Before traveling to Latin America it is a good idea to become familiar with some of the common Spanish words and phrases as this is their primary language. While the tour guides and those who are in the main tourist areas know the English language, you never know who you might run into who doesn't. This will be especially helpful in case you run into an emergency situation!
So let's take a look at what some of those frequently used words and phrases are.
Common Spanish Phrases | |
| Yes. | Si. |
| No. | No. |
| Hello. | Hola. |
| See you later. | Hasta luego. |
| Goodbye. | Adios. |
| My name is... | Me llamo... |
| How are you? | Como estas? |
| How much? | Cuanto cuesta? |
| Where is... ? | Donde esta? |
| I don't understand. | No entiendo. |
| Do you speak English? | Hablas ingles? |
| Sir. | Senor. |
| Ma'am. | Senora. |
| Miss/Ms. | Senorita. |
| Question Words | |
| Who? | Quien? |
| Who's? | Quienes? |
| What? | Que? |
| Why? | Por que? |
| When? | Cuando? |
| Where? | Donde? |
| How? | Como? |
| How much? | Cuanto? |
| Being Polite | |
| Bless you. | Salud. |
| By your leave. | Con permiso. |
| Excuse me. | Perdon. |
| Good morning. | Buenos dias. |
| Good afternoon. | Buenos tardes. |
| Good night. | Buenas noches. |
| I'm sorry. | Lo siento. |
| Nice to meet you. | Mucho gusto. |
| Pardon me. | Disculpame. |
| Please. | Por favor. |
| Thank you. | Gracias. |
| No thank you. | No gracias. |
| Thank you very much. | Muchas gracias. |
| Emergencies | Help | |
| Help! | Socorro! |
| I am lost. | Ando perdido. |
| Be careful! | Cuidado! |
| Could you please help me? | Podria ayudarme? |
| Please help me. | Ayudeme, por favor. |
| Please call a doctor. | Por favor, llame al medico. |
| Please call the police. | Por favor, llame al policia. |
| I don't speak Spanish. | No hablo espanol. |
| Please speak more slowly. | Hable mas despacio, por favor. |
| Please repeat. | Repita por favor. |
| May I ask you a question? | Una pregunta, por favor? |
| May I use the bathroom? | Puedo usar el bano? |
| Where is the bathroom? | Donde esta el bano? |
| Eating Out | |
| Where is a good restaurant? | Donde hay un buen restaurante? |
| Check, please. | La cuenta, por favor. |
| I am hungry. | Tengo hambre. |
| I am thirsty. | Tengo sed. |
| I would like to see the menu. | Quiero ver la carta. |
| Changing Money | |
| Where can I change dollars? | Donde puedo cambiar dolares? |
| Traveler's checks? | Cheques de viajero? |
| Is the bank open? | Esta abierto el banco? |
| How much is the dollar worth? | A cuanto esta el dolar? |
| Do you need identification? | Necesita identificacion? |
| Where do I sign? | Donde firmo? |
| May I have some large and small bills? | Puede darme billetes grandes y chicos? |
| The rest in change? | El resto en cambio? |
| Paying the Bill | |
| The bill please. | La cuenta, par favor. |
| How much do I owe you? | Cuanto le debo? |
| Is service included? | El servicio esta incluido? |
| This is for you. | Esto es para usted. |
