Build a Spanish city-places group
Import all 40 place words and practise them with Spanish audio and writing on iOS or Android. The complete guide remains useful without the app.
places in the city in Spanish
How do you talk about places in a Spanish city?
Learn the article with the noun: la calle, el banco, la estación. It helps you build correct phrases immediately.
Use hay + an indefinite noun to say that a place exists: Hay un museo en el centro. Use estar + a known or definite place to say where it is: El museo está junto al parque.
Ask ¿Dónde está…? for one known place and ¿Dónde hay…? when any suitable place will do: ¿Dónde está la estación?; ¿Dónde hay una farmacia?
Four patterns to use immediately
Hay un/una… introduces a place: Hay una biblioteca cerca.
El/La… está… locates a known place: La biblioteca está enfrente del parque.
¿Dónde está…? asks for a specific place; ¿Dónde hay…? asks whether one is available nearby.
Combine location words with en, cerca de, al lado de, enfrente de and entre.
40 common places in a Spanish city
Start with streets and public spaces, add essential services and shops, then finish with culture, leisure and transport.
| Place in Spanish | Meaning | Example in context | Usage note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el centro | city centre | El museo está en el centro. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el barrio | neighbourhood | Vivimos en un barrio tranquilo. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la calle | street | La farmacia está en esta calle. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la avenida | avenue | Cruza la avenida con cuidado. | Practise this place inside a complete location phrase. |
| la plaza | square | Hay una fuente en la plaza. | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| la esquina | corner | El banco está en la esquina. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el parque | park | Los niños juegan en el parque. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el puente | bridge | Cruza el puente y gira a la derecha. | Practise this place inside a complete location phrase. |
| el semáforo | traffic light | La parada está después del semáforo. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el aparcamiento | car park | Hay un aparcamiento detrás del hotel. | A common regional alternative is included in the guide. |
| el hospital | hospital | El hospital está cerca de la estación. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la farmacia | pharmacy | ¿Dónde hay una farmacia abierta? | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| el centro de salud | health centre | El centro de salud abre a las ocho. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la comisaría | police station | La comisaría está junto al ayuntamiento. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el ayuntamiento | town hall | El ayuntamiento está en la plaza mayor. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el banco | bank | Necesito ir al banco. | Practise this place inside a complete location phrase. |
| el cajero automático | cash machine | Hay un cajero automático dentro del banco. | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| la oficina de correos | post office | La oficina de correos cierra a las seis. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la oficina de turismo | tourist information office | Pregunta en la oficina de turismo. | Practise this place inside a complete location phrase. |
| la gasolinera | petrol station | La gasolinera está a la salida de la ciudad. | A common regional alternative is included in the guide. |
| el supermercado | supermarket | Hay un supermercado enfrente del hotel. | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| el mercado | market | Compramos fruta en el mercado. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la panadería | bakery | La panadería vende pan fresco. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la carnicería | butcher's shop | La carnicería está al lado de la panadería. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la librería | bookshop | Busco un diccionario en la librería. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la tienda de ropa | clothes shop | La tienda de ropa está en el centro comercial. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el centro comercial | shopping centre | Hay muchas tiendas en el centro comercial. | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| el restaurante | restaurant | El restaurante está entre el banco y el hotel. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la cafetería | café | Quedamos en la cafetería de la plaza. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el bar | bar | Hay un bar pequeño en la esquina. | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| la escuela | school | La escuela está detrás del parque. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la universidad | university | Estudio español en la universidad. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| la biblioteca | library | La biblioteca está enfrente del museo. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el museo | museum | Hay un museo de arte moderno. | Use hay to introduce an available place. |
| el teatro | theatre | El teatro está cerca de la plaza. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| el cine | cinema | Vamos al cine esta noche. | Practise this place inside a complete location phrase. |
| el polideportivo | sports centre | El polideportivo tiene una piscina. | Learn the noun with its article. |
| el hotel | hotel | Nuestro hotel está junto a la estación. | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la estación | station | ¿Dónde está la estación de tren? | Use estar to locate a known place. |
| la parada de autobús | bus stop | Hay una parada de autobús delante del hospital. | A common regional alternative is included in the guide. |
Learn the city in four practical zones
Grouping the places by purpose makes them easier to retrieve when you need directions or describe a neighbourhood.
Streets and public space
Build the basic map: centre, neighbourhood, street, square, bridge and park.
el centro · el barrio · la calle · la avenida · la plaza · la esquina · el parque · el puente · el semáforo · el aparcamiento
Essential services
Find health, safety, money, information and public services.
el hospital · la farmacia · el centro de salud · la comisaría · el ayuntamiento · el banco · el cajero automático · la oficina de correos · la oficina de turismo · la gasolinera
Shopping and food
Name the everyday places where people buy food, clothes and meals.
el supermercado · el mercado · la panadería · la carnicería · la librería · la tienda de ropa · el centro comercial · el restaurante · la cafetería · el bar
Culture, leisure and transport
Finish with study, culture, sport, stays and the places that connect a city.
la escuela · la universidad · la biblioteca · el museo · el teatro · el cine · el polideportivo · el hotel · la estación · la parada de autobús
How should you practise these words?
Say the article and noun together: la plaza, el puente, la farmacia.
Make one hay sentence and one estar sentence for five places.
Draw a tiny map and connect places with al lado de, enfrente de and entre.
Hola Cards is a Spanish flashcard app from holacards.org for iOS and Android. It is free to download, requires no account, has no ads, and works offline. The interface is available in English, Russian, and Portuguese; cards support translations in 28 languages and 18 practice and game modes. You can import these 40 fixed place pairs into a custom group and practise them with Spanish audio, writing, pronunciation, and review modes. Hola Cards does not give live directions, show maps, or correct hay/estar choices automatically.
Connect city places with hay vs está, prepositions of place, travel phrases, directions and transportation vocabulary.
Hay vs está Spanish prepositions of place Spanish travel phrases Aquí, ahí and allí Spanish question words
A five-minute city-map routine
- Choose five places from one category.
- Say each word aloud with its article.
- Place them on a quick hand-drawn map.
- Ask ¿Dónde está…? and answer with a location phrase.
- Write the five words and sentences from memory.
Vocabulary and usage references
The A1–A2 city vocabulary and the functional use of hay and estar were checked against Instituto Cervantes materials.
- Instituto Cervantes A1–A2 inventory: the city
- Instituto Cervantes A1–A2 objectives: finding places and services
- Instituto Cervantes A1 activity: hay and está with city places
FAQ
What are the most useful city places in Spanish?
Start with la calle, la plaza, el parque, el hospital, la farmacia, el banco, la estación, el supermercado and el museo.
Should I learn the article with each place?
Yes. Learn la farmacia and el museo as complete units so gender is available when you build a sentence.
What is the difference between hay and está?
Hay introduces an unspecified place: Hay una farmacia. Está locates a known one: La farmacia está aquí.
How do I ask where a place is?
Ask ¿Dónde está la estación? for a specific place. Ask ¿Dónde hay una farmacia? when any nearby pharmacy is suitable.
Are there regional variants?
Yes. For example, aparcamiento is common in Spain, while estacionamiento is widespread in Latin America. Autobús also has regional alternatives such as camión, colectivo and guagua.
Does Hola Cards provide live directions?
No. It lets you import and practise these fixed words; this guide teaches the location patterns.
Copy the 40 places into Hola Cards
Open word groups in Hola Cards, choose paste/import, and paste the block. The app recognises the title and “Spanish - translation” lines.
**Places in the city in Spanish: 40 words**
el centro - city centre
el barrio - neighbourhood
la calle - street
la avenida - avenue
la plaza - square
la esquina - corner
el parque - park
el puente - bridge
el semáforo - traffic light
el aparcamiento - car park
el hospital - hospital
la farmacia - pharmacy
el centro de salud - health centre
la comisaría - police station
el ayuntamiento - town hall
el banco - bank
el cajero automático - cash machine
la oficina de correos - post office
la oficina de turismo - tourist information office
la gasolinera - petrol station
el supermercado - supermarket
el mercado - market
la panadería - bakery
la carnicería - butcher's shop
la librería - bookshop
la tienda de ropa - clothes shop
el centro comercial - shopping centre
el restaurante - restaurant
la cafetería - café
el bar - bar
la escuela - school
la universidad - university
la biblioteca - library
el museo - museum
el teatro - theatre
el cine - cinema
el polideportivo - sports centre
el hotel - hotel
la estación - station
la parada de autobús - bus stop
Review city places in Hola Cards
Practise the 40 fixed place words with Spanish audio, writing, pronunciation, custom groups, and review modes on iOS and Android.