Helpful Expressions in Spanish | Navigate a new city with ease

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¡Hola todos! I’ve put together a list of simple expressions you can use on your next trip to a Spanish speaking country that should help you do most day to day activities. Though Spanish is a phonetic language I’ve decided to include the IPA spelling next to each word so that you can be understood :)

Download your copy of the full PDF here:

Spanish expressions PDF

Good day/ afternoon/ evening Buenos días/ buenas tardes/ buenas noches

/ˌbwenosˈdias/ [bwenast̪arˈðes] / [ˌbwenazˈnot͡ʃes]

How much does this cost? ¿Cuánto cuesta? (KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah?)

Do you speak English? (informal)/ ¿Hablas inglés? (AH-blahs een-GLEHS?)

Do you speak English? (formal) ¿Habla usted inglés? (AH-blah oos-TEHD een-GLEHS?)

I don't understand No entiendo (NOH ehn-TYEHN-doh)

One beer/ glass of red/ white wine, please. Una cerveza/Un vaso de vino tinto/blanco. 

(OO-nah sehr-BEH-sah, pohr FAH-bohr)(oon BAH-soh deh BEE-noh TEEN-toh/BLAHN-koh, pohr FAH-bohr)

I would like….. please. ¿Me puede poner/traer _____, for favor?  (meh PWEH-deh poh-NEHR/trah-EHR……, POHR fah-BOHR)

Thank you. Gracias (GRAH-syahs)

Goodbye/ see you later Adiós (ah-dyohs)/ hasta luego [ahs-tah lweh-goh]

It was delicious/ really good Estaba delicioso/muy bueno. 

(ehs-TAH-bah deh-lee-SYOH-soh/MOO-ee BWEH-noh/)

Is there a local specialty?  ¿Hay alguna especialidad regional/de la zona?

(ay ahl-GOO-nah ehs-peh-syah-lee-DAHD reh-hyoh-NAHL/deh lah SOH-nah?)

For those of you who already speak a little Spanish and would like to speak as the Mardileños, I’ve gathered a few expressions unique to Madrid:

  • A pachas: Means smth like sharing. e.g: "Vamos a pachas con la cerveza" means "Let´s drink together the beer”.

  • Mazo: Everybody uses this in Madrid, to express a big quantity of smth. e.g: "Hay mazo gente" means "There´s a lot of people”.

  • Peña: A large group of people in a place. e.g: "Hay mazo peña en el bar" means "The bar is full of people”.

  • Picar: When you ask for a lighter to somebody, and you accidentally (or on purpose) take it with you. e.g: "Te ha picado el mechero" means "He/She has stole your lighter”

  • Tronco/Tronca: Same as tío/tía, wey, che. I think the most common translation would be dude.

  • Guay: used to say something is nice. e.g: "¡Me dieron la beca! - ¡Qué guay, felicidades!".