Everyday situations · Travel
Spanish phrases for your first trip.
Prepare a few short exchanges: say hello, ask for a drink, ask where something is and request help when a reply is unclear.
Choose one travel moment first.
You do not need a phrasebook to get started. Pick the moment you expect to meet first on your trip and prepare for that one.
A polite greeting
Say hello and thank someone.
A simple request
Ask for coffee, tea or water.
A basic question
Ask where something is and ask for clarification.
These examples support a few beginner tasks. They do not cover every possible reply or travel situation.
Practise with a seven-day plan.
The free 7 Day Spanish Starter Plan gives you seven short tasks, two dialogues and a tracker, about ten minutes a day. Open it on the web or download the 5-page PDF.
The complete plan is free and open. No account or email needed; an emailed copy is optional.
Keep a few useful phrases nearby.
Greet before you ask. A quick Hola or Buenos días before a request is a friendly, simple habit, and it gives you a moment to remember the next phrase.
| Spanish | English | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Hola. | Hello. | Greet someone. |
| Buenos días. | Good morning. | A polite morning greeting. |
| Buenas tardes. | Good afternoon. | A polite afternoon greeting. |
| Perdón. | Excuse me. / Sorry. | Begin politely. |
| Un café, por favor. | A coffee, please. | Order a drink. |
| Un té, por favor. | A tea, please. | Change the drink. |
| Un vaso de agua, por favor. | A glass of water, please. | Ask for water. |
| ¿Dónde está la estación? | Where is the station? | Ask a location question. |
| ¿Dónde está el baño? | Where is the bathroom? | Ask a location question. |
| No, gracias. | No, thank you. | Decline an extra item. |
| Gracias. | Thank you. | Thank the speaker. |
| Muchas gracias. | Thank you very much. | Thank someone warmly. |
Read the Spanish, check its meaning and choose two phrases for your own card. Words for “bathroom” vary by country: baño is widely understood, and in Spain you will also see aseos or servicios on signs.
Try a short café exchange.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Learner: Hola. Un café, por favor. | Learner: Hello. A coffee, please. |
| Server: ¿Algo más? | Server: Anything else? |
| Learner: No, gracias. | Learner: No, thank you. |
| Server: Aquí tiene. | Server: Here you are. |
| Learner: Gracias. | Learner: Thank you. |
This is Dialogue 2 from Day 4 of the free plan. Read both roles. Replace café with té or vaso de agua, cover the order and try again. For more, read the full café guide.
Ask for clarification when you need it.
Questions with puede use polite singular address (usted), which suits people you do not know, such as staff in a café or station. Practise them as complete phrases.
Server: ¿Algo más? · Learner: No entiendo. ¿Puede repetir, por favor?
Server: Anything else? Learner: I do not understand. Can you repeat, please? An original practice dialogue, not a recorded conversation.
Asking a location question does not mean you will understand full directions yet. The task is to ask and to seek clarification, as on Day 5 of the plan. The free Conversation Rescue Card keeps these phrases on two printable pages.
Make your own phrase card.
| My situation | e.g. ordering water |
|---|---|
| Phrase 1 and meaning | your phrase |
| Phrase 2 and meaning | your phrase |
| My next practice time | day and time |
Illustrative card
Situation: ordering water.
Un vaso de agua, por favor. A glass of water, please.
¿Puede repetir, por favor? Can you repeat, please?
Your task: read your two phrases aloud a few times. Cover the English and recall the Spanish. Check, then keep the card in your bag or notes and repeat it on another day. This is a practice check, not a fluency test.
Common questions.
Do I need to memorise every phrase?
No. Choose two useful phrases and keep a card with the rest nearby.
Can I practise without a partner?
Yes. Read both parts, pause and try the learner’s reply from memory. See how to practise speaking alone.
Will these phrases cover my whole trip?
No. They are a starting point for a few simple situations. Our Spanish for Travel page brings more travel practice together.
Practice, not a promise. These tasks help you rehearse everyday Spanish at your own pace. Individual progress varies; nothing here promises a level, a qualification or a fixed learning speed. How we write and check our Spanish
Sources and editorial notes
- Content basis: the Smart Learning Path 7 Day Spanish Starter Plan and Conversation Rescue Card. Dialogues are original practice examples.
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario panhispánico de dudas: usted, retrieved October 18, 2026.
Examples are practice tasks, not customer results. Spanish checked by our editors. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Suggest a correction.
Related reading.
Visit the blogSpanish for Travel
Practise ordering, asking and clarifying before a trip.
Order Coffee in Spanish with a Simple Dialogue
A short café exchange you can adapt.
How to Ask Someone to Repeat or Slow Down in Spanish
Polite phrases for a fast or unclear reply.
Keep your next practice small.
Use the free seven-day plan for introductions, clarification, ordering and a tracker.
No account or payment needed.