Helpful Common Phrases to Know in Spanish

Whether you are visiting a Spanish speaking country or you just want to learn a few quick phrases in Spanish for your own knowledge, it’s great to at least know the basics (Common Phrases in Spanish). Becoming fluent in Spanish does take time so if you have a trip planned in the near future it might be good for you to learn a few key words and phrases. In this blog post, we are going to discuss some of the most common, useful phrases.

When you are ready to learn to speak Spanish in the Detroit area, contact Studio Español to take classes or sign up for a private tutor.

Greetings and Responses

It’s important that when you are in a Spanish-speaking environment that you at least know some greetings and responses. You want to be able to be polite as you meet people, even if you can’t fully join into their conversation. Below we have included some ways for you to greet Spanish speaking folks and common responses in case they happen to ask you, “¿Cómo Está?”

Hello! — ¡Hola!

Good morning! — ¡Buenos Dias!

Good afternoon! — ¡Buenas Tardes!

Good evening! — ¡Buenas Noches!

How are you? — ¿Cómo Está?

How are you? (Formal) — ¿Cómo está usted?

Nice to meet you! — ¡Mucho gusto!

Good, and you? — Bien, ¿y tú?

Very good — My bien

Yes — Sí

Goodbye — Adiós

Bye — Chao

Later — Hasta Luego

See you soon — Hasta pronto

See you — Nos vemos

I love you — Te amo

Common Phrases for Travel

It’s helpful to know some common phrases if you are travelling to a Spanish-speaking country.  If you want to find a bathroom or just need some help, it’s important to be able to communicate that. If you are staying at a resort, the staff will more than likely speak English, but it’s never a bad idea to prepare just in case you find yourself without an English-speaking guide. 

Where is the restroom? —¿Dónde está el baño?

Where is a restaurant? — ¿Dónde hay un restaurante? 

How far? — ¿A que distancia? 

Can you help me? —  ¿Puede ayudarme?

Please — Por favor

Thank you! — ¡Gracias!

I’m sorry — Lo siento

How much is it? — ¿Cuanto cuesta? 

Common Words for Eating and Drinking Out

If you are visiting a Spanish-speaking country, chances are you are either on vacation or business and either way, you will most likely be eating out. We’ve included a few common Spanish terms that will be necessary for you to know when you visit a bar or restaurant in a Spanish-speaking country. Even though the wait staff more than likely speaks some English, you want to at least be able to find your way around the menu.

Beer — Cerveza

Red Wine — Vino tinto

White Wine — Vino blanco

Menu — Un menú

Table — Una mesa

Coffee — Un café

Spicy — Picante

Drink — Una bebida

Water — Agua

Knowing a few common phrases and words in Spanish while you are visiting a Spanish-speaking country is important to enjoy yourself. You also want to be polite to anyone you meet including hotel staff, restaurant staff, and shop owners. You’ll want to ensure that you can at least say, “Hola, mucho gusto,” to be polite. 

If you are interested in learning more Spanish and becoming fluent, take some classes at Studio Español in Birmingham, Michigan. We offer classes and one-on-one tutors to help you become conversational in Spanish so that next time you go on vacation or a business trip you won’t have to worry about being left out of the conversation or finding your way around. Contact us now to start speaking Spanish.