Spanish phrases for travel do not need to be many to be useful. A few dozen well-chosen sentences, spoken politely, will carry you through airports, hotels, restaurants, taxis and shops in almost any Spanish-speaking country. This guide organizes them by situation, so you can practice the conversations you will actually have on your trip.
Start With Polite Basics
Politeness opens doors. Begin every interaction with a greeting, and you will find people far more willing to help, even if your Spanish is limited.
- Hola / Buenos días / Buenas tardes / Buenas noches — Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening
- Por favor — Please · Gracias — Thank you · De nada — You’re welcome
- Disculpe / Perdón — Excuse me / Sorry
- ¿Habla inglés? — Do you speak English?
- No entiendo. — I don’t understand.
- ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? — Can you speak more slowly, please?
- Hablo un poco de español. — I speak a little Spanish.
Hablo un poco de español is one of the most useful sentences you can learn. It signals effort, and people usually respond with patience and warmth.
At the Airport
- ¿Dónde está el mostrador de facturación? — Where is the check-in counter?
- ¿A qué hora sale el vuelo? — What time does the flight leave?
- Mi vuelo tiene retraso. — My flight is delayed.
- ¿Dónde puedo recoger mi maleta? — Where can I pick up my suitcase?
- Perdí mi equipaje. — I lost my luggage.
- Estoy de visita / Estoy de vacaciones. — I’m visiting / I’m on vacation.
- Me quedo cinco días. — I’m staying five days.
At immigration or customs, answers are usually short, so practicing them aloud matters more than studying them silently. Check current entry requirements through the U.S. Department of State’s international travel guidance before you go.
Getting Around
- ¿Dónde está la estación de metro / de autobús / de tren? — Where is the subway / bus / train station?
- ¿Cuánto cuesta un boleto / un billete? — How much is a ticket?
- ¿Esta parada es la del centro? — Is this the stop for downtown?
- Al centro, por favor. — To downtown, please.
- ¿Cuánto cuesta hasta el hotel? — How much to the hotel?
- Pare aquí, por favor. — Stop here, please.
- ¿Está lejos? — Is it far?
- ¿Cómo llego a ___? — How do I get to ___?
Vocabulary varies by region. A ticket is boleto in Mexico and much of Latin America but billete in Spain, and a bus can be autobús, camión or guagua. If a word does not land, point, show a map, or try another one.
At the Hotel
- Tengo una reservación a nombre de ___. — I have a reservation under the name ___.
- ¿A qué hora es el desayuno? — What time is breakfast?
- ¿Me puede dar otra toalla / almohada? — Could you give me another towel / pillow?
- El aire acondicionado no funciona. — The air conditioning doesn’t work.
- ¿Tiene wifi gratis? — Do you have free Wi-Fi?
- ¿Puedo dejar mi equipaje aquí hasta la tarde? — Can I leave my luggage here until this afternoon?
At Restaurants and Cafés
- Una mesa para dos, por favor. — A table for two, please.
- ¿Me puede traer el menú? — Could you bring me the menu?
- Quisiera ___. — I would like ___.
- ¿Qué me recomienda? — What do you recommend?
- Soy alérgico / alérgica a ___. — I’m allergic to ___.
- Sin carne, por favor. — Without meat, please.
- La cuenta, por favor. — The check, please.
- ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? — Can I pay by card?
Food allergies deserve exact wording. Learn the Spanish for your specific allergen before you travel, and show it written down if you need to. Our guide to hospitality Spanish shows the same phrases from the staff’s side, which helps you predict what you will hear.
Shopping and Money
- ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? — How much is this?
- Es muy caro. — That’s very expensive.
- Solo estoy mirando, gracias. — I’m just looking, thank you.
- ¿Aceptan dólares? — Do you accept dollars?
- ¿Dónde hay un cajero automático? — Where is an ATM?
Prices and times are spoken quickly, so numbers repay practice. Our guide to Spanish numbers is a good place to begin.
Emergencies and Asking for Help
- ¡Ayuda! — Help!
- Necesito un médico. — I need a doctor.
- Me siento mal. — I feel sick.
- Perdí mi pasaporte. — I lost my passport.
- Llame a la policía, por favor. — Please call the police.
- ¿Dónde está el hospital? — Where is the hospital?
Learn these before you need them. For a longer list, see our guide to essential Spanish emergency phrases.
Tips for Using Travel Phrases Confidently
Choose ten phrases for your first day and practice them out loud until they feel automatic. Focus on questions you will ask and the answers you will probably hear, not just the sentences you plan to say. Use usted with strangers, since it is the respectful default. Our article on using usted and tú explains when to switch. Clear pronunciation will help you more than a large vocabulary, and 50 essential Spanish words and phrases covers the everyday basics.
Planning more than one trip? We have travel guides for other languages too, including Italian phrases for travel and French phrases for travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important Spanish phrases for travel?
Start with greetings, por favor and gracias, ¿Habla inglés?, No entiendo, ¿Cuánto cuesta?, ¿Dónde está ___?, La cuenta, por favor and Necesito ayuda. These cover most everyday situations.
How do you say “excuse me” in Spanish?
Use disculpe or perdón to get someone’s attention or to apologize. Con permiso is what you say when you need to pass through a crowd or step past someone.
Do I need to learn Spanish before traveling to a Spanish-speaking country?
You can often manage in tourist areas with English, but even a small amount of Spanish makes interactions friendlier and opens up more places and conversations. A short set of polite, practical phrases goes a long way.
Is travel Spanish different in Spain and Latin America?
Core phrases are shared. Some vocabulary differs, such as boleto and billete for ticket, or reservación and reserva for reservation. In Spain you will also hear vosotros, but usted and ustedes will always be understood.
How long does it take to learn enough Spanish for a trip?
A few weeks of regular practice is enough for polite basics and common travel situations. If you are traveling for longer or want real conversations, a few months of speaking practice makes a significant difference.
What if I don’t understand the reply?
Say ¿Puede repetir, por favor? (Can you repeat, please?) or Más despacio, por favor (More slowly, please). Practicing these requests, and listening practice with a live teacher, will help you handle fast replies.
Practice With a Live Instructor
Travel Spanish is easiest to remember when you rehearse real scenarios out loud. Explore CORE Languages’ live Spanish classes or schedule a session to practice with a professional instructor before your trip.