuse me, ... or Excuse me, please, how to get through...” In Spanish, the word por favor (por favor) is recommended to be used before addressing. For example, on the street. “Por favor (please, in our sense of “excuse me please”), and then the question is how to get to Torres Street (for example).
We noticed that almost all Spaniards exclaim “¡Hola!” to attract attention (greet). (Ola). But beggars and beggars pronounce “porfavor” when addressing them. Maybe Galya and I came across such polite beggars, maybe we were just lucky and it was an accident, but we decided to say the word “por favor” in specific situations - in a store or in personal communication, already in the process of communication, and on the street to address people with the greeting “¡Hola!” But this is solely our observation.
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How to learn Spanish in a week
We recently found a funny video that shows how you can learn Spanish in a week. The results are amazing!
Russian-Spanish phrasebook for tourists
Necessary words
Spanish greetings
| Hello! | hola | ola |
| Good morning | buenos días | Buenos dias |
| Good afternoon | buen día | Buen Dia |
| Good evening | Buenas tardes | Buenas Tardes |
| Good night | buenas nights | Buenas Noches |
| Bye see you) | adios | adyos |
| See you later | hasta luego | asta luego |
| How are you doing? | como esta usted? | Como esta usted? |
| Great (excellent). And you? | Muy bien. Y usted? | Mui bien. And usted? |
Difficulty understanding
| I don't understand | No comprendo | But comprendo |
| I'm lost | Me he perdido | Me e perdido |
| I understand | Comprendo | Comprendo |
| You understand? | Comprende usted? | Komprende usted? |
| May I ask you? | ¿Le puedo preguntar? | Le puedo praguntar? |
| Can you speak slowly? | ¿Podria usted hablar más despacio? | Podria usted ablar mas despacio? Mas-despacio, porfavor (short version). |
| Please repeat | Repitan por favor | Rapitan por favor |
| Can you write this? | ¿Me lo puede escribir? | Mae le puede escrivire? |
In the city
| Railway station/train station | La estacion de trenes | La Estacion des Tranes |
| Bus station | La estacion de autobuses | La Estacion de Autobuses |
| Tourist office or tourist information | La oficina de turismo | La officena de turismo or Tourist Information |
| City Hall/Town Hall | El ayuntamiento | El ayuntamiento |
| Library | La biblioteca | La library |
| A park | El parque | El Parque |
| Garden | El Jardin | El Hardin |
| City wall | La muralla | La Muraya |
| Tower | La torre | La Torre |
| Street | La calle | La Caye |
| Square | La plaza | La Plaza |
| Monastery | El monasterio / el convento | El Monasterio / El Combento |
| House | La casa | La Casa |
| Castle | El palacio | El Palacio |
| Lock | El castillo | El castillo |
| Museum | El museo | El Museo |
| Basilica | La basilica | La Basilica |
| Art Gallery | El museo del arte | El museo delarte |
| Cathedral | La cathedral | La catedral |
| Church | La iglesia | La Iglessa |
| Tobacconist's | Los tabacos | Los Tabacos |
| Tourist agency | La agencia de viajes | La-ahensya de-vyahes |
| Shoe shop | La zapateria | La Zapateria |
| Supermarket | El supermercado | El supermercado |
| Hypermarket | El hipermercado | El Ipermercado |
| Market | El mercado | El Mercado |
| Salon | La peluqueria | La Peluceria |
| How much are the tickets? | Cuanto valen las entradas? | Quanto valen las entradas? |
| Where can I buy tickets? | Donde se puede comprar entradas? | Donde se puede comprar entradas? |
| When does the museum open? | Cuando se abre el museo? | Cuando se abre el museo? |
| Where is? | Donde esta? | Donde esta? |
Taxi
| Where can I get a taxi? | Donde puedo tomar un taxi? | Donde puedo tomar un taxi |
| What is the rate until...? | Cuanto es la tarifa a...? | Quanto es la tariffa... |
| Take me to this address | Lleveme a estas senas | Ljeveme a estas senyas |
| Take me to the airport | Lleveme al aeropuerto | Lleveme al aeropuerto |
| Take me to the train station | Lleveme a la estacion de ferrocarril | Lleveme a la estacion de ferrocarril |
| Take me to the hotel | Lleveme al hotel... | Lievem al otel |
| Near/close | Cerca | Serka |
| Far | Lejos | Lejos |
| Directly | Todo recto | Todo-rrekto |
| Left | a la izquierda | A la Izquierda |
| Right | a la derecha | A la derecha |
| Stop here please | Pare aqui, por favor | Pare aki por favor |
| Could you wait for me? | Puede esperarme, por favor | Puede esperarme porfavor |
Hotel
| 2 (3, 4, 5-) star | De dos (tres, cuatro, cinco) estrellas) | De dos (très, cuatro, cinco) estrayas |
| Hotel | El hotel | El Hotel |
| I have reserved a room | Tengo una habitacion reservada | Tengo una-habitacion rreservada |
| Key | La llave | La-yawe |
| Receptionist | El botones | El Botones |
| Room with Square/Palace View | Habitacion que da a la plaza / al palacio | Habitacion que da a la plaza/al palacio |
| Room facing the courtyard | Habitacion que da al patio | Habitacion que da al-patyo |
| Room with bath | Habitacion con bano | Habitacion con bagno |
| Single Room | Habitacion individual | Habitacion individual |
| Double Room | Habitacion con dos camas | Habitacion con dos camas |
| With double bed | Con cama de matrimonio | Konkama de matrimonyo |
| Two bedroom suite | Habitacion doble | Habitacion doble |
| Do you have a free room? | Tienen una habitacion libre? | Tenen unabitacion libre? |
Shopping/requests
| Could you give it to me? | Puede darme esto? | Puede darme esto |
| Could you show it to me? | Puede usted ensenarme esto? | Puede usted ensenyarme esto |
| Could you help me? | Puede usted ayudarme? | Puede usted ayudarme |
| I would like to... | Quisiera... | Kishiera |
| Give it to me please | Demelo, por favor | Demelo por favor |
| Show me this | Ensenemelo | Ensenemelo |
| How much does it cost? | Cuanto cuesta esto? | Quanto questa esto |
| What is the price? | Cuanto es? | Quanto es |
| Too expensive | Muy caro | Mui karo |
| Sale | Rebajas | Rebajas |
| Can I try this on? | Puedo probarmelo? | Puedo probarmelo |
Restaurant/cafe/grocery store
Order/menu
| Dish of the day | El plato del dia | El Plateau del Dia |
| Set lunch | Menu del dia | Maine del Dia |
| Menu | La carta / el menu | La carta / el menu |
| Waiter/ka | Camarero/camarera | Camarero/kamarera |
| I am a vegetarian | Soy vegetariano | Soy vejetariano. |
| I want to reserve a table. | Quiero reservar una mesa | Quiero rreservar una-mesa. |
| Do you have a table for two (three, four) people? | Tienen una mesa para dos (tres, cuatro) personas? | Tenen unamesa para-dos (très, cuatro) personas? |
| The check, please. | La cuenta, por favor | La Cuenta, Port Favor |
| Wine list | La carta de vinos | La carta de vinos |
| Beverages | Bebidas | Babydas |
| Snacks | Los entremeses | Los Entremeses |
| Tapas/snacks (National) | Tapas | Tapas |
| Breakfast | El desayuno | El Desayno |
| Dinner | La comida/el almuerzo | La comida / el almuerzo |
| First course | El primer plateau | El primer plateau |
| Soup | Sopa | Sopa |
| Dinner | La cena | La Sena |
| Dessert | El postre | El Postre |
Beverages
| Coffee | Cafe | Cafe |
| Tea | Te | Tae |
| Water | Agua | Agua |
| Wine | Vino | Wine |
| Red wine | Vino tinto | Wine tinto |
| Pink wine | Vino rosado | Wine rosado |
| White wine | Vino blanco | Wine blanco |
| Sherry | Jerez | Hares |
| Beer | Cerveza | Servesa |
| Orange juice | Zumo de naranja | Sumo de naranja |
| Milk | Leche | Leche |
| Sugar | Azucar | Asúcar |
Dishes
| Meat | Carne | Carne |
| Veal | Ternera | Turner |
| Pork | Cerdo | Cardo |
| Medium-roasted | Poco hecho | Poco Echo |
| Well done | Muy hecho | Mui-echo |
| Vegetable stew | Menestra | Menestra |
| Paella | Paella | Paella |
| Cake/pie | Tarta | Tarta |
| Cake(s) | Pastel / pasteles | Pastel / pasteles |
| Ice cream | Helado | Elado |
Products
| Bread | Pan | Pan |
| Toasts (fried bread) | Tostadas | Tostadas |
| Egg | Huevo | Huevo |
| Butter | Mantequilla | Mantequiya |
| Cheese | Queso | Kaeso |
| Sausages | Salchichas | Salchichas |
| Smoked ham | Jamon serrano | Jamon serrano |
| Apple(s) | Manzana/ manzanas | Manzana/manzanas |
| Orange(s) | Naranja/naranjas | Naranja/naranjas |
| Lemon | Lemon | Lemon |
| Fruit / fruits | Fruta/frutas | Fruta |
| Dried fruits | Frutos secos | Frutos sekos |
| Meat | Carne | Carne |
| Veal | Ternera | Turner |
| Sauce | Salsa | Salsa |
| Vinegar | Vinagre | Vinagre |
| Salt | Sal | Sal |
| Sugar | Azucar | Asúcar |
Seafood
Dishes
Useful words
| Good | Bueno | Bueno |
| Bad | Malo | Few |
| Enough/enough | Bastante | Bastante, you can add the word - finita |
| Cold | Frio | Frio |
| Hot | Caliente | Caliente |
| Small | Pequeno | Paqueño |
| Big | Grande | Grandet |
| What? | Que? | Ke? |
| There | Alli | Ayi |
| Elevator | Ascensor | Assensor |
| Toilet | Servicio | Servisio |
| Closed/Closed | Cerrado | Cerrado |
| Open/open | Abierto | Avierto |
| No smoking | Prohibido fumar | Proivido fumar |
| Entrance | Entrada | Entrada |
| Exit | Salida | Salida |
| Why? | How about? | Porque? |
Check
Just in case, it’s worth having a notepad on hand and writing down the numbers, especially when it comes to payment. Write the amount, show it, clarify.
You can clarify the numbers by saying:
| zero | cero | sero |
| one | uno | uno |
| two | dos | dos |
| three | tres | tres |
| four | cuatro | quattro |
| five | cinco | Cinco |
| six | seis | seis |
| seven | siete | siete |
| eight | ocho | wow |
| nine | nueve | nueve |
| ten | diez | ten |
So, you can call your hotel room not 405 (four hundred and five), but by numbers: quatro, sero, cinco. They will understand you.
Dates and times
| When? | Cuando? | Cuando? |
| Tomorrow | Manana | Mañana |
| Today | Hoy | Oh |
| Yesterday | Ayer | Iyer |
| Late | Tardet | Arde |
| Early | Temprano | Temprano |
| Morning | La manana | La Mañana |
| Evening | La tarde | La tarde |
Emergencies
| Call the fire department! | Llame a los bomberos! | Yame a los bomberos! |
| Call the police! | Llame a la police! | Yame a-lapolisia! |
| Call an ambulance! | Llame a una ambulancia! | Yame a-unambulansya! |
| Call a doctor! | Llame a un medico! | Yame a-umediko |
| Help! | Socorro! | Socorro! |
| Stop! (Stop!) | Pare! | Pare! |
| Pharmacy | Farmacia | Pharmacia |
| Doctor | Medico | Medico |
Example dialogue in Spanish
Of course, during a conversation it’s inconvenient to get into a phrasebook and read. Some words are worth learning. You can prepare questions in a notepad. As a last resort, you can point your finger at a printed phrasebook.
Here is an example of a dialogue compiled from this phrasebook:
— Ola (greeting)
- Me he perdido (I'm lost). Puede usted ayudarme? (could you help me?) Donde esta? (where is) La calle (street) …. Torres?
With the help of this phrasebook you asked a question. Now comes the most important part: understanding the answer.
1. Show a map of the city
2. If you don't have a map, take a notepad and pen
3. Don’t be shy about asking:
— ¿Podria usted hablar más despacio? (Could you speak more slowly). No comprendo! (I don't understand). Repitan por favor (please repeat). ¿Me lo puede escribir? (Can you write it? In our case, draw it).
1. Ask again and clarify:
- Lejos (far?) Todo recto (straight?) A la izquierda (to the left?) A la derecha (to the right?)
2. Watch your hands and facial expressions
3. At the end, don’t forget to say:
— Muchas gracias (thank you very much). Adios (goodbye!)
Before our trip to Spain, Galya and I watched the lessons
« Polyglot. Spanish from scratch in 16 hours "(Channel "Culture")
Sincerely,
Russian-Spanish phrasebook
Spanish or Castilian (espanol, castellano) is the third most popular language in the world, an Ibero-Romance language that originated in the medieval kingdom of Castile. Spanish is spoken by over 360 million people in more than 40 countries.
Countries where this language is spoken: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, Spain, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Philippines, Chile and Easter Island, Ecuador
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Other possible options:
Greetings, general expressions
Hello, good afternoon/hello - Buenos Dias/Ola!
Good evening - Buenos Tardes
Goodbye, bye - Adyos
Thank you very much - Muchas Gracias
Sorry - Pardoneme
How are you? - Como esta usted?
Okay, thank you - Mui Bien, and Usted
Do you speak Russian? - Abla usted ruso?
Please - Por Favor
I don't understand - But comprendo
Can you speak slowly? - Puede usted ablar mas despacio?
Could you repeat that? - Podria usted rapper eso?
Please write this - Por Favor, escriballo
Yes - Si
No, but
For the good of the cause
Where is the nearest exchange office? - Donde esta la oficina de cambio mas serkana?
Can you change these traveler's checks? - Puede kambiarme estos checkes de vyajero?
Sorry, polite form of “Hey, you!” - Perdon
Okay, that'll do - Bale
I love you - Yo te amo
Shops, hotels, restaurants
Do you have a free room? - Tenen unabitacion libre?
Could you reserve a room? - Godria rezervarme una abitasyon?
Do you have a table for two (three, four) people? - Tenen unamesa para-dos (très, cuatro) personsas?
Waiter! - Camarero!
Bill please - La cuenta, por favor
Do you accept credit cards? - Aseptan tarhetas decredito?
Can I try this on? - Is Puedo drunk?
How much does it cost? - Quanto questa esto?
Too expensive - Mui karo
Give it to me please - Demelo, por favor
Show me... - Enseneme...
I would like... - Kishiera...
On the road
Where can I get a taxi? - Donde puedo kocher un taxi?
Take me to this address - Ljeveme a estas senyas
...to the airport - ... al aeropuerto
...to the railway station - ...a la estacion de ferrocarril
...to the hotel - ...al hotel
Stop here please - Pare aki, por favor
Could you wait for me? - Puede esperarme, por favor?
I want to rent a car - Quiero alkilar un koche
Is insurance included in the rental price? - El precio inclue el seguro?
Can I leave my car at the airport? - Puedo dejar el coche en el aeropuerto?
Swearing in Spanish
Damn it! - Caramba!
Thousand devils! - Con mi diablos!
Stupids - Troncos
Spanish is one of the most popular languages in the world, it is spoken in Spain and in Latin American countries, although they speak dialects and variations of classic Spanish. Classical Spanish is the basis and is perfectly understood in Peru, Chile, Portugal, Mexico, Cuba and other South American countries. In general, this amounts to more than half a billion people in the world. So learning 100 phrases in Spanish will be useful.
The language of Lorca and Cervantes
The Spanish language sounds beautiful, is melodic and easy to learn. The spelling and pronunciation are almost identical; learning it yourself at the tourist level is quite simple. In everyday speech, Spaniards use approximately 700-1000 words, of which approximately 150-200 are verbs. And for tourism purposes, in order not to get lost in the cities of Spain or to understand airport employees, about 100 phrases consisting of 300-350 words are enough.
They are conventionally divided into several groups: words of gratitude and phrases for polite communication in a restaurant, airport and on the road. You will also need numbers, pronouns and the most popular verbs, directions and names of places, days of the week and time. You also need to learn the words necessary in difficult and dangerous situations, ask for help or help passers-by.
Sounds and pronunciations in Spanish
To speak Spanish, start learning with the basics - phonetics and the alphabet. Language has features and complexities. The Spanish alphabet is almost identical to the English one, with the exception of 1 detail - the letter “Ñ” has been added, it is read “n”. Otherwise they are the same. Let's look at the details of the phonetic features of Spanish letters:
- at the beginning of a word the letter “H” is not pronounced, in the word “Hola!” (hello), it is pronounced “Ola” with the first vowel removed;
- in classical Spanish, the letter “C” is often pronounced with a whistle, somewhat similar to the English combination “th”;
- the letter “E” is read “E”, at this moment foreigners can be heard strongly;
- the letter "L" in Spanish is soft;
- Basically, words are read as they are written, there are exceptions, but they are few;
- stress is placed according to the rules, unlike the Russian language - at the end of the word there is a consonant letter (except for N and S), then the stress is on the last syllable, vowel or letters N and S, then on the penultimate one;
- the letter “C” is read “K” in combination with the vowels a, o, u; and “C” - with the letters e, i;
- the letter "G" is read "Г" in combination with a, o, u; and with the letters e, i – pronounced “X”;
- special combinations “GUE”, “GUI” are read as “Ge” and “Gi”, and “QUE” and “QUI” are read as “Ke” and “Ki”;
- the letter “V” is pronounced like the middle between “v” and “b”;
- the letters “S” and “Z” are read like the Russian “S”, and in Spain they are pronounced similar to “ts”.
These features are easy to remember, otherwise the languages are similar and it is not difficult for Russians to learn Spanish and speak it in a way that is understandable for the natives of Spain.
The difficulty lies in the first 2-3 months of training, when pronunciation is difficult; at this time it is better to study with a teacher. You can independently instill the incorrect sound of some words and letter combinations; it is then difficult to relearn.
How to learn a foreign language?
Regardless of the country and language, its study must contain certain points and stages, then memorization and understanding will be achieved to the required extent. You can’t learn sentences without learning how individual words are pronounced, and you can’t start talking without gaining basic knowledge in constructing phrases. It is best to do everything gradually, including all stages:
- setting up pronunciation, studying basic words and sounds - here you can create a dictionary where new phrases and expressions are recorded with transcription and translation;
- solving and performing exercises on phonetics and spelling;
- writing words and expressions to consolidate knowledge with rote memory;
- listening to music and watching movies in Spanish with subtitles;
- reading books by Spanish authors and translating them - start with simple children's stories that are familiar to you from childhood, then move on to more complex ones;
- communication with native speakers in chat, social networks, language centers, trips to a Spanish-speaking country.
Skipping any of the stages will negatively affect the speed and completeness of language learning; it is better if everything is in a complex. Communicating in Spanish will allow you to collect all the knowledge you have acquired and try to reproduce phrases so that you are understood. This is an opportunity to hear and try to understand real Spanish speech, because it is very different from the book.
Words of greeting and phrases of gratitude
First of all, write down the words of greeting and farewell in your dictionary; they are the basis for any language and for communication in any country. Spain is no exception; here everyone greets politely in shops, cafes, and when meeting acquaintances and friends. As in Russian, Spanish has several variants of phrases for varying degrees of “kinship” with the interlocutor.
When meeting a friend and a well-known peer, you can say ¡Hola! (Ola!) - Hello! But to a stranger or an adult interlocutor they say ¡Buenos días! (Buenos Dias!), ¡Buenas tardes! (Buenos tardes!) or ¡Buenas noches! (Buenos noches!), which translates accordingly to “Good morning/day/night!”
Usually after the greeting I add a polite question “How are you?” or its variations, to which they do not talk about their problems, they simply say “Okay! And how are you?" It sounds like this:
What do you mean? ke tal How are you?
What do you think? komo estás How are you doing?
These two phrases can be used to communicate with an acquaintance or friend, but to a stranger or group of people you should say:
What do you think? komo está How are you doing? (if there is only one person), or
What's the point? komo estan How are you doing? (if you are addressing a group of people).
The answer options again depend on the interlocutor:
Bien, ¿y tú? [bean, and tu] Okay, what about you? - this is what you can say to a friend, but in other options you need the following wording:
Bien, gracias ¿y Usted? [been, gracias and ustet] Okay, thanks! And you?
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In addition to standard greetings, you can use or hear the following phrases: ¿Qué tal la vida/ el trabajo/ la familia/ los estudios? (que tal la vida/el trabajo/la familia/los estudios), which means - How is your life/work/family/studies?
In response to these phrases, you can respond with the standard “Bien!”, or you can diversify your communication:
- ¡Excelente! (exelente) Great!
- ¡Muy bien! (muy bien) Very good!
- Más o menos. (mas o menos) More or less.
- Regular. (regular) Normal.
- Mal. (male) Bad.
- Muy mal. (muy mal) Very bad.
- Fatal. (fatal) Terrible.
But after these phrases, polite Spaniards will begin to ask questions and demand details; if you are not ready for this, then limit yourself to the standard wording.
You can say goodbye or wish you a good day with the famous phrase
- “¡Chao! (whao) Bye!” or “¡Adiós! (adós) Bye! Goodbye!" if the interlocutors are older than you or unfamiliar, then it is better to choose one of these:
- ¡Hasta luego! asta luego Goodbye!
- ¡Hasta pronto! asta pronto See you soon!
- ¡Hasta mañana! asta mañana See you tomorrow!
- Nos vemos. nose vemos See you later! See you.
If suddenly you are faced with a complete misunderstanding of your interlocutor, then you can tell him about it in the following words:
- No entiendo But entiendo I don’t understand.
- Mas despacio, por favor. Mas-despacio, por-favor Could you speak more slowly?
- No comprendo. But comprendo I don't understand.
These words are enough to look like a polite person when communicating with residents in Spanish cities. If you have difficulty understanding, you can switch to English, if it is easier for you to select phrases in this language, besides, you can meet Russian-speaking people, there are a lot of them in all countries of Europe and Latin America.
The right words if you don't know the way
The Spaniards are quite responsive and will gladly give directions to a tourist, but you must know how to ask and what they can tell you. In order not to memorize complex phrases and phrases, 3 options are enough and you will be understood:
Where is…
I need…
For example, you need to ask directions to a bank or hotel, you can ask the question this way:
- ¿Dónde está la calle/un banco/un hotel? (Donde esta la saye/un banko/un hotel?) – Where is the street/bank/hotel?
- Yo necesito la estación de ferrocarril. (yo nesesito la estacion de ferrocarril) - I need a station.
Other options that can be used to find the road:
¿Cómo llego a...? - How do I get to…?
¿Qué tan lejos es…? - How far is...?
In response, they may offer you a map or show you the direction, or they may explain in detail how to get there and where to turn; the following expressions are used for this:
- Right side, to the right (a la derecha) a la derecha;
- Left side, to the left (a la izquierda) a la izquierda;
- Straight ahead (derecho) derecho;
- On the corner (en la esquina) en la esquina;
- Far (Lejos) Lejos;
- Near/near (Serca) Cerca;
- In one/two/three/four blocks (a una cuadra/a dos,/tres/cuatro cuadras) a una cuadra/a dos/tres/cuatro cuadras.
Even if you don't understand the Spanish answer well, you can ask to repeat it again or say that you don't understand. As a rule, they will be happy to draw a map, guide you to a place, or explain in more detail and more clearly.
In Spain they treat tourists well and are happy when you manage to pronounce words correctly. They will help you on the street and in the store, and the police officers will also escort you to the right place.
Phrases for emergency situations
Unforeseen situations can happen to anyone, no one is immune from this. You or your friends, as well as a person on the street, may need help. You wouldn’t walk past people in trouble simply because you don’t know how to call a doctor in Spanish, would you? When traveling with children, a quick response to a situation is often required, and searching for the correct phrase in a phrasebook or online translator will make it very difficult to solve the problem. What basic phrases might you need to find help:
- ¡Ayúdame! (Ayudame!) Help me!
- Help! (Socorro!) Socorro!
- Stop! (Stop!) (Pare!) Pare!
- Necesito un doctor/ dentista/ official de police. - I need a doctor/dentist/policeman.
- ¿Hay una farmacía cerca? - Is there a pharmacy nearby?
- ¿Puedo utilizar su telefono? - Can I use your phone?
- ¡Llame a la policía/ ambulancia/ los bomberos! (Yame a-lapolicia/a-unambulansya/a-los-bomberos!) - Call the police/ambulance/fire department!
- Fire! (fuego) Fuego!
- I'm lost. (meh perdido) Me he perdido.
These phrases will be enough to ask passers-by for help in an emergency. If you know them by heart, it may save someone’s life or health and make your trip much calmer and safer.
As a conclusion!
Spanish is a beautiful, sonorous and musical language; learning it is pleasant and easy. Phrases for tourists are just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg, and a real understanding of this music will come after a year or two of mastering it. When you can understand your interlocutor, and not guess by gestures what they told you, when you can watch Spanish films without subtitles and translation, then you can confidently go to a foreign country and enjoy its culture and inner world.
Where you can learn Spanish:
- Language schools, courses and individual lessons with a teacher are the most popular and most productive way.
- Online programs and smartphone apps for self-study are time-consuming and require self-discipline.
- Video and audio lessons, exercises and assignments online and in books will require adjustments from a specialist or help at an entry-level level.
- Visiting a country or communicating with native speakers is quick, but it will only give you spoken language; they won’t teach you how to read and write.
If learning Spanish is your dream, then supplement your studies by reading the history of the country, books by national authors, and searching for information about its culture and characteristics. Then the picture will be more complete. If you need a language to do work, then deepen your study with technical knowledge and specialized words. To do this, you will need special literature, magazines, newspapers, websites and blogs on the desired topics, and you should start studying them only after completing the basic part.
Classes can take from six months to infinity, depending on the intensity and density of classes, the degree of immersion in learning, repeating acquired knowledge and adding new words and phrases.
read in UkrainianVocabulary you need to learn before traveling to Spain
Basic Spanish phrases that will save your life
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When planning a trip to the Pyrenees, do not think that you will get by with knowledge of English - a very small percentage of Spaniards speak this language, so travelers often find themselves in situations like in that joke “mine doesn’t understand yours.”
We hope our readers will definitely not get into such a mess, because tochka.net I have prepared a small dictionary for them.
- Basic Spanish Phrases - General Rules
Never be shy to speak Spanish with Spaniards, even if your knowledge of the language is reduced to a primitive minimum. Even simple words “hello-bye” or “how are you, friend” will be enough to win the Spaniards over. Remember that in Spanish there is no reduction of sounds, i.e. All vowel sounds must be pronounced clearly, regardless of whether they are stressed or not. Otherwise, you may not be understood or understood in the way you would like.
- Also remember that the letter "H" sound (ache) is not pronounced in Spanish. For example, the greeting hola is pronounced "ola".
- The letter v in Spanish is read as “b”, or rather something between “b” and “v”.
- Basic Spanish phrases - greetings and polite words
- hola ("ola")- Hi Hello. Sometimes it may seem that the Spaniards were born with this word on their lips. They greet everyone constantly: acquaintances, strangers, in a store, cafe, etc.
- por favor ("por favor")- Please. Any request from a well-mannered person, by Spanish standards of etiquette, must be accompanied by this phrase.
- gracias ("gracias")- Thank you. Pay attention to the pronunciation, the correct one is “graSias”.
- si ("yes"), no ("no"). In this country it is customary to use “but, gracias”, “si, por favor”.
- vale ("bale")- ok, that's fine
- adios ("adyos")- goodbye, bye. In Spain, it is customary to always say goodbye to everyone with this word. Hasta luego is also often used. “Hasta la vista” is now not used in most regions, although everyone understands it.
- Basic Spanish phrases - in a restaurant
- la carta ("la card")- menu, list of dishes. If you say “menu, por favor,” they may misunderstand and bring you a set lunch.
- sin hielo ("sin hielo")- without ice. A very useful and important phrase. So, if you don’t specify, you will most likely be served a drink with ice, which will take up from a third to half the volume of the glass. Therefore, when ordering, immediately specify: “una cola sin yelo, por favor” - cola without ice, please.
- cerveza ("service")- beer. Word jarra ("harra") means mug. However, if you say, for example, “una harra grande, por favor,” it immediately implies that you are ordering a large glass of beer. If the waiter doesn’t really understand you, say “una jarra de servesa, por favor” - a glass of beer, please.
- vino ("wine")- wine (emphasis on the first syllable). If it is not specified which one, the default is red. For example, “una copa de vino, por favor!” - a glass of wine, please. "Dos Copas" - two glasses.
- cenicero ("cenicero")- ashtray. Ask the waiter: “el senicero, por favor” - please bring an ashtray.
- servicios ("servicios")- toilet. To know how to ask “where is the toilet,” learn the following: “los servicios, por favor?” Also the words "toilet" mean lavabo and aseo.
- cuenta ("cuenta")- check. "Bill please" in Spanish would be "la cuenta, por favor."
- Basic Spanish phrases - in the store
- Estoy mirando ("estoy Mirando")- I look. A special phrase for overly kind sellers who are attached to you with a desire to help. Say in response “estoy mirando, gracias,” which means “I’m looking at what you have, but haven’t chosen it yet, thank you.” A win-win option - stay nice and get rid of the seller.
- cuanto vale? ("quanto bale?")- what is the price? If you use it with queria eso, you will feel like a fish in water when shopping in Spain. You can also ask: “caria eso, quanto bale, por favor?”, “quanto bale eso, por favor?”
- probarme - (“probarme”)- try it on yourself. If you ask: “karia probarme, por favor”, it means “Please, I would like to try on these clothes.”
- probadores ("probadores")- dressing room. Ask, “probadores, por favor,” and they will tell you where the fitting booth is.
- tarjeta ("tarheta")- card. "Con tarheta" will mean "can I pay with a card."
- en efectivo ("en effective")- cash. At the checkout in stores they will ask you “con tarheta o en effecivo?” - Do you want to pay by card or cash?
- Basic phrases of the Spanish language - to note
- linda (“Linda”), guapa (“guapa”)- beautiful, pretty. If you want to compliment a Spanish woman, use these words.
- Spaniards often use words of endearment, adding the softening suffix -ita. For example, mamasita ("mamacita") - mummy, gordita ("gordita") - plump, solecito ("solesito")- Sun.
- Basic Spanish Phrases - Emergency Situations
- ayúdeme ("ayudeme")- help me
- llame ("lyame")- call
- policía ("policy")- police. For example, in an emergency, shout: “liame a la policeia” - “call the police.”
- urgencias ("urgensias")- ambulance
- llame a un médico ("llame a un medico")- Call a doctor
- me siento mal ("me siento mal")- I feel bad
- Basic Spanish Phrases - Funny Phrases
- Te he traído la grasa ("te e traído a grasa")- I brought you lard. Knowing this phrase in Spanish will probably touch the hearts of any resident of the Pyrenees.
- Mañana ("manyana")- Tomorrow. Don't be surprised, but remember this word. The Spaniards simply adore it and use it at every step, as if following the principle: “Why do something today if it can be done tomorrow?”
- Me encanta sangria ("Me encanta sAngria")- I love sangria. Sangria is a delicious national drink of the Spaniards.
Spanish for tourists. Useful phrases from everyday life:
Currently, Spain is the country most frequently visited by Russian-speaking tourists. However, for some reason the Spaniards are in no hurry to learn Russian, just like English. In Barcelona, Madrid and large tourist cities, it is quite possible to communicate in English, but if you want to see non-tourist Spain, be prepared for the fact that the locals will only speak Spanish. Apparently, this is why most tourists either trustingly attach themselves to Russian-speaking hotel guides, or constantly engage in pantomime when communicating with the Spaniards :)
To make your holiday more enjoyable and comfortable, try to remember a few essential words and phrases in Spanish.
I want to warn you right away that the Spanish language may sound indecent for Russian speakers, but keep in mind that “h” is almost never read, two “ll” are read like “th”. For example,
- Huevo is pronounced "huebo" (egg) in Spanish.
- Huesos is read as “uesos” (bones)
- Perdi – “perdi” (I lost) – from the verb perder (to lose)
- Dura – “fool” (lasts)
- Prohibir – “proibIr” (prohibit)
- Debil – “dEbil” (weak) – often found on water bottles, means that the water is, for example, slightly carbonated.
- Llevar – “yebar” (to wear). Para llevar – “para yebar” (takeaway, for example, food in a cafe to take away)
- Fallos - “fiOs” (errors)
So, here we go – the most useful words and phrases in Spanish!
Greetings and goodbyes in Spanish
In the photo: the faster you learn a few phrases in Spanish, the more enjoyable your vacation will be :)In Spain, to greet a person, you just need to call him Olya :)
It is written – Hola! Pronounced – something between “Ol I” and “Ol A”
A more formal greeting: “Good afternoon!” – Buenos dias! – pronounced “b” U enos d AND ac"
Good evening! – Buenas Tardes! – “buenas tardes” – is always used in the afternoon.
Good night! – Buenas Noches! – “Buenas noches” (night) – used after 19 hours.
To say goodbye, Spaniards rarely say the famous phrase, thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger, “hasta la vista” (see you later). Most often they will say: “See you soon!” – Hasta luego! – “Asta luEgo”
Well, or they say “farewell (those)” - Adios - “adyOs”
Tell your interlocutor your name, for example: “my name is Anton” - Me llamo Anton - “me yamo Anton”
You can say where you are from: “I’m Russian/Russian” - Soy ruso/rusa – “Soy Ruso/Rusa”
Daily words and phrases in Spanish, politeness
Residents of Malgrad de Mar talking on the street Affirmative answer: yes – Si
No – No.
It’s more polite, of course, to say “no, thank you!” - No, gracias! - “but, grAsias”
A very important word that always helps in Spain: “please” - por favor- "por favor"
And another “thank you” - Gracias– “grasias” (in the middle of the word the letter “s” is unclear and even has a lisp)
In response you can hear: “You’re welcome!” - De nada – “de nada”
If we want to apologize, we say “I beg your pardon” – Perdon – “fartOn”
To this, Spaniards often respond: “everything is fine (no big deal)!” – No pasa nada – “but pasa nada”
How to ask for directions in Spanish
To practice Spanish, ask locals for directions Sometimes a tourist gets a little lost in the city. Then it's time to ask in Spanish:
where is…? – ?Donde esta...? - “DOnde estA?”
For example, if you are going to travel and cannot find the bus station, learn a phrase in Spanish: “Donde est A la Parada de Autobus?” Of course, a detailed answer in Spanish may be discouraging, but a Spaniard will most likely duplicate the direction with his hand :)
Street signs in Figueres city Here are some other useful Spanish words for directions:
To the left – Izquierda – “Iskierda”
To the right – Derecha – “derEcha”
Straight – Recto – “recto”
In Spanish, “street” is Calle – “caye”
We ask where the Rambla is - ?Donde esta la calle Rambla? - “Donde estA la caye Rambla?”
We ask where the beach is – ?Donde esta la playa? - “Donde estA la playa?”
You can search for the Russian Embassy - “Where is the Russian Embassy?” – ?Donde esta la embajada de Rusia? - “donde estA la embahAda de Rusia?”
Another useful line: “Where is the toilet?” – ?Donde estan los aseos? - “DOnde estAn los asEos?”
Basic Spanish words for transport
To navigate along the way, a tourist will still have to remember a dozen Spanish words Schedule – Horario – “orArio”
Sales – Venta – “venta”
Ticket (for transport) - Billete - “biyEte” or “bilEte”. You can say “ticketE” - they also understand normally.
If you need a “Round and Back” ticket, the cashier needs to say: “Ida i Vuelta” - “Ida and Vuelta”
Card (travel card, subscription, also a bank card) - Tarjeta - “tarkhEta”
The next station is Proxima Parada.
Train - Tren – “tren”
Path, platform - Via – “bia”
Taxi/metro/bus – Taxi, metro, autobus – “taxi, metro, autobus”
Express your opinion or desire in Spanish
Advanced tourists very quickly begin to understand and speak Spanish I like! - Me gusta – “me gusta!”
I don't like! - No me gusta – “but me gusta!”
I would like to - Querria – “qErria”
This is good! - Esta bien – “estA bien!”)
Very good! - Muy bien – “muy bien!”
I don't want! - No quiero – “but quiero!”
Clarifications regarding mutual understanding + help
I don’t speak Spanish – No hablo espanol – “but Ablo Español”
Do you speak Russian? - Habla ruso? - “Abla ruso?”
Speak English? – Habla ingles? - “Abla Inglas?”
At first, this phrase will be the most popular: “I don’t understand” – No entiendo – “but entEndo”
The Spaniards very often confirm, they say, “Got it” - “Vale” - “Bale!”
"Help me please!" – ?Ayudeme, por favor! - “ayudEme, por favOr!”
Shopping, bookings
In the photo: tourists are interested in the prices of souvenirs in Bilbao What it is? – ?Que es esto? - “que es esto?”
The basic phrase for shopping: “how much is it?” – ?Cuanto cuesta? – “cuAnto cuEsta?”)
If you are going to pay for a purchase with a bank card, it will be - Con tarjeta - “con tarjeta”
Cash - Efectivo - “effectibo”
Car – Coche – “koche”
Entrance (to any establishment) - Entrada - “entrAda”
Exit – Salida – “SalIda”
I booked a room – Tengo una reserva de la habitacion – “Tengo una reserva de la habitacion”
If you need to spend the night, you can say: “two beds for this night” - Dos kamas por esta noche - “dos kamas por estA noche”
Phrases in Spanish about food (in a restaurant, store, market)
In the photo: a fragment of the menu in a small restaurant, Malgrad de Mar Sometimes, when buying food in a cafeteria or bar, Spaniards ask: Do you take food to go? - Para llevar? - “Para yebAr?” If you want to eat in a cafe, then you can answer a short “No” and add: “I will eat here” - Para aquí - - “Para akI”
I’ll order... – Voy a tomar... – “fight a tomar”
Bon appetit! - Buen provecho! - “buen provEcho”. Or often just “provEcho!”
Hot – caliente – “calEnte”
Warm up – calentar – “calentAr”
The check, please! - La cuenta, por favor! – “la cuEnta, por favour”
Meat – Carne – “kArne”
Fish – Pescado – “peskado”
Chicken – Pollo – “poyo”
If, when ordering chicken, you say not “Poyo”, but “Pollo” (if you read “pollo” as you are used to), you will get an indecent word and you will have to say “Perdon” :)
Seafood – Mariscos – “marIskos”
Pasta – Pastas
Bread – Pan – “pan”
Spanish words and phrases about drinks
Drinks – Bebidas – “babyIdas”
Coffee with milk – Cafe con leche – “cafe con leche”
Beer – Cerveza – “SerbEsa”
The most important phrase for mastering Spain: “two beers, please!” Dos cerveza, por favor!- “dos sirbEsas, por favOR!”
Sparkling water – Agua con gaz – “Agua con gas”
Still water – Agua sin gaz – “Agua sin gas”
Black tea – Té Negro – “te negro”
Green tea – Té Verde – “te vErde”
Sugar – Azúcar – “Atsukar”
Spoon – Cuchara – “kuchAra”
Spoon (small) – Cucharilla – “kucharIya”
Fork – Tenedor – “tenedor”
For the Spaniards, the sounds “b” and “v” are almost the same. This will be noticeable when you mention, for example, “wine”
White wine – El vino blanco – “El Bino Blanco”
Rose wine – Rosado – “El Bino Rosado”
Red wine – Tinto – “El Bino TInto”
If you want to order two glasses of red wine: “two glasses of red, please!” Dos copas de vino tinto, por favor!- “dos copas de bino tinto, por favOR!”
Juice – Zumo – “ZUMO” (the sound is fuzzy, lisping)
Orange juice, please – Zumo de Naranjo, por favor! - “zumo de naranjo, por favOr!”
The 7 Most Important Words and Phrases in Spanish
It’s difficult to remember everything before your first trip, so remember at least the 7 most important words and phrases in Spanish that will definitely come in handy.