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SUMMER IN SPAIN! Vocabulary and Conversation

2023년 8월 2일

Are you planning a trip to Spain in the near future, maybe a summer vacation?
Here are some ideas and tips you should consider before you set off on your trip.
 
The first thing you should know is that Spain is a very diverse country, and depending on the destination you choose, your adventure will be totally different.
 
From the coolness of the Basque Country to the beaches of Andalusia, if there is one thing you should know in advance, it is that summers in Spain are getting hotter and hotter, and it gets dark very late (between 9 and 10 pm), so you will have many hours of daylight to take advantage of and protect yourself with your favourite sunscreen.

In today's Blog I am going to give you some Spanish vocabulary words and expressions that can be very helpful for your trip. Or if you are not going to travel this summer, just to learn a little more about the culture and language of Spain.

1. Most importantly, how do I introduce myself to the Spanish people?
Very simple, in Spain people are very friendly and they will generally do their part to make it easier for you to express yourself, so don't worry too much about that. With these basic expressions you shouldn't have too many problems.

-"Hola, my name is John" would say "Hola, mi nombre es John" or simply "Hola, soy John".

-"Nice to meet you" would be  "Encantado (masculine)/Encantada (femenine) de conocerte" or "Un placer".

-"How are you?" would be "¿Cómo estás?" or "¿Qué tal?"

- If you want to say "I'm fine, thank you very much" you would say "Estoy bien, gracias por preguntar". And you can add "¿Y tú?" or "Y tú, ¿Qué tal?" if you want to ask them about their day as well.
 
But that's enough of introductions.
 
2. How to ask for directions?
Nowadays, you could simply use a GPS application on your mobile phone to guide you, but just in case, how can you ask for directions in Spanish? Here are some basic ways to do it.

-"Excuse me, how can I get to... the Cathedral?" > "Perdone, ¿Dónde está...la Catedral?"
(FUN FACT: Use "Perdone" in formal contexts, and "Perdona" for more informal contexts).
 
As for the directions they give you, these are the key words you should know.

Go straight ahead> Sigue recto
Turn to the> Gira hacia.... la derecha/la izquierda
Right> Derecha
Left> Izquierda
Backwards> Atrás
In front of > Frente a
Close to> Cerca de
Away from> Lejos de
I don't know where the Cathedral is> No sé dónde está...la Catedral
 
3. Ordering food
One of the most common reasons to travel to Spain is its gastronomy, from the famous Paella to the incredible Pulpo a la Gallega or the Patatas Bravas from the Canary Islands. Today we are going to learn how to order these delicious dishes in Spanish!
 
When you arrive at a bar or restaurant in Spain, depending on where you go you will need to have made a reservation. In most bars and restaurants you don't need to book in advance, but if you are going to very touristy places, I advise you to check before you go.
If you have made a reservation, when you arrive at the place, you should let them know.

-Excuse me, I've booked a table for two under John's name> Perdone, he reservado una mesa para dos a nombre de John.

If you haven't booked, then you should ask for a table.
 
-Excuse me, do you have a table for two?> Perdone, ¿Tiene mesa para dos?
If they do, they will just escort you to your table.
 
Once you've got your table, it's time to order.
-Excuse me, can I have the menu?> "Perdone, ¿El menú?" or "Perdone, ¿Puede darnos la carta?" (Both "Menú" and "Carta" mean "menu")

You've looked at the menu and decided you want to have a "Sangría" to drink (Another fun fact is that "Sangría" is known as "the tourists drink" in Spain, Spaniards don't usually order sangría, here it's more common to order a beer, a fizzy drink, a wine or simply a "tinto de verano", which is the closest thing to sangria).

Now, if the waiter does not come directly to take your order (He/She will probably approach you even before you ask), simply call him/she and tell him/she what you have decided to have. For example:
-Excuse me! We would like to have two "Tintos de verano" and Paella to share. We'd also like a pincho of tortilla de patatas and a portion of patatas bravas to snack on > "Perdone, nos gustaría tomar una ración de paella para compartir. También queremos unos pinchos de tortilla de patatas y una porción de patatas bravas para picar".

And then, you simply thank them with a "Gracias" or a "Muchas gracias"
 
There are many more things to bear in mind when travelling to Spain, but I could go on writing until next summer (and you don't want to read me for so long, trust me), so I'll just add a short vocabulary list that might come in handy.
 
That is all for today on a more general basis.
As a last tip before finishing the blog, I simply invite you to talk to people and interact with the environment, in Spain people are very friendly and are always willing to help you.
 
If you are going to travel to Spain soon, I hope you enjoy this wonderful country.
See you soon!
 

VOCABULARY LIST (SUMMER EDITION)

Tapas

Spanish typical snacks (I f you go to Andalucia, in some places tapas are free once you pay for a drink)

Cerveza
Beer

Comer
To eat

Ir de compras
Shopping

aire condicionado
air-conditioning

ventilador
fan

la arena
sand

protector solar
sunblock

cálido
balmy

caliente
hot

castillo de arena
sandcastle

las chanclas
flip-flops


fresa
strawberry

los fuegos artificiales
fireworks


hacer turismo
to sightsee

el helado
ice cream

húmedo
muggy

la limonada
lemonade

el mosquito
mosquito

nadar
to swim

la ola
wave

la orilla del mar
seashore

el parque acuático
waterpark

la barbacoa
barbecue

el pícnic
picnic

la playa
beach

quemadura solar
sunburn

quemar
to burn

relajarse
to relax

las sandalias
sandals

la sandía
watermelon

la silla de playa
beach chair

sofocante
stifling

el sol
sun

soleado
sunny

el té helado
iced tea

el traje de baño
bathing suit


las vacaciones
vacation

el verano
summer

viajar
to travel

el viaje
trip

el viaje por carretera
road trip

 
EXTRA:
 
If you have made it this far, I can only say congratulations.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I'll answer as soon as I see them.

And lastly, if you could travel to any Spanish-speaking country, where would it be and why?

You can try to answer in Spanish if you feel like practicing :)
I will be reading you!

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