Essential European Spanish Phrases

Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.

Here are the bare minimum of Spanish words and phrases you need to know to survive.

Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

If you need help with pronunciation,
please see the Pronunciation Guide below.

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ...

The Top 10 ...

Hola.

Hello.
Adiós.
Goodbye.
¿Habla usted inglés?
Do you speak English?
No entiendo.
I don't understand.
Un poco.
A little.
Sí. No.
Yes. No.
¿Cuánto cuesta?

How much is it?
Demasiado caro. De acuerdo / Vale.
Too expensive. OK.
Por favor.
Please.
(Muchas) gracias.
Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ... The Top 20 ...
	¿Cómo se llama usted? What is your name? Me llamo ... My name is ... ¿Cómo está usted? How are you? Bien. ¿Y usted? Fine. And you? ¿Dónde está ...? Where is ...? ¿Dónde están los servicios? Hombres/Señoras Where is the toilet? Men/Women Lo siento. Perdón. Sorry. Excuse me. No hay problema. No problem. Quiero ... I want ... No quiero ... I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...

The Top 30 ...

¿De dónde es usted?
Where are you from?
Soy de Australia.*
I am from Australia.
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
Estoy perdido. (man)
Estoy perdida. (woman)
I'm lost.
¡Pare! ¡Espere!
Stop! Wait!
Aquí, allí, allá.
Here, there, over there.
Taxi. Hotel. Aeropuerto. Estación.
Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station.
Me gusta ...
I like ...
No me gusta ...
I don't like ...

uno**, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco.
one, two, three, four, five.
seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

**Use uno when counting.
Use un before a masculine noun.
Use una before a feminine noun.

*Or choose your country:
América - America
Canadá - Canada
Inglaterra - England
Irlanda - Ireland
Nueva Zelanda - New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...

Useful Extras ...

¡Salud!
Cheers!

bueno / malo
good / bad
grande / pequeño
big / small
cerca / lejos
near / far
menos / más
less / more
un otro / suficiente
another / enough

Soy vegetariano. (man)
Soy vegetariana. (woman)
I am vegetarian.
No como carne.
I don't eat meat.
... pollo.
... chicken.
... pescado.
... fish.

Soy alérgico a los frutos secos. (man)
Soy alérgica a los frutos secos. (woman)
I am allergic to nuts.
... a los cacahuetes.
... to peanuts.
... al pescado.
... to fish.
... al marisco.
... to seafood.
... al huevo.
... eggs.

Pronunciation Guide

Consonants:
b and v in the middle of a word are a bilabial fricative, like a v using both lips together (β)
c before e or i is pronounced as th as in thick (θ)
ch is pronounced as ch as in church (tʃ)
d in the middle or end of a word is like the in this (ð)
g in the middle of a word is like gh, a voiced velar fricative (ɣ) or its approximant (ɰ)
gu before e or i is pronounced as g
h is silent
j is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
ll is pronounced as ly as in million (ʎ), or y as in yet (IPA j)
ñ is pronounced as ny as in canyon (ɲ)
qu is pronounced as k
rr is a trilled r
v is pronounced b at the start of a word
z is pronounced as th as in thick (θ)