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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.

MANAGING EDITOR

Janice McNeillie

CONTRIBUTOR

Eduardo Vallejo

FOR THE PUBLISHER

Gerry Breslin

Hannah Dove

Contents

Cover

Title page

Copyright

Introduction

What is it?

Why do you need it?

How is it structured?

How does it work?

Why choose Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation?

The Collins Easy Learning range

Spanish pronunciation

Spanish vowels

Spanish consonants

Which syllable to emphasize

Units

Small talk

¿Qué tal? – How are things?

Greetings

Introducing people

Talking about yourself

Apologizing

Asking for information

Saying what you want to do

Expressing opinions

Making suggestions

Talking about your plans

Making arrangements

Saying what you have to do

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Getting there

¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip!

Talking about your plans

Saying what you want to do

Making suggestions

Asking for information

Asking for things

Asking for permission

Saying what you have to do

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Home from home

¡Que descanses! – Sleep well!

Saying what you want

Asking for information

Talking about yourself

Asking for things

Saying what you have to do

Asking for permission

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Making suggestions

Talking about your plans

Complaining

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Wining and dining

¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal!

Making arrangements

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Making suggestions

Complaining

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Hitting the town

¡Que te diviertas! – Enjoy yourself!

Making suggestions

Saying what you want to do

Talking about your plans

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Expressing opinions

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Museums, monuments and much more

¡Que lo pases bien! – Have a good time!

Talking about your plans

Making suggestions

Saying what you want to do

Asking for information

Asking for things

Asking for permission

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Complaining

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Retail therapy

¿Necesita alguna cosa? – Can I help you?

Asking for things

Saying what you have to do

Talking about your plans

Expressing opinions

Asking for information

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Making suggestions

Asking for permission

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Service with a smile

¡Un servicio excelente! – Excellent service!

Asking for information

Saying what you want to do

Asking for things

Talking about yourself

Saying what you prefer

Asking for advice

Making arrangements

Talking about your plans

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Ouch!

¡Que te mejores! – Get well soon!

Explaining the problem

Saying what happened

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you want to do

Making suggestions

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Help!

¡No pasa nada! – Don’t worry about it!

Explaining the problem

Saying what’s happened

Describing people and things

Asking for information

Asking for things

Saying what you want to do

Saying what you have to do

Making suggestions

Talking about your plans

Listen out for

Lifestyle Tips

Getting in touch

¡Dígame! – Hello!

Making a telephone call

When the number you’re calling answers

Saying why you’re calling

Giving information

Answering the telephone

Ending a telephone call

Listen out for

Writing emails and letters

Addressing an envelope

Texting

Social media

Lifestyle Tips

Time, numbers, date

¡Uno, dos, tres, ya! – One, two, three, go!

Los números – Numbers

La hora – The time

Listen out for

Saying how long

Las estaciones – The seasons

Los meses del año – The months of the year

Las fechas – Dates

Los días de la semana – The days of the week

El alfabeto – The alphabet

Listen out for

Interesting days and dates

In summary…

Bueno, resumiendo… – So, to sum up…

Apologizing

Asking for and giving explanations

Asking for information

Asking for permission

Asking for things

Complaining

Describing people and things

Explaining a problem

Expressing opinions

Making suggestions

Saying what’s happened

Saying what you have to do

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer

Saying what you want to do

Talking about your plans

One-stop phrase shop

¡Mucho gusto! – Pleased to meet you!

Hellos and goodbyes

Please and thank you

Attracting someone’s attention

Making sure you’ve understood

Checking facts

Wishing someone something

Apologizing

Reassuring someone

Opinions

Agreeing, disagreeing and declining

Congratulating someone

Reacting to good and bad news

Exclamations

Surprise

Encouraging someone

Handing someone something

Dangers and emergencies

Speaking your mind

Conversational words

Grammar

Nouns

Articles

Pronouns

Adjectives

Questions

Negatives

Some common translation difficulties

Verbs

Verb tenses

Verb tables

Hablar: to speak, to talk

Deber: to have to, to owe

Vivir: to live

Lavarse: to wash (oneself)

Dar: to give

Decir: to say, to tell

Entender: to understand

Estar: to be

Haber: to have

Hacer: to do, to make

Ir: to go

Oír: to hear

Pensar: to think

Poder: to be able (to)

Poner: to put

Querer: to want, to love

Saber: to know

Sentir: to feel, to be sorry about

Ser: to be

Tener: to have

Traer: to bring

Ver: to see

Vocabulary builder

About the publisher

Introduction
What is it?

Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is a book for learners of Spanish of all ages. It will increase your confidence in holding a conversation in Spanish, whether you are just starting to learn Spanish, studying at school or at an evening class, or brushing up your language skills. You may be going on holiday or planning to go travelling in a Spanish-speaking country, go there on business, or live there. Whatever your situation, you’ll want to be able to communicate effectively and naturally in Spanish.

Why do you need it?

Becoming proficient in a foreign language means being able to use and understand a number of different aspects – vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and so on. However, it takes a while to be able to put all these elements together and be sure that what you are saying sounds like natural Spanish. The Easy Learning Spanish Conversation has been carefully designed to bring these aspects together and give you language structures which you can use in conversation with confidence, knowing that you will be speaking Spanish as spoken by Spanish speakers.

How is it structured?

Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is made up of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which brings together the key phrases covered throughout the units. You’ll also find the One-stop phrase shop – a unit which contains all the important expressions and turns of phrase that help you to sound more natural in Spanish.

A short grammar and verbs supplement gives you additional language support, ensuring that you have everything at your fingertips. Finally, the English-Spanish glossary covers the most important vocabulary you may need to personalize your conversation.

How does it work?

Language allows us to express ourselves and interact with others. In any given situation, we perform different language tasks, such as asking for information, agreeing and disagreeing, complaining, making suggestions and so forth. To do this, we use linguistic structures (How…?, When…?, Could I…?, I’d like… and so on) which can be used in a variety of contexts. Each unit in Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation gives you all the phrases you might need in a given situation, grouped by structure. English headings help you navigate through the structures to enable you to find what you want quickly and easily. Throughout the units, there are also tips headed ¿Lo sabías? which highlight important differences in the way English and Spanish work.

A conversation, by definition, is a two-way process. It is as important to understand what is being said to you as it is to be able to respond. At the end of each unit, there is a section headed Listen out for. Each of these sections gives you a variety of the most typical phrases which you might hear in a given situation. Becoming familiar with these will allow you to have a successful conversation with a Spanish speaker. For further help with pronunciation, a free download with all the important structures recorded is available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources.

Communicating effectively in Spanish isn’t just about linguistic competence – it’s also about cultural knowledge. For you to feel confident in a Spanish-speaking country, it is also useful to know more about Spanish culture and lifestyle. At the end of each unit, the Lifestyle Tips will give you the information you need to gain a deeper insight into the language, the country and its people.

Why choose Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation?

• easy to use all the key language structures you need to give you the confidence to hold a conversation in natural Spanish

• easy to read a clear, modern layout which allows you to find what you need quickly and easily

• easy to understand the language you may hear from Spanish speakers in a given situation

• easy to speak free audio download available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources

The Collins Easy Learning range

The Collins Easy Learning Spanish Conversation is part of the best-selling Collins Easy Learning range, which includes the highly acclaimed Collins Easy Learning Spanish Dictionary. Collins Easy Learning Spanish Grammar and Collins Easy Learning Spanish Verbs support you with all your grammatical needs, and the Collins Easy Learning Spanish Words allows you to learn and practise your Spanish vocabulary. The Collins Easy Learning series is the ideal language reference range to help you learn Spanish.

Spanish pronunciation

Spanish pronunciation is easier than you might think. First, words are written pretty much as they sound. So, when you see a new word written you’ll know how to pronounce it and when you hear a new word you’ll know immediately how to spell it. Second, there are no sounds which are radically different from English ones. Below we give some tips to help you pronounce Spanish naturally.

Spanish vowels

In English, vowels we don’t emphasize tend to sound like the –er in mother, for example central, January. In Spanish this never happens. Spanish vowels are always clearly pronounced.

This is how Spanish vowels are generally pronounced:

a | – between the a in hat and the u in Southern English hut
e | – similar to e in pet
i | – similar to ee in been, but shorter
o | – similar to o in hot
u | – similar to oo in too, but shorter

Spanish consonants

This is how Spanish consonants are generally pronounced:

b, v | – these are pronounced exactly the same as one another
| at the start of a word, say them like boy (barato, valija)
| otherwise, say them like very, but without letting your lips touch (labio, lavar)

c | – like English karate (casa, comprar) EXCEPT before e and i (cita, cielo) when they’re pronounced:
| like English thin in most of Spain
| like English same in other parts of Spain and all Latin America

cu
– like English queen (cuatro)

ch
– like English church (chicle)

d | – at the beginning of a word, say it like deep (deporte) between vowels and after consonants, it’s similar to though (querido, andén)
| at the end of words it’s often not pronounced (verdad)

g | – like English goat (gamba, grifo) EXCEPT before e and i (gente, gimnasio) when they’re pronounced:
| like loch in some parts of Spain
| like h in other parts of Spain and all Latin America

gu | – before a like gw (guardar)
| – before e and i like get (guerra, guitarra)

h
– this is never pronounced

j | – (jefe, junio) is pronounced:
| like loch in some parts of Spain
| like h in other parts of Spain and all Latin America

ll
– like English yet (ampolla)

ñ
– like English onion (español)

qu
– like keep (quince)

z | – (zanahoria, zumo) is pronounced:
| like English thin in most of Spain
| like English same in other parts of Spain and all Latin America

Which syllable to emphasize

To make your Spanish sound more fluent, it’s important to emphasize the right syllable. The rules for this are very simple.

• If a word ends in a vowel, in –s or in –n, and has no written accent, you emphasize the last syllable but one:

| la playa (beach) |  | amueblado (furnished)
| el equipaje (luggage) |  | compramos (we buy)
| el parachoques (car bumper) |  | joven (young)

• If a word ends in any consonant other than –s or –n, and has no written accent, you emphasize the last syllable:

| el despertador (alarm clock) |  | aparcar (to park)
| el animal (animal) |  | andaluz (Andalusian)
| la verdad (truth) |  | el español (the Spanish language)

• Any words which are exceptions to these rules have a written accent to show which syllable you need to emphasize:

| último (last) |  | próximo (next)
| el análisis (analysis) |  | jóvenes (plural form of ‘young’)
| fácil (easy) |  | la excursión (excursion)

¿LO SABÍAS?

There may be an accent on the singular form of a word but not on the plural and vice versa: ración, raciones; joven, jóvenes.

Small talk
¿Qué tal? – How are things?

Whether you’re going to be working in a Spanish-speaking country or spending some time with your Spanish-speaking friends, you’ll want to be able to chat with people and get to know them better. The phrases in this unit will help you communicate with acquaintances, friends, family and colleagues in a variety of everyday situations.

GREETINGS

To get you off on the right footing, you need to know how to say hello to people properly. Just as in English, there are several ways of doing this in Spanish. You can simply use hola (hello or hi) on its own. You can also use buenos días (good morning), buenas tardes (good afternoon or good evening – provided it’s still light), and buenas noches (good evening – once it’s dark). Spanish-speakers often use both together, as in hola, buenos días and hola, buenas tardes.

Hello

Hola. | Hello.
¡Hola, Jaime! | Hi Jaime!
Buenos días. | Good morning.
Hola, buenos días. | Good morning.
Buenas tardes, Luis. | Good afternoon, Luis.
Buenas noches. | Good evening.

¿LO SABÍAS?

When you pass friends and acquaintances in the street and don’t stop to talk, rather than saying hola you say hasta luego or adiós.

You’ll also want to ask the people you know how they are. The simplest way to do this is by using ¿Qué tal? This is quite informal, and suitable when you know the person quite well. If you want to be more formal you say ¿Cómo está? to someone you speak to as usted.

How are you?

Hola, Juana, ¿qué tal? | Hi, how are you, Juana?
¡Buenos días! ¿Cómo está, señor García? | Good morning! How are you, señor García?
Hola, Pepe, ¿qué tal te va? | Hello, Pepe, how’s it going?
¿Qué pasa, Raquel? ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte! | How are things, Raquel? It’s ages since I’ve seen you!

Use adiós (goodbye) or hasta pronto (see you soon) to say goodbye to people you don’t know well. You can just say hasta luego (see you) if you want to sound more informal.

Goodbye

¡Adiós! | Goodbye!
¡Adiós! ¡Hasta otra! | Goodbye! See you again!
¡Buenas noches! | Good night!

¿LO SABÍAS?

Buenas noches means both good evening and good night. So you use it both when arriving and leaving somewhere in the evening. When saying goodbye to someone you know you’ll see tomorrow, such as a colleague, you say hasta mañana (see you tomorrow).

See you…!

¡Hasta luego! | See you!
¡Hasta pronto! | See you soon!
¡Hasta mañana! | See you tomorrow!
¡Hasta el lunes! | See you on Monday!

INTRODUCING PEOPLE

You’ll want to introduce people you know to one another. The simplest way is by saying éste es (this is) when introducing a man, and ésta es when introducing a woman.

This is…

José, éste es mi marido. | José, this is my husband.
Pedro, ésta es Marta Valls. | Pedro, this is Marta Valls.
Quiero presentarte a nuestro director de ventas, Jorge Mata. | Let me introduce you to our sales director, Jorge Mata.
Quiero que conozcas a mi amigo Daniel. | I’d like you to meet my friend Daniel.

¿LO SABÍAS?

When you’re introduced to someone, you’ll want to know how to react. The traditional encantado should only be used in formal or business situations these days, and very often people just say ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?. You would reply in the same way – ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?.

TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF

To get the conversation going, you’ll need to be able to say at least what your name is, who you are or what you do, and where you’re from. Saying what your name is is rather different in Spanish from English. You say me llamo (literally I call myself). me llamo comes from the verb llamarse. If you want to say what someone else is called you use se llama. For more information on reflexive verbs like llamarse, see here.

My name is…

Me llamo Daniel Norrington. | My name is Daniel Norrington.
Me llamo Liz Owen. | My name is Liz Owen.
Me llamo Jack. | My name is Jack.
Se llama Kevin. | His name is Kevin.
Se llama Helen. | Her name is Helen.

I’m…

Soy amigo de Paul. | I’m a friend of Paul’s.
Soy el hermano de Rodrigo. | I’m Rodrigo’s brother.
Soy soltero. | I’m single.
Soy maestro. | I’m a teacher.
Soy representante. | I’m a rep.
Trabajo de programador para Compumax. | I work as a programmer for Compumax.

¿LO SABÍAS?

When you say what you do in Spanish, don’t include a word for a or an before your job: soy maestro (I’m a teacher), soy enfermera (I’m a nurse).

To say how old you are, use tengo followed by your age and then años (literally I have… years). tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

I’m…years old

Tengo veintidós años. | I’m twenty-two years old.
Tengo treinta y siete años. | I’m thirty-seven.
Mi hijo tiene siete años. | My son’s seven.
¿Cuántos años tienes? | How old are you?

I have…

Tengo dos hermanas. | I have two sisters.
Tengo un hijo y una hija. | I have a son and a daughter.
Tenemos familia en el sur de España. | We have relatives in the south of Spain.
¿Tienes hijos? | Have you got any children?

I live…

Vivo en Gales. | I live in Wales.
Vivo solo. | I live on my own.
Vivimos en un apartamento. | We live in a flat.

¿LO SABÍAS?

Remember to say vivo sola rather than vivo solo if you’re female.

I’m staying…

Estoy en el Excelsior Palace. | I’m staying at the Excelsior Palace.
Estoy en casa de unos amigos. | I’m staying with friends.
Me quedo una semana en Madrid. | I’m staying in Madrid for a week.
Me voy a quedar unos cuantos días más. | I’m going to stay for a few more days.

To talk about yourself, you’ll need to be able to say how long you’ve been doing something, such as learning Spanish! One way to do this is to use hace followed by the length of time and then que and the verb in the present. For more information on the present tense, see here. You can also use llevo to mean I’ve been in examples like these.

I’ve been…for…

Hace cinco años que soy enfermera. | I’ve been a nurse for five years.
Hace diez años que vivo en España. | I’ve been living in Spain for ten years.
Hace sólo dos días que estoy aquí. | I’ve only been here for two days.
Llevo dos semanas en Madrid. | I’ve been in Madrid for two weeks.
Llevo dos años estudiando español. | I’ve been studying Spanish for two years.
Llevo seis meses de camarera. | I’ve been a waitress for six months.

APOLOGIZING

There may be times when you wish to make an apology to somebody. The simplest way to do this is to say perdona (to someone you speak to as tú) and perdone (to someone you speak to as usted).

I’m sorry…

Perdona. | I’m sorry.
Perdona por no pasar a verte, pero no tuve tiempo. | I’m sorry I didn’t call in, but I didn’t have time.
Perdone que llegue tarde. | I’m sorry I’m late.
Siento no haberte llamado para decírtelo. | I’m sorry I didn’t phone to let you know.

¿LO SABÍAS?

If you need to get past someone, or if you bump into them, just say perdón (excuse me or sorry).

I’m afraid that…

Lo siento, pero no puedo ir. | I’m afraid that I can’t come.
Lo siento, pero no entendí tu nombre. | I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name.
Me temo que no tengo tu número. | I’m afraid that I don’t have your number.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

In social situations you will often want to find out more about someone or their family, job and so on. To do this use háblame (tell me).

Tell me…

Háblame un poco de ti. | Tell me a bit about yourself.
Háblame de tu familia. | Tell me about your family.
¿En qué consiste tu trabajo? | Tell me what your job involves.

You can use the next questions when chatting socially.

What’s…?

¿Cuál es tu dirección? | What’s your address?
¿Cuál es el número de teléfono de Francisco? | What’s Francisco’s phone number?
¿En qué trabajas? | What do you do for a living?
Perdona, ¿qué has dicho? | Sorry, what did you say?
¿Qué significa ‘azafata’? | What does ‘azafata’ mean?
¿Cómo te llamas? | What’s your name?

You’ll often want to find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…?, está is how you generally translate the word is.

Where…?

¿Dónde quieres que quedemos? | Where do you want to meet?
¿Dónde trabajas? | Where do you work?
¿Dónde vives? | Where do you live?
¿Dónde está tu piso? | Where’s your flat?
¿Dónde te quedas? | Where are you staying?
¿De dónde vienes? | Where do you come from?

When…?

¿Cuándo estarás aquí? | When will you get here?
¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? | When’s your birthday?
¿Sábes cuándo dará a luz Marta? | Do you know when Marta’s baby’s due?
¿A qué hora quieres quedar? | When do you want to meet?

How long have…?

¿Cuánto tiempo hace que estás en España? | How long have you been in Spain?
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que trabajas aquí? | How long have you been working here?
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que esperas? | How long have you been waiting?

One very versatile way of asking someone socially how something is going or has gone is to use the phrase ¿Qué tal…? and then the noun in question. You don’t need to use any verb at all.

How…?

¿Qué tal las vacaciones? | How was your holiday?
¿Qué tal el vuelo? | How was your flight?
¿Qué tal el hotel? | How’s the hotel?

Sometimes you’ll want to ask why a friend or acquaintance did or didn’t do something. You can use ¿Por qué…? and a past tense to ask the question (Why…?).

Why…?

¿Por qué te fuiste de Barcelona? | Why did you move from Barcelona?
¿Por qué decidiste dedicarte a la enseñanza? | Why did you choose a career in teaching?
¿Por qué no fuiste ayer? | Why didn’t you go yesterday?
¿Por qué no me llamaste anoche por teléfono? | Why didn’t you ring me last night?

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

When talking to friends and colleagues there’ll be plenty of things you’ll want to do together. To say what you would like to do, you can use me gustaría (I’d like). This comes from the verb gustar.

I’d like to…

Me gustaría darte las gracias por tu ayuda. | I’d like to thank you for helping me.
Me gustaría hablar luego contigo. | I’d like to speak to you later.
Nos gustaría presentarte a un amigo. | We’d like you to meet a friend.
Nos gustaría invitarte a tomar una copa. | We’d like to invite you out for a drink.

Alternatively, you can use quiero followed by the infinitive. If you want someone else to do something for you, use quiero que followed by a verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

I want to…

Quiero organizar una fiesta sorpresa. | I want to organize a surprise party.
Quiero invitar a algunos amigos para mi cumpleaños. | I want to have a few friends over for my birthday.
Quiero que vengas conmigo. | I want you to come with me.
Quiero que esta noche todo salga bien. | I want this evening to be a success.

You may want to ask people you know what you should do. One way to do this is to use ¿Crees que debo…? (Should I…?) followed by a verb in the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more on deber, see here.

Should I…?

¿Crees que debo invitar a su hermana? | Should I invite his sister?
¿Crees que debo llamarle otra vez? | Should I call him again?
¿Te parece buena idea ir a un restaurante chino? | Should we go to a Chinese restaurant?

EXPRESSING OPINIONS

When talking to people you know, you’ll want to say what you think of things. In Spanish there are two main ways of doing this. You can either use creo or pienso, both of which mean literally I think. Or you can use me parece, which means literally it seems to me.

I think…

Creo que tienes razón. | I think you’ve got a point.
Creo que deberíamos irnos a medianoche. | I think we should leave at midnight.
Pienso que Sonia tiene razón. | I think Sonia’s right.
Pienso que es un poco tarde para ir al cine. | I think it’s a bit late to go to the cinema.
Me parece una idea estupenda. | I think it’s a great idea.
A mí no me parece que sea así en absoluto. | I don’t think that’s the case at all.

¿LO SABÍAS?

Don’t forget to add que (that) after me parece, creo and pienso. It’s optional in English, but not in Spanish.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

When you’re with friends and colleagues, you’ll probably want to suggest doing things together. One simple way of doing this is to use podríamos (we could) followed by the infinitive. podríamos comes from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here.

We could…

Podríamos quedar otro día. | We could postpone until another day.
Podríamos salir a tomar algo alguna vez. | We could go out for a drink sometime.
Podríamos quedar en el Café Central. | We could meet at the Café Central.

Just as in English, you can also make a suggestion simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).

Why don’t…?

¿Por qué no les llamas? | Why don’t you phone them?
¿Por qué no invitamos a Pablo y a su novia? | Why don’t we invite Pablo and his girlfriend?
¿Por qué no quedamos algún día? | Why don’t we get together sometime?
¿Quieres que comamos juntos? | Why don’t we have lunch together?

Another way to make suggestions is to use ¿Y si… ? (How about…?) and a verb in the present tense.

How about…?

¿Y si les invitamos a cenar? | How about inviting them for dinner?
¿Y si te vienes con nosotros? | How about coming with us?
¿Y si paso a por ti por la mañana? | How about I pick you up in the morning?

If you want to state your opinion, the Spanish en mi opinión is just like the English in my opinion.

In my opinion…

En mi opinión, es una buena propuesta. | In my opinion, it’s a good suggestion.
En mi opinión, no es verdad. | It’s not true, in my opinion.
En mi opinión, va a causar problemas. | In my view, it’ll cause problems.

When you want to ask someone what they think of something, you can use the verb parecer again, only this time in the phrase ¿Qué te parece…? (What do you think of…?).

What do you think of…?

¿Qué te parece su última película? | What do you think of his latest film?
¿Qué te parece la idea? | What do you think of the idea?
¿Qué te pareció el nuevo equipo? | What did you think of the new team?
¿Qué te parece? | What do you think?

To agree or disagree with what other people say, you can use estoy de acuerdo (I agree) or no estoy de acuerdo (I don’t agree).

I agree…

Estoy de acuerdo. | I agree.
Estoy de acuerdo con Mercedes. | I agree with Mercedes.
No estoy de acuerdo con esta decisión. | I don’t agree with this decision.
No estoy en absoluto de acuerdo con Maite. | I completely disagree with Maite.
¡Estoy totalmente de acuerdo contigo! | I entirely agree with you!
¿Estás de acuerdo? | Do you agree?

¿LO SABÍAS?

Remember that contigo is the way to say with you to someone you speak to as tú.

In Spanish, the verb tener (to have) is used in the phrase tener razón (to be right). For more information on tener, see here.

You’re right…

¡Tienes razón! | You’re right!
Creo que tienes razón. | I think you’re right.
Es Antonio quien tiene razón. | It’s Antonio who’s right.

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

You’ll want to make plans with business associates and friends. If you want to talk about a definite arrangement, for instance I’m seeing him tonight, you often use the future tense in Spanish. For more on the future tense, see here.

I’m…ing

Veré a Felipe el jueves. | I’m seeing Felipe on Thursday.
La veré esta tarde. | I’m seeing her this afternoon.
Iremos al cine esta noche. | We’re going to the cinema tonight.
Comeremos juntos el próximo viernes. | We’re having lunch together next Friday.

¿LO SABÍAS?

As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say ver a alguien. For more on this use of a, see here.

In English, to talk about the future we often say I’m going to. Spanish works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, put voy a (I’m going to) or vamos a (we’re going to) before the verb. voy and vamos come from the verb ir. For more information on ir, see here.

I’m going to…

Voy a telefonearle. | I’m going to phone him.
Voy a decirle que no puedo ir. | I’m going to tell him I can’t come.
Vamos a decirles que vengan un poco más tarde. | We’re going to tell them to come a little later.

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

When organizing things with people you know, you can use ¿Qué te parece si…? (Will it be all right if…?) to ask if something suits them. parece comes from the verb parecer (to seem).

Will it be all right…?

¿Qué te parece si cenamos a las nueve? | Will it be all right if we have dinner at nine?
¿Qué te parece si te llamo la semana que viene? | Will it be all right if I phone you next week?
¿Qué os parece si nos vemos más tarde? | How about meeting up later?

To ask somebody if they would prefer you to do something, use prefieres or prefiere (depending on whether you speak to them as tú or usted) with que and the verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

Would you rather…?

¿Prefieres que quedemos en el centro? | Would you rather we met in town?
¿Prefieres que quedemos otro día? | Would you rather we met another time?
¿Prefieres que pase a recogerte? | Would you rather I came to collect you?

Would it be better to…?

¿Es mejor invitar también a las parejas? | Would it be better to invite partners as well?
¿Es mejor avisarte antes de pasar por allí? | Would it be better to let you know before dropping in?
¿Es mejor llamarte por la noche? | Is it better to ring you in the evening?

Are we agreed…?

¿Estamos de acuerdo sobre la fecha? | Are we agreed on the date?
¿Estamos de acuerdo en dónde nos encontraremos? | Are we agreed on where to meet?
¡De acuerdo! | Agreed!

¿LO SABÍAS?

¡Vale! is used to accept or to agree: ¿Vamos juntos? – ¡Vale! (Shall we go together? – OK!).

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by the infinitive.

I have to…

Tengo que hacer una llamada. | I have to make a phone call.
Esta noche tengo que quedarme en casa. | I have to stay in tonight.
Tenemos que estar allí a las ocho en punto. | We have to be there at eight o’ clock sharp.

To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can also use debo (I must) and then the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here.

I must…

Esta noche debo irme temprano. | I must leave early tonight.
Debo decirle que no puedo ir. | I must tell her that I can’t come.
No debes llegar tarde. | You mustn’t be late.

To say that you should do something, use debería (I should) and then the infinitive.

I should…

Debería llamar a Ana. | I should call Ana.
Debería irme ya. | I should be going now.
Deberías venir a visitarnos. | You should come and visit us.

¿LO SABÍAS?

As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say llamar a alguien for to call somebody. For more on this use of a, see here.

LISTEN OUT FOR

These are some of the questions you are likely to be asked by people you meet, and some of the comments they might make.

¿Es la primera vez que vienes a España? | Is this the first time that you’ve been to Spain?
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que estudias español? | How long have you been learning Spanish?
¿Te estás enterando de la conversación? | Are you following the conversation?
Habla usted muy bien español. | Your Spanish is very good.
¿Hablo demasiado rápido? | Am I speaking too fast?
¿Prefiere que hable en inglés? | Would you prefer it if I spoke English?
¿Quiere que repita lo que he dicho? | Shall I repeat what I said?
¿Quiere que hable más despacio? | Do you want me to speak more slowly?
Me puedes tutear. | You can call me tú.
¿Nos tuteamos? | Shall we call each other tú?
¿Cuánto tiempo vas a estar en Madrid? | How long are you staying in Madrid?
¿Te gusta Sevilla? | How do you like Seville?
¿Vienes por aquí a menudo? | Do you come here often?
¿Estás aquí con amigos? | Are you here with friends?
¿Estás casado? | Are you married?

Lifestyle Tips

• When you want to talk to people that you either don’t know at all, or don’t know very well, the way to say you is usted. Nowadays, younger people in Spain tend not to use usted in this way, however it is always still used in Latin America.

• People who work together every day usually say tú to each other, but it’s always safer to wait a little before taking that step, especially with older or more senior colleagues. Many people don’t like to be called usted, because they think it’s too formal. They will usually suggest you call them tú by saying: puedes tutearme (you can call me tú) or nos podemos tutear (we can call each other tú). If you think that the other person will be more comfortable using the tú form, you can make the first move and ask: ¿Nos tuteamos? (Shall we call each other tú?).

• When meeting someone socially for the first time, you usually shake hands – darse la mano – if it’s a man, or kiss if it’s a woman. In business and formal situations, everybody would shake hands.

• Men who are on friendly terms usually shake hands or pat each other on the back, while women kiss - darse un beso. Men also kiss female friends and in some cases other men, for instance when they belong to the same family. Spanish people usually kiss twice, once on each cheek.

• If you hear someone talking about their pareja (partner), remember that, although it’s a feminine noun, it is used for both men and women.

Getting there
¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip!

Whether you’re hitting the road, boarding a train, catching a plane or heading for the high seas, this unit will help you check out the timetables and find the best routes using natural, confident Spanish.

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

In English we use I’m going to to talk about where we’re going and what we’re going to do. It’s just the same in Spanish. You use voy a (I’m going to) before the name of a place or before another verb.

I’m going to…

La semana que viene voy a Segovia. | I’m going to Segovia next week.
Voy a pasar un día en Pamplona. | I’m going to spend a day in Pamplona.
Primero vamos a Madrid. | First, we’re going to Madrid.
Luego vamos a Vigo. | Then we’re going to Vigo.
Vamos a coger el tren de las siete. | We’re going to get the seven o’clock train.

If you want to say what you’re planning to do on your travels, you can use tengo la intención de (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here.

I’m planning to…

Tengo la intención de ir a Málaga. | I’m planning to go to Málaga.
Tengo la intención de alquilar un coche. | I’m planning to hire a car.
Tenemos la intención de ir por la costa. | We’re planning to travel along the coast.

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

To talk about things that you want to do, use quiero (I want) followed by the infinitive. quiero comes from the verb querer (to want). For more information on querer, see here.

I want to…

Quiero hacer varias excursiones. | I want to go on several trips.
Quiero ver el Museo Guggenheim. | I’d like to see the Guggenheim Museum.
Queremos conducir los dos. | Both of us want to be able to drive.

If you want to say what you feel like doing, you can use tengo ganas de (I feel like) followed by an infinitive.

I feel like…

Tengo ganas de parar en Cuenca para dar una vuelta. | I feel like stopping in Cuenca to have a look around.
Tengo ganas de hacer una parada. | I feel like stopping for a bit.

When you want to explain what you’re hoping to do, use espero (I’m hoping) followed by an infinitive.

I’m hoping to…

Espero llegar allí en unas tres horas. | I’m hoping to be there in about three hours.
Espero llegar allí antes de que se haga de noche. | I’m hoping to get there before nightfall.
Espero visitar el monasterio. | I’m hoping to visit the monastery.
Esperamos ir a ver Montserrat. | We’re hoping to go and see Montserrat.

When discussing your travel plans, you may want to say what you’d like to do. To do this you can use me gustaría (I’d like) followed by a verb in the infinitive.

I’d like to…

Me gustaría ver Madrid. | I’d like to see Madrid.
Me gustaría alquilar un quad. | I’d like to hire a quad bike.
Nos gustaría asistir a la feria del vino. | We’d like to go to the wine fair.

When planning your trip, of course you won’t just want to say what you like and what you’d like to do, you’ll want to say what you’d rather do. Use prefiero (I prefer or I’d rather) or preferiría (I’d prefer or I’d rather) to talk about your preferences.

I’d rather…

Prefiero ir a pie. | I’d rather walk.
Prefiero viajar en tren. | I prefer travelling by train.
Yo preferiría ir en autobús. | I’d prefer to go by bus.
Nosotros preferiríamos quedarnos en casa. | We’d rather stay at home.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

To make suggestions about what you could do, use podríamos (we could) and podemos (we can). They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here.

We could…

Podríamos ir mañana. | We could go tomorrow.
Podríamos ir en el AVE. | We could take the high-speed train.
Si lo prefieres, podríamos ir andando. | We could walk there, if you prefer.
Si quieres, podemos coger un taxi. | We can take a taxi if you like.

You can also make a suggestion in the same way as English, simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).

Why don’t…?

¿Por qué no preguntamos por coches de alquiler? | Why don’t we ask about hiring a car?
¿Por qué no cogemos el metro? | Why don’t we take the metro?
¿Por qué no coges un taxi? | Why don’t you get a taxi?

How about…?

¿Qué te parece si nos vamos a Toledo? | How about going to Toledo?
¿Qué te parece si alquilamos una furgoneta? | How about hiring a van?
¿Qué te parece si vamos por la autopista? | How about taking the motorway?

To find out what someone wants to do, you can ask ¿Te gustaría…? (Would you like…?) or ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) followed by an infinitive.

Would you like…?

¿Te gustaría ir a Cuenca? | Would you like to go to Cuenca?
¿Te gustaría coger un taxi? | Would you like to get a taxi?
¿Te apetece ir a la playa? | Do you fancy going to the beach?
¿Te apetece dar un paseo? | Do you fancy going for a walk?

To say Let’s…!, you can use ¡Vamos a…! and the infinitive form of the verb.

Let’s…!

¡Vamos a aparcar allí! | Let’s park there!
¡Vamos a coger el ascensor! | Let’s take the lift!
¡Vamos a subir hasta arriba en el teleférico! | Let’s go up to the top by cable car!

To offer to do something, you can just use the present tense of the verb. You can also use voy a (I’m going to) and vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive.

I’ll…

Yo compro los billetes. | I’ll buy the tickets.
Llamo a un taxi. | I’ll call a taxi.
Yo te llevo a la estación. | I’ll take you to the station.
Yo voy a buscarte al aeropuerto. | I’ll come and pick you up at the airport.
Nosotros te vamos a buscar a la estación. | We’ll pick you up at the railway station.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

When travelling around in an unfamiliar place, you’re quite likely to have to ask for directions or advice. Use perdone (excuse me) or perdone, por favor (excuse me, please) to attract someone’s attention before asking them a question.

How do I get to…?

Perdone, por favor, ¿cómo se llega al centro? | Excuse me, how do I get to the city centre?
¿Cómo se llega a la estación de tren? | How do we get to the railway station?
¿Para ir al Museo Picasso, por favor? | How do I get to the Picasso Museum, please?
¿Para ir a la estación de autobuses es por aquí? | Is it this way to the bus station?
Perdone, ¿por dónde se va a Segovia? | Excuse me, which way do I go for Segovia?

Am I going…?

¿Voy bien para el aeropuerto? | Am I going the right way for the airport?
¿Vamos bien para la autopista? | Are we going the right way for the motorway?
¿Va usted al aeropuerto? | Do you go to the airport?
¿Para usted en la plaza de España? | Do you stop in the plaza de España?

Where is…?

Perdone, ¿dónde está la consigna? | Excuse me, where’s the left luggage office?
Por favor, ¿dónde está la parada de taxis más cercana? | Where’s the nearest taxi rank, please?
¿Dónde están los servicios? | Where are the toilets?
¿Sabe usted de dónde salen los autobuses a Torrejón? | Do you know where the buses to Torrejón leave from?
Perdone, ¿dónde se compran los billetes, por favor? | Excuse me, where do I buy a ticket, please?

To ask which bus, which platform, which line, and so on, you use ¿Qué…? followed by a noun.

Which…?

¿Qué línea tengo que coger? | Which line do I need to take?
¿De qué vía sale el tren a Vilanova? | Which platform does the train for Vilanova leave from?
¿Qué autobuses van al centro? | Which buses go to the centre of town?

You may need to find out what time something is due to happen at or what time your bus, train or flight is scheduled to go. To do this, you can use ¿A qué hora…? (What time…?).

What time…?

¿A qué hora embarcamos? | What time are we boarding?
¿A qué hora empieza el metro? | What time does the underground open?
¿A qué hora llegamos a Valencia? | What time do we get to Valencia?
¿A qué hora sale el siguiente vuelo para Madrid? | What time’s the next flight for Madrid?
¿A qué hora sale el primer tren de la mañana para Tarragona? | What time’s the first train in the morning to Tarragona?

On your travels, you may also need to find out if something is available in a particular area. Just use the same Spanish word, ¿Hay…? to ask Is there…? and Are there…?.

Is there…?

¿Hay una gasolinera por aquí cerca? | Is there a petrol station near here?
¿Hay una parada de metro por aquí? | Is there an underground station near here?
¿Hay descuentos para estudiantes? | Is there a student discount?
¿Hay servicios en la estación de tren? | Are there any toilets at the train station?
¿Hay tren directo hasta Barcelona? | Is there a direct train to Barcelona?

Don’t forget that there are two verbs which both mean to be in Spanish – ser and estar. For information on when to use them, see here.

Is it…?

¿Está lejos? | Is it far?
¿Está cerca de aquí? | Is it near here?
¿Está en el centro de la ciudad? | Is it in the town centre?
¿Está ocupado este asiento? | Is this seat free?
¿Está incluido el seguro? | Is the insurance included?
¿Es ésta la parada para el museo? | Is this the right stop for the museum?
Perdone, ¿es éste el tren que va a Toledo? | Excuse me, is this the train for Toledo?

To ask how much something is, use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? or ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?) with a singular noun and ¿Cuánto cuestan…? or ¿Cuánto valen…? (How much are…?) with a plural noun.

How much is…?

¿Cuánto cuesta un billete a Madrid? | How much is a ticket to Madrid?
¿Cuánto cuesta dejar una maleta en consigna? | How much does it cost to leave a case in left luggage?
¿Cuánto vale el vuelo? | How much is the flight?
¿Cuánto cuestan las tarjetas de diez viajes? | How much are cards that are valid for ten journeys?
¿Cuánto costaría alquilar un coche dos días? | How much would it cost to hire a car for two days?
¿Cuánto me cobraría por llevarme a Tarragona? | How much would you charge to take me to Tarragona?

How long…?

¿Cuánto se tarda en llegar a Figueres? | How long does it take to get to Figueres?
¿Sabe cuánto se tarda de León a Madrid? | Do you know how long it takes from León to Madrid?
¿Cuánto tardaremos en llegar allí? | How long will it take us to get there?
¿Cuánto dura el viaje? | How long is the journey?

When travelling, you’re very likely to want to ask about how often buses, trains and so on run. To do this you can use ¿Cada cuánto tiempo…? (How often…?) with a verb in the present tense.

How often…?

¿Cada cuánto tiempo pasa el autobús a Sitges? | How often does the bus to Sitges run?
¿Cada cuánto tiempo hay vuelos a Londres? | How often is there a flight to London?
¿Cada cuánto tiempo sale un tren para Vilafranca? | How often is there a train to Vilafranca?

To find out if something’s available, whether you’re asking an assistant about car hire, timetables, or seating, you’ll need to use the question ¿Tienen…? (Do you have…?). It’s from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

Do you have…?

¿Tienen monovolúmenes de alquiler? | Do you have people carriers for hire?
¿Tienen coches más pequeños? | Do you have any smaller cars?
¿Tienen horarios de trenes? | Do you have train timetables?
¿Le quedan asientos de pasillo? | Have you got any aisle seats left?

ASKING FOR THINGS

Just as in English we can ask for something by saying a…, please, in Spanish you can say un…, por favor or una…, por favor, depending whether the thing you’re asking for is masculine or feminine. Alternatively, another very natural way to ask for things is using ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).

Can I have…?

Un billete sencillo, por favor. | A single, please.
Tres billetes de ida y vuelta a Cáceres, por favor. | Three returns to Cáceres, please.
¿Me da un mapa del metro? | Can I have a map of the underground, please?
¿Me da un horario de trenes? | Can I have a train timetable, please?
¿Me da un billete de ida y vuelta a Madrid? | Can I have a return to Madrid?

To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They come from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here.

I’d like…

Quiero alquilar una bicicleta. | I’d like to hire a bike.
Quiero denunciar la pérdida de mis maletas. | I’d like to report my luggage missing.
Quisiera un billete de ida a Alicante. | I’d like a single to Alicante.
Quisiera billetes de ida y vuelta a Zaragoza para dos adultos. | I’d like two adult returns to Zaragoza.

You can also use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking whether someone can do something for you. They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here.

Can you…?

¿Puede avisarme cuando estemos cerca del museo? | Can you tell me when we’re near the museum?
¿Puede dejarme aquí? | Can you drop me here?
¿Puede decirme cómo se llega a la cathedral? | Can you tell me how to get to the catedral?
¿Podría comprobar la presión de los neumáticos? | Could you check the tyre pressure?
¿Podría comprobar el nivel de aceite? | Could you check the oil?

Can you take me…?

¿Me lleva al Barrio Gótico, por favor? | Can you take me to the Barrio Gótico, please?
¿Me lleva al Hostal Principal en la avenida de Vilanova, por favor? | Can you take me to the Hostal Principal in avenida de Vilanova, please?
Al Hotel Don Sancho, por favor. | To the Hotel Don Sancho, please.

ASKING FOR PERMISSION

Use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?) to ask whether you can do something. These come from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here.

Can I…?

¿Puedo pagar con visa? | Can I pay by visa?
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay by card?
¿Se puede abrir la ventanilla? | May I open the window?
¿Se puede fumar en el tren? | Is smoking allowed on the train?

To ask someone if they mind if you do something, you can use ¿Le importa que…? (Do you mind if…?) followed by a verb in the present subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

Do you mind if…?

¿Le importa que ponga mi maleta en el portaequipajes? | Do you mind if I put my suitcase on the rack?
¿Le importa que me siente aquí? | Do you mind if I sit here?

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

To say what you have to do, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by an infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here.

I have to…

Tengo que coger otro vuelo para ir a Bilbao. | I have to get a connecting flight to get to Bilbao.
Tengo que comprar un chaleco reflectante. | I have to buy a high-visibility vest.
Tengo que coger el tren de las 8.30. | I have to catch the 8.30 train.
Tenemos que hacer una reserva. | We have to make a reservation.
¿Tenemos que cambiar de tren? | Do we have to change trains?

Another way to say what has to be done is to use the expression hay que (you have to or we have to).

You have to…

Hay que enseñar el carnet de conducir. | You have to show your driving licence.
Hay que imprimir el billete electrónico. | You have to print out your e-ticket.
Hay que devolver el coche antes de las tres. | We have to get the car back before three.

If you want to say what you should do, you can use debería followed by an infinitive. debería comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here.

I should…

Debería comprar mi billete por Internet. | I should buy my ticket online.
Deberíamos echar más gasolina. | We should get some more petrol.
Deberíamos ir a recoger el equipaje. | We ought to go and pick up the luggage.

LISTEN OUT FOR

Here are some key phrases you are likely to be given when you are travelling around.

El tren de Cáceres sale de la vía tres. | The train for Cáceres is leaving from platform three.
¿Puedo ver su billete? | Can I see your ticket?
¿Le importa que me siente aquí? | Do you mind if I sit here?
Es mejor que coja un taxi. | You’d be better getting a taxi.
Cuando llegue a la plaza pregunte allí. | Ask again when you get to the square.
Siga recto hasta el semáforo. | Go straight on till you get to the traffic lights.
Coja la primera calle a la derecha. | Take the first turning on the right.
Gire a la izquierda. | Turn left.
Está muy cerca. | It’s very near.
Está enfrente del museo. | It’s opposite the museum.
Se puede ir andando. | It’s within walking distance.
Está a tres paradas de aquí. | It’s three stops from here.

Lifestyle Tips

• Spaniards are expected to carry identity cards at all times, so they take it for granted that anyone might need to prove their identity. Be prepared to present your passport when checking into a campsite or going to a hotel. You may be asked: ¿Su carnet? (Your ID card, please) or ¿Su pasaporte? (Your passport, please). As you’ll need to carry your passport with you, don’t forget to keep it in a safe place.

• If you’re in charge of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you’ve left it behind, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: ¿Me deja ver su carnet de conducir? (Can I see your driving licence?).

• When planning your journey, remember that in Spain autopistas (motorways) are often toll motorways. Every so often you will come to a peaje (toll barrier) where you will be required either to take a ticket or to hand over some money. When paying, you’ll need to choose a lane marked manual if you haven’t got the exact change or you aren’t paying by card. Otherwise, you can go into an automático lane. Nowadays, there are also Telepeaje (teletoll) lanes identified by a sign showing a white T on a blue background. These are for cars fitted with a chip allowing journeys to be tracked and paid for automatically.

• Queues tend to be informal in Spanish-speaking countries. So if you’re at the bus stop or trying to get to an information desk and don’t know who’s last in line, just ask ¿Quién es el último? (Who’s last in the queue?).

• If there’s no timetable at the bus stop, you can ask people waiting if they’ve seen your bus go past. Just ask ¿Ha pasado el número 33? (Has the number 33 been yet?).

Home from home
¡Que descanses! – Sleep well!

If you’re going to stay in a Spanish-speaking country, the phrases in this unit will help you find the sort of accommodation you want (hotel, hostel, self-catering, or a flat to rent) and ensure everything remains to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT

When looking for somewhere to stay, for instance in the local tourist office, you’ll want to specify the type of accommodation you’re looking for. The way to say this is busco (I’m looking for), from the verb buscar.

I’m looking for…

Busco un hotel que no sea demasiado caro. | I’m looking for a hotel which isn’t too expensive.
Busco un hotel de tres estrellas. | I’m looking for a three-star hotel.
Estamos buscando un camping. | We’re looking for a campsite.
Estamos buscando una casa que sirva para una familia de seis miembros. | We’re looking for a villa suitable for a family of six.

I need…

Necesito un hotel que esté cerca del palacio de congresos. | I need a hotel that’s near the conference centre.
Necesito algún sitio desde el que se pueda ir andando a las tiendas. | I need somewhere that’s within walking distance of the shops.
Necesito un piso para un mes. | I need a flat for a month.
Necesita un hotel donde hablen inglés. | She needs a hotel where they speak English.

To say what kind of room you’d like, how long you want to stay and so forth, you can use quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here.

I’d like…

Quiero reservar una habitación doble para dos noches. | I’d like to book a double room for two nights.
Quiero cambiar de habitación. | I’d like to change rooms.
Quiero que me devuelvan el dinero. | I want a refund.
Queremos quedarnos una noche más. | We’d like to stay another night.
Queremos alquilar un piso en el centro de la ciudad. | We’d like to rent a flat in the centre of town.
Quisiera una habitación con balcón. | I’d like a room with a balcony.

¿LO SABÍAS?

As in the first example above, when saying how long you’ll need your room for, you use para.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

Before choosing your accommodation, you’ll want to find out some basic information by asking Is it near?, Is it expensive? and so forth. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. You use ser to talk about how things are permanently and estar to talk about temporary states and where things are located. For more information on these two verbs, see here.

Is it…?

¿Es muy caro? | Is it very expensive?
¿Es un hotel moderno? | Is it a modern hotel?
¿Está lejos el camping? | Is the campsite far?
¿Está incluido el desayuno en el precio? | Is breakfast included in the price?
¿Está lista ya nuestra habitación? | Is our room ready yet?

The way to ask what something is like in Spanish is to use ¿Cómo…? (How…?) and the verb ser.

What’s it like…?

¿Cómo es el hotel? | What’s the hotel like?
¿Cómo es la zona? | What is the area like?
¿Cómo son las habitaciones? | What are the rooms like?

You can use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? (How much is…?) to ask the price of something.

How much is…?

¿Cuánto cuesta una habitación doble por noche? | How much is a double room per night?
¿Cuánto cuesta con pensión completa? | How much is full board?
¿Cuánto cuesta alquilar una casa de dos habitaciones durante dos semanas? | How much would it cost to rent a two-bedroom house for two weeks?
¿Cuánto costaría quedarse una noche más? | How much would it be to stay an extra night?

When deciding where to stay, you’ll need to find out what facilities are on offer. Remember that asking Is there…? and Are there…? in Spanish couldn’t be easier. The word ¿Hay…? covers them both.

Is there…?

¿Hay acceso a Internet en las habitaciones? | Is there internet access in the rooms?
¿Hay calefacción central en el apartamento? | Is there central heating in the apartment?
¿Hay algún sitio para comer por aquí cerca? | Is there anywhere near here where we can get something to eat?
¿Hay aseos para minusválidos? | Are there any disabled toilets?

Once you’re in your accommodation one of the first things you’ll need to do is find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…? (Where…?), estar is the verb you generally use with it.

Where’s…?

¿Dónde está el bar? | Where’s the bar?
¿Dónde está la piscina? | Where’s the swimming pool?
¿Dónde están los ascensores? | Where are the lifts?
¿Puede decirme dónde está el restaurante? | Can you tell me where the dining room is?

What’s…?

¿Cuál es la dirección del hotel? | What’s the address of the hotel?
¿Cuál es el número de la agencia que la alquila? | What’s the number for the letting agency?
¿Puede decirme cuál es la página web? | Can you tell me what the web address is?

How…?

¿Cómo funciona? | How does it work?
¿Cómo se llega al hotel? | How do I get to the hotel?
¿Cómo se llama al exterior? | How do I get an outside line?
¿Cómo se baja la calefacción? | How do I turn the heating down?

To find out what time services are available where you’re staying, the phrase you need is ¿A qué hora…? meaning At what time…?.

What time…?

¿A qué hora es la cena? | What time’s dinner?
¿A qué hora cierran las puertas? | What time do you lock the doors?
¿A qué hora tenemos que dejar la habitación? | What time do we have to be out by?
¿Hasta qué hora sirven el desayuno? | What time do you serve breakfast till?

To find out whether you can do something, use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?). They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here.

Can I…?

¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta de crédito? | Can I pay by credit card?
¿Puedo dejar la mochila en recepción? | Can I leave my rucksack at reception?
¿Se puede aparcar en la calle? | Can I park in the street?

TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF

Wherever you stay you’ll probably need to give some basic information about yourself, such as your name and nationality.

My name’s…

Soy la señora Smith. He reservado una habitación doble para esta noche. | My name is Mrs Smith. I’ve booked a double room for tonight.
Mi marido se llama Peter. | My husband’s name is Peter.
Me llamo Gary Morris. | My name’s Gary Morris.
Mi apellido es Morris y mi nombre de pila es Gary. Se escribe M-O-R-R-I-S, con dos erres. | My surname’s Morris, and my first name is Gary. It’s spelt M-O-R-R-I-S, with two rs.

I’m…

Soy británico. | I’m British.
Mi mujer y yo somos de Portsmouth. | My wife and I are from Portsmouth.
Mi novia y yo somos británicos. | My girlfriend and I are British.
Estoy aquí de vacaciones. | I’m on holiday here.
Estamos aquí en viaje de negocios. | We’re here on a business trip.

¿LO SABÍAS?

As you’ll see from the last two examples, when talking about your reasons for being in Spain, you use estoy rather than soy.

I’m…ing

Estoy en el Hotel Principal. | I’m staying at the Hotel Principal.
Estamos estudiando español. | We’re studying Spanish.
Estamos viajando por el país. | We’re travelling round the country.

ASKING FOR THINGS

¿Tienen…? (Have you got…?) is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, guesthouses, hostels, tourist offices, and so on. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

Have you got…?

¿Tienen habitaciones libres? | Have you got any rooms available?
¿Tienen información sobre alojamiento? | Have you got any information about accommodation?
¿Tienen acceso a Internet? | Do you have internet access?

Use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking someone to do something. They are both from poder. For more information on poder, see here.

Can you…?

¿Puede enviarme un e-mail para confirmar la reserva? | Can you email me to confirm the booking?
¿Puede despertarme a las siete, por favor? | Can you give me an alarm call at seven o’clock, please?
¿Puede cambiar las toallas, por favor? | Can you change the towels, please?
¿Me puede dar el número de la persona a quien hay que llamar si hay algún problema? | Can you give me the number I should call if there are any problems?

Could you…?

¿Podría enseñarme la habitación? | Could you show me the room?
¿Podría darnos una habitación de no fumadores? | Could you give us a non-smoking room?
¿Podría enseñarme cómo funciona la cocina? | Could you show me how the cooker works?

Would you mind…?

¿Le importaría pedirme un taxi? | Would you mind calling a taxi for me?
¿Le importaría subirme las maletas a mi habitación? | Would you mind taking my suitcases up to my room?

When asking for things in Spanish, very often all you need to do is use the present tense and make it a question: ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).

Can I have…?

¿Me da la llave del apartamento, por favor? | Can I have the key to my apartment, please?
¿Me da un recibo, por favor? | Can I have a receipt, please?
¿Nos da dos toallas más? | Can we have two more towels?
¿Me puede dar una cuna para el niño? | Can I have a cot for the baby, please?

¿LO SABÍAS?

When you ask for something extra in Spanish, such as two more towels más (more) comes after what you’re asking for.

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

You’ll often need to let the people where you’re staying know about things you have to do, so that they can help you. To say what you have or need to do, use tengo que (I have to) and the infinitive. tengo is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

I have to…

Tengo que irme temprano para coger el vuelo. | I have to leave early to catch my flight.
Tengo que enviar un e-mail. | I’ve got to send an email.
Tenemos que estar en Málaga para las ocho. | We have to be in Málaga by eight o’clock.
Tenemos que hacer una llamada al extranjero. | We need to make an international call.

ASKING FOR PERMISSION

Wherever you stay you’ll need to find out what’s allowed and what isn’t, such as where you can park, where you can camp and so on. Use ¿Puedo…? (Can I…?) and ¿Podemos…? (Can we…?) to ask if you can do something. They’re both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here.

Can I…?

¿Puedo ver la habitación primero? | Can I see the room first?
¿Puedo dejar aquí las maletas cinco minutos? | Can I leave my suitcases here for five minutes?
¿Puedo fumar aquí? | Can I smoke in here?
¿Podemos acampar aquí? | Can we camp here?
¿Podemos bañarnos en la piscina? | Can we use the pool?

Do you mind if…?

¿Le importa que aparque el coche fuera un momento? | Do you mind if I park my car outside for a moment?
¿Le importa que pague con tarjeta de crédito? | Do you mind if I pay by credit card?
¿Le importa que lleguemos tarde? | Is it ok if we arrive slightly late?

SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER

When talking about what kind of accommodation you like, remember that the Spanish for I like works rather differently from English. You use me gusta with singular words and me gustan with plural ones.

I like…

Me gusta quedarme en hoteles pequeños. | I like staying in small hotels.
Me gustan las casas antiguas de estilo español. | I like old Spanish houses.
Me encanta esta pensión. | I love this guest house.
Nos encantan los campings de montaña. | We love campsites in the mountains.

And to say what you don’t like, you simply put the word no in front of me gusta or me gustan.

I don’t like…

No me gusta esta habitación, es muy oscura. | I don’t like this room, it’s too dark.
No me gusta cenar en el hotel. | I don’t like having dinner at the hotel.
No me gustan los hoteles modernos de la costa. | I don’t like the modern hotels on the coast.
No nos gusta alojarnos en apartamentos. | We don’t like staying in apartments.

To say what you prefer, you can use prefiero (I’d prefer).

I’d prefer…

Prefiero una habitación en la planta baja. | I’d prefer a room on the ground floor.
Prefiero quedarme sólo una noche. | I’d rather stay for just one night.
Prefiero la media pensión a la pensión completa. | I’d rather have half board than full board.
Preferimos un hotel céntrico. | We’d prefer a hotel in the centre.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

If you’re with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues when looking for somewhere to stay, you’ll need to be able to suggest things. One way of doing this is to use ¿Qué te parece si…? ¿ or ¿Y si…? (How about…?) followed by a verb in the present tense. For more on the present tense, see here.

How about…?

¿Qué te parece si nos quedamos un día más? | How about staying one more day?
¿Qué te parece si buscamos alojamiento en el centro? | How about looking for accommodation in the centre of town?
¿Y si alquilamos un apartamento. | How about renting an apartment?
¿Y si pasamos la noche aquí? | How about spending the night here?

Why don’t…?

¿Por qué no preguntamos en la oficina de turismo? | Why don’t we ask at the tourist office?
¿Por qué no te quedas en un hotel más barato? | Why don’t you stay at a cheaper hotel?
¿Por qué no buscamos un camping más cercano a la costa? | Why don’t we look for a campsite nearer the coast?

To make a suggestion about what you could do, use podríamos (we could).

We could…

Podríamos preguntar en la oficina de turismo. | We could ask at the tourist office.
Podríamos intentar en el Hotel Europa. | We could try the Hotel Europa.
Podríamos llamar al propietario. | We could try phoning the landlord.

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

Deciding on where you’re going to stay is a major part of planning a trip or holiday, so you may well want to talk about those plans in Spanish. Use voy a (I’m going to) or vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive to talk about what you’re planning to do. They’re from the verb ir (to go). For more on ir, see here.

I’m going to…

Voy a alquilar una casa en las montañas. | I’m going to rent a villa in the mountains.
Voy a quedarme en un hotel en Barcelona. | I’m going to stay in a hotel in Barcelona.
Vamos a quedarnos con unos amigos españoles en Madrid. | We’re going to stay with some Spanish friends in Madrid.

Another way of talking about your plans is to use tengo pensado (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

I’m planning to…

Tengo pensado pasar un par de días en cada sitio. | I’m planning to spend a couple of days in each place.
Tenemos pensado buscar una casa en la costa para pasar las vacaciones. | We’re planning to look for a holiday home by the coast.
Tenemos pensado buscarnos un camping. | We’re planning on going to a campsite.

COMPLAINING

Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using hay, meaning there is or there are, and no hay (there isn’t or there aren’t).

There’s…

Hay demasiado ruido. | There’s too much noise.
Hay una gotera en el techo. | There’s a leak in the ceiling.
Hay cucarachas en el apartamento. | There are cockroaches in the apartment.

There isn’t…

No hay agua caliente. | There isn’t any hot water.
No hay toallas limpias en la habitación. | There aren’t any clean towels in the room.
La habitación no tiene balcón. | The room doesn’t have a balcony.
El apartamento no tiene aire acondicionado. | The apartment doesn’t have air-conditioning.

In the next examples notice how the verb ser is used to describe things which won’t change, such as the beds being uncomfortable, and estar is used for things which can change, such as the room being dirty. For more on ser and estar, see here.

is…

Este hotel es demasiado ruidoso. | This hotel’s too noisy.
Las camas son muy incómodas. | The beds are very uncomfortable.
El apartamento está sucio. | The apartment’s dirty.
El agua de la piscina no está limpia. | The water in the swimming pool isn’t very clean.
Hace mucho calor aquí. | It’s very hot in here.
Hace mucho frío aquí. | It’s very cold in here.

¿LO SABÍAS?

Remember that in Spanish to talk about the weather or the temperature inside, you use the verb hacer (to do, to make). For more on hacer, see here.

LISTEN OUT FOR

Here are some key phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.

¿Qué tipo de alojamiento busca? | What type of accommodation are you looking for?
Estamos completos. | We’re full.
¿Para cuántas noches? | For how many nights?
¿Para cuántas personas? | For how many people?
¿Me deja su nombre, por favor? | Can I have your name, please?
¿Me puede deletrear su nombre, si es tan amable? | Can you spell your name for me, please?
¿A nombre de quién está la reserva? | Whose name is the booking in?
¿Me deja ver su pasaporte, por favor? | Can I see your passport, please?
¿Cuál es el número de su habitación? | What’s your room number?
Tiene que dejar una señal. | You have to leave a deposit.
¿En qué número podemos localizarlo? | What number can we contact you on?
¿Cómo quiere pagar? | How would you like to pay?
Por favor, rellene este formulario. | Please fill in this form.
Por favor, firme aquí. | Please sign here.
Tiene que dejar la habitación antes de las doce. | You have to be out of the room by twelve o’clock.

Lifestyle Tips

• The most economical hotels and guesthouses in Spain are pensiones and hostales, which offer no-frills accommodation. Unlike British B&Bs, they do not normally include breakfast so you may have to go elsewhere to get some.

• At the other end of the scale are the paradores nacionales de turismo, hotels which are located in places of interest and which are often historic buildings such as castles or monasteries.

• Accommodation in casas rurales has become very popular in Spain. These are country houses and cottages that have been converted for holiday lets or that have been turned into guesthouses.

• If you’re a man, you’re likely to hear receptionists and waiting staff call you caballero (literally gentleman). If you’re a woman, you’ll hear señora (literally lady) used in the same way. If the staff are young, you can call them tú rather than usted, even when they call you usted back.

• If you want to rent a flat to live in in Spain, you’ll probably have to sign a contrato de alquiler or de arrendamiento (lease) and leave a fianza (deposit) of one or two months’ rent with the dueño or propietario (landlord).

Wining and dining
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal!

If you’re going out for a meal in Spain, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your Spanish friends in easy, natural Spanish. We’ll also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

If you’re going out for a meal with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues and you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet, you can use the verb quedar (meaning to meet or to arrange to meet).

Shall we meet…?

¿Quedamos en el restaurante? | Shall we meet at the restaurant?
¿Quedamos a las nueve? | Shall we meet at nine o’clock?
¿Quedamos con ellos en el Café Zurich? | Shall we meet them at the Café Zurich?
¿Cómo quedamos? | Where shall we meet and when?
¿Dónde quedamos? | Where shall we meet?

What time…?

¿A qué hora quedamos? | What time shall we meet up at?
¿A qué hora podrá llegar aquí tu mujer? | What time will your wife be able to get here?
¿Para qué hora has reservado mesa? | What time did you book the table for?
¿Hasta qué hora sirven? | Up to what time do they go on serving?

When making arrangements to eat, you’ll want to check what suits other people. Use ¿No te importa que…? followed by the subjunctive or ¿No te importa si…? followed by the ordinary present to ask Is it ok with you if…? Of course you should only use te with someone you call tú. Change it to le if you call them usted. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

Would it be ok if…?

¿No te importa que venga un amigo mío? | Would it be ok if I brought a friend of mine?
¿No te importa si lo dejamos para la semana que viene? | Would it be ok if we left it till next week?
¿No os importa si llegamos un poco más tarde? | Would it be ok if we got there a bit later?

To say what would suit you better, you can use me vendría mejor (it would suit me better). vendría comes from venir (to come).

It would suit me better…

Me vendría mejor quedar contigo allí. | It would suit me better to meet you there.
¿Te vendría mejor el sábado por la noche? | Would Saturday evening suit you better?
El viernes me vendría mejor. | Friday would be better for me.
Me viene mejor si quedamos un poco más tarde. | It would be better for me if we made it a bit later.
¿Te viene mejor si lo dejamos para mañana? | Would it suit you better if we left it till tomorrow?

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

One of the pieces of information you may need to find out is where things are. Remember that when you ask where something is, estar is the verb you generally use.

Where’s…?

Estoy buscando la calle Teruel, ¿sabe usted dónde está? | I’m looking for the calle Teruel. Do you know where it is?
¿Sabe usted dónde está el restaurante Don Alfonso? | Do you know where the restaurant Don Alfonso is?
Perdone, ¿dónde están los servicios? | Excuse me, where are the toilets?

Before you decide where to eat or what to eat, you may want to find out what the restaurant or the food is like. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. For more on these verbs, see here.

Is…?

¿Es un restaurante muy caro? | Is it a very expensive restaurant?
¿Es un plato típico de la zona? | Is it a typical local dish?
¿Es apto para vegetarianos? | Is it suitable for vegetarians?
¿La bebida está incluida en el menú de 10 euros? | Are drinks included in the 10-euro set menu?

To ask more specifically about the menu, you can use ¿Qué…? (What…?).

What…?

¿Con qué lo sirven? | What does it come with?
¿Qué lleva? | What’s in it?
Las gambas en gabardina, ¿qué son? | What are gambas en gabardina?
¿Qué hay de postre? | What is there for dessert?

If you want to ask the price of something, you can use ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?).

How much is…?

¿Cuánto vale una botella de vino de la casa? | How much is a bottle of house wine?
¿Cuánto vale el menú del día? | How much is the set menu?

ASKING FOR THINGS

If you haven’t already got a reservation at the restaurant where you’re planning to eat, you’ll need to ask if there’s a table you can have. ¿Tienen…? is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, restaurants and shops. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

Have you got…?

¿Tienen una mesa para tres? | Have you got a table for three, please?
¿Tienen alguna mesa libre para esta noche? | Have you got a table available for tonight?
¿Tienen menú del día? | Do you have a set menu?
¿Tienen la carta en inglés? | Have you got the menu in English?
¿Tienen vino de la casa? | Do you have a house wine?
¿Tienen menú infantil? | Have you got a children’s menu?
Una mesa para dos, por favor. | A table for two, please.

¿LO SABÍAS?

Of course if you have made a reservation, instead of asking if there’s a table free, you’ll be able to say he reservado una mesa para dos a nombre de… (I’ve booked a table for two in the name of…).

To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quisiera or quiero (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here. To attract the waiter’s attention, you just need to say ¿Puede venir, por favor? (Can you come over?) or ¡Oiga, por favor! (Excuse me, please!).

I’d like…

Quisiera reservar mesa para las 9.00. | I’d like to book a table for 9 o’clock.
Quisiera pedir. | I'd like to order.
Quisiera dos cafés más, por favor. | I’d like two more coffees, please.
Yo quiero una tortilla. | I'd like an omelette.
Yo quiero gazpacho. | I'd like gazpacho.
Quiero el bistec muy hecho. | I'd like my steak well done.

¿LO SABÍAS?

To a Spanish ear, you may sound unnatural, overformal and foreign if you pepper your requests with por favor the way we use please in English. So don’t overuse it, and don’t keep repeating it.

To say what you’ve chosen, you can use voy a tomar (I’ll have).

I’ll have…

De primero voy a tomar sopa. | As a starter I'll have soup.
De segundo voy a tomar ternera. | For the main course I'll have veal.
De postre voy a tomar flan. | For dessert I’ll have crème caramel.
Para beber vamos a tomar vino blanco. | We'll have white wine.

¿LO SABÍAS?

If you haven’t made up your mind what you want to eat when the waiter appears with a notebook, you’ll want to send him or her away temporarily. To do this you can say todavía no he decidido (I’m not ready to order yet) or todavía no hemos decidido (we’re not ready to order yet).

When you’re at your table, a very natural way to ask the waiter for what you want is by using ¿Me trae…? (Can I have…? or Can you bring me…?). If you’re being served at the bar, use ¿Me pone…? for Can I have?.

Can I have…?

¿Me trae otra ración de ensaladilla rusa? | Can I have another portion of Russian salad?
¿Nos trae otra botella de vino? | Can we have another bottle of wine, please?
¿Nos trae más pan? | Can we have some more bread?
¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor? | Can we have the bill, please?
¿Me pone una cerveza? | Can I have a beer?

You can also use ¿Puede…? (Can you…?) or ¿Podría…? (Could you…?) when asking for things. They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here.

Could you…?

¿Puede traernos la carta de vinos, por favor? | Can you bring us the wine list, please?
¿Puede traerme otro tenedor? | Can you bring me another fork?
¿Puedes pasarme la sal? | Can you pass me the salt?
¿Podría bajar la música un poco? | Could you turn the music down a bit?
¿Podrías pasarme el vino? | Could you pass me the wine?

Would you mind…?

¿Le importaría cerrar la ventana? | Would you mind closing the window?
¿Le importaría encender el ventilador? | Would you mind putting on the fan?
¿Le importa pedirle que no fume? | Would you mind asking him not to smoke?

SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER

When you’re eating out, you may want to talk about what you like and dislike when it comes to food. Don’t forget that the Spanish for I like works rather differently from English. You use me gusta with singular words and me gustan with plural ones. And it’s the same story with me encanta and me encantan (I love). To say what you don’t like, use no me gusta or no me gustan (I don’t like).

I like…

Me gusta el gazpacho. | I like gazpacho.
Me gustan las uvas. | I like grapes.
Me encantan las cerezas. | I love cherries.
Nos encanta la paella. | We love paella.

I don’t like…

No me gusta el jamón. | I don't like ham.
No me gustan las judías verdes. | I don't like green beans.
No me gusta nada el pescado. | I hate fish.

Do you like…?

¿Te gusta la leche? | Do you like milk?
¿Te gustan las fresas? | Do you like strawberries?
¿No te gusta el té? | Don't you like tea?

¿LO SABÍAS?

Note that in Spanish when you talk about things that you like in general, you need to say the equivalent of I like the gazpacho, I don’t like the ham even though in English it’s I like gazpacho and I don’t like ham.

I’d rather…

Prefiero beber zumo de naranja. | I'd rather have orange juice.
Prefiero el vino tinto. | I prefer red wine.
Preferimos tomar paella. | We'd rather have paella.

If you have specific dietary requirements, you can sometimes describe them using soy (I’m).

I’m…

Soy alérgico al marisco. | I’m allergic to shellfish.
Soy vegetariano. | I’m a vegetarian.
Soy abstemio. | I’m a teetotaller.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

You may want to make suggestions to Spanish-speaking companions. One way to do this is to use podemos and podríamos (we can and we could). podemos and podríamos come from poder. For more information on poder, see here.

We could…

Podríamos sentarnos cerca de la ventana. | We could sit by the window.
Podríamos compartir una ensalada. | We could share a salad.
Si lo prefieres, podemos sentarnos en la terraza. | We can sit outside, if you prefer.
Podemos tomar el café cuando volvamos al hotel si prefieres. | If you’d rather, we can have our coffee when we get back to the hotel.

To ask a friend or young person if they would like something, you can use ¿Quieres…? (Would you like…?). Alternatively, you can use ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) with a singular noun and ¿Te apetecen…? with a plural one.

Would you like…?

¿Quieres un café? | Would you like a coffee?
¿Quieres probar un poco de esto? | Would you like to try a bit of this?
¿Te apetece un helado? | Do you fancy an ice cream?
¿Te apetece tomar un licor? | Do you fancy having a liqueur?
¿Te apetecen unas fresas? | Do you fancy some strawberries?

Another way of making a suggestion is to use ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).

Why don’t…?

¿Por qué no pruebas el pescado? | Why don't you try the fish?
¿Por qué no tomas otra copa de vino? | Why don't you have another glass of wine?
¿Por qué no tomamos un café para terminar? | Why don't we have a coffee to finish with?
No sé qué pedir. ¿Por qué no decides tú? | I don’t know what to choose. Why don’t you decide?

You could also try making suggestions about where or what you should eat using ¿Qué te parece si…? or ¿Qué tal si…?, which both mean How about…?

How about…?

¿Qué te parece si pedimos unas tapas? | How about having some tapas?
¿Qué te parece si pedimos una botella de cava? | How about having a bottle of cava?
¿Qué te parece si pedimos otra ración? | How about asking for another portion?
¿Qué tal si vamos a un restaurante gallego? | How about going to a Galician restaurant?
¿Qué tal si probamos los mejillones? | How about trying the mussels?

¿LO SABÍAS?

Don’t use un or una in front of otro and otra (another). To say another glass of wine, for instance, you just say otra copa de vino.

To ask someone what they think, use ¿Crees que deberíamos…? (Do you think we should…?).

Do you think we should…?

¿Crees que deberíamos reservar mesa? | Do you think we should book a table?
¿Crees que deberíamos tomar la paella? | Do you think we should go for the paella?
¿Qué vino crees que deberíamos tomar con esto? ¿Blanco o tinto? | What sort of wine do you think we should have with this? White or red?

What would you recommend?

No sé qué tomar de postre, ¿qué me recomienda? | I don’t know what to have for dessert. What would you recommend?
No puedo decidirme entre la paella y el pescado. ¿Cuál me recomienda? | I can’t make up my mind between the paella and the fish. Which would you recommend?
¿Recomienda usted algún plato de la zona? | Is there a local dish you’d recommend?

COMPLAINING

If you’re unfortunate enough to have something to complain about, remember that estar is the verb to use to talk about temporary, changeable qualities. For more on ser and estar, see here.

…is…

El café está frío. | The coffee’s cold.
El pan está duro. | The bread’s stale.
El vino está malo. | The wine’s corked.
El filete no está muy bien hecho. | This steak isn’t very well cooked.

You may want to say that there’s too much of something or that there isn’t enough of something. You can use demasiado and suficiente to do this.

…too much…

Hay demasiado ajo en esta salsa. | There’s too much garlic in the sauce.
La verdura tiene demasiada sal. | There’s too much salt in the vegetables.
No hay suficiente pan para todos. | There isn’t enough bread for everyone.
No hay suficientes copas. | There aren’t enough glasses.

¿LO SABÍAS?

Don’t forget to change the endings of demasiado and suficiente to go with the noun they describe. For more information on agreement of adjectives, see here.

You can also use demasiado to mean too. In this case, the ending always stays the same.

…too…

La música está demasiado fuerte. | The music’s too loud.
Esta mesa está demasiado cerca de la cocina. | This table’s too close to the kitchen.

You can say that something has run out by using no queda… (there isn’t any…left).

There isn’t any…left

No queda pan. | There isn’t any bread left.
No queda vinagre en la vinagrera. | There isn’t any vinegar left in the bottle.

LISTEN OUT FOR

Here are some of the key phrases you may hear when going out for a meal.

¿Le vendría bien a las nueve? | Would nine o’clock suit you?
¿Tienen reserva? | Have you got a reservation?
¿A nombre de quién está hecha la reserva? | Under what name’s the booking?
Estamos completos. | We’re full.
Sígame, por favor. | Follow me, please.
Pasen por aquí. | This way please. (to more than one person)
Pase por aquí. | This way please. (to one person)
Aquí tiene la carta de vinos. | Here’s the wine list.
El plato del día es la paella. | The dish of the day is paella.
La merluza se nos ha terminado. | There isn’t any hake left.
Es una especialidad de la zona. | It’s a local speciality.
¿Han decidido ya? | Are you ready to order?
¿Qué va a tomar? | What are you going to have?
¿Qué va a beber? | What will you have to drink?
¿Qué desea tomar? | What would you like?
Le recomendaría el pescado. | I’d recommend the fish.
¿Quieren beber algo primero? | Would you like anything to drink first?
¿Quieren café? | Would you like any coffee?
En seguida se lo traigo. | I’ll bring it right away.
Aquí lo tiene. | Here it is.
¿Desea alguna cosa más? | Would you like anything else?
En un momento estoy con usted. | I’ll be right with you.
A esto les invita la casa. | This is on the house.

Lifestyle Tips

• Spaniards usually don’t have lunch till around two or three and may not start their evening meal till nine, ten or even later. So it isn’t advisable to go out for dinner too early. If you can’t wait, however, you will find bars serving tapas

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