Holiday Spanish - Enjoy your Marbella Holiday

Learn those useful phrases

There really isn’t any need to speak Spanish in Marbella because English is spoken in all the tourist areas. However, the local people will greatly appreciate a word or two spoken in Spanish. It will make your holiday experience so much more enjoyable by being able to experience the Andalucían culture.

If you are staying in our apartment, you will meet the Spanish residents in the lift and in the restaurant on the complex. It’s nice to be able to greet them in their own language. If you only learn one phrase you better make it, “No hablo español, ¿hablas inglés?” (I don’t speak Spanish, do you speak English?)

Saying Hello and Goodbye

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
Hello, Hi	Hola	Oh-la
Good morning/day	Buenos dias	Bwe-nos di-ahs
Good afternoon	Buenas tardes	Bwe-nas tar-des
Good evening/night	Buenas noches	Bwe-nas noh-ches
Pleased to meet you	Mucho gusto	Mu-cho goos-toe
Goodbye	Adiós	A-di-os
See you later	Hasta luego	Has-ta lwe-go

Ordering Drinks (Bebidas)

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
I want …	quiero …	key-eh-ro …
a black coffee	un café negro	un ka-fey neh-groh
a coffee	un café	un ka-fey
a tea	un te	un teh
with milk	con leche	con le-che
a beer	una cerveza	una ser-veh-za
a bottle of mineral water	una botella de agua mineral	na bo-teh-yah de ah-gwa me-ne-ral
a bottle of wine	una botella de vino	una bo-teh-yah de v-no
a glass of red wine	un copa de vino tinto	un co-pah de v-no tin-toh
a glass of white wine	un copa de vino blanco	un co-pah de v-no blan-ko
water	aqua	ah-gwa
fizzy water	aqua con gas	ah-gwa con gas
still water	aqua sin gas	ah-gwa sin gas

Don’t forget ‘Please’ – Por Favor(Please)

In the Restaurant

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
Do you have a table	¿Tiene una mesa	T-eh-neh una me-sah
I'd like a table in the non-smoking section	Quiero una mesa en la sección de no fumadores	Key-eh-ro una me-sa en la sec-sion the no fu-ma-doh-res
I would like a table near the window	Quisiera una mesa a lado de la ventana	Key-seya-rah una me-sa al lah-doh de la ven-tana
Do you have a menu in English?	¿Tiene un menu en inglés?	T-eh-neh un menu n in-gles
Do you have a children’s menu?	¿Hay una carta para los niños?	Eye una car-tah pa-rah los neen-yos
The bill please	La cuenta por favor	La kwen-tah por fa-vor
Can I pay with credit card?	¿Peudo pagar con tarjeta de crédito?	Pwe-doh pa-gar con tar-he-ta de cre-di-to

 

Travelling by Bus

We are situated right on the main bus route between Marbella and Puerto Banus. Here are one or two useful phrases.

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
Is this bus going to the bus station?	¿Este autobus va a la estacion de autobus?	Es-te au-toh-boos va ah la es-tah-see-on de au-toh-boos?
Please can you tell me where to get off for …?	¿Por favor, me dice cuando tengo que bajarme para …?	Por fa-vor, me dee-se quan-doh ten-gho khe ba-har-mmeh pa-rah …?

Remember our Managing Agent Wendy will be able to tell you which bus to catch.

Getting Around

If you're lost, you'll need to stop someone in the street, “por favour” (please / excuse me)

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
Where is …?	¿Dónde está …?	Don-de es-tah
I have to go to …	Tengo que ir a …	Ten-go khe eer ah
Insert from the following list, your dictionary, or phrase book as required
the pharmacist	la farmacia	la farm-a-see-ah
the cinema	el cine	el sin-e
the bank	el banco	el ban-ko
the / a restaurant	el / un restaurante	el / un rest-o-ront-e
the post office	el correo	el cor-ree-oh
the shops	las tiendas	las tee-n-das
the hospital	el hospital	el oss-pit-al

Getting a Taxi

If your staying at Carolina Park, or just walking around Marbella or Puerto Banus, ring Marbella Taxis on +34 952774488

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
How much will it cost?	¿Cuánto puede costar?	Kwan-toh poo-eh-de cos-tar?
Take me to this address please (with an address on a piece of paper)	LLeveme a esta direccion, por favour	Je-veh-mhe a es-tah di-rek-sion, por fav-or
I want to go …	Yo Quiero ir …	Jo key-ai-roh ear …

When you ask a taxi driver to take you somewhere, they may repeat the instructions back to you to confirm they understand them.

Andalucian Spanish

Just when you thought you were getting the hang of it, another problem occurs. Andalucians eat words. Many fragments of sound never make it out of their mouths. For example, Andalucians have a habit of dropping the 'S' from the ends of words and between a vowel and a consonant. Andalusians also tends to drop the letter 'D' at the end of words and between vowels, creating words like: supermerca’o; to’o; Madri’ etc. If you want to know more about the Andalucian dialect go to spainkate.com and let Kate Peregrina explain.

Holiday Spanish Resource on the Web

HolidaySpanish - essential Spanish tourist phrases that will help you get by on holiday.

This is a free resource for picking up some basic “holiday Spanish”. Useful phrases that will get you by on holiday in the Spanish speaking world. Here you’ll learn: how to ask for directions; order food and drink, as well as much more. Holiday Spanish

What about learning Spanish whilst in Marbella?

A mention on this page does not constitute a recommendation of the services provided but just an indication of what is available.

Estudio Hispánico High Quality Spanish Courses - with experienced and fully qualified native Spanish tutors, all of whom have a university degree and specialist training to teach on Spanish language programmes.

Don Quijote This Spanish school in Marbella is a unique 3-story building which opens up to a multitude of sun drenched patios, including a 3,500 square meter private terrace. These common areas are perfect for you to relax between classes or take a break with friends while taking in the sultry scents of the Mediterranean Sea.

Spanish Language Centre School for adults (+16 years old) in Marbella, with a maximum of 8 students (average of 6) per class, which is certified by the INSTITUTO CERVANTES.

ENFOREX The leading organization trusted by students who want to learn Spanish through linguistic and cultural immersion programs at Spanish schools throughout Spain & Latin America.

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