What do the awe-inspiring Iguazú Falls, the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, the lush beaches of Cancún, and the picturesque streets of downtown Cartagena all have in common? They’re all located in Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, of course! So if you’re planning to visit the amazing sights Latin America has to offer, you’ll need to speak Spanish once you’re there.
These useful Spanish travel phrases are going to help you get by when traveling in Spanish-speaking countries. In fact, they could be considered essential to learn, because you may need to use each and every one of them from the minute you land.
We’ve included basic Spanish phrases such as greetings, ordering food in a restaurant, checking into a hotel, transport, asking for and understanding directions, and some phrases you might need in case of an emergency. Fasten your seatbelts, muchachos, ¡porque nos vamos de viaje!
And do check our full guide to vocabulary and phrases for air travel to help make the travel experience easier but also more educational.
Table of Contents
Basic phrases
This first section of handy Spanish words is where you’ll learn the basic greetings, question words and common questions, and other common Spanish phrases you’ll need on a daily basis.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Buenos días | BWEY-nohs DEE-ahs | Good morning |
| Buenas tardes / noches | BWEY-nahs TAHR-des / NOH-ches | Good afternoon / evening |
| ¿Cómo te llamas? | KOH-moh te YAH-mas | What’s your name? |
| Me llamo Maria. | me YAH-moh mah-REE-ah | My name’s Maria. |
| No entiendo | noh en-TYEN-doh | I don’t understand |
| No sé | no se | I don’t know |
| Claro | KLAH-roh | Of course |
| Quizás / tal vez | key-SAHS / tahl bes | Maybe |
| Por favor | pohr fah-bor | Please |
| Gracias | GRAH-see-ahs | Thank you |
| Disculpa | dis-COOL-pah | I’m sorry |
| ¿Te gusta bailar salsa? | te GOOS-tah bye-LAHR SAHL-sah? | Do you like dancing salsa? |
| Tengo una pregunta. | TEN-goh OO-nah prey-GOON-tah | I have a question. |
| No tengo reserva. | noh TEN-goh re-SER-vah | I don’t have a reservation. |
| Más lento, por favor. | mahs LEN-toh pohr fah-BOR | More slowly, please. |
| ¿Habla inglés? | AH-blah in-GLES | Do you speak English? |
| No hablo español muy bien. | noh AH-bloh es-pah-NYOL mooi bee-yen | I don’t speak Spanish very well. |
Making conversation and getting information is all about asking and answering questions, so memorizing the question words should be your first port of call! Here are the main question words presented in examples of common questions:
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? | KOH-moh es-TAHS | How are you? |
| ¿Dónde está / queda la Plaza de Armas? | DOHN-de es-TAH / KE-dah lah PLAH-sa de AHR-mahs | Where is the main square? |
| ¿Qué hora es? | ke OH-rah es | What time is it? |
| ¿A qué hora sale el autobús? | a ke OH-rah SAH-le el au-toh-BOOS | What time does the bus leave? |
| ¿Por qué necesita ver mi pasaporte? | pohr-KE ne-se-SEE-tah ver mee pah-sah-POHR-te | Why do you need to see my passport? |
| ¿Cuál es el mejor museo aquí? | kwahl es el me-JOHR moo-SEY-oh ah-KEY | What is the best museum here? |
| ¿Cuánto está / cuesta ese bolso? | KWAN-toh es-TAH / KWES-tah E-se bohl-soh | How much does that bag cost? |
| ¿Cuánto es? | KWAN-toh es | How much is that? |
| ¿Cuántos años tienes? | KWAN-tohs AH-nyos TEEYE-nes | How old are you? |
| ¿Cuándo llega el vuelo? | KWAN-doh YEY-gah el WEY-loh? | When does the flight arrive? |
Please note: There’s a small, yet important difference between saying ¿Cuánto está/cuesta? and ¿Cuánto es?. You usually use ¿Cuánto está / cuesta? if you’re asking about the price for a single item or service. You’d be more likely to use ¿Cuánto es? when you’re asking about the total bill, for example at a supermarket, restaurant, or hotel.
Ordering food at a restaurant
Trying all the delicious local food is one of the best things about traveling. Latin America is home to many rich culinary traditions, so be sure to use the following phrases to order. (We decided not to include a long list of the actual names of foods because they can change from one Latin country to another–avocado is aguacate in some countries and palta in others, for example–and are often listed on the menu anyway.)
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Entrada | en-TRAH-dah | Appetizer |
| Plato principal | PLAH-toh prin-see-PAHL | Main course |
| Bebida | bey-BEE-dah | Drink |
| Postre | POHS-trey | Dessert |
| Menú del día | me-noo del DEE-yah | Set menu |
| ¿Este plato es vegetariano? | ES-te PLAH-toh es be-je-tah-ree-AH-noh | Is this dish vegetarian? |
| Yo quiero una arepa con una ensalada. | yo KEEYEH-roh OO-nah ah-REH-pah kon OO-nah en-sah-LAH-dah | I’d like an arepa with a salad. |
| La cuenta, por favor. | lah KWEN-tah pohr fah-BOHR | The bill, please. |
| ¿La propina está incluida? | lah pro-PEE-nah es-TAH in-CLOOEY-dah | Is the tip included? |
| Mi comida está fría / cruda. | mee koh-MEE-dah es-TAH FREE-yah / CROO-dah | My food is cold / not cooked enough. |
| Este no es mi pedido. | ES-te noh es mee pe-DEE-doh | This isn’t my order. |
| La mesa está sucia. | lah ME-sah es-TAH SOO-seeya | The table is dirty. |
Here’s a food ordering conversation to help you practice:
| Spanish | English translation |
|---|---|
| Mozo: Buenas tardes señorita. Aquí le dejo la carta. | Waiter: Good afternoon, miss. Here’s the menu. |
| Cliente: Muchas gracias. ¿Cuál es el menú del día hoy? | Client: Thank you very much. What’s the set menu today? |
| Mozo: De entrada tenemos una sopa de verduras y el plato de fondo es frijoles con arroz. | Waiter: As an appetizer, we have vegetable soup, and the main course is beans with rice. |
| Cliente: ¡Suena bien! Quiero pedir el menú del día entonces. | Client: Sounds good! I’d like to order the set menu then. |
| Mozo: Perfecto. ¿Y para tomar? Tenemos agua mineral, té, café y gaseosas. | Waiter: Perfect. And to drink? We have mineral water, tea, coffee and soda drinks. |
| Cliente: Un agua sin gas, por favor. | Client: Still water, please. |
| Mozo: Listo. En un momento le traigo su pedido. | Waiter: Okay. I’ll bring you your order in a moment. |
Getting around
Exploring the city or town you’re visiting is the most exciting part of traveling, however, it can be a little daunting because you might have to ask someone for directions at some point. This would not be a good time to be stuck for words, so don’t forget to practice the phrases below several times to ensure they just roll off your tongue with no problem.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Dónde puedo tomar un taxi / autobus / tren? | DOHN-de PWE-doh toh-MAHR oon TAHK-see / au-toh-BOOS / tren | Where can I take a taxi / bus / train? |
| ¿Cómo llego al centro de la ciudad? | KOH-moh YE-goh ahl SEN-troh de lah siou-DAHD | How do I get to the city center? |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta el pasaje? | KWAN-toh KWES-tah el pah-SAH-je | How much does a ticket cost? |
| ¿Cuánto tiempo toma el viaje? | KWAN-toh TEEYEM-poh TOH-mah el BEEYA-je | How long does the trip take? |
| ¿El mar está cerca o lejos de aquí? | el mahr es-TAH SER-kah oh LE-johs | Is the sea close or far from here? |
| Izquierda / derecha | eeze-KEEYER-dah / de-RETCH-ah | Left / right |
| Detrás / delante / al lado de | de-TRAHS / de-LAHN-te / ahl LAH-doh de | Behind / in front of / next to |
| Camina de frente por 3 cuadras. | kah-MEE-nah de FREN-te pohr tres KWAH-drahs | Walk straight for 3 blocks. |
| Dobla / gira | DOH-blah / JEE-rah | Turn |
| El centro comercial está al final de esta calle. | el SEN-troh koh-mer-SEEYAL es-TAH ahl fee-NAHL de ES-tah KAH-ye | The mall is at the end of this street. |
| ¿Dónde hay una tienda de ropa / zapatos / artículos electrónicos? | DOHN-de ai OO-nah TEEYEN-dah de ROH-pah / sah-PAH-tohs / ahr-TEE-koo-loh | Where is there a clothes / shoes / electronics store? |
Let’s practice! Look at the map and read the conversation below where a tourist is asking a police officer for directions. You’re standing outside the museum.
| Spanish | English translation |
|---|---|
| Turista: Buenas tardes, señor policía. Disculpe, ¿cómo llego a la plaza desde aquí? | Tourist: Good afternoon, police officer. Excuse me, how do I get to the plaza from here? |
| Policía: ¡Buenas tardes! Mire, cruce esta calle, pasando el supermercado. Siga de frente, cruce la siguiente calle también, y estará en el mercado. De allí, gire a la izquierda, cruce la calle y estará en la plaza. | Police officer: Good afternoon! Look, cross this road, go past the supermarket. Keep going straight, cross the next street too, and you’ll be at the market. From there, turn left, cross the road and you’ll be at the plaza. |
| Turista: ¡Muchas gracias! | Tourist: Thank you very much! |
| Policía: De nada. | Police officer: You’re welcome. |
| Turista: Perdón, una pregunta más. ¿La iglesia queda cerca de la plaza? | Tourist: Sorry, one more question. Is the church close to the plaza? |
| Policía: ¡Claro! Está en la misma plaza. | Police officer: Of course! It’s on the plaza itself. |
| Turista: Genial. Muchas gracias. ¡Que tenga un buen día! | Tourist: Great. Thank you very much. Have a nice day! |
| Policía: ¡Igualmente! Disfrute de nuestra ciudad. | Police officer: Likewise! Enjoy our city! |
Checking into a hotel
During your travels, you’ll inevitably stay at a hostel or a hotel, so you definitely need to master these common Spanish expressions and basic questions about your accommodation.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Habitación simple / doble / matrimonial | Ah-bee-tah-SHOHN SIM-ple / DOH-bleh / mah-tree-moh-nee-AHL | Single / twin / double room |
| ¿El hotel / hospedaje tiene piscina? | El oh-TEL / ohs-pe-DAH-je TYE-ne pee-SEE-nah | Does the hotel / hostel have a swimming pool? |
| ¿La habitación tiene baño privado? | lah ah-bee-tah-SYOHN TEEYE-ne BAH-nyo pree-VAH-doh | Does the room have a private bathroom? |
| ¿En qué piso está mi habitación? | en ke PEE-soh es-TAH mee ah-bee-tah-SHOHN | What floor is my room on? |
| ¿Hasta qué hora atienden en el bar? | AHS-tah ke OH-rah ah-TEEYEN-den en el bahr | Until what time do they serve in the bar? |
| ¿Podemos añadir una cama adicional para nuestro hijo? | poh-DE-mosh ah-neeya-DEER OO-nah KA-mah ah-dee-sho-NAHL PAH-ra NOOWES-troh EE-joh | Can we add an extra bed for our child? |
| ¿Aceptan tarjetas American Express? | ah-SEP-tahn tahr-JE-tahs American Express | Do you accept American Express creditcards? |
| Solo tengo dólares americanos. | SOH-loh TENG-goh DOH-lah-res ah-me-ree-KAH-nohs | I only have US dollars. |
| No funciona el Internet. | noh foon-SHO-nah el in-ter-NET | The Internet isn’t working. |
| He perdido mi llave. | e per-DEE-doh mee YA-be | I’ve lost my key. |
| No hay agua caliente en la ducha. | no ai AH-wa ka-LEEYEN-te en lah DOO-cha | There’s no hot water in the shower. |
Problems and emergencies
We certainly hope you won’t need any of the phrases below during your travels, but they’re still part of the essential Spanish expressions that should be part of your vocabulary.
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Ayuda! | ah-YOO-dah | Help! |
| ¿Qué está pasando? | ke es-TAH pah-SAHN-do | What’s happening? |
| ¿Este lugar es peligroso? | ES-te loo-GAHR es pe-lee-GROH-soh | Is this place dangerous? |
| Necesito ayuda / un doctor / una ambulancia / llamar a la policía. | ne-se-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah / oon dok-TOHR / OO-nah ahm-boo-LAHN-seeya / yah-MAHR ah lah poh-lee-SEEYA | I need help / a doctor / an ambulance / to call the police. |
| He sufrido un accidente de tránsito. | e soo-FREE-doh oon ak-see-DEN-te de TRAHN-see-toh | I’ve been in a traffic accident. |
| No me siento bien. | noh me SEEYEN-toh BEEYEN | I don’t feel well. |
| Me duele la cabeza / el corazón / mi estómago. | me DOOWE-le lah kah-BE-sah / el ko-rah-SOHN / mee es-TOH-mah-goh | My head / heart / stomach hurt. |
| ¿Dónde hay un hospital / una comisaría? | DOHN-de ai oon os-pee-TAHL / OO-nah koh-mee-sah-REEYA | Where is there a hospital / a police station? |
| ¿Por qué se paró el bus? | pohr-KE se pah-ROH el boos | Why did the bus stop? |
| ¿Cuándo termina la huelga de transporte? | KWAN-doh ter-MEE-nah lah WEL-gah de trahn-SPOR-te | When will the transport strike end? |
| Me robaron el celular / la tarjeta de crédito. | me roh-BAH-ron el se-loo-LAHR / lah tahr-JE-tah de CRE-dee-toh | They stole my cellphone / credit card. |
| No tengo dinero. | noh TENG-goh dee-NE-roh | I don’t have any money. |
| Me perdí. | me per-DEE | I’m lost. |
| ¿Por qué anularon nuestro tour? | pohr-KE ah-noo-LAH-ron NOOWES-troh toor | Why did they cancel our tour? |
| Quiero pedir un reembolso. | KEEYEH-roh pe-DEER oon re-em-BOHL-soh | I’d like to get a refund. |
Review test
Time for a little test now to put your newfound vocabulary in practice! Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. (The answers can be found at the bottom of the article)
| 1. ¿Dónde ___________ la Plaza de Armas? | a. estáb. cuesta |
| 2. El menú del día incluye ___________. | a. postreb. pedido |
| 3. Mozo, yo quiero la ___________, por favor. | a. propinab. sopa vegetariana |
| 4. ¿Cuándo llega el ___________ de la capital? | a. autobúsb. restaurante |
| 5. La cafetería está al lado del ___________. | a. girab. cine |
| 6. No ___________ la llave de mi habitación. | a. caminab. funciona |
| 7. Necesito un doctor. Me ___________ mucho la cabeza. | a. dueleb. tengo |
| 8. El agua en la ducha está ___________. | a. lejosb. fría |
Congratulations! You’ve just gone from not even knowing how to say trip in Spanish (which is viaje, in case you’d missed it), to knowing several super important Spanish phrases to know when traveling. We hope you put these phrases to good use during your next adventure somewhere in Latin America. ¡Hasta la próxima, muchachos!
(Answers to the review test: 1-a / 2-a / 3-b / 4-a / 5-b / 6-b / 7-a / 8-b)
Leave a Reply