In this article you will learn:
- You’ll learn the Spanish phrases that are absolutely essential to ensure you don’t get stuck during your first few weeks in Spain, even if you still feel the language is a bit too much for you.
- You’ll discover the real way to order food, find your way around Madrid without getting lost, do your shopping or organise appointments using very simple structures that you can use time and time again.
- You’ll have practical tips to hand for when you don’t understand a thing: how to ask people to repeat themselves, to speak more slowly, or how to check whether you’ve got it right.
- You’ll see why it’s not worth obsessing over perfection and how a few go-to phrases in everyday situations will give you that initial confidence.
- You’ll get an express kit with handy phrases that you can save on your mobile and refer to whenever you need to run an errand whilst out and about.
Learn the essential Spanish phrases you’ll need in your first month in Spain, from ordering food and using transport to shopping and appointments.
You arrive in Madrid, pop into a café and, suddenly, the waiter fires off a sentence at breakneck speed. You catch the word ‘coffee’, but everything else slips past you before you can process it. You just smile, nod and cross your fingers, hoping he’ll bring you something edible.
The next day, you need to find out where to catch the bus. Then you pop into a shop to buy a few bits and bobs, or you have to make a phone call to reschedule an appointment. Or perhaps you just want to explain to a colleague that you’re still learning the ropes.
All these situations follow the same pattern: you don’t need a C2 level to get through them. What you need are some urban survival tips to fall back on when you’re feeling tired or nervous and the conversation is moving too fast.
During that first month in Spain, you realise something fundamental: knowing the theory isn’t the same as getting by on the street. You might have crammed the grammar but still freeze up when a native speaker talks to you at a normal pace. Or, conversely, you might mess up the verb tenses and still manage to get exactly what you were after.
That’s why you need to switch your mindset during the first few weeks: don’t worry about constructing flawless sentences; just focus on making requests, asking questions, finding out what’s going on and getting by.
Here’s the vocabulary you’ll use most in your day-to-day life in Madrid.
Spanish for cafés and restaurants
Going out for a drink will be one of the first challenges you’ll face, and you’re bound to do it every day.
The advantage here is huge: there’s no need to learn the chart by heart. All you need to do is master three or four basic structures and combine them.
How to order in a bar or café
In day-to-day life, we tend to use fairly straightforward phrases:
- Hola, ¿me pones un café, por favor?
- Quería un café con leche.
- Para mí, una tostada con tomate.
- ¿Me puedes poner una botella de agua?
If you’re in Spain, you’ll quickly notice that people use “¿me pones…?” all the time. To someone who’s learning the language, it sounds almost aggressive or strange, as if you were doubting whether they’ll serve you. But don’t overthink it: in bars, it’s the most natural way to order.
Another excellent alternative is the “quería…”. Even if you’re asking for something in the present tense, it’s used as a less direct, polite way of making any request.
A coffee isn’t always just ‘a coffee’
Bear this in mind: if you simply ask for ‘a coffee’, you’ll usually be served a black coffee. If you’d prefer it with milk, just say so:
Un café con leche, por favor.
In Madrid, you’ll often hear people ask for una caña to refer to draught beer, although the size of the glass may vary slightly depending on the venue.
If you’re not sure what to order at the bar, don’t overthink it:
¿Qué me recomiendas?
And if you look at the menu but can’t identify the ingredients:
¿Qué lleva esto?
That question will come in handy on more than one occasion, particularly when looking for local dishes or if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions.
Order something else
Once you’ve been served and are settled at the table, little things you need tend to crop up as you go along:
- ¿Me traes agua, por favor?
- ¿Me puedes traer otra servilleta?
- ¿Nos puedes traer otra ronda?
And if you want to check what’s in a dish:
- ¿Lleva cebolla?
- ¿Tiene carne?
- ¿Lleva frutos secos?
- ¿Tenéis opciones vegetarianas?
Don’t rack your brains trying to come up with complex questions. Commit these phrases to memory as if they were set phrases, and use them whenever you need them.
What if you can’t understand the waiter?
This is the sort of situation where your mind goes blank.
The waiter might speak to you quickly, ask you an unexpected question or use local slang. It’s absolutely fine – don’t try to pretend you’ve understood if you haven’t.
Get yourself out of a tight spot by saying:
- Perdona, no he entendido.
- ¿Me lo puedes repetir?
- ¿Puedes hablar un poco más despacio, por favor?
This allows you to take the lead in the interaction without feeling overwhelmed.
Take a look at this everyday example:
- ¿Quieres la tortilla con cebolla o sin cebolla?
- Perdona, ¿me lo puedes repetir?
- ¿Con cebolla o sin cebolla?
- Con cebolla, por favor.
You might not get it right the first time, but the key is to give yourself that second chance to react.
Pay and ask for the bill
It’s time to go:
La cuenta, por favor.
And just to clear up any doubts about the payment method:
¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta?
You might get quick replies or colloquial expressions about the change or the card machine. If you’re lost, don’t hesitate to ask again. Going out for a drink doesn’t have to turn into a listening comprehension test.
Take some time, too, to notice that the pace and unwritten rules of etiquette in bars here can be quite different from what you’re used to. Don’t try to get the hang of everything on the first day; just focus on listening to the people around you and picking up on the techniques you see that work.
Your aim: to be able to order, ask basic questions, understand how much something costs and pay without needing to have a deep conversation.
Spanish for transport
Madrid has a vast transport network. During your first few weeks, the metro, the bus network and the Cercanías will become your main means of transport.
To get around without getting lost, you need far fewer words than you might think. There are a number of terms you’ll come across at every turn:
metro · autobús · tren · estación · parada · línea · dirección · salida · billete · abono · cambiar de línea
That said, memorising these nouns isn’t much use if you don’t then know how to ask the key question on the platform.
How to ask for directions
If you learn these two structures by heart, you’ll be all set:
- ¿Cómo llego a…?
- ¿Dónde está la línea…?
In practice, this means the following:
- Perdona, ¿cómo llego a la universidad?
- ¿Dónde está la línea 10?
- ¿Esta línea va hacia Sol?
When the other person tries to give you directions, focus on picking out only the key verbs and instructions:
- sigue todo recto
- gira a la derecha
- cambia de línea
- bájate en…
- es la siguiente parada
You don’t need to mentally translate every word of the speech to understand the route.
Please confirm before continuing
A very clever way to make sure you’re on the right track is to repeat back to the person you’re speaking to what you’ve understood, in the form of a quick question:
- Entonces, ¿tengo que cambiar de línea?
- ¿Es esta la parada?
- ¿Me bajo en la siguiente?
- ¿Tengo que ir en esta dirección?
Esto va de maravilla si te traicionan los nervios. En lugar de procesar mentalmente un mapa entero de indicaciones, valida los datos de uno en uno.
When you’ve made a mistake
Taking the wrong direction on the underground or missing your stop is an inevitable part of the process of settling into any big city.
If this happens to you, try this:
- Creo que me he equivocado de dirección.
- Perdona, ¿este autobús va hacia…?
- ¿Dónde tengo que bajarme?
And in case you’ve left something behind:
- Perdona, creo que he perdido mi cartera.
- He dejado una bolsa en el autobús.
Don’t try to give endless explanations using sophisticated verb tenses. A short, direct sentence is usually enough to get someone to lend you a helping hand.
Your aim: is not to memorise the map of Madrid’s public transport network, but to know how to ask for help in finding your way and to check that you have understood the directions.
Spanish for shopping
Shopping in Spanish seems straightforward until you have to ask for a specific size, enquire about a product you can’t see on the shelf, or sort out a return.
You’ll find that reusing the same structures saves you a lot of headaches.
Enquire about prices and quantities
To find out how much something costs:
- ¿Cuánto cuesta?
- ¿Cuánto es?
You’ll find these basic items useful in supermarkets or markets:
- Medio kilo de tomates, por favor.
- Una botella de agua.
- Dos paquetes de arroz.
If you go into a fruit and vegetable store, for example, don’t overcomplicate things by using complex sentences. All you need to do is point to the item, say how many you want and ask for the total.
At the supermarket
If there’s one thing you can’t find in the aisles:
- Perdona, ¿dónde está el arroz?
- ¿Tenéis leche sin lactosa?
- ¿Dónde están las bolsas?
You’ll notice that the verb tener in the second-person plural form comes up a great deal. In Spain, it’s common to ask shop assistants “¿Tenéis…?” to find out if they have a particular item in stock.
Buy clothes
For this specific scenario, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with this basic vocabulary:
- talla
- color
- precio
- oferta
- ticket
- bolsa
And a handful of direct questions:
- ¿Tienes esta en otra talla?
- ¿La tienes en negro?
- ¿Me puedo probar esto?
- ¿Dónde están los probadores?
If you like the way it looks on you:
Me la llevo.
And if you’re unsure and would rather not buy it just yet:
Me lo voy a pensar.
I want, I wanted… what am I saying?
Here is a subtle point regarding everyday usage that is worth mentioning.
Saying “Quiero cambiar esto” is perfectly correct according to the rules. However, when speaking to shop staff, saying “Quería cambiar esto” sounds infinitely more polite and natural to a native speaker.
In any case, don’t get too hung up on getting it 100 per cent right from day one. Just take note of how the people around you ask for things and gradually pick up those ways of doing things.
Exchanges and returns
If you need to sort out any issues with something you’ve bought:
- Quería cambiar esto.
- No me queda bien.
- Es demasiado grande.
- ¿Lo puedo cambiar por otra talla?
- Tengo el ticket.
They’re very simple formulas, but they save you from stressful moments when searching for words in your mental dictionary that seems to go on forever.
Your goal: to be able to check prices, order your size, make a payment and sort out an exchange without any fuss.
Spanish for appointments
Arranging a meeting usually takes more effort than ordering a coffee. When you’re face to face, you have body language, eye contact and context to guide you. Over the phone, however, you lose all that visual cues.
As if that weren’t enough, administrative calls are often full of figures, times, dates and unexpected information.
For all these reasons, it’s best to start with a brief, structured outline in mind.
Book an appointment
There is a universal formula that works for almost everything:
Quería pedir cita para…
You can adapt it to suit the situation:
- Quería pedir cita para una consulta.
- Quería pedir cita para una reunión.
- Quería pedir una cita para el jueves.
Once the conversation has started, it’s time to check availability:
- ¿Qué días tenéis disponibles?
- ¿Tenéis algún hueco esta semana?
- ¿Qué horas tenéis disponibles?
Don’t feel under pressure to reply straight away. If you’re offered several days or hours in a row, ask for a moment to write them down or repeat them out loud.
Dates and times
When a date or time is suggested to you, confirm the details directly:
- Entonces, ¿el jueves a las diez, verdad?
- ¿El martes 15?
- ¿A las cuatro y media?
This strategy works a treat over the phone. By repeating the details, you not only check that you’ve understood them correctly, but you also give the other person a chance to correct you if you’ve got a number wrong.
Change or cancel an appointment
If your schedule gets out of hand:
- Necesito cambiar la cita.
- No puedo acudir ese día.
- ¿Podemos cambiarla al viernes?
- Quería cancelar la cita.
And if you’re unsure about the necessary procedures:
- ¿Qué documentos tengo que llevar?
- ¿Necesito llevar mi pasaporte?
- ¿Tengo que llevar algún documento más?
This collection will help you sort out paperwork whether you’re at a language school, the doctor’s surgery or the police station.
When the call goes too fast
Don’t just sit there in silence, waiting until you’ve completely lost the thread. Cut in politely before it’s too late:
- Perdona, ¿puedes hablar un poco más despacio?
- No he entendido la última parte.
- ¿Me lo puedes repetir, por favor?
- ¿Puedes decirlo otra vez más despacio?
And before you hang up, go over the key points:
Entonces, ¿la cita es el jueves a las diez y tengo que llevar el pasaporte?
Doing this is a thousand times more effective than trying to translate incredibly long sentences on the fly.
Your goal: to master a clear mental framework for booking, rescheduling or cancelling appointments without getting flustered when the person on the other end of the line speaks quickly.
Building everyday confidence
After spending a few weeks in the city, you’ll notice something curious: you’ve built up quite a vocabulary in your head, but the words don’t quite come out fluently when you need them.
It’s perfectly normal. Understanding a sentence when you read or hear it doesn’t mean you’ve learnt it automatically to the point where you can say it yourself.
You can pick up on a “¿me puedes ayudar?” straight away if someone says it to you, but it might take a few agonising seconds to get the words out if you have to take the initiative. The solution isn’t to cram a hundred more phrases into your head, but to practise the four you already know until they come naturally.
Your catchphrases
There is a set of resources that can be adapted to virtually any context:
- Perdona, ¿me puedes ayudar?
- No he entendido.
- ¿Puedes repetirlo?
- ¿Puedes hablar un poco más despacio?
- ¿Cómo se dice…?
- ¿Qué significa…?
Memorising these connectors properly will give you far more peace of mind than cramming endless lists of nouns.
Picture this: you’re in a shop and the staff say something that’s all Greek to you.
- ¿Tenéis esta camiseta en otra talla?
- Sí, pero ahora mismo solo nos queda en azul marino.
- Perdona, no he entendido. ¿En qué color?
- En azul marino.
- Ah, vale. ¿Y tenéis una M?
You might not have picked up the whole phrase straight away, but that doesn’t mean the conversation has broken down. You’ve used a filler to keep the conversation going.
Don’t translate every sentence before you speak
One of the common pitfalls when you’re just starting out is trying to construct the perfect sentence in your head before you open your mouth.
You start by thinking in your native language, translating word for word, wondering about verb conjugation, checking whether a noun is masculine or feminine… and by the time you pluck up the courage to speak, the train has already left.
During this first month, adopt a different approach: use the simple building blocks you’ve already mastered and assume that your speech will be straightforward.
Instead of approaching someone with a structured: “Disculpe, ¿sería tan amable de indicarme cuál es la dirección correcta para llegar a…”
Get straight to the point: Perdona, ¿cómo llego a…?
It’s straightforward, practical and gives you exactly the answer you’re looking for.
Grammar is also learnt in real-life situations
This does not mean that grammar takes a back seat – far from it. It means that it is better to pick it up as you go along whilst dealing with real-life situations.
When you use it repeatedly:
- Quería pedir cita.
- Quería cambiar esto.
- Quería un café con leche.
You’re picking up a useful grammatical pattern without having to study it in the abstract. Over time, your brain will recognise that structure and start to apply it naturally to other contexts:
- Quería preguntar una cosa.
- Quería saber si…
- Quería reservar una mesa.
That’s when grammar ceases to be a boring rule in a book and becomes a living tool.
This will be of great help to you if you’re also planning to prepare for official exams such as the DELE or SIELE. Naturally, you’ll need precision and an advanced vocabulary for the exam, but the ability to react on the spot and think on your feet is a real communication skill that’s honed outside the classroom.
Create small routines
You don’t need to spend three hours a day chatting to see progress.
You can set yourself very specific daily challenges:
- Day 1: order your coffee entirely in Spanish.
- Day 2: ask someone for directions.
- Day 3: do the supermarket shopping in Spanish without hesitation.
- Day 4: exchange a few words with a flatmate or colleague.
- Day 5: ask a question in a shop without stopping to think about whether your grammar is perfect.
The aim is not to impress anyone with your skill level, but to repeat situations until they lose that sense of being forced upon you.
Gradually raise the bar: have a friendly chat with your neighbour, ask the shop assistant a question, or run an errand without switching to English at the first opportunity.
Self-confidence doesn’t come before you take the plunge; it’s built up afterwards.
Your first-month Spanish toolkit
To avoid feeling overwhelmed in these first few weeks, save these outlines in your phone’s notes. You won’t need them all at once, but it’ll give you great peace of mind knowing they’re there if you draw a blank.
5 phrases for asking for help
- Perdona, ¿me puedes ayudar?
- ¿Me puedes decir dónde está…?
- ¿Cómo llego a…?
- ¿Dónde tengo que ir?
- ¿Me puedes explicar esto?
5 phrases for asking for something
- Quería…
- ¿Me pones…?
- Para mí…
- ¿Me puedes traer…?
- ¿Tenéis…?
5 phrases to clarify what you don’t understand
- No he entendido.
- ¿Puedes repetirlo?
- ¿Puedes hablar un poco más despacio?
- ¿Qué significa…?
- Entonces, ¿quieres decir que…?
5 words you’ll hear all the time
- parada
- salida
- ticket
- cita
- abono
The aim of this first month is not to speak like a native speaker or to write a document without a single grammatical error.
The aim is to overcome the fear of going into a bar, taking the underground, buying clothes, making an appointment or dealing with any unexpected situation without automatically resorting to English.
That’s what practical Spanish is really all about: it gives you the independence to get by in your day-to-day life. The more you put it to the test, the less time you’ll need to think before you speak.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What should I do if I don’t understand what someone is saying to me in Spanish?
Don’t try to pretend you’ve got it if you haven’t. Use phrases such as “Perdona, no he entendido”, “¿Me lo puedes repetir?” o “¿Puedes hablar un poco más despacio, por favor?”. If the information you’re being given is crucial, check it by repeating back the details you’ve taken down: “Entonces, ¿la cita es el jueves a las diez?”. This way, you can keep up with the conversation without feeling left out.
2. Do I need to speak Spanish fluently to get through my first month in Spain?
Not at all. For day-to-day life, all you need to do is know how to ask for what you need, ask questions, check details and ask for things to be clarified. With short, straightforward phrases, you’ll be able to shop in shops, get around the city or book an appointment. During the first few days, it’s far more practical to master four reusable phrases than to try and get to grips with the language’s entire syntax. Making mistakes is all part of the process; what matters is that you can make yourself understood.
3. How can I practise Spanish every day without spending hours studying?
Make the most of any little everyday errand as a real-life practice session. Order your coffee in Spanish, ask where a particular aisle is in the supermarket, or say hello to the caretaker. Repeating the same interaction a couple of times means those phrases will start to come naturally. Also, save your go-to phrases in your mobile’s notes so you have them to hand. The secret lies in gradually building up a series of successful little interactions.
4. What can I do if a phone conversation is going too fast?
Stop the other person in their tracks before you hang up completely. Tell them calmly: “¿Puedes hablar un poco más despacio?” or “No he entendido la última parte”. Whenever times, dates or important paperwork come up, repeat them out loud to confirm them. For example: “Vale, entonces ¿la cita queda para el martes a las cuatro y llevo el pasaporte?”. This way, you avoid confusion and turn a tricky call into a simple checklist.
5. What phrases should I learn by heart first if I’ve just arrived in Spain?
Focus on versatile connectors rather than cramming lists of isolated vocabulary. Expressions such as “Perdona, ¿me puedes ayudar?”, “No he entendido”, “¿Puedes repetirlo?”, “¿Cómo llego a…?” and “Quería…” They’re useful in countless situations. Once you’ve established that foundation, start adding specific words relating to transport, shopping or running errands as your daily routine requires. Having a few well-integrated tools is far more useful than knowing a thousand isolated words.
Key Points
During your first few weeks in Spain, the aim isn’t to speak perfectly, but to get by in real-life situations. The structures that work best are those you can adapt to ask for something, ask questions, confirm details and seek clarification in any everyday situation.
The main thing is not to get stuck waiting for the perfect moment to speak. Keep a couple of go-to phrases to hand on your phone and practise them every day. If you miss something, ask them to repeat it or to speak more slowly; the important thing is not to let the conversation break off.
Confidence comes with practice. If you want to get your new life in Spain off to a good start and speak without hesitation, take our placement test at Hablamos and find out about our courses.
Find the one that’s right for you and get started today!
