20 Super Simple Spanish Phrases You Need To Know
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You’re probably feeling pretty excited right now. You’ve just booked your first trip to Mexico and you can’t wait to soak up the sun and the tacos! There’s just one problem… You don’t know a word of Spanish. That’s why I created a list of Super Simple Spanish Phrases you need to know!
To enhance your travels, be sure to learn these Spanish phrases you need to know before your trip.
These Spanish phrases you need to know will not only help you communicate but also enrich your travel experience.
Don’t worry, I’ve been there and I empathize. That’s why I’ve put together a cheat sheet of key phrases that will get you through your trip. Plus, you can use them to impress your friends when you get home!
Beyond bragging rights, having a basic command of Spanish is sure to help you feel safer and more confident throughout your travels, especially if you’re traveling Mexico solo.
Related reading:
- 36 Essential Tips For Your First Trip To Mexico
- 25+ Incredible Mexico Bucket List Experiences
- Solo Female Traveler’s Packing List For Mexico
Greetings, Goodbyes & Pleasantries
In Mexico, pleasantries go a long way. Even if you aren’t able to converse with other people in Spanish it’s nice to be able to set the tone of your interaction with the appropriate greeting.
Let’s start with the classics. If you only manage to learn three phrases in Spanish let them be these:
By mastering these Spanish phrases you need to know, you’ll navigate more confidently through various situations.
Spanish Phrases You Need to Know
These classic Spanish phrases you need to know will serve you well in any interaction.
These are essential Spanish phrases you need to know for daily interactions while traveling.
“Buenos dias” – “Good morning”
Familiarizing yourself with these Spanish phrases you need to know can greatly enhance your experience.
“Buenas tardes” – “Good afternoon”
“Buenas Noches” – “Good night”
These simple Spanish phrases you need to know will help you connect with locals.
If you want to show off a little you might add these to your repertoire:
When traveling, these Spanish phrases you need to know will prove invaluable.
Understanding these Spanish phrases you need to know will make your trip smoother.
Be prepared to respond with these Spanish phrases you need to know when asked questions.
“Qué tal?” – “How’s it going?”
Having these Spanish phrases you need to know will ease your interactions significantly.
“Nos vemos” – “See you later”
And if you’re Canadian you’ll definitely need this one:
“Disculpe” – “Excuse me”
Now that you’ve demonstrated your ability to greet people, they are bound to attempt to converse with you. Here are a few of the questions most likely to be asked of you and the appropriate responses.
These phrases are just a few of the Spanish phrases you need to know for effective communication.
“De dónde eres?” – “Where are you from?”
Your response should be:
Practicing these Spanish phrases you need to know will prepare you for various scenarios.
“Soy de…” – “I am from…”
Or they may ask:
“De dónde vienes?” – “Where are you coming from?”
Think of this question as “Where are you arriving from?”
Your response should be:
“Vengo de…” – “I came from…”
For example, if you’re from Canada but you just flew in from Las Vegas, “Vengo de Las Vegas.”
Asking for Directions
Your trip will be greatly enhanced if you’re able to ask for directions to where you’re going! These phrases will get you started:
“Dónde está?” – “Where is…”
You probably recognize this one from the infamous phrase, “Dónde está la biblioteca?”
But since you’re probably not visiting the library on your vacay you’ll want to learn a few additional vocabulary words that better represent your interests, ie. “la playa” (the beach).
Or, if you want to be a little more polite and formal you can ask like this:
“Dónde puedo encontrar…” – “Where can I find…”
Spanish Phrases for Restaurants & Ordering Food
There’s really no point in visiting Mexico if you don’t know enough Spanish to order a beer (cerveza) or a taco (taco). These phrases will keep you well-fed and hydrated:
“Quiero…” – “I want…”
“Me puede traer…” – “Could you bring me…”
Of course, you’ll need to learn the names of some Mexican dishes to say after those phrases. You’re probably familiar with many of them already, but when in doubt, just say “dos de pastor.”
Your server will likely ask you how your food tastes. The correct answer is always:
“La comida está muy rica” – “The food is delicious.”
When shopping, these Spanish phrases you need to know will help you make informed purchases.
And finally, when you’re done eating you’ll need to ask for the bill:
“La cuenta, por favor.” – “The bill, please.”
Asking about prices is one of the key Spanish phrases you need to know during your travels.
Requesting to see items is among the Spanish phrases you need to know for shopping.
For transportation, learning these Spanish phrases you need to know will make your journey smoother.
Another phrase you’ll hear frequently when eating out in Mexico is:
Asking your driver these Spanish phrases you need to know can help avoid misunderstandings.
“Buen provecho” – Bon Apetit / Enjoy your meal
These key Spanish phrases you need to know are essential for any traveler.
Make sure to incorporate these Spanish phrases you need to know into your travel plans.
Buen provecho, often shortened to simply provecho, is what people say in Mexico when people are eating. Often your server will say it upon delivering your meal to the table. You’ll also notice that people will say to anyone eating when they enter or exit a restaurant. Remember this phrase and use it; It’s a really nice gesture!
Ultimately, these Spanish phrases you need to know will enhance your overall travel experience.
Related Reading: Everything You Need to Know About Tipping in Mexico
Shopping
No trip is complete without a little souvenir shopping! Use these phrases to make sure you get all the info you need before making a purchase:
If you see an “I Love Mexico” shot glass that you just can’t resist, this is how you ask the price.
“Cuánto cuesta ésto” – “How much does this cost?”
Or maybe you spot a comically large sombrero at a street market and you want to try it on for your Insta story, this is what you say:
“Puedo ver ésto?” – “Can I look at that?”
Transportation
By the end of your trip, you’re bound to be laden down with bags of souvenir hot sauces, tequila bottles, and a comically large sombrero (you couldn’t resist it, could you?). You’ll want to take a taxi to the airport. You can book your taxi driver and request someone that speaks English and Spanish.
This is how you should ask your driver:
“Me puede llevar al aeropuerto?”
And don’t forget to pay him at the end of the ride! Ask “Cuánto me cobra?” to find out how much it costs.
There you have it, my friend. These words and phrases will help you immensely on your trip. Learning a few words in Spanish really breaks down barriers.
If you really want to make an impact, pick up a phrasebook before your trip! Even if you really have no interest in ever fully learning the language, it’s helpful to have a reference.
This Mexican Spanish phrasebook & dictionary is super handy. It breaks down the phrases into different situations and even provides alternative phrases to help you sound more like a local.
Many people in Mexico speak or, at the very least, understand English, but making the effort to converse in Spanish is a gesture of good faith. It will help you make a good first impression.
Will it be awkward? Absolutely. But who doesn’t love a good language barrier anecdote?!
Mexico Travel Planning Resources
🌡️ Do I need travel insurance?
Yes! Healthcare in Mexico is affordable for minor ailments, but travel insurance will give you peace of mind if an emergency arises. Plus, you can add coverage for trip interruption, theft, etc. Get a quote from SafetyWing.
🏨 What’s the best way to find accommodation in Mexico?
I use a mix of Booking, Airbnb, and Hostelworld.
TripAdvisor is awesome for booking hotels, resorts, and is great for hostels, and Airbnb specializes in apartment rentals, making it a great place to find long-term stays.
💸 How should I exchange money in Mexico?
Use local ATMS to withdraw cash. US travelers should open a Charles Schwab bank account because they’ll refund ATM fees at the end of the month.
📱 Where can I buy a local SIM card in Mexico?
Pick up a Telcel SIM card at any convenience store. Or, buy an Airalo eSIM online so you’re connected as soon as you land.
🗣️ Do I need to speak Spanish in Mexico?
No, but it definitely helps you feel more confident and connected. Most urban areas in Mexico will have waiters, restaurant hosts and hostesses along with many other travelers that are bilingual. There is no better way to learn Spanish than to immerse yourself in the Finest Spanish Speaking Country in Latin America
✈️ What’s the best way to find affordable flights?
In my experience travelling to Mexico and within Mexico, I LOVE TripAdvisor.com because it makes it easy to compare rates from different airlines (both departing from your home country and also includes international airlines as well). Most people don’t think of TripAdvisor.com but absolutely use it. I’ve tried every single way to find inexpensive flights that are of great value and dependable. I’ve always come back to TripAdvisor.com because of how wide the selection is of airline companies to choose from! Great pricing is another AWESOME reason too!
🚖 How do I find a safe airport transfer?
I recommend GetTransfer for airport transfers anywhere in Mexico.
🚗 What’s the best way to find rental cars in Mexico?
I recommend Discover Cars because they aggregate prices across rental car companies, making it easy to find competitive rates.
🚐 How do I book bus tickets online in Mexico?
Plan your routes with Rome2Rio, and book your tickets with Busbud — the site is in English and takes foreign credit cards. (Read more here)
🤿 How do I find cool activities and tours in Mexico?
I recommend Viator and TripAdvisor.com. Viator usually has more options, but it’s worth comparing offerings across both platforms.
🇲🇽 How can I experience Mexico like a local?
Solo female travelers can hire a local female guide through Greether. Greeters will tailor tours based on your interests— it’s basically like experiencing a destination with a local bestie!
🧳 What’s the best luggage for Mexico?
Unless you’re staying at a resort, a travel pack is recommended. I’ve used this one from Osprey for the last 8+ years.
👯♀️ How do I connect with fellow travelers in Mexico?
Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!
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This is such a great breakdown of must-know Spanish phrases. I’ve been to SO many Spanish speaking countries and I only know the basics. My biggest problem is when I say something in Spanish and then they break into a whole conversation thinking I know how to speak it. I just have to stare like a deer caught in headlights 🙂
Thanks Kevin! I know what you mean, that still happens to me all the time! I’m like “Woah, woah, woah!” and then they give up on me and switch to English. One day I’ll achieve fluency!
Thank you Janine! This post has been saved for my future travels. I hope to learn a few phrases along the way before I end up in a Spanish speaking country. As soon as I get a handle on a bit of Spanish, I’ll be off to Latin and South America. 🙂
Language barriers do create a hurdle where English is barely spoken, have faced this issue first hand in many places. But somehow managed to interact with hand gestures and broken/mismatched English.
Hope to read more on your travels and journeys.
Cheers!
Glad to hear it Ozzy! Hand gestures are a pretty effective form of communication when all else fails! Latin America is such a great place to travel, even if you don’t speak the language, because everyone is so warm hearted and welcoming. But it’s definitely nice to be able to converse with the locals a little!
So good to have a smattering of Spanish. So many countries speak it. Your post is a great reminder to learn a few phrases in the local language of wherever in the world we visit.
I totally agree! It’s a nice gesture 🙂
This is so helpful! I just came back from an all Spanish country and the locals spoke barely any English! I wish I had known some of these phrases to add to my book!
Dang! If only I had posted this sooner!
I’ve always said that before I travel in Mexico or South America, I must learn Spanish. This is a great starting place, and might just be enough to know before I go!
Jane M
This will definitely help you out! Or at least give you the confidence to go for it! I hope you get to visit SA/Mexico soon!
A nice primer for visitors to Mexico. I especially agree with the “Dos de pastor.” You can never go wrong with tacos al pastor. Gracias para expliquar.
I completely agree. I wasn’t really alive before I tried tacos al pastor 😛
I think “Thank you” and “Hi” are the two most important phrases that I will try to master in any country I visit. It goes a long way to be able to thank your waitress, the cashier, the lady at the street food stall…
Gracias & viajes felices!
C
Absolutely! I feel like a jerk if I can’t at least say “thank you!”
Thanks for this. We usually try to learn a few phrases like hello, excuse me and thank you at the very least in the native language of the country we’re visiting. The unfortunate part of being nice is that we’ve often faced the problem of them getting into a full fledged conversation once they see we know a bit of language 😛 That said, is it that difficult to get by with English in Mexico?
That’s exactly what happens! It’s pretty easy to get through Mexico with limited Spanish. A lot of people speak English, but even the people who don’t speak it can usually understand a little bit.
This is great! It is important to have the basics down for better communication!
It certainly improves your quality of life. It feels very isolating when you can communicate with anyone.
Super helpful post! I went to the Dominican Republic and knew how to say Hola and managed to make it around okay hahaha!
Awe! Hola is a great start!
I’m saving this on the assumption it will be useful for Chile as well 😛
The “dos de pastor” part may not apply, but the rest should work!
Oh wow! I am bookmarking this one for my trip to Mexico! Amazing work done and it’s definitely useful for non Spanish speakingtravellers.
Thanks Saakshi! So glad you found it useful!
I used to know basic Spanish years ago and I’m so sad that I’ve kinda lost it because I never use it anymore! I’m hoping to try and learn it again next year so I’ll be saving this post as it’s a good place to start!
That happened to me too :S I’m starting to get it back after living in Mexico for 5 months, but it’s taking a while! The good news is it’s never really gone, just buried under all the other info you have stored in your brain!
This is such an awesome idea for a post! I am actually headed to Mexico at the end of the month (luckily I’ve lived in Spain for two years so my Spanish is fairly decent, mas o menos jaja)! But love this idea! (also love you Pinterest designs: no spanish, no porblems hehehe!)
Haha! That’s awesome! Having some Spanish is definitely helpful around here. Where are you headed in Mexico? Thanks so much for the Pinterest compliment, you have NO idea how badly I want to pull my hair out while I’m creating pins! It’s so tedious!
This is a good, compact list of phrases. So useful! Muchas gracias!
So glad you found it useful!
It’s so important to know the basic phrases in the local language when travelling. Can save a lot of trouble. Thanks for sharing this useful post
I completely agree! It’s nice to have a few greetings down at the very least, just as a courtesy!
Awesome list, the only Spanish I know is from Dora, so if I need to explain colours, tell people to go faster, or count to ten then I will be Ok.
Well done! This is such a smart put together piece! I feel my high school Spanish coming back to me as I read through. 🙂
Thanks so much! That high school Spanish never really goes away, which is super handy!
This is a really helpful list of phrases! I know some of them but definitely learned new ones on this list. Thanks for the help!
OMG, when I arrived in Spain for my one year students exchange, I didn’t know any single word in Spanish, I wish I learn at least the basic phrases before travelling there haha 😛
Haha, that’s how I felt when I first came to Mexico. I kind of knew basic phrases but I had no idea what to do if someone started answering my questions or using slang, etc!
This is exactly what I need the next time I visit a Spanish speaking country! I have just a couple of these down, but many will be great additions to my Spanish vocabulary!
Hoorah! I always find that locals are really appreciative when travelers bother to learn even just really basic phrases!
When someone asks you ‘que tal’ what is the correct response? Is it like an American ‘how are you?’ when you would reply with ‘good, how are you?’ or is an actual answer required which might be honest?
Yeah, exactly! They’re just asking “how are you.” I usually just say “muy bien, gracias.” Basically, just respond as you would in English!
This would have been very handy before my trip to Colombia! I’ve always been fine just knowing English + then picking up some basic phrases in countries as I travel but South America is difficult!! Very few people speak English and I should have brushed up on the basics beforehand.
It definitely gives you added confidence when you have some basics down! Fortunately, for the most part, everyone tends to be really friendly and patient with travelers who struggle with the language 🙂
I’m visiting Mexico in December taking Greyhound to Monterrey then ETN to my destination! I want to do the TEFL course and work teaching English! I will for sure be buying the Spanish language book that you recommended!
That will be so much fun! Enjoy your trip!