Spanish Phrases for Travel: 40+ Essentials for Your Trip

Spanish is spoken in Spain, Mexico and most of Latin America, and a few phrases go a long way, because people appreciate any effort. Vocabulary and some words differ between countries, but the phrases below are understood everywhere. The key phrases are “Gracias” (Thank you), “Perdón” (Excuse me) and “¿Dónde está el baño?” (Where is the bathroom).

• Thank you

  Gracias

  GRAH-see-ahs
• Excuse me

  Perdón

  per-DOHN
• I don't understand

  No entiendo

  noh en-tee-EN-doh
• Where is the bathroom?

  ¿Dónde está el baño?

  DOHN-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh
• How much does this cost?

  ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?

  KWAN-toh KWES-tah ES-toh

What to know before you go

• Two ways to say “you”. Use usted (formal) with strangers, older people and staff, and tú with friends and young people. In much of Latin America, ustedes is used for “you all”.
• Greet when you enter. Say buenos días, buenas tardes or buenas noches when you walk into a shop, bar or lift.
• Accents differ. Spain, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia all sound a little different. Everyone understands standard Spanish.
• Meal times differ. In Spain lunch is often around 2 pm and dinner after 9 pm. In Mexico it is slightly earlier.

Greetings and politeness

• Good morning

  Buenos días

  BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs
• Good evening

  Buenas tardes

  BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs
• Hello

  Hola

  OH-lah
• Nice to meet you

  Mucho gusto

  MOO-choh GOOS-toh
• Please

  Por favor

  por fah-VOR
• Yes

  Sí

  see

When you do not understand

• Do you speak English?

  ¿Habla inglés?

  AH-blah een-GLEHS
• Can you speak slowly, please?

  ¿Puede hablar despacio, por favor?

  PWEH-deh ah-BLAR des-PAH-see-oh por fah-VOR
• Pardon?

  ¿Perdón?

  pehr-DOHN
• I don't speak the language

  No hablo español

  NOH AHB-loh ehs-pah-NYOHL

Getting around

Trains, taxis and directions.

• Where is the train station?

  ¿Dónde está la estación de tren?

  DOHN-deh es-TAH lah es-tah-see-OHN deh trehn
• One ticket, please

  Un billete, por favor

  oon bee-YEH-teh por fah-VOR
• Which platform does this train leave from?

  ¿Desde qué andén sale este tren?

  dehs-theh KEH ahn-DEHN SAH-leh EHS-teh TREHN
• Do I need to change trains?

  ¿Necesito cambiar de tren?

  neh-theh-SEE-toh kahmb-YAHR theh TREHN
• What's the next stop?

  ¿Cuál es la siguiente parada?

  KWAHL EHS lah seegh-YEHN-teh pah-RAH-thah
• I would like a taxi

  Quisiera un taxi

  kee-see-EH-rah oon TAHK-see
• Turn left

  Gire a la izquierda

  KHEE-reh ah lah eeth-KYEHR-dah
• Turn right

  Gire a la derecha

  KHEE-reh ah lah deh-REH-chah
• Go straight

  Siga derecho

  SEE-gah deh-REH-choh
• Can you show me on the map?

  ¿Puede indicármelo en el mapa?

  PWEH-deh een-dee-KAHR-meh-loh ehn ehl MAH-pah

Eating and drinking

• I would like...

  Quisiera...

  kee-see-EH-rah
• Do you have a menu in English?

  ¿Tiene un menú en inglés?

  tee-EH-neh oon meh-NOO en een-GLEHS
• Water, please

  Agua, por favor

  AH-gwah por fah-VOR
• I am vegetarian

  Sigo una dieta vegetariana

  SEE-goh OO-nah DYEH-tah beh-kheh-tah-RYAH-nah
• The bill, please

  La cuenta, por favor

  lah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR

Shopping and money

• How much does this cost?

  ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?

  KWAN-toh KWES-tah ES-toh
• Can I pay by card?

  ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

  PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah
• Where is the nearest ATM?

  ¿Dónde está el cajero automático más cercano?

  DOHN-deh es-TAH el kah-HEH-roh ow-toh-MAH-tee-koh mahs sehr-KAH-noh

Hotels

• I have a reservation

  Tengo una reserva

  TEN-goh OO-nah reh-SEHR-vah
• I would like to check in

  Quisiera registrarme

  kee-see-EH-rah reh-hees-TRAR-meh
• The Wi-Fi password, please

  La contraseña del wifi, por favor

  lah kon-trah-SEH-nyah del WEE-fee por fah-VOR
• Can I store my luggage after checkout?

  ¿Puedo guardar mi equipaje después de hacer el check-out?

  PWEH-thoh ghwahr-THAHR mee eh-kee-PAH-kheh thehsp-WEHS theh ah-THEHR ehl CHEH-KOHWT

Emergencies

Learn these before you need them.

• Help!

  ¡Ayuda!

  ah-YOO-dah
• Call the police

  Llame a la policía

  YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah
• Call an ambulance

  Llame a una ambulancia

  YAH-meh ah OO-nah am-boo-LAHN-see-ah
• I need a doctor

  Necesito un médico

  neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh
• My wallet was stolen

  Me robaron mi cartera

  meh roh-BAH-rohn mee kahr-TEH-rah
• My passport is lost/stolen

  He perdido mi pasaporte o me lo han robado.

  eh pehr-DEE-doh mee pah-sah-POHR-teh oh meh loh ahn roh-BAH-doh
• I am lost

  Me he perdido

  meh eh pehr-DEE-doh

Small phrases that make people smile

• How is it going?

  ¿Qué tal?

  keh TAHL

  Casual, between friends and in shops.
• See you later

  Hasta luego

  AH-stah LWEH-goh

  A friendly goodbye in any situation.
• Excuse me (to pass)

  Con permiso

  kohn pehr-MEE-soh

  Said when squeezing past someone.
• Enjoy your meal

  ¡Buen provecho!

  bwehn proh-BEH-choh

  Said to people who are eating.
• I am a tourist

  Soy turista

  soy too-REES-tah

A short scene: asking for directions

1. YouPerdone, ¿dónde está la estación de metro?pehr-DOH-neh DOHN-deh eh-STAH lah eh-stah-SYOHN deh MEH-trohExcuse me, where is the metro station?
2. Passer-byTodo recto y luego a la derecha.TOH-doh REHK-toh ee LWEH-goh ah lah deh-REH-chahStraight on and then to the right.
3. You¿Está lejos?eh-STAH LEH-hohsIs it far?
4. Passer-byNo, a cinco minutos andando.noh ah SEEN-koh mee-NOO-tohs ahn-DAHN-dohNo, five minutes on foot.
5. YouMuchas gracias.MOO-chahs GRAH-syahsThank you very much.

Common mistakes

1. Not greeting when you walk in. Say buenos días or buenas tardes first.
2. Using tú with everyone. It can sound too familiar with older people and staff.
3. Assuming every country uses the same word. A few words change, so listen to what people around you say.

For more, see our how to say hello in Spanish and how to order food in Spanish and Spanish train phrases and Spanish hotel phrases and Spanish emergency phrases. All phrases here have audio; ask a native speaker if you need a particular nuance.