Useful Spanish travel phrases every traveler should learn

Spanish is the fourth most spoken language in the world and is the official language in 20 different countries. There are an estimated 470 million Spanish speakers with native competence and 560 million Spanish speakers as a first or second language worldwide.

So if you are planning to travel some parts of the world, there might be a high chance that you visit countries, where people only speak Spanish, especially in Spain or Latin America.

Most of the Spanish speaking people appreciate it, if you try to speak their language. That’s why we provide you in this article with the bare essentials, the most common survival Spanish travel phrases that will set you up to get your point across.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. They will try their utmost to understand you and to make sure you understand them. Just try your best and they will be so happy with your effort.


  • Buenos días (bway nos dee ahs) = Good morning
  • Buenas tardes (bway nahs  tar days) = Good afternoon
  • Buenas noches (bway nahs  noh chayss) = Good evening
  • Hola (oh  lah) = most common phrase to say “hi”, you can say that with people you know.
  • ¿Cómo está? (coh moh  es tah) = How are you? ->  if you don’t know someone
  • ¿Cómo estás? (coh moh  es tahs) = How are you the person -> if you do know them.
  • If they ask you how you are, you can say “good, thank you” – “bien, gracias” (bee ayn, grah cee ahs) in order to show that your are a polite person. 🙂
  • Por favor (por  fah vohr) – Please
  • Gracias (grah cee ahs) – Gracias  These are VERY IMPORTANT words in Spanish. Well, in any language.
  • When you meet someone you say – Encantado (en kan tado) – which means nice to meet you and is a polite way of welcoming the other person
  • ¿Habla inglés? (ahblah  een glays)? – Do you speak English?  If you run out of resources talking Spanish, you can always try your luck with English. While it is never correct to assume that someone speaks English, you can ask if they do and they will like you so much better for asking in Spanish.

Now you know the basics, you’ll be able find your way to one of our 13 Spanish schools in Spain or Latin America!

Or prepare yourself some more with the Survival Spanish phrases for tourists.

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