Common Spanish Phrases for Beginners

Everyone who has traveled to Spain or Latin America knows that the people there are some of the most hospitable in the world. But, whether you’re visiting as a tourist or moving to a new city, there is one thing you can do to go from a mere friendly tourist-host interaction to a real connection – speaking the language!

Knowing some common Spanish phrases for travellers can really help you connect with the locals and make your travels that much more enjoyable. From a friendly ‘hola’ when entering a store, to an enthusiastic ‘buen provecho’ at the dinner table, here are some of the most useful Spanish phrases for beginners and intermediate learners.

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Greetings

Even if you’re not fluent in Spanish, learning a few greetings before traveling to a Spanish-speaking country will help you make a good first impression. By starting an interaction with a smile and a few, easy-to-remember Spanish words, you will show your hosts that you’re making an effort to communicate in their language. Whether you’re in a Spanish-speaking country for business or pleasure, here are some common Spanish phrases that you should always keep on the tip of your tongue.

Common Spanish Phrases to say ‘Hello’

• Hola – Hola
• ¿Qué tal? – How’s it going?
• Buen día – Good morning
• Buenas tardes – Good afternoon
• Buenas noches – Good evening

Common Spanish Phrases to say ‘Goodbye’

• Nos vemos pronto – See you soon
• Chau – Bye
• Que tengas… – Have…

-un buen día – a nice day

-una buena tarde – a nice afternoon

-una buena noche – a nice evening

Common Spanish Phrases with ‘hasta’

The word ‘hasta’, which literally translates to ‘until’, as in the expression ‘until tomorrow’, is the most common way to say goodbye in Spanish when you expect or hope to see someone again soon. Here are some very popular expressions with ‘hasta’.

• Hasta mañana – See you tomorrow
• Hasta pronto – See you soon
• Hasta la prómixa – See you next time
• Hasta el… – See you on…

-lunes – Monday

-martes – Tuesday

-miércoles – Wednesday

-jueves – Thursday

-viernes – Friday

-sábado – Saturday

-domingo – Sunday

Shopping

Whether you’re buying souvenirs or everyday items, knowing common Spanish phrases can help make the experience a lot easier and avoid nasty surprises once you check your credit card statement.

Here are some common Spanish phrases that will make your shopping experience much smoother.

Common Spanish Phrases for clothes shopping

• ¿Tiene esta prenda… – Do you have this item…

-en otro talle? – in other sizes?

-en otro color? – in other colours?

-en negro? – in black?

-en azul? – in blue?

-en blanco? – in white?

• ¿Dónde están los probadores? – Where is the fitting room?
• Me lo llevo – I’m taking it.
• ¿Se puede pagar en cuotas? – Can I pay in installments?

Common Spanish phrases for electronics shopping

• ¿Puedo ver… – Can I see…

-el manual? – the manual?

-la garantía? – the guarantee?

-otros models? – other models?

• ¿Es compatible con…? Is it compatible with…?

Common Spanish phrases for grocery shopping

• ¿Qué precio tiene… – How much is…

-esta fruta? – this fruit?

-este pan? – this loaf of bread?

-estas galletas? – these biscuits?

-el litro de leche? – a litre of milk?

-esta gaseosa? this soda?

• ¿Dónde están… – Where are…

-los productos orgánicos? – the organic products?

-los productos frescos? – the fresh products?

-los productos congelados? the frozen foods?

• Necesito medio kilo / quinientos gramos de… – I need half a kilo / 500 grams of…

-arroz – rice

-harina – flour

-cereales – cereal

-carne – meat

-queso – cheese

Eating Out

If you’re a foodie, traveling to Spain or Latin America can be an amazing experience. You will get to try delicious dishes and specialties from the region. If you are in Mexico, for example, you can try tacos and enchiladas, while in Argentina you should definitely try a steak. Are you in Spain? Then make sure you try some paella or tapas!

No matter which country or dish you choose to try, common Spanish phrases for ordering food will help make the experience more authentic and rewarding.

Common Spanish phrases for ordering food

• ¿Qué me recomienda? – What do you recommend?
• .. – I will have…

-una ensalada – a salad

-un plato de pasta – a pasta dish

-un filete de pescado – fish

-una pizza – a pizza

-una cerveza – a beer

-un vino tinto/blanco – a bottle of red/white wine

-una Coca Cola – a Coke

-un agua mineral – a mineral water

• ¿Se incluye…? – Is / Are ______ included?

-el postre? – dessert

-la entrada? – starters

-la guarnición? – garnish

Common Spanish phrases to use after eating

• Estaba delicioso – It was delicious
• Muchas gracias por la comida – Thank you so much for the meal
• ¿Me trae la cuenta? – Can I have the bill?
• Quédese con el vuelto – Keep the change

Other Spanish phrases

• ¿Dónde está el baño? – Where are the restrooms?
• Mi plato está frío – My food is cold?
• ¿Qué pasó con mi orden? – What happened to my order?
• ¿Me trae otra bebida? – Can I have another drink?

Socialising in Spanish

If you’re looking to make some friends while in a Spanish-speaking country, you’ll need more than common Spanish phrases to break the ice. Learning expressions to ask questions and start conversations is key to making new connections and having meaningful interactions with locals.

From asking where people are from to expressing your thoughts and feelings, here are common Spanish phrases that will help get to know people and make a good impression.

Common Spanish phrases to start conversations

• ¿Cómo te llamas? – What’s your name?
• ¿De dónde eres? – Where are you from?
• ¿A qué te dedicas? – What do you do?
• ¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo favourite? – What’s your favourite hobby?
• ¿Cómo fue tu día? – How was your day?

Common Spanish phrases to keep conversations going

• Cuéntame sobre tu familia – Tell me about your family
• ¿Te gusta el lugar donde vives? – Do you like the place where you live?
• ¿Cuáles son tus lugares favoritos? – What are your favourite places?
• ¿Qué tal se vive aquí? – How’s life here?
• ¿Qué impresión tienes sobre mi país? – What are your impressions about my country?

Common Spanish phrases to talk about yourself

• Soy de… – I’m from…
• Vivo en… – I live in…
• Me gusta… – I like…
• Me dedico a… – I work as a…
• Estoy interesado en el tema de… – I’m interested in…
• Estoy aprendiendo sobre… – I’m learning (about)…
• Mi familia es (muy) grande / pequeña – My family is (very) big / small
• Estoy casado/a – I’m married
• Estoy en una relación – I’m in a relationship
• Soy soltero – I’m single

Common Spanish phrases to ask for help

During your stay in Spain or Latin America, you may find yourself in a situation where you need help. Whether it’s directions, medical advice, or assistance with something else, it’s important to know that you have the words to express yourself clearly and get the help you need.

Here are common Spanish phrases to ask for help:

• ¿Puede ayudarme? – Can you help me?
• ¿Dónde queda el _______ más cercano? – Where is the nearest…?

-hospital – hospital

-restaurante – restaurante

-supermercado – supermarket

-estación de servicio – petrol station

-hotel – hotel

-hostel – hostel

• ¿Puede llamar a un médico? – Can you call a doctor?
• ¿Puedo usar su teléfono un momento? – Can I use your phone for a minute?
• ¿Me ayuda a traducir este mensaje? – Can you help me translate this message?
• ¿Me puede indicar cómo llegar a este sitio? – Can you tell me how to get to this place?

So, there you have it, common Spanish phrases for travellers that will help you make the most of your adventure. Whether it’s shopping, eating out or asking for help, using common Spanish phrases will make your stay even more enjoyable, no matter where you are.

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Would you like to go beyond Spanish phrases for beginners and find your own voice in this wonderful language? At Language Trainers, we offer individual and group Spanish courses for all levels, tailored to your needs and interests.

Carol, who took a tourist Spanish course in her home in Brisbane, says: “I found the course very enjoyable, and my teacher was both professional and fun. I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made in such a short space of time. But the best part was being able to use everything I learned during my trip to Spain this summer. ¡Gracias por todo!”

Want to join the Language Trainers adventure? Get in touch today and start learning Spanish with a fully personalised approach.