Easy, everyday phrases to help you enjoy your stay in the Costa Blanca!
Even though many locals speak some English—especially in tourist areas—learning a few Spanish phrases can go a long way in creating a friendly connection and navigating daily situations. Here’s a helpful guide of the most common and polite things to say in Spanish.
👋 Basic Greetings
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| Hello | Hola | OH-lah |
| Good morning | Buenos días | BWEH-nos DEE-as |
| Good afternoon | Buenas tardes | BWEH-nas TAR-des |
| Good night | Buenas noches | BWEH-nas NOH-ches |
| Goodbye | Adiós | ah-dee-OSS |
| See you later | Hasta luego | AHS-tah LWEH-go |
| Please | Por favor | por fah-BOHR |
| Thank you | Gracias | GRAH-syahs |
| You’re welcome | De nada | deh NAH-dah |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Perdón / Lo siento | pehr-DON / lo SYEN-toh |
| Yes / No | Sí / No | see / no |
🍴 At a Restaurant or Café
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| A table for two, please | Una mesa para dos, por favor | OO-nah MEH-sah PAH-rah dos |
| The menu, please | El menú, por favor | el meh-NOO |
| I would like… | Quisiera… | kee-SYEH-rah |
| What do you recommend? | ¿Qué me recomienda? | keh meh reh-koh-MYEN-dah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor | lah CWEN-tah |
| It was delicious! | ¡Estaba delicioso! | es-TAH-bah deh-lee-SYOH-soh |
| Water / Wine / Beer | Agua / Vino / Cerveza | AH-gwah / VEE-noh / sehr-VEH-thah |
🧭 Getting Around
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| Where is…? | ¿Dónde está…? | DON-day es-TAH |
| The beach | La playa | lah PLAH-yah |
| The hotel | El hotel | el oh-TEL |
| The pharmacy | La farmacia | lah far-MAH-syah |
| The supermarket | El supermercado | el soo-per-mehr-CAH-doh |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | CWAN-toh CWES-tah |
| I’m looking for… | Estoy buscando… | es-TOY boos-CAN-doh |
| Left / Right / Straight ahead | Izquierda / Derecha / Todo recto | eeth-KYEHR-dah / deh-REH-chah / TOH-doh RECK-toh |
🛍️ Shopping & Markets
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| How much does it cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | CWAN-toh CWES-tah |
| Can I try it on? | ¿Puedo probármelo? | PWEH-doh proh-BAR-meh-loh |
| I’ll take it | Lo llevo | lo YEH-boh |
| Do you have…? | ¿Tiene…? | TYEH-neh |
| It’s too expensive | Es demasiado caro | es deh-mah-syah-DOH CAH-roh |
| I’m just looking | Solo estoy mirando | SOH-loh es-TOY mee-RAN-doh |
🚨 Emergencies & Help
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| Help! | ¡Ayuda! | ah-YOO-dah |
| I need a doctor | Necesito un médico | neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh |
| Call the police | Llame a la policía | YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah |
| I’m lost | Estoy perdido/a | es-TOY per-DEE-doh (m) / per-DEE-dah (f) |
| I don’t understand | No entiendo | no en-TYEHN-doh |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Habla inglés? | AH-blah een-GLES |
🐾 Bonus: Pet-Friendly Phrases
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
| Is this place dog-friendly? | ¿Se permiten perros aquí? | seh pehr-MEE-ten PEHR-ros ah-KEE |
| Where is the nearest vet? | ¿Dónde está el veterinario más cercano? | DON-day es-TAH el veh-teh-ree-NAH-ryoh mas sehr-CAH-noh |
📌 Tips for Using Spanish
- Speak slowly and clearly – locals are friendly and appreciate the effort.
- Use gestures or point if you’re unsure — it helps communication.
- Many locals enjoy helping visitors with Spanish, especially in shops and restaurants.
- You can also install Google Translate for real-time help with menus or signs.