How to Speak Spanish When Traveling

Practice your Spanish when you travel.

You can speak Spanish when traveling in a Spanish speaking country--whether you are a beginner or advanced student. As a foreigner you might find that people want to speak English with you, but try starting conversations in Spanish during taxi rides, at parties or while shopping. Spanish is a phonetic language in which letters maintain the same value. To increase your accuracy, learn the sounds of letters as well as basic grammar rules.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Ask questions besides "Do you speak English?" while traveling. For instance, before entering a taxi, ask the driver if he is available in Spanish (Está libre?). You also could ask for directions (Dónde está el Hotel Blanco?) and bargain with sellers.

2. Greet and communicate with people whom you encounter as you travel, such as a waiter or sales representative. Common greetings include "Buenos días" (Good day); "Cómo esta?" (How are you?); and "Cómo se llama usted?" (What is your name?).

3. Practice conjugating verbs so that you improve your Spanish and more people understand you. It is incorrect to say, "She is to eat" (i.e., "Ella está comer"). Instead, you should say that she is eating (i.e., "Ella está comiendo.").

4. Discuss cultural attractions or local events, and ask for recommendations. For instance, if you are in Bilbao, Spain, ask natives about their experience with the Guggenheim Museum. If you are in Machu Picchu, Peru, ask about Incan culture.

5. Enroll in a temporary class. For example, take a local cooking class, and use food vocabulary like "sal" (salt); "vegetales" (vegetables); or "huevos" (eggs).

Tips & Warnings

• Supplement your vocabulary by listening to music or reading newspapers, books or magazines in Spanish.

• Remember that your intonation is critical. For instance, "es ella" can be a statement or a question depending on your inflection.

References

• Spanish Travel Helper
• Spanish in the World
• Spanish Software