Updated on January 28, 2024 by Lou Mac
So you’re planning to visit a Spanish-speaking country (woohoo!). But how much language prep have you done for your trip?
Knowing basic travel Spanish is essential for any trip: for communicating with locals to find the best restaurants, asking for directions, and perhaps most importantly, in any emergency situation.
So, we’ve compiled this list of Spanish words and phrases that will be useful for when you immerse yourself in Hispanic culture.
If you’re unsure about the pronunciation of these phrases, this guide to Spanish pronunciation will help you understand all the basics!
Essential Travel Spanish Basics
The following words and phrases are worth going over and over until you can say them pretty much automatically, as they will be some of the basic building blocks to your Spanish knowledge.
- Hablo español / No hablo español. — I speak Spanish / I don’t speak Spanish.
- ¿Tiene…? — Do you have…?
- Tengo… no tengo… — I have… I don’t have…
- Entiendo, no entiendo — I understand, I don’t understand
- ¿Entiende? — Do you understand?
- Quiero, no quiero — I want…, I don’t want… E.g. quiero un boleto, un taxi, un hotel — I want a ticket, a taxi, a hotel…
- Me gustaría, no me gustaría… — I would like…, I wouldn’t like… (This one is more polite)
- ¿Dónde está…? — Where is…?
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much does it cost?
- ¿Qué hora es? — What time is it?
How to Ask for Directions in Spanish
Learning how to ask for directions is perhaps not as essential as it was twenty years ago, before the development of the internet and Google Maps.
However, if you find yourself in a situation where you can’t use your cellphone (which can easily happen!), you should know the basic Spanish phrases and vocabulary for finding your way around.
- ¿Dónde está…? — Where is the…?
- ¿Cómo llego al centro? — How do I get to the centre/downtown?
- ¿Hay un restaurante bueno por aquí? — Is there a good restaurant around here?
- Busco un hotel/hostal — I’m looking for a hotel/hostal
With the phrases above you can ask for directions to other places, such as the bank, a bathroom etc. Here is some useful vocabulary to substitute into these phrases:
- El baño — the bathroom
- Un tren — a train
- La calle — the street
- Un cajero automático — an ATM
And lastly some practical vocab to help you understand the helpful directions people give you:
- A la derecha — to the right
- A la izquierda — to the left
- Derecho — straight ahead
- Una cuadra — a block
- Sigue… — keep going…
How to Ask for Help in Spanish
While there are many things you must learn if you want to speak Spanish, knowing how to ask for help is key to surviving in a Spanish-speaking country.
A few phrases or words will make things much easier if an emergency occurs or you are in trouble, including the following:
Note: These examples use the “formal” way of speaking to people.
- ¿Puede ayudarme? — Can you help me?
- ¡Ayuda! — Help!
- Necesito ayuda — I need help
- ¡Llame a la policía! — Call the police!
- ¡Llame a la ambulancia! — Call the ambulance!
- Ayúdeme, por favor. — Help me, please
- ¿Podría ayudarme, por favor? — Could you help me, please?
- ¿Podría explicarlo, por favor? — Can you explain it to me, please?
- ¿Cómo se escribe…? — How do you write…?
- ¿Cómo se dice…? — How do you say…?
Spanish for Medical Emergencies
It’s also important to know words in Spanish that can help us deal with a medical emergency.
- No me siento bien — I don’t feel well
- ¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano? — Where is the nearest hospital?
- ¿Puede llamar a la ambulancia? — Can you call the ambulance?
- ¿Dónde está la farmacia? — Where is the drugstore/pharmacy?
- ¿El doctor habla inglés? — Does the doctor speak English?
- ¿Necesito medicinas? — Do I need medication?
- ¿Qué medicina necesito? — What medicine do I need?
- Tengo un seguro de salud internacional — I have international health insurance
Navigating Your Accommodation in Spanish
Once you’ve found the perfect place to stay, here’s how to get yourself checked in and comfortable:
- Tengo una reserva a nombre de Harry Potter — I have a reservation under the name Harry Potter
- Necesito un hotel / un cuarto / un cuarto con baño — I need a hotel / a room / a room with a bathroom
- Me gustaría quedarme por dos noches — I would like to stay for two nights
- ¿Tiene una habitación doble? — Do you have a double room?
- ¿Dónde está la piscina / gimnasio? — Where is the pool/gym?
- ¿A qué hora es el desayuno? — What time is breakfast?
- ¿Cuál es la contraseña de WiFi? — What is the WiFi password?
Essential Spanish for Eating Out
The most important travel Spanish phrases to add to your mental toolbox are those surrounding eating out—either because we are hungry (obviously) or we want to experience the wonderful local gastronomy.
This list of expressions and words could save your life (well, your stomach) on your next adventure in a Spanish-speaking country.
In addition to the vocabulary below, a useful resource are these scenario podcast episodes we did about ordering vegetarian food in Spanish, and ordering coffee in Spanish.
To make things easier, we have divided these restaurant-related words and phrases into several categories. Check them out below:
When Arriving or Booking a Table
- Quisiera reservar una mesa — I would like to book a table
- Quisiera reservar una mesa para dos — I would like to book a table for two
- ¿Tiene alguna mesa disponible? — Is there any available table?
- Tengo una mesa reservada a nombre de Hermione Granger — I have booked a table under the name of Hermione Granger
When Ordering
- ¡Camarero / garzón! — Waiter!
- ¿Podría traerme el menú, por favor? — Could you bring me the menu, please?
- ¿Qué me recomienda? — What do you recommend?
- ¿Podría recomendarme un plato local, por favor? — Can you recommend me a local dish, please?
- Para beber, me gustaría… — To drink, I would like…
- Como entrada, me gustaría... — As a starter, I would like…
- Como plato principal, me gustaría… — For the main course, I would like…
- De postre, me gustaría… — For dessert, I would like…
During the Meal
- Perdone, ¿podría traerme…? — Excuse me, could you bring me…?
- Perdone, ¿podría traerme más servilletas? — Excuse me, could you bring me some more napkins?
- Perdone, ¿podría traerme otra copa de vino? Excuse me, could you bring me another glass of wine? (learn this one by heart 🍷)
- La comida está muy rica. — The food is delicious
- La carne está demasiado hecha — The meat is overcooked
- La carne está poco hecha — The meat is undercooked
When Paying and Leaving
- La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please
- Estaba todo muy rico, gracias — Everything was very tasty, thanks
- Quisiera pagar con tarjeta — I’d like to pay by card
- Quisiera pagar en efectivo — I’d like to pay in cash
- Creo que hay un error — I think there’s a mistake
Lastly, if you’re a foodie like me, you might want to know some food recommendations. Click here to learn about the different foods you must try if you’re visiting Chile!
Resources to Learn More Travel Spanish
If you’ve decided you want to know a bit more than just the survival Spanish, here are a few resources to kick-start your Spanish journey.
- Seeing in Spanish Podcast. Our own language learning and travel podcast aims at helping you self-learn Spanish to make your travels unforgettable. To start, check out this episode on how to learn Spanish on your own.
- Duolingo. I think it’s safe to assume you know what Duolingo is! While it often gets a bad rap, it’s all about how you use Duolingo which makes the difference!
- YouTube Videos. Videos such as this video on top 20 travel Spanish phrases you should know are a great way to hear how phrases we learnt in this article are actually pronounced.
It’s also worth remembering that Spanish changes depending on what country you’re in, so you might also want to consider learning a specific Spanish dialect.
With these survival Spanish words and phrases, your next trip will be much easier and more memorable.
Now you can move on to getting excited for your adventure!