Survival Spanish for Spring Break (Or Anytime, Really!)

You’re landing at the airport, getting the shuttle bus and going straight to the resort.  It’s a sun and sand vacation that requires no Spanish. 

Be prepared for an adventure to call. You will want to leave the resort to answer that call. 

Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama and Venezuela are full of history, culture and tourist sites. 

Not everyone enjoys language learning, but learning a few Spanish phrases will help you enjoy your destination beyond the all-inclusive property.

Being polite

Good manners and greetings, even if you don’t learn any other words in Spanish, are very important.  Saying hello, please and thank you in Spanish acknowledges that you are a guest and respectful of the country you are visiting. 

In Spain, people say hello and good-bye when they go into a shop, a restaurant or a bar. In some regions, they greet each other when entering and exiting an elevator. This hasn’t been adopted everywhere in every country in Latin America and the Caribbean, but it’s better to err on the side of good manners. 

The phrases:

• Hola (hello)
• Buenos días (good morning)
• Buenas tardes (good afternoon)
• Buenas noches (good evening)
• Adiós (good-bye)
• Por favor (please)
• Gracias (thank you) 

Choosing your food 

Ordering in restaurants and food trucks might surprise you. The names of dishes might not match what you’ve seen at the TexMex place in your neighborhood. 

Instead of pointing at what you want to try, nod your head to point with your nose to ask:  

• What is he eating? ¿Qué está comiendo?
• What is she eating? ¿Qué está comiendo ella?
• I want that food too. Yo también quiero esa comida.

Real emergencies 

Leaving the resort does not automatically put tourists in danger. Just in case you do need help, learn these phrases: 

• Help! Help! ¡Ayuda! ¡Ayuda!
• Please find a doctor. Por favor encuentre un doctor.
• Take us to the hospital, please. Llévanos al hospital, por favor.

Do you need more Spanish in a hurry? Take this Cudoo course in useful Spanish phrases for beginners. 

https://cudoo.com/products/languages/spanish/the-spanish-language-bundle/

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Kate Baggott

Kate Baggott is the Head of Content and Communications for the Edusity family of companies that includes Edusity, Cudoo, The Babb Group, and Professor Services. Together, the four brands offer a full suite of online learning tools and services from learning management technology, to instructional design and curriculum management and support for the academic job search and recruitment.

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