120 Spanish Travel Phrases That are Easy to Use and Remember

The Spanish language is full of different ways to say hello. Most Latin countries embrace a warm, friendly culture that encourages sparking up conversations with old friends and strangers alike.

Greetings and Responses

Greetings in Spanish change according to the time of day. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily say “¡Buenas noches!” to tell someone you’re going to bed, but rather in the same way that you would say “good morning” or “good afternoon.”

1. ¡Hola! – Hello!
2. ¡Buenos días! – Good morning!
3. ¡Buenas tardes! – Good afternoon!
4. ¡Buenas noches! – Good night! 

Depending on the age and familiarity of the person you’re speaking with, Spanish greetings have different subjects and verb forms. 

For friends, you can say: 

1. ¿Cómo estás? – How are you?

As a sign of respect and formality for those you are not familiar with, use:

1. ¿Cómo está? – How are you? 

There are several responses to that question, but the most common answers would be:

1. Bien, gracias – Good, thank you.
2. Estoy bien – I’m fine.
3. Muy bien. – I’m terrific.
4. Mas or menos. – I’m okay.
5. No muy bien. – I’m not so good.

You can also respond more politely, asking how the other person is. Remember to use “tu” for friends and “usted” for strangers.

1. Excelente, gracias! ¿Y tú/usted? – Excellent, thanks! And you?
2. Bien, gracias! ¿Y tú/usted? – Good, thanks! And you?

You may hear someone say:

1.  ¿Cómo te llamas? – What’s your name?

You would respond with:

1. Me llamo (your name) – My name is (your name). 

When meeting someone new, be sure to tell them:

1. ¡Mucho gusto! – Nice to meet you!

Simple Spanish Phrases for Goodbye

When a conversation is over, be sure to say goodbye! Just as with greetings, there are formal and informal ways to tell someone farewell. 

To say goodbye informally, try:

1. ¡Adios! – Bye. 
2. ¡Chao! – Bye-bye!
3. ¡Nos vemos! – See you!
4. !Hasta la vista! – So long!

For more formal situations, you can use:

1. ¡Hasta luego! – See you soon!
2. ¡Hasta la próxima! – Until next time!

Basic Spanish Conversation When You’re Confused

If you find yourself in a situation where you’re unsure what someone else is saying, you should be able to communicate that.

1. ¿Habla inglés? — Do you speak English?
2. ¿Me puedes ayudar? – Can you help me?
3. Yo entiendo – I understand.
4. Yo no entiendo – I don’t understand.
5. ¿Entiende? – Do you understand?
6. Perdon. – I’m sorry.
7. Habla más despacio, por favor. – Speak slower, please.
8. Por favor repita. – Please repeat.