 Learn with Scott as he kicks back in a Spanish Tapas bar with Ricardo to learn how to not stand out like a sore thumb!
Our short lesson on Spanish won't teach you the language but contains enough of the most common travel phrases to help you get by.
We also provide an iPod phrasebook with 100 useful travel phrases that you can drop into your iPod's notes application giving you an instant electronic phrasebook to carry with you.
Click here to download and listen to the guide. To save it, right click and choose Save Target As (15.15MB).
Click here to download the phrase book (text only).
Click here to download the phrase book (text and audio).
For those of you keen to have a written version of the guide, here is the script:
Ricardo: Hola.
Scott : Hola!
Ricardo: cómo estás?
Scott : Ummm, yes, a beer thanks.
Ricardo: (laughing) I asked how you were!
Scott: Ahh. I’m well, but as you can see my Spanish needs some work.
Ricardo: My friend the bar is quiet now for a few hours, so, sit, eat, drink and I will teach you some Spanish!
Scott: That sounds splendid!
Ricardo: Cómo te llamas? | what is your name?
Scott: Scott
Ricardo: You mean, Me llamo Scott.
Scott: Me llamo Scott. Cómo te llamas?
Ricardo: Me llamo Ricardo. Tapa?
Scott: Tapas?
Ricardo: Si, Tapa. Cover – or snack. It is a very important part of Spanish culture. Spaniards normally eat dinner at around 10 and bar hop between work and dinner, so we eat tapa at the bars. You should learn something about tapa – and always sit at the bar – it is cheaper than a table and much cheaper than the terrace! Also, the menus are usually on the bar.
Scott: Ok, load me up!
Ricardo: Here, start with Patatas Bravas – potatoes, some olives and some chorizo a vino – sausage cooked in wine, oh and you should drink wine with tapa rather than beer.
Scott : This looks great – cheers!
Ricardo: Salud! Scott: Can you start by teaching me some greetings?
Ricardo: Si, Hola is hello – this is very informal, you can also use Buenos Días – Good Morning, Buenas tardes – Good afternoon and Buenas Noches – good evening.
Scott: So, in order – Buenos Días, Buenas Tardes and Buenas Noches
Ricardo: Si – muy bien – very good! Also, you can say Hasta la vista for goodbye – this is informal like Hola
Scott: Hasta la vista baby. Ok, what about numbers – 1-10, I think this will come in handy at tapas time!
Ricardo : si, don’t worry, the bar tender will always keep track of your bill - pay just before you leave. One to ten is uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
Scott: Please say that more slowly
Ricardo: Por favor, dígalo más despacio.
Scott: Si, por favour, dígalo más despacio.
Ricardo: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
Scott : uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
Ricardo: Si, muy bien.. You know my friend, I am teaching you the third most popular language in the world! Spanish is spoken in Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay – pretty much all of South America! Also, in Belize, Andorra and there are Spanish communities in the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, the UK and the USA of course.
Scott: Wow - so I should be able to get by for most of my travels with a bit of Spanish! Is it the same kind of Spanish in all those countries?
Ricardo: The dialects are very similar – the difference is in the choice of words rather than the pronunciations. It is all about the inflections! As in por favor – please or gracias – thank you. Also, there are male and female versions of words, like in French.
Scott: I see, gracias Ricardo!
Ricardo: (laughing) You are getting the hang of this, more tapa? How about Ensaladilla – vegetables with tuna and olives and some alioli – garlic and oil with some bread.
Scott: Por favor!
Ricardo: Another thing about tapas, you must be loud at the bar or you will never be served, the Spanish know how to get the waiters attention, always say por favor and try to use some Spanish, like cuanto – how much?
Scott: How do I say ‘it’s too expensive’?
Ricardo: That is ‘es demasiado caro’
Scott : Es demasiado caro | ok, si. Oh, I know - when I need a hotel how do I say ‘Have you a room?’ and ‘May I see the room?’
Ricardo: That is Tiene un cuarto? And “me permite ver el cuarto?” You should also be polite and say señor |señora or señorita – mister, mrs or miss, this is important.
Scott: So, if it was a man, tiene (usted) un cuarto, por favor? Me permite ver el cuarto señor?
Ricardo : Si, muy bien, perfecto! If they were busy or you had to get their attention you should say Con permiso – excuse me or pardon
Scott : So, con permiso, señor?
Ricardo: Si! How is the tapa
Scott: How do I say ‘I like this’
Ricardo : Me gusta!
Scott: And… ‘I don’t like this’
Ricardo: (laughing) “no me gusta!” the garlic can be too strong for some! Here, try some Gambas, prawns in salsa. When you are ordering tapa there are different size portions you can order – pinchitos – tiny, pinchos – bite size, tapas – snack size and raciones – larger size, like half a meal.
Scott : Ok, so in order – pinchchitos, pinchos, tapas and raciones
Ricardo : Si. Of course the larger the plate the larger the price!
Scott: Of course!
Ricardo: How long have you been in Madrid?
Scott : I arrived yesterday, how do I say yesterday?
Ricardo: You mean cómo – how – yesterday is ayer
Scott: What about ‘Today’, ‘tomorrow’ and ‘now’
Ricardo: These are hoy – today and mañana – tomorrow – now is ahora
Scott: Hoy, mañana, ahora. And what about some basic directions, like ‘Where is’ and ‘Which way to?’
Ricardo: Ok, where is “dónde está” | which way to “cual es el camino”
Scott: So, donde está and cual es el camino . Oh, I know I’ll also need bus, train, taxi and boat
Ricardo: Autobus, tren, taxi and barco and ticket is boleto
Scott: Autobus, tren, taxi and barco and boleto. Now, what about if I get into trouble and need the police or a doctor?
Ricardo: (smiling) It depends on where you are planning to go! Police is policía, doctor is doctor or médico, hospital is hospital!
Scott: Ahh, not so difficult really. What about Stop thief!
Ricardo: Alto ladrón!
Scott : Alto ladrón! Now, I’ve been watching a bit of local tv here in Madrid and it seems there are two more useful phrases I might need – ‘Don’t’ shoot’ and ‘Those drugs aren’t mine’
Ricardo: (laughing loudly) Te amo – I love you – you are very funny! Don’t shoot is “no dispare” | Those
drugs aren’t mine is “aquellas medicinas no son mías”
Scott: I’m serious – things could get out of control!
Ricardo: (smiling) Lo siento, I’m sorry
Scott : A raciones of tapas this time and another glass of wine and I think I’ll forgive you Rico!
Ricardo: Ah gracias Scott. |
