Spanish phrases for travel

Summer is here and it comes with lots of heat, travel and new discoveries for Spanish travelers. This long-awaited season has arrived and, if you are going to visit a country where Spanish is the main language, this article is for you.

Learn and discover the Spanish travel vocabulary you need to get around Spain, Mexico or Argentina this summer. You will be able to communicate with the natives if you have any questions about transportation, food or where is the building or restaurant you are looking for. Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have; the Spaniards will be happy to help you!

You can also read this article in Spanish.

Basic Spanish words for travel

Even if you don't have a very high level of Spanish, making the effort to speak Spanish when you are in Spain is a good decision. Not only will you learn new vocabulary, but the locals will appreciate it if you try to communicate with them in Spanish. So, here are some basic Spanish words for traveling to Spanish-speaking countries.

• Hola (Hello)
• Buenos días (Good morning)
• Buenas tardes (Good afternoon)
• Buenas noches (Good night)
• Por favor (Please)
• Disculpa (Excuse me)
• Quiero… (I want…)
• Necesito… (I need…)
• Me gustaría… (I would like…)
• Gracias (Thanks)
• Muchas gracias (Thank you so much)
• Perdón (Sorry)
• Adiós (Goodbye)

Basic Spanish phrases for travel

The most basic Spanish travel vocabulary is fundamental to communicate successfully, but as a Spanish traveler, you also need to know some key phrases if you need to ask for help on the subway or bus; if you want to ask for the ingredients of a dish or if you want to ask for directions to a specific place.

Below, you will find some basic Spanish phrases for traveling that will be useful in multiple scenarios:

• ¿Habla inglés? (Do you speak English?)
• No hablo español (I don’t speak Spanish)
• ¿Cómo se dice en español…? (How do you say in Spanish...?)
• No sé qué significa eso (I don't know what that means)
• No lo entiendo (I don't understand it)
• ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
• Hable más lento, por favor (Speak slower, please)

But imagine you want to talk to the hotel receptionist or the owner of the place where you are staying. Here are some useful Spanish phrases for travel:

• Tengo una reserva a nombre de María Gómez (I have a reservation in the name of Maria Gomez)
• ¿A qué hora puedo entrar a la habitación? (What time can I enter the room?)
• ¿Cuándo hay que dejar la habitación el día que nos marchemos? (When do we have to leave the room the day we check out?)
• ¿Hay buffet libre en el desayuno? (Is there a free buffet at breakfast?)
• ¿Pueden guardarme las maletas hasta que salga mi avión? (Can you hold my bags for me until my plane leaves?)
• ¿Cuál es la contraseña del WiFi? (What is the WiFi password?)
• Me gustaría devolver la llave de la habitación (I would like to return the room key)
• No queda gel de ducha en el baño, ¿podrían proporcionármelo? (There is no shower gel left in the bathroom, can you provide it?)

Although the Spanish travel vocabulary you will use the most is probably the one you will find below. Learn how to ask for and order food in Spanish in a restaurant:

• Mesa para dos, por favor (Table for two, please)
• Tengo una reserva a nombre de Luis Pérez (I have a reservation in the name of Luis Perez)
• ¿Puede traerme la carta? (Can you bring me the menu?)
• ¿Qué me recomienda? (What do you recommend?)
• ¿Cuál es el menú de hoy? (What is today's menu?)
• Para beber, queremos dos refrescos, por favor (To drink, we would like two soft drinks, please)
• Soy vegetariano, ¿tienen algún plato sin carne? (I am a vegetarian; do you have a meatless dish?)
• ¿Qué ingredientes tiene el plato? Soy alérgico a los frutos secos (What are the ingredients in the dish? I am allergic to nuts)
• Mi hamburguesa sin tomate, por favor (My hamburger without tomato, please)
• ¡Todo estaba muy rico! (Everything was very tasty!)
• ¿Dónde está el baño? (Where is the bathroom?)
• La cuenta, por favor (The bill, please)
• Para pagar con tarjeta (To pay by card)
• Me gustaría pagar en efectivo (I would like to pay cash)

Also, if you want to go into a shop or supermarket and ask the workers, ask for directions in Spanish or have an emergency and need help, these Spanish phrases for travel will help you:

• ¿Cuánto cuesta esta chaqueta? (How much does this jacket cost?)
• ¿Dónde queda el Museo del Prado? (Where is the Prado Museum?)
• Está a la derecha (It is on the right)
• Todo recto y después gira a la izquierda (Straight ahead and then turn left)
• ¿Qué precio tiene la entrada? (How much is the entrance fee?)
• ¿Cómo llego al estadio de fútbol? (How do I get to the soccer stadium?)
• ¿Puede ayudarme? (Can you help me?)
• Necesito ayuda para sacar el billete del metro (I need help getting a metro ticket)
• Estoy perdido, ¿cómo llego a mi hotel en la Calle Pez? (I'm lost, how do I get to my hotel on Calle Pez?)
• ¿Cómo llego al aeropuerto desde aquí? (How do I get to the airport from here?)
• ¿Dónde está la parada de metro más cercana? (Where is the nearest metro stop?)

These are just some of the basic Spanish words and phrases for traveling that will allow you to communicate with the locals. Put your Spanish skills into practice while you travel to perfect the language. Because one of the best ways to practice a language is to travel to a country where it is spoken, learning Spanish in Spain will allow you to develop your listening and comprehension skills in a short time during your vacation.