Fifty Spanish phrases for your trip to Spain, as a five-day plan of ten a day: greetings and manners, café and restaurant, paying and shops, getting around and signs, hotel and help. Every card has a pronunciation respelling, a real example exchange and a tip on when to use it and what catches tourists out, plus a bonus group of numbers 1–10. About 10 minutes a day.
CEFR A1 — Beginner
At this level you can introduce yourself, order food, ask directions. Vocabulary: ~500 words (cumulative).
Phrases you'll learn
How do you say “Hello / Good morning” in Spanish?
“Hello / Good morning” is “Hola / Buenos días” in Spanish. For example: Buenos días, ¿me pone un café con leche? — Good morning, can I have a coffee with milk?
How do you say “Good afternoon / Good evening” in Spanish?
“Good afternoon / Good evening” is “Buenas tardes” in Spanish. For example: Buenas tardes, ¿tienen mesa para dos? – Sí, pasen. — Good evening, do you have a table for two? – Yes, come in.
How do you say “Please” in Spanish?
“Please” is “Por favor” in Spanish. For example: Una cerveza, por favor. — A beer, please.
How do you say “Thank you” in Spanish?
“Thank you” is “Gracias” in Spanish. For example: ¡Muchas gracias! – De nada. — Thanks a lot! – You're welcome.
Spanish → English60 words~6 days at 10 words/day1 downloadA1A2
No ratingsNo ratingsby admin@wordsonrepeat.comSep 6, 2026
Saludo al entrar en una tienda o al encontrarse con alguien; 'buenos días' se usa hasta la hora de comer.
Synonyms:buenas
Hello / Good morning
Buenos días, ¿me pone un café con leche?
Good morning, can I have a coffee with milk?
Say one of these as you walk into any shop, bar or bus; a silent entrance is what locals notice. Unlike Italian 'ciao', 'hola' is fine with anyone, from the bus driver to the hotel manager, and 'buenos días' runs until lunch, which in Spain means about two in the afternoon. The 'h' is silent.
Buenas tardesA1
BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs
Saludo desde después de comer hasta la noche; por la noche se dice 'buenas noches'.
Synonyms:buenas, buenas noches
Good afternoon / Good evening
Buenas tardes, ¿tienen mesa para dos? – Sí, pasen.
Good evening, do you have a table for two? – Yes, come in.
Switch from 'buenos días' after lunch, around two, and keep 'buenas tardes' until dark or about nine; then it is 'buenas noches', which in Spain is a normal arrival greeting as well as goodnight. In practice most people just say 'buenas' at any hour, the easiest word in the deck.
Por favorA1
por fah-VOR
Fórmula de cortesía que se añade al final de una petición.
Please
Una cerveza, por favor.
A beer, please.
Goes at the end of the request, after a comma. Spaniards use it less than English speakers use 'please' and rely on tone and 'gracias' instead, so a bare 'un café, por favor' is already polite, not curt. The 'v' sounds like a soft 'b'.
GraciasA1
GRAH-thyahs
Palabra para dar las gracias; la respuesta habitual es 'de nada'.
Thank you
¡Muchas gracias! – De nada.
Thanks a lot! – You're welcome.
The reply is 'de nada' (it's nothing); you will also hear 'a usted' or 'a ti' (thank you) and 'no hay de qué'. 'Muchas gracias' is thanks a lot. In Spain the 'c' before 'i' is a 'th' as in 'thin', so 'GRAH-thyahs', not 'GRAH-syahs'.
DisculpeA1formal
dees-KOOL-peh
Fórmula para llamar la atención de alguien o pedir disculpas a un desconocido.
Synonyms:perdone, oiga
Excuse me (to get attention) / Sorry
Disculpe, ¿me cobra? – Ahora mismo.
Excuse me, can I pay? – Right away.
For catching a waiter's eye, stopping a stranger, or a light apology; it is the formal 'usted' form, safe with anyone. In Spain you will hear 'perdone' or the informal 'perdona' just as often, and a firm '¡oiga!' (listen!) to hail a busy waiter is normal, not rude. For a real apology say 'lo siento'.
PerdónA1
pehr-DON
Palabra para pedir paso entre la gente o disculparse por un pequeño choque.
Excuse me / Sorry (to get past)
Perdón, ¿me deja pasar? Voy a bajar.
Excuse me, can I get past? I'm getting off.
Spanish has no special word for squeezing past: 'perdón' (or 'perdone') plus a gesture does it, and '¿me deja pasar?' (may I get past?) makes people move on a packed metro; someone standing at the door will ask you '¿va a bajar?' (getting off?). 'Con permiso' is understood and used, mostly for stepping into a room or past a table, though less on the street than in Latin America. 'Perdón' is also the one-word sorry for a bump or for treading on a foot.
Sí / NoA1
see / noh
Las dos respuestas básicas; 'no, gracias' rechaza con educación.
Yes / No
¿Quiere algo más? – No, gracias.
Would you like anything else? – No, thanks.
'No, gracias' is the polite full stop for street sellers, people handing out flyers and restaurant touts on the Ramblas; 'sí, gracias' accepts, and 'vale' (OK) is the word Spaniards use for agreeing to anything. Note the accent on 'sí': 'si' without it means 'if'.
¿Habla inglés?A1formal
AH-blah een-GLES
Pregunta para saber si alguien habla inglés; forma de cortesía.
Do you speak English?
Perdone, ¿habla inglés? – Un poco.
Excuse me, do you speak English? – A little.
Asking in Spanish first gets a warmer answer. 'Habla' is the formal 'usted' form; in Spain the informal 'tú' is used far more than in Latin America, so '¿hablas inglés?' from a young shop assistant is friendly, not rude, and you can copy it with people your own age. 'Un poco' is a little.
No entiendoA1
noh en-TYEN-doh
Frase para decir que no se ha entendido lo que han dicho.
Synonyms:¿cómo?
I don't understand
No entiendo. Más despacio, por favor.
I don't understand. More slowly, please.
Pair it with 'más despacio, por favor' and people slow down and simplify. 'No hablo español' is I don't speak Spanish; '¿puede repetir?' asks for a repeat, and a simple '¿cómo?' means pardon? Spaniards speak fast and clip word endings, so ask early rather than nodding along.
AdiósA1
ah-DYOS
Despedida para tiendas, hoteles y personas que no se conocen.
Synonyms:hasta luego
Goodbye
Gracias, adiós. – Hasta luego, que vaya bien.
Thanks, goodbye. – See you, take care.
Fine with anyone, but what you will actually hear on the way out of every shop and bar in Spain is 'hasta luego' (see you later), often clipped to 'ta luego', said even to strangers you will never see again. Say either as you leave, even if you bought nothing. 'Que vaya bien' (take care) is the friendly extra.
Una mesa para dos, por favorA1
OO-nah MEH-sah PAH-rah DOS, por fah-VOR
Frase para pedir una mesa en un restaurante indicando el número de personas.
A table for two, please
Buenas tardes, una mesa para dos, por favor. – ¿Tienen reserva?
Good evening, a table for two, please. – Do you have a reservation?
In a restaurant wait to be seated; in a bar or café you sit anywhere free. Swap 'dos' for your number, or say 'somos tres'. The trap is timing: lunch is served roughly 13:30 to 16:00 and dinner from about 20:30 or 21:00; walk in at six and the kitchen ('la cocina') is closed, though the bar will feed you tapas.
Quería…A1
keh-REE-ah
Forma cortés para pedir algo en un bar o restaurante.
Synonyms:¿me pone…?, para mí…
I'd like…
Quería una ración de tortilla. Quería una caña.
I'd like a plate of tortilla. I'd like a small draught beer.
Frame: 'quería' plus the item; it is how Spaniards order, and the textbook 'quisiera' sounds stiff. In a bar the everyday form is '¿me pone…?' (can I have…?), and 'para mí…' (for me…) works when the waiter goes round the table. 'Quiero' (I want) is not rude in Spain, just blunter.
La carta, por favorA1
lah KAR-tah, por fah-VOR
Petición de la lista de platos; 'el menú' es el menú del día a precio fijo.
The menu, please
La carta, por favor. ¿Tienen carta en inglés?
The menu, please. Do you have a menu in English?
The trap: the menu is 'la carta'. 'El menú' means the fixed-price set lunch, 'el menú del día', usually three courses with bread and a drink for 12–18 euros on weekdays; it is often the best value in the room and often not printed on the carta, so ask. 'La carta de vinos' is the wine list.
Un café, por favorA1
oon kah-FEH, por fah-VOR
En España, 'un café' da pie a la pregunta: solo, cortado o con leche.
A coffee, please
Un café, por favor. – ¿Solo, cortado o con leche? – Con leche.
A coffee, please. – Black, with a dash of milk, or with milk? – With milk.
'Un café' on its own gets the question 'solo, cortado o con leche?'. 'Café solo' is a single espresso; 'cortado' is an espresso with a splash of milk; 'café con leche' is half milk in a big cup, the breakfast coffee. Nobody minds a café con leche after lunch, and a coffee at the bar costs about 1.50 to 2 euros; 'americano' is a long black, 'descafeinado' decaf.
¿Con gas o sin gas?A1
kon GAS oh seen GAS
Pregunta sobre el agua: con burbujas (con gas) o sin ellas (sin gas).
Sparkling or still?
¿Agua con gas o sin gas? – Sin gas, gracias. ¿Fría o del tiempo? – Fría.
Sparkling or still water? – Still, thanks. Cold or room temperature? – Cold.
The order is the reverse of English: 'con gas' is sparkling, 'sin gas' still. Bottled water costs money, but by law bars and restaurants must give you free tap water ('agua del grifo') if you ask for it. You may also be asked 'fría o del tiempo', cold or room temperature.
La cuenta, por favorA1
lah KWEN-tah, por fah-VOR
Frase para pedir pagar en un restaurante; la cuenta no llega sola.
Synonyms:¿me cobra?
The bill, please
Perdone, la cuenta, por favor. – Ahora mismo. ¿Junto o separado?
Excuse me, the bill, please. – Right away. Together or separately?
The bill will not come until you ask; being left alone at an empty table is politeness, not slow service. Catch the waiter's eye and say this, or the more Spanish '¿me cobra?' (can you charge me?), or mime writing in the air. 'Junto o separado' asks whether to split it.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?A2
PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-KHEH-tah
Pregunta para saber si se puede pagar con tarjeta de crédito o débito.
Synonyms:¿se puede pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? – Sí, claro.
Can I pay by card? – Yes, of course.
Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere, including taxis in the big cities, but some small bars, kiosks and market stalls are cash-only or set a minimum of a few euros, so ask before you order if you carry no cash. 'En efectivo' is cash. The 'j' in 'tarjeta' is a throaty 'kh'.
¡Salud!A1
sah-LOOD
Fórmula para brindar; también se dice 'chin chin'.
Synonyms:chin chin
Cheers!
¡Salud! – ¡Chin chin!
Cheers! – Cheers!
Clink and look each person in the eye; some Spaniards will not toast with water. 'Chin chin' is heard just as often. 'Salud' is also what you say after a sneeze (or '¡Jesús!'). Only for drinks; for food the wish is 'que aproveche'.
¡Que aproveche!A1
keh ah-proh-VEH-cheh
Deseo que se dice a quien va a comer; se responde 'gracias' o 'igualmente'.
Synonyms:buen provecho
Enjoy your meal!
¡Que aproveche! – Gracias, igualmente.
Enjoy your meal! – Thanks, you too.
Said by the waiter as the plates land and by strangers who pass your table or leave the bar while you eat; the reply is 'gracias' or 'igualmente' (likewise). 'Buen provecho' is the same wish, more common in Latin America but heard in Spain too.
PanA2
pahn
Línea de la cuenta por el pan que traen sin pedirlo; en España no hay cubierto obligatorio.
Bread (a charge on the bill)
Pan: 1,50 € por persona. Servicio e IVA incluidos.
Bread: 1.50 € per person. Service and VAT included.
Spain has no Italian-style cover charge, but the bread that lands unasked is not free: a line 'pan' (or 'servicio de pan') at one or two euros a head is normal, and you may send it back when it arrives. A few restaurants still print 'cubierto', which is legal only if the carta lists it. Tipping is small and optional: round up or leave a euro or two at a restaurant, nothing at the bar. 'IVA incluido' means tax is in the price; 'terraza' prices are legally allowed to be higher.
¿Cuánto cuesta…?A1
KWAHN-toh KWES-tah
Pregunta para saber el precio de algo.
Synonyms:¿cuánto vale?, ¿cuánto es?
How much is…?
¿Cuánto cuesta esto? ¿Cuánto cuesta la entrada?
How much is this? How much is the admission ticket?
Frame: 'cuánto cuesta' plus the item, or on its own while pointing; for several things, 'cuánto cuestan'. In Spain '¿cuánto vale?' means the same, and '¿cuánto es?' asks for the total at the till or the bar. 'Entrada' is a museum or event ticket, 'billete' a transport one.
Es demasiado caroA1
es deh-mah-SYAH-doh KAH-roh
Frase para decir que el precio es demasiado alto.
That's too expensive
Es demasiado caro. Gracias de todas formas.
That's too expensive. Thanks anyway.
Prices are fixed in shops and haggling there is rude; a little bargaining is only normal at flea markets like Madrid's Rastro and with street sellers. 'Gracias de todas formas' lets you walk away politely. For a feminine item (una bolsa) say 'cara'; 'es muy caro' (it's very expensive) is the softer version.
¿En efectivo o con tarjeta?A1
en eh-fek-TEE-voh oh kon tar-KHEH-tah
Pregunta en la caja: pagar en efectivo o con tarjeta.
Cash or card?
¿En efectivo o con tarjeta? – Con tarjeta.
Cash or card? – Card.
The question at every till, often shortened to '¿tarjeta?' while the machine is held out. Answer 'con tarjeta' or 'en efectivo'. The other question you will hear is '¿quiere bolsa?': bags cost a few cents by law. 'Efectivo' is cash; 'dinero' is money in general.
El ticket, por favorA2
el TEE-ket, por fah-VOR
El papel que da la tienda al pagar; hace falta para cambios y devoluciones.
Synonyms:el recibo
The receipt, please
El ticket, por favor. – Aquí tiene.
The receipt, please. – Here you are.
Spain has no rule that you must carry the receipt out of the shop, but keep it: exchanges and refunds ('cambios y devoluciones') need it, and sale items are often exchange-only. The shop receipt is 'el ticket' (spelled 'tique' by purists); 'el recibo' is the card slip, 'la factura' an invoice.
Solo estoy mirando, graciasA1
SOH-loh es-TOY mee-RAHN-doh, GRAH-thyahs
Respuesta educada al dependiente cuando no se quiere comprar nada.
I'm just looking, thanks
¿Le atienden? – Solo estoy mirando, gracias.
Are you being served? – I'm just looking, thanks.
The answer to '¿le atienden?' (are you being served?) or '¿le puedo ayudar?' in any shop. Say 'hola' on the way in and 'hasta luego' on the way out even if you buy nothing. If you do want something, '¿me enseña…?' (can you show me…?) opens the conversation.
Nada más, graciasA1
NAH-dah MAHS, GRAH-thyahs
Frase para decir que no se quiere nada más.
Synonyms:eso es todo
That's all, thanks
¿Algo más? – Nada más, gracias.
Anything else? – That's all, thanks.
Ends the order at a market stall, bakery or deli ('charcutería') counter, in reply to '¿algo más?'. The trap is the queue: at a Spanish counter there is often no visible line, so ask '¿quién es el último?' (who's last?) when you arrive and go after that person. At the deli you order by weight: 'cien gramos', 'un cuarto' is 250 g, 'medio kilo' 500 g.
Uno de estos, por favorA1
OO-noh deh ES-tos, por fah-VOR
Frase para pedir algo señalándolo.
One of these, please
Uno de estos, por favor. – ¿Para llevar o para tomar aquí?
One of these, please. – To take away or to have here?
Pointing plus this phrase orders any pastry, bocadillo or ticket. 'Para llevar' is takeaway, 'para tomar aquí' or 'para aquí' is to eat in. In many Spanish bars the same coffee costs more at a table ('mesa') and more again on the terrace ('terraza') than at the bar ('barra'); the price list must show all three. For a feminine item (una napolitana), 'una de estas'.
¿Tiene…?A1
TYEH-neh
Forma para preguntar si una tienda o un local tiene algo.
Synonyms:¿tienen…?, ¿hay…?
Do you have…?
¿Tiene una talla más grande? ¿Tienen wifi?
Do you have a bigger size? Do you have Wi-Fi?
Frame: 'tiene' (formal, to one person) or 'tienen' (to the shop or bar as a whole) plus the thing; both are heard constantly and either is fine. '¿Hay…?' (is there…?) does the same job. 'Talla' is a clothing size, 'número' a shoe size, on the EU scale; wifi is pronounced 'WEE-fee'.
Abierto / CerradoA1
ah-BYEHR-toh / theh-RRAH-doh
Las dos palabras de los carteles de las tiendas: abierto o cerrado.
Open / Closed
Cerrado de 14:00 a 17:00. Domingos cerrado.
Closed from 2 to 5 pm. Closed on Sundays.
The two shop-door signs. Small shops and many offices still close for the long lunch, roughly two to five, and reopen until eight or half past; most are shut on Sunday, while big chains, malls and tourist-zone shops run all day. 'Cerrado por vacaciones' means closed for holidays, common in August; 'horario' is the hours list.
Rebajas / CajaA1
reh-BAH-khahs / KAH-khah
'Rebajas' son los descuentos de temporada; 'caja' es el sitio donde se paga.
Sale / Checkout
Rebajas: hasta el 50 %. Pague en caja.
Sale: up to 50% off. Pay at the checkout.
'Rebajas' are the big seasonal sales, traditionally starting just after Reyes (7 January) and on 1 July, though shops may now discount whenever they like; 'descuento' is a discount, 'oferta' a special offer. 'Caja' is the till. Unlike Italy, in a Spanish bar you order first and pay at the end, at the bar or the table, not at a caja.
¿Dónde está…?A1
DON-deh es-TAH
Pregunta para saber dónde se encuentra un lugar.
Where is…?
¿Dónde está la estación? ¿Dónde está el baño?
Where is the station? Where is the bathroom?
Frame: 'dónde está' plus the place with its article; start with 'perdone'. For plural places, 'dónde están' (los servicios). The answer will use the three direction words: a la derecha, a la izquierda, todo recto, and possibly a hand on your shoulder to point you round.
¿Dónde está el baño?A1
DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh
Pregunta para encontrar el aseo; en los carteles pone 'servicios' o 'aseos'.
Synonyms:los servicios, los aseos
Where is the bathroom?
Perdone, ¿dónde está el baño? – Al fondo a la derecha.
Excuse me, where is the bathroom? – At the back on the right.
'El baño' is what most Spaniards ask for in a bar and it is understood everywhere; the signs, though, say 'servicios' or 'aseos', so look for those words. Public toilets are rare; bars are the option, and the polite move is to buy a coffee first, since many post 'solo clientes'. On the doors, 'caballeros' or 'hombres' is men, 'señoras' or 'mujeres' women.
¿Dónde está la estación?A1
DON-deh es-TAH lah es-tah-THYON
Pregunta para encontrar la estación de tren.
Where is the station?
¿Dónde está la estación? – Todo recto, diez minutos andando.
Where is the station? – Straight ahead, ten minutes on foot.
'La estación' on its own is understood as the train station; say 'de metro' for the underground and 'la estación de autobuses' for coaches. Main stations have their own names on the signs: Atocha and Chamartín in Madrid, Sants in Barcelona.
Un billete para Sevilla, por favorA1
oon bee-YEH-teh PAH-rah seh-VEE-yah, por fah-VOR
Frase para comprar un billete hacia un destino.
A ticket to Seville, please
Un billete para Sevilla, por favor. – ¿Ida o ida y vuelta?
A ticket to Seville, please. – One way or return?
'Ida' is one way, 'ida y vuelta' return. Long-distance and AVE high-speed trains are for a specific train and seat: book ahead online (Renfe, Iryo, Ouigo), since walk-up fares on the day cost far more and popular trains sell out. Local 'Cercanías' trains you just buy and board; 'Media Distancia' tickets name a train but are flat-priced and easy to buy on the day. 'Billete' is a train or bus ticket; 'entrada' is for museums.
¿Qué andén?A1
keh ahn-DEN
Pregunta para saber de qué andén o vía sale el tren.
Synonyms:¿qué vía?
Which platform?
¿Qué andén para Madrid? – Vía cuatro.
Which platform for Madrid? – Track four.
'Andén' is the platform and 'vía' the track number, and it is the vía you will see on the departures board ('salidas') and hear in the answer; both words work in the question. The number often appears only ten or fifteen minutes before departure. At big stations AVE passengers pass a luggage scan before the platform, so arrive early; 'retraso' is a delay.
Las tres palabras de dirección: izquierda, derecha y todo recto.
Left / right / straight on
Todo recto y la segunda a la izquierda.
Straight on and the second on the left.
What every answer to '¿dónde está?' contains. 'Siga todo recto' is keep straight, 'al fondo' at the end, 'cerca' near, 'lejos' far, 'la primera / la segunda' the first / second street. Spaniards say 'está ahí mismo' (it's right there) for anything up to ten minutes away.
Entrada / SalidaA1
en-TRAH-dah / sah-LEE-dah
Los carteles de entrada y salida; 'entrada' también es la entrada para un museo.
Entrance / Exit
Salida de emergencia. Entrada gratuita.
Emergency exit. Free admission.
'Salida' is also the motorway exit and the way out of the metro, where the exit signs list the street names. 'Entrada' doubles as the word for an admission ticket, so 'entrada gratuita' at a museum means free entry and 'entradas' is the ticket office or ticket website.
Empujar / TirarA1
em-poo-KHAR / tee-RAR
Las palabras de las puertas: empujar hacia delante, tirar hacia uno mismo.
Push / Pull
Empujar. – Tirar.
Push. – Pull.
On doors you will see the infinitives 'empujar' / 'tirar' or the polite commands 'empuje' / 'tire'. 'Pulse' (press) is on buttons and doorbells, 'abrir' / 'cerrar' on gates and lifts. The 'j' of 'empujar' is the throaty 'kh'.
Valide su billeteA2
vah-LEE-deh soo bee-YEH-teh
Pasar el billete o la tarjeta por la máquina al subir; sin validar hay multa.
Validate your ticket
Valide su billete al subir al autobús.
Validate your ticket when you board the bus.
Renfe trains need no stamping: tickets are scanned at the gates or on board (keep the ticket to exit the Cercanías gates). The fine is on buses and metros: on every trip, tap your transport card or run the paper ticket through the machine at the door, even with a multi-trip card, and in Barcelona the T-casual is for one person only, so do not pass it back. Inspectors fine on the spot: in Barcelona the charge is 100 euros, halved only if you pay within two working days, and it must be settled within 30 days. Madrid Metro sells no paper tickets: the machine first sells you a reusable 2.50-euro 'Tarjeta Multi' (or use the virtual one in the CRTM app) and loads the fares onto it; Madrid buses also take a contactless bank card.
ParadaA1
pah-RAH-dah
Lugar donde paran autobuses y tranvías; 'próxima parada' es el aviso a bordo.
Stop (bus / tram)
Próxima parada: Sol.
Next stop: Sol.
The sign at bus and tram stops ('parada de autobús') and the word in the on-board announcement 'próxima parada'. Spanish buses stop only on request: raise a hand as the bus approaches or it drives past, and press the button ('parada solicitada' lights up) to get off. 'Parada de taxis' is a taxi rank.
Tengo una reservaA1
TEN-goh OO-nah reh-SEHR-vah
Frase para decir en recepción que ya se ha reservado.
I have a reservation
Buenas tardes, tengo una reserva a nombre de Smith.
Good evening, I have a reservation under Smith.
The check-in opener at hotels and restaurants; 'a nombre de' plus your surname gives the name. Hotels and holiday flats will ask for your passport and, since December 2024, a few extra details such as your home address, phone or email and how you are paying; it goes to an Interior Ministry registry and is normal. 'Reserva' is the word for a restaurant booking too.
La llave, por favorA1
lah YAH-veh, por fah-VOR
Petición de la llave de la habitación en recepción.
The key, please
La llave, por favor. Habitación doce.
The key, please. Room twelve.
Spanish hotels mostly use key cards ('la tarjeta'), usually slotted by the door to power the lights; smaller pensiones and hostales still keep real keys at the desk, so give the room number. 'La habitación' is the room; 'll' sounds like the 'y' in yes.
¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?A1
kwahl ES lah kon-trah-SEH-nyah del WEE-fee
Pregunta para conseguir la contraseña de la red wifi.
Synonyms:la clave del wifi
What's the Wi-Fi password?
¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi? – Está en la tarjeta de la habitación.
What's the Wi-Fi password? – It's on the room card.
'Wifi' is 'WEE-fee' in Spain, and 'contraseña' or 'clave' is the password. Works in cafés too, where it is often printed on the receipt or a sign; '¿tienen wifi?' asks whether there is any. 'Gratis' means free.
¿A qué hora es el desayuno?A1
ah keh OH-rah es el deh-sah-YOO-noh
Pregunta sobre el horario del desayuno en el hotel.
What time is breakfast?
¿A qué hora es el desayuno? – De siete a diez y media.
What time is breakfast? – From seven to half past ten.
'A qué hora' is at what time; the answer 'de… a…' gives the range. Spanish breakfast is light, coffee with toast ('tostada con tomate') or a pastry; hotel buffets run later at weekends. The other question you need is '¿a qué hora es la salida?' (check-out), usually midday.
¡Socorro!A1
soh-KOH-rroh
Grito para pedir ayuda en una emergencia.
Synonyms:¡ayuda!
Help!
¡Socorro! ¡Llamen a una ambulancia!
Help! Call an ambulance!
Shout it; everyone understands, and '¡ayuda!' works too. The single emergency number in Spain is 112, free from any phone, with English-speaking operators. '¡Ladrón!' or '¡que me roban!' (I'm being robbed!) if someone grabs a bag; pickpocketing, not violence, is the tourist risk in Madrid and Barcelona.
Necesito un médicoA2
neh-theh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh
Frase para decir que hace falta un médico.
I need a doctor
Necesito un médico. No me encuentro bien.
I need a doctor. I don't feel well.
'Necesito' is I need. 'Urgencias' is the emergency department of any hospital, and 112 is the emergency number. EU visitors can use the EHIC card ('tarjeta sanitaria europea') in public hospitals; others should have their insurance details ready. For minor problems try the pharmacy first.
¿Dónde está la farmacia?A1
DON-deh es-TAH lah far-MAH-thyah
Pregunta para encontrar la farmacia; su símbolo es una cruz verde.
Where is the pharmacy?
¿Dónde está la farmacia más cercana?
Where is the nearest pharmacy?
Look for the flashing green cross. The trap: in Spain even paracetamol and ibuprofen are sold only in pharmacies, never in supermarkets, though pharmacists give advice and sell a lot without a prescription. 'Farmacia de guardia' is the one open at night or on Sunday; every pharmacy door lists the nearest.
Llame a la policía, por favorA2formal
YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-THEE-ah, por fah-VOR
Petición de llamar a la policía en caso de emergencia o robo.
Call the police, please
Llame a la policía, por favor. Me han robado la cartera.
Call the police, please. My wallet has been stolen.
Formal request. Spain has several forces: Policía Nacional (blue), Guardia Civil (green, roads and countryside), the local Policía Municipal, and the Mossos d'Esquadra in Catalonia; any will help. For a stolen item you need a 'denuncia' (police report) for insurance, made at a 'comisaría'; bring your passport. 'Me han robado…' is my … has been stolen.
Me he perdidoA1
meh eh pehr-DEE-doh
Frase para decir que no se sabe dónde se está.
Synonyms:estoy perdido / perdida
I'm lost
Me he perdido. ¿Dónde está la Plaza Mayor?
I'm lost. Where is the Plaza Mayor?
Literally 'I've got lost', and the same for men and women. 'Estoy perdido' (male) / 'estoy perdida' (female) is the other way to say it. Follow it with '¿dónde está…?' and the place, or show the address on your phone; '¿está lejos?' (is it far?) gets a useful answer. The 'h' in 'he' is silent.
¿Puede llamar a un taxi, por favor?A2formal
PWEH-deh yah-MAR ah oon TAK-see, por fah-VOR
Petición cortés para que llamen un taxi.
Synonyms:¿me pide un taxi?
Can you call a taxi, please?
¿Puede llamar a un taxi, por favor? – Claro. ¿Adónde va?
Can you call a taxi, please? – Of course. Where are you going?
Formal 'puede' (can you); Spaniards say '¿me pide un taxi?'. Taxis can also be hailed in the street: a green roof light or a 'libre' sign means free, and ranks ('parada de taxis') are at every station. Fares are metered; Madrid has a flat fare of about 33 euros between the airport and the centre, while Barcelona airport rides are metered with a supplement and a minimum charge. Cabify, FreeNow and Uber work in the big cities. Ask for 'el recibo' (receipt).
unoA1
OO-noh
El número 1.
one
Un billete, por favor.
One ticket, please.
Before a masculine noun 'uno' becomes 'un' (un café, un billete) and before a feminine one 'una' (una cerveza, una mesa). On its own, counting or answering, it is 'uno'.
dosA1
dohs
El número 2.
two
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
'Somos dos' (there are two of us) is how you tell a restaurant your group size. 'Dos cañas' is two small draught beers, the standard bar order. A pure 'o' with no 'ow' glide: 'dohs', clipped, not 'dose'.
tresA1
trehs
El número 3.
three
Vía tres.
Track three.
After 't' the 'r' is a single tap, as in 'cuatro', not a long roll. Platform, track, room and bus numbers are read as plain numbers; on the departures board 'vía 3' is where you go.
cuatroA1
KWAH-troh
El número 4.
four
Somos cuatro.
There are four of us.
'Somos' plus a number tells a restaurant how many you are. Single 'r', tapped once, and a clear 'oh' at the end, not 'ow'.
cincoA1
THEEN-koh
El número 5.
five
Son cinco euros.
That's five euros.
In Spain the 'c' before 'i' is 'th': 'THEEN-koh'; in the Canaries, much of Andalusia and all of Latin America it is 'SEEN-koh', and both are correct. 'Son' plus a price is how a total is announced; unlike in Italian, 'euro' takes a plural: 'cinco euros'.
seisA1
says
El número 6.
six
Nos vemos a las seis.
See you at six.
'A las' plus the hour is 'at' a time. Six in the evening is still 'la tarde' in Spain, since 'la noche' only starts around nine; timetables use the 24-hour clock, so 18:00 is 'las dieciocho' on the board and 'las seis' in speech.
sieteA1
SYEH-teh
El número 7.
seven
El desayuno es a las siete.
Breakfast is at seven.
Two syllables, both vowels pronounced. Hotel breakfasts and opening hours are given this way: 'de siete a diez' from seven to ten.
ochoA1
OH-choh
El número 8.
eight
El tren sale a las ocho.
The train leaves at eight.
'Sale a las' plus the hour is 'leaves at'. Spaniards eat late: a dinner table 'a las ocho' is an early one, and many kitchens do not open until half past eight or nine.
nueveA1
NWEH-veh
El número 9.
nine
Habitación nueve.
Room nine.
Two syllables, final 'e' pronounced. 'Nuevo' (new) is one letter away; listen for the ending. Room numbers are read as plain numbers.
diezA1
dyeth
El número 10.
ten
Diez minutos andando.
Ten minutes on foot.
'Andando' is on foot, the Spanish answer to '¿está lejos?'. The final 'z' is a 'th' in Spain. 'Veinte' is twenty, 'cien' a hundred, for prices.