This post is for anyone with a basic level of Spanish who is planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country. If you don’t have time to take a course or study extensively before your trip, this guide can help.
These are phrases you can realistically start using right away. Even if your Spanish is very basic or zero, I recommend:
- Familiarizing yourself with these phrases and their pronunciation
- Keeping them in a notebook or on your phone while traveling
I have included a video so you can repeat after me. You can also download the infographic from this post to have it handy on your trip. Using these phrases will not only help you get by but also show respect for the local culture. Don’t worry about making mistakes, people often see the effort to speak their language as a sign of kindness and respect.
13 Basic Spanish Phrases for Your Trip
- Hola / Adiós (Hello / Goodbye)
Essential greetings. People appreciate visitors who make an effort to use their language. You can also use: buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon), buenas noches (good evening). If you want to keep it simple, “hola” and “adiós” work in all situations.
- Gracias / De nada (Thank you / You’re welcome)
Politeness goes a long way. You’ll use these phrases in taxis, hotels, restaurants, shops — basically everywhere.
- Por favor (Please)
One of the most important polite words — it softens any request.
- Perdón (Sorry / Excuse me / Pardon me)
Use to apologize or to start a conversation:
- Perdón, ¿dónde está la estación de tren? (Excuse me, where is the train station?)
- Accidentally bump into someone? Just say Perdón.
- Mucho gusto (Nice to meet you)
A polite way to greet someone you meet for the first time.
- Una mesa para dos, por favor (A table for two, please)
Useful for restaurants — adapt it as needed for the situation.
- Para mí, la ensalada, por favor (For me, the salad, please)
Easy way to order food. You can also say Me gustaría la ensalada, por favor (I’d like the salad, please).
- ¿Dónde está el baño? (Where’s the bathroom?)
Use this to ask for the location of anything:
- ¿Dónde está el hospital?
- ¿Dónde está el museo del Prado?
- ¿Dónde está la recepción?
- La cuenta, por favor (The bill, please)
A classic phrase for restaurants.
- Perdón, no hablo español (Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish)
Your go-to phrase when you don’t understand what’s being said.
- ¿Habla inglés? (Do you speak English?)
Habla is formal; for informal situations: ¿Hablas inglés?
Other languages: Habla francés?, Habla alemán?, etc.
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much is this?)
Useful for shopping. You can point to the item while asking.
- Necesito un taxi (I need a taxi)
Replace taxi with other needs:
- Necesito una aspirina, por favor (I need an aspirin, please)
- Necesito un doctor (I need a doctor)
- Necesito ayuda (I need help)
Learning just a few key phrases can make a big difference in your travel experience. Start practicing today, and you’ll feel more confident connecting with locals!
🌟 Ready to take it further?
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