A Few Essential Phrases to Pack for Your Spanish Adventure
If you are going to spend your summer holiday in Spain, then learning a little basic Spanish is a must. Not only will it help you to enjoy your time more, but the Spanish people appreciate foreigners attempting to speak their language.
In this article, we will share with you some Spanish words that can help you communicate more effectively. In addition, we’ll also show you how to learn Spanish fast, and what Spanish vocabulary to learn if you want to be able to talk about your vacation in Spain.
¡Hola! Greetings and Introductions in Spanish
Let’s start real easy. Hola (don’t pronounce the ‘H’) is simply ‘hello’.
Now, what’s next?
¿Cómo te llamas?
You’ve met someone for the first time. You’ve said, ‘Hola’. Next up? How about, “What’s your name?”
“Hola. ¿Cómo te llamas?”
(By the way, a double ‘L’ sounds a little like ‘llee’, so try saying it like, “lleeamas.”
¿Qué Tal?
It’s getting a little trickier now, because the word ‘qué’ means “What?” But when it’s spoken like this, you are asking, “How are you?”.
What’s even harder is that the word ‘¿Cómo?’ actually means “How?” The Spanish say things differently to how the English language works. For example, if someone asks you your name, you say:
“Yo Soy (your name)”, which means “I am (your name)”. But if someone asks, “How are you?” you might say:
“Yo tengo calor.” Translated literally, this means, “I have hot” but, of course, what you are really saying is, “I am hot.”
Okay, let’s move up a notch. Let’s start ordering food and drink.
“Puedo Tomar…”
“Puedo Tomar…” is a polite way of saying “Can I have…?” Literally translated, it means, “I am able to take”. What, no question mark? In Spanish, many questions are asked without using question words, but simply by tone of voice (higher tone for questions).
By the way, ‘tomar’ means to take of food or drink.
Now, what shall we order?
Cerveza – beer
Agua – water
Cafe con leche – white coffee (which is delicious everywhere in Spain)
Zumo Naranja – ‘Zumo’ is juice. ‘Naranja’ is orange. This is a much more Spanish-sounding word. When you see a ‘j’, you pronounce it like you’ve got a frog in your throat – “Na-ran-ka”.
Vino Blanco – white wine (‘vino’ is wine). Red wine is ‘vino tinto’.
And to eat?
Tostada – a traditional toasted baguette, which is usually taken with aceite (olive oil, pronounced ‘asaytay’), ‘tomate’ (tomato), and ‘sal’ (salt).
Desayuno Ingles – pronounced ‘des-i-oono’, this is breakfast. ‘Ingles’ is ‘English’: English breakfast.
¿Adonde Vas?
‘Donde’ means “Where”. Put an ‘a’ on the front, and it means “To where”. ‘Vas’ means “You go”. “To where you go?” or, “Where are you going?”
So where are you going? How about a trip to Tibadabo?
“Vamos a Tibadabo” (“We Go to Tibadabo”), or “Voy a Tibadabo” (“I go to Tibadabo”).
¿Como Vas?
“Por bicicleta.” (“By bicycle”.)
10 more great words to know for a holiday in Spain
Here are 10 more words to know when you go to Spain.
Helado – ice cream
La Playa (pronounced “Ply-a”) – the beach
La piscina (pronounced “pis-eena”) – the swimming pool
Comprando – shopping
Autobus (pronounced “out-o-boos”) – bus
Taxi – you can guess this one!
Quiero (pronounced “kee-air-ro”) – I want
La cuenta (pronounced “kwenta”) – the bill
Por favor – Please
Gracias – Thank you
Adios
“Hasta Lluego” (See you soon)
Gracias. Voy a tomar un cafe con leche con mis amigos. Probablamente un cerveza, tambien.”
(Thank you, I’m going to have a coffee with my friends. Probably a beer, also.)
You Don’t Have to Pedal Backwards with Spanish on Holiday
When you are learning a language, it is important to stay motivated. One way to do this is by making sure that you have an arsenal of vocabulary words for your vacation.
If you are learning Spanish, the best way to learn is to spend time with the locals when on vacation. Start off with basic words and phrases, and then improve as you go. The Spanish are super-friendly, and love people who engage with them in Spanish. And if you are enjoying a guided cycling holiday with Bicilona, you’ll always have the guide available to help.
Contact us to find out more about our most popular cycling tours.
