Basic Spanish phrases for travel: why a little goes a long way

You can travel around Spain or Latin America with English, a translation app and a lot of pointing. Millions of people do. But learning even a handful of basic Spanish phrases for travel changes the trip in ways that are hard to predict until you try. This guide explains what changes, walks through real situations and gives you 15 phrases worth knowing before you go.

What changes when you speak a little Spanish?

People respond differently

Starting with hola or buenos días instead of launching straight into English signals respect. In a busy tourist area, it can be the difference between being served as "another tourist" and being treated as a guest. People often switch to English anyway if they speak it, but the tone of the whole exchange tends to be warmer.

You get further from the tourist trail

Outside the big cities, English is far less common. In a village bar in Galicia, a market in Oaxaca or a bus station in rural Peru, a few words of Spanish can be what gets you the right ticket or the dish that isn't on the menu.

You understand what's happening

Signs, announcements, menus and notices stop being decoration. You know your train has changed platform before everyone else rushes off. You know menú del día is the set lunch menu, not the full menu.

You solve problems more easily

A lost bag, a missed connection, a pharmacy visit: these are stressful in any language, and much less so if you can explain the basics yourself.

Real travel situations (and what to say)

Arriving at a hotel. Hola, buenas tardes. Tengo una reserva a nombre de Smith. You'll often hear ¿Me deja su pasaporte? (Can I see your passport?).

At a bar. In Spain, a classic order is Una caña, por favor (a small draught beer). If you'd like to share small plates, ask ¿Qué tapas tienen? For more, see our guide to ordering food in Spanish.

Asking for directions. Perdone, ¿dónde está la estación? Listen for todo recto (straight on), a la derecha (on the right) and a la izquierda (on the left).

At the pharmacy. Necesito algo para el dolor de cabeza. (I need something for a headache.) Pharmacists in Spain are often very helpful for minor problems.

When you don't understand. Perdone, ¿puede hablar más despacio? is probably the most useful sentence you'll learn.

15 basic Spanish phrases for travel

A few tips for using them:

• Use usted forms with strangers if you're unsure (¿Puede...?, Perdone). In Spain people quickly switch to tú, but you won't offend anyone by being polite.
• Don't worry about the accent. Spanish pronunciation is very regular: vowels always sound the same, so if you can read a word, you can usually say it.
• Learn the numbers 1 to 100. Prices, times, platforms and room numbers all depend on them. Our list of the 100 most useful Spanish words is a good next step.

Spain or Latin America: does it matter?

Spanish is one language, and the phrases above work everywhere. There are some differences, though. In most of Latin America, ustedes is used for "you all" instead of Spain's vosotros. Some everyday words change: a car is coche in Spain but often carro or auto in Latin America, and a bus can be autobús, camión (Mexico), colectivo (Argentina) or guagua (Canary Islands and the Caribbean). Locals will understand you either way, and they'll often enjoy telling you their word for it.

How much Spanish do you need before a trip?

Less than you think. If you learn the 15 phrases above, the numbers and a few food words, you'll already notice a difference. With a few weeks of short daily practice before you go, you can reach the point of handling simple exchanges and enjoying them. Parlumi's lessons, for example, take about five minutes a day and include listening at normal and slow speed, which helps a lot when the waiter speaks faster than your textbook.

The real benefit

Speaking a little of the language won't make your trip perfect. You'll still misunderstand things, mispronounce words and occasionally get answered in English. But you'll come home with more than photos: a short chat with a taxi driver, a recommendation from a bar owner, the feeling of having been somewhere rather than just passing through. That's worth every phrase you learn.