Tourista Spanish

My current Spanish skill level is at the beginning of A2. My reading is better than my speaking, which is better than my hearing. I’m currently working on understanding numbers better when I hear them, because commerce is the main way I am interacting with people.

I have used a million apps and videos to learn Spanish, but the order of learning in those isn’t related to what you need to function on the ground in a Spanish speaking country.

The lady at the shop doesn’t need me to introduce myself. She needs me to understand that she is asking if I want a receipt. I need to find a hardware store, not describe my family members. The taxi driver needs to know if my stop is on the left or right side of the street, not about how many pets I have.

Sidebar - pet peeve - in classes and apps, they move into the “tu” form of talking to people very quickly. But as a tourist it is impolite to use such a familiar form of address. You should be staying in “usted” form. Hence, why you see me recommending tiene instead of tienes. And while I’m speaking on manners, be so nice to street vendors. Haggling shouldn’t be disrespectful.

Here’s what I find useful in real life. (I’m assuming you already know how the vowels and consonants work in Spanish.)

Types of Stores (so you can read signs)

• La Panadería: Bakery. Good for quick, cheap breakfast or snacks—pastries, sweet bread, sometimes sandwiches.

• La Farmacia: Pharmacy. Easy place to grab basic meds, toiletries, or things you forgot. Many are open late.

• Oxxo / 7-Eleven: Convenience stores. Drinks, snacks, basic groceries, ATM access, and sometimes bill pay. Most people will call any convenience store an Oxxo, like we call all tissues Kleenex.

• Ferretería: Hardware store. No matter where we go I always wind up at one.

• Taquería: Tacos. Fast, cheap, everywhere.

• Cafetería: Coffee shop or casual café. Light meals, drinks, somewhere to sit.

• Mercado: Local market. Mix of food stalls, produce, and small vendors.

• Tienda: Small neighborhood shop. Basic items, snacks, drinks.

• Tiendita: Tiny shop.

• Tienda Departamental: Department store, like JC Penny.

• Tortillería: Fresh tortillas. Often very cheap and made on site.

• Juguería: Juice shop. Fresh juices, smoothies, sometimes light breakfast items.

• Supermercado: Grocery store. Larger selection if you need real food or supplies.

  • Walmart: Large, familiar, good for one-stop shopping.

  • Soriana: Very common, similar to Walmart in size and selection.

  • Chedraui: Good mix of affordable and mid-range, often well-stocked.

  • Bodega Aurrera: Budget version of Walmart—cheaper, more basic.

  • La Comer: Nicer, cleaner stores with higher-quality produce and prepared foods.

  • City Market: Upscale version of La Comer—more specialty and imported items.

  • Superama: Smaller, neighborhood-style grocery (now mostly rebranded as Walmart Express).
    

  Basic Polite Shopping Words

• Necesito: I need ___ (could be seen as too firm in non emergency situations, the default should be quiero)

• Quiero: I want ___

• Y: And

• Esto: This

• Eso: That

• ¿Tiene más?: Do you have more?

• Tarjeta: Card (credit or debit)

• Efectivo: Cash

• ¿Cuánto es?: How much is it?

• Precio: Price

• Cambio: Change (money back)

• ¿Tiene cambio?: Do you have change?

• ¿Acepta tarjeta?: Do you take card?

• Recibo / Ticket: Receipt

• Bolsa: Bag

• ¿Quiere bolsa?: Do you want a bag?

• Sin bolsa: No bag

• Con bolsa: With a bag

• Gracias: Thank you

• Con gusto: With pleasure

• De nada: You’re welcome

• Permiso: Excuse me (passing through)

• Mande: Polite “what?” or “yes?” used when someone calls you or you didn’t catch something. Very common in Mexico instead of saying “¿qué?” which can sound blunt.

• Dale: Casual “okay,” “go ahead,” or “got it.”

Street vendor / polite haggling phrases:

• ¿Cuánto cuesta?: How much does it cost?

• ¿Cuánto por este?: How much for this one?

• ¿Es lo menos?: Is that the lowest price?

• Está caro: It’s expensive

• ¿Me puede dar mejor precio?: Can you give me a better price?

• ¿Me hace precio?: Can you give me a deal?

• Está bien: It’s fine / fair

• Le doy ___: I’ll give you ___

• ¿Le doy ___?: Will you take ___?

• Dos por ___: Two for ___

• Tres por ___: Three for ___

• ¿Y si llevo dos?: What if I take two?

• ¿Y si llevo más?: What if I take more?

• Solo tengo ___: I only have ___

• No tengo más: I don’t have more

• Último precio: Final price

• Ya es lo menos: That’s the lowest

• For tone:

  • Start with ¿Me hace precio? instead of jumping straight to a number

  • Bundle items (dos por [amount] / tres por [amount]) works better than aggressive bargaining

  • Keep it light—this is expected, not confrontational

  • 10% off is a typical reduction for one item. With multiple items you may get up to 20% off. Don’t try to go further than that

Emergency / get-attention words:

• Oiga: Hey / excuse me (firm but still polite, good for getting attention)

• ¡Disculpe!: Excuse me (polite, but can be used loudly)

• ¡Perdón!: Sorry / excuse me (quick, gets attention fast)

• Necesito ayuda: I need help

• Ayuda: Help

• Llame a la policía: Call the police

• Policía: Police

• Emergencia: Emergency

• Espere: Wait

• Un momento: One moment

• Ahora: Now

• Aquí: Here

• Allá: There

• No entiendo: I don’t understand

• Más despacio: Slower

• Repita: Repeat

• No hablo español: I don’t speak Spanish

• No: No

• Basta: Enough / stop

• Déjeme: Leave me alone

• No me toque: Don’t touch me

• Estoy perdido / perdida: I’m lost

• ¿Dónde está…?: Where is…

• Necesito un doctor: I need a doctor

Going Words

• Ir a: To go to

• Necesito ir a…: I need to go to…

• Tengo que ir a…: I have to go to…

• Quiero ir a…: I want to go to…

• Voy a…: I’m going to…

• Vamos a…: We’re going to…

Directional words:

• Izquierda: Left

• Derecha: Right

• Derecho / Todo recto: Straight

• Atrás: Back

• Adelante: Forward / ahead

• Aquí: Here

• Ahí: There (near you)

• Allá: Over there (farther away)

• Cerca: Near

• Lejos: Far

• Al lado de: Next to

• Junto a: Right next to

• Frente a: In front of

• Detrás de: Behind

• Esquina: Corner

• Calle: Street

• Avenida: Avenue

• Pare: Stop (you’ll see this on signs)

• Alto: Stop (common on street signs)

• Espere: Wait

• Siga: Continue / keep going

• Gire: Turn

• Gire a la izquierda: Turn left

• Gire a la derecha: Turn right

Medical Places

• Consultorio: Doctor’s office (small/private office)

• Clínica: Clinic (can be small or mid-size, often outpatient)

• Hospital: Hospital

• Dentista: Dentist

• Consultorio dental: Dental office

• Doctor: Doctor (spoken)

• Médico: Doctor (formal/signage)

• Farmacia: Pharmacy

• Urgencias: Emergency room

• Emergencias: Emergencies (general term)

• Speaking of Medical, here’s some phrases you might need in that area

  • Me siento enferma: I feel sick

  • No me siento bien: I don’t feel well

  • Estoy cansada: I am tired

  • Estoy agotada: I am exhausted

  • Tengo calor: I am hot

  • Tengo frío: I am cold

  • Estoy mareada: I am dizzy

  • Me siento débil: I feel weak

  • Me duele la cabeza: My head hurts

  • Me duele el estómago: My stomach hurts

  • Me duele la espalda: My back hurts

  • Me duelen los pies: My feet hurt

  • Me duele mucho: It hurts a lot

  • Me duele fuerte: It hurts badly

  • Necesito un doctor: I need a doctor

  • Necesito ayuda: I need help

  • Tengo diarrea: I have diarrhea

  • Estoy estreñida: I am constipated

• Brand names for common medicines are the same

  • Necesito Pepto: I need Pepto

  • Quiero Advil: I want Advil

  • ¿Tiene Tylenol?: Do you have Tylenol

Money words:

• Dinero: Money

• Efectivo: Cash

• Tarjeta: Card

• Crédito: Credit

• Débito: Debit

• Peso / pesos: Mexican currency

• Centavos: Cents

• Precio: Price

• Total: Total

• Cuenta: Bill (at a restaurant)

• Cambio: Change

• ¿Tiene cambio?: Do you have change?

• Exacto: Exact amount

• Pago exacto: Exact change

• Pagar: To pay

• Cobrar: To charge (what the store does)

• Caro: Expensive

• Barato: Cheap

• ¿Cuánto cuesta?: How much does it (one item) cost?

• ¿Cuánto es?: How much is it (total)?

• La cuenta, por favor: The check, please

• ¿Me trae la cuenta?: Can you bring me the check?

• ¿Nos trae la cuenta?: Can you bring us the check?

• Cuando pueda, la cuenta: The check when you can

• Ya para pagar: Ready to pay

• ¿Podemos pagar?: Can we pay?

• ¿Juntos o separados?: Together or separate?

Number words:

• We all know 1-10: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.

• You probably know 11-15: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince

• Once you get to 16, they start going in a pattern of “ten and ___”:

  • 16: dieciséis (ten and six)

  • 17: diecisiete

  • 18: dieciocho

  • 19: diecinueve

• Once you get to 20, that pattern continues so all you need to learn is the names for the tens:

  • 20: veinte (when adding ones to this, the e changes to an i veinticuatro.)

  • 30: treinta

  • 40: cuarenta

  • 50: cincuenta

  • 60: sesenta

  • 70: setenta

  • 80: ochenta

  • 90: noventa

  • 100: cien

• Then you go on with hundreds in a new pattern. How many hundreds? Then add a tos at the end.

  • 200: doscientos

  • 300: trescientos

  • 400: cuatrocientos

  • 500: quinientos (a little off pattern)

  • 600: seiscientos

  • 700: setecientos (a little off pattern)

  • 800: ochocientos

  • 900: novecientos (a little off pattern)

• Even the ones that were off pattern are close enough that you should be understood if you accidentally say cincosientos.

• Then the thousands are super easy. Once you get past one thousand, put how many thousands before it? This time they are separate words.

  • 1000: mil (no un or uno)

  • 2000: dos mil

  • 3000: tres mil

  • 4000: cuatro mil

  • 5000: cinco mil

  • 6000: seis mil

  • 7000: siete mil

  • 8000: ocho mil

  • 9000: nueve mil

• Then millions are millones. Un millón, dos millones, and so on. If you need these numbers for commerce you can google it, I will never need them!!!

• You should be able to plug and play just based on this list. Like this year I am cincuenta years old, and next year I will be cincuenta y uno

Time words:

• Hora: Time / hour

• Tiempo: Time (general)

• Hoy: Today

• Mañana: Tomorrow / morning

• Ayer: Yesterday

• Ahora: Now

• Ahorita: Right now / in a bit (flexible timing)

• Antes: Before

• Después: After

• Luego: Later

• Temprano: Early

• Tarde: Late

• Día: Day

• Semana: Week

• Mes: Month

• Año: Year (be sure it sounds like ONyo, not ONoh. Ano means butthole.)

• Minuto: Minute

• Segundo: Second

• ¿A qué hora?: At what time?

• ¿A qué hora abre?: What time does it open?

• ¿A qué hora cierra?: What time does it close?

• Abre: Opens

• Cierra: Closes

• Horario: Schedule / hours