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Spanish Language Basics

¡Bienvenidos a España! Welcome to Spain!

Whether you have arrived already or you are currently planning your trip to Barcelona... There are some things you might like to know about the language here!

Firstly, and to some, most surprisingly, is the fact that the first language in Barcelona is not Spanish! It is actually a language called Catalan! These two languages are quite different. Catalan is the co-official language in Catalunya as well as other autonomous communities of Spain, which include the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community where it is known as 'Valencià'. Other autonomous Spanish communities which often use the Catalan Language are Aragon (in La Franja) and Murcia (in Carche), although here, Catalan is not recognised as an official language.

This being said, if you have been brushing up on your Español prior to your trip to Barcelona... Do not fret! The vast majority of Catalan's can of course speak the Spanish language. Here you will find a nice list of the basics to get you started. Do not be scared to try some out when you are visiting Spain! The people here are patient and you will be surprised at the amount of help you receive upon trying out a new language with the natives. It is lots of fun to try and you never know... Maybe you are about to uncover a hidden talent!

Arriving in Spain: Basic Spanish Greetings and Goodbye's:

Hola - Hello

¿Qué tal? - How are you?

Buenos días - Good Morning.

Buenas tardes - Good Afternoon.

Buenas noches - Good Night.

Hasta luego! - See you later!

Hasta mañana - (Until tomorrow) See you tomorrow

Adiós! - Goodbye!

Que vaya bien! - Have a good time!

Ordering Food and Drink:

In a bar:

Un café, por favor - A coffee, please.

Un café solo, por favor - An espresso coffee please.

Un café con leche, por favor - A coffee with milk please.

Un té por favor - A cup of tea please.

Una copa de vino, por favor - A glass of wine, please.

Una cerveza por favor - A beer please.

Cuánto es? Gracias - How much is it? Thank you.

In a restaurant:

¿Hay mesa para 2 (dos) por favor? - Do you have a table for two please?

¿Podría ver el menú ? - Can I see the menu?

Querría una ensalada, por favor – I would like a salad, please.

Common Foods you may see on a menu:

Carne - Meat

Jamón - Ham

Pollo - Chicken

Pescado - Fish

Queso - Cheese

Queso de cabra - Goats Cheese

Papas fritas - Fries

Arroz - Rice

Verduras - Vegetables

Cebolla - Onion

Pimientos - Peppers

Setas - Mushrooms

Frutos secos - Nuts

Pan - Bread

Tarta de queso - Cheesecake

Torta - Cake

Helados - Ice Cream

Aqua - Water

Dulce – Sweet

Picante – Spicy

Crujiente – Crunchy

Caliente – Hot

Frío – Cold

Taking a Taxi:

In Barcelona it is very easy to get a Taxi! Simply hold your arm out when you see a yellow and black cab approaching with a green light showing on the top!

A la Plaza Cataluña, por favor – To Plaça Catalunya please.

¿Cuánto cuesta ir hasta el aeropuerto? – How much does it cost to the airport?

Buying things:

Me gustaría probarme estos pantalones, gracias – I would like to try on these trousers, please.

¿Tenéis estos zapatos en el número 37 (treinta y siete)? – Do you have these shoes in a size 37?

¿Qué precio tiene el abrigo? – What is the price of this coat?

¿Cuánto es todo? – How much is everything?

¿Aceptáis tarjetas de crédito? – Do you accept credit cards?

Numbers:

1 - Uno

2 - Dos

3 - Tres,

4 - Cuatro,

5 - Cinco

6 - Seis

7 - Siete

8 - Ocho

9 - Nueve

10 - Diez

11 - Once

12 - Doce

13 - Trece

14 - Catorce

15 - Quince

16 - Dieciséis

17 - Diecisiete

18 - Dieciocho

19 - Diecinueve

20 - Veinte

21 - Veintiuno

22 - Veintidós

23 - Veintitrés

24 - Veinticuatro

25 - Veinticinco

26 - Veintiséis

27 - Veintisiete

28 - Veintiocho

29 - Veintinueve

30 - Treinta

31 - Treinta y un

32 - Treinta y dos

33 - Treinta y tres...

40 - Cuarenta

50 - Cincuenta

60 - Sesenta

70 - Setenta

80 - Ochenta

90 - Noventa

100 - Cien

1000 - Mil

2000 - Dos mil...

Asking for the time:

¿Qué hora es? - What time is it?

Currency Exchange:

¿Podría cambiarme este dinero, por favor? - Could you exchange this money, please?

Making a dinner reservation/Asking for a table for you and your friends/family:

¿Podría reservar mesa para 4 (Cuatro) esta noche? Can I book a table for 4 people tonight?

A las 8 (ocho) en punto por favor - At 8 o'clock please.

Me llamo Katie – My name is Katie.

At the hotel - Common phrases:

¿Tienen habitaciones libres? – Do you have rooms available?

¿Podría ver una habitación? – Can I see a room?

¿Cuánto cuesta por día? – How much does it cost for one day?

¿Incluye el desayuno? – Does it include breakfast?

¿Tienen habitaciones con vistas? – Do you have room with views?

¿La habitación tiene aire acondicionado/calefacción? – Does the room have air conditioning/heating?

Of course these are just the basics of the Spanish language. To really get going you should get yourself a neat little Spanish phrase book to boost your learning. There is no better way to learn a language than by using it in practical surroundings!

If you really want to take your Spanish to a whole new level, why not take a look at

Camino Spanish Language School here in Barcelona. They offer a range of courses, tailored to all levels. You can even begin an 'immersion' course which will see you studying and living in Spain for the duration of your learning.