Do you need to speak and understand Spanish when you go to
Barcelona? Not necessarily. Since it's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, the city is very welcoming and fairly accessible to visitors who can't speak their native language. With that said, this shouldn't mean that you don't have to try, especially if you ever plan on relocating to Barcelona. Even as a beginner, there are certain phrases you need to know as you descend upon the city. Apart from the basic greetings, they include
No entiendo (I don't understand),
Habla más despacio, por favor (Speak more slowly, please), and
Estoy perdido/a (I'm lost), among many others.
Basic Greetings and Pleasantries
Naturally, you should first know the basic greetings and pleasantries in Spanish. Since the language is one of the most universally spoken, practically second or third to English, there's a good chance you already know about many of them. You've surely heard about
Hola (Hello),
Bienvenido (Welcome),
Por favor (Please), and the like, right? Well, it's time to expand that a little bit more. You'd do well to learn
Perdón (Excuse me / I’m sorry),
Que te vaya bien (Have a good day), and
¡Felicitaciones! (Congratulations!) too, among many others.
Hola (Hello)
Buenas (Hi - informal)
Bienvenido (Welcome)
Buenas noches (Good evening)
Buenas noches (Good night)
Que te vaya bien (Have a good day)
Por favor (Please)
Gracias (Thank you)
De nada (You’re welcome)
Perdón (Excuse me / I’m sorry)
¡Felicitaciones! (Congratulations!)
¡Salud! (Cheers!)
No hablo español (I don't speak Spanish)
Let's say you're visiting
Barcelona and it's your first time here. If you're not fluent in Spanish, does this mean you won't be able to navigate the city at all? Not necessarily! Barcelona has become such a global metropolis that it's now fairly easy to travel here knowing only very little Spanish. But it's still worth knowing how to say
No hablo español (I don't speak Spanish) so that locals know to communicate with you differently. Trust that this will help you in the long run!
No entiendo (I don’t understand)
You'll likely be using this one phrase,
No entiendo (I don’t understand), again and again! Not only is it one of the most useful for those who barely understand the Spanish language, but it's also a polite way to express it to locals. If you want to truly be polite about it, you can use
Perdón, no entiendo (Sorry, I don’t understand) too. This will let them know the situation—that you can't understand what they're saying—and more often than not, they'll adjust accordingly.
¿Qué significa…? (What does … mean?)
When you encounter a word that you don't understand, simply say this phrase and people will help you out. What's great about it is that it also shows locals that you're willing to learn more about their language instead of simply expecting that people will adjust to your situation regardless. It's a good conversation starter too. When you just met someone, especially if they're local, then asking them to explain something to you is a nice way to get more acquainted with them.
Habla más despacio, por favor (Speak more slowly, please)
Even if you've been
learning Spanish in Barcelona, Madrid, or any other city for weeks now, getting used to the language and how locals speak it is still totally different. Spanish is a fairly fast language and locals speak it as if they're always rushing. Sometimes, you just need them to speak a bit more slowly to understand what they're saying. It's not exactly rude to say but your tone does matter in any situation. Always remain polite when asking people to speak slowly to you.
¿Dónde estás…? (Where is...?)
This is another phrase you're sure to say again and again, even if you're already fluent in Spanish. Big cities, in particular, are so vast that it’s easy to get lost. Even if you've
moved to Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, or Seville and have stayed in any of them for years, there's always gonna be places you haven't been to yet. So how do you get to them when you don't know where they are? Apart from relying on apps and such, you can always ask the locals where they are.
Estoy perdido/a (I’m lost)
Concerning the previous phrase, this one is what you use when you get lost. Hence, if you could only learn a couple of Spanish phrases before you get to Spain, this should be one of the few! Learn it, say it, and memorize it! It's worth getting the grammar and accent down too, because you'll want the locals to understand you clearly when you utter this phrase. Don't worry! Once they hear it, they'll know what's going on and many of them will help you.
¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?)
Depending on where you're coming from, there's a chance that you don't understand how prices are written down in Spain. It can get pretty confusing and if you truly want to purchase something, you simply need to say this phrase. The shopkeeper will instantly know what you're asking and they'll respond accordingly. It's as easy as that and you barely have to worry about anything else. So make sure to learn how to say
¿Cuánto cuesta? (How much does it cost?) clearly before you get to Spain.
¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
Some
social customs in Spain may confuse you when it comes to what time of day it is. For example, while many other countries eat lunch at exactly 12:00 pm, the Spanish usually do it at around 1:00 pm or sometimes even much later. Because of this, it's easy to think that it's still just noon when you see locals start eating midday, but in truth, it's actually later in the afternoon already. So to clear things up, simply say this phrase and you'll get your answer!
¿Puede ayudarme? (Can you help me?)
Finally, don't forget to learn this phrase! No matter where you are and whatever happens to you, this one phrase is enough to let anyone near you know that you need help. What's great about this phrase is that it applies to practically any situation. At times, you can even use this in place of a few other phrases on this list. Then again, what you say afterward matters too, so let this be another motivation for you to learn Spanish before you go to Spain.
Whether it's your first time here or relocating to Spain, you'll still need to know these 10 essential Spanish phrases. They're a must for anyone learning to speak the language and very helpful in navigating Spain.
