Spanish travel phrases
Why travel phrases should be short and reusable
A beginner does not need a perfect grammar explanation before a trip. You need phrases that solve common moments: finding a gate, checking in, asking where to go, ordering food, and asking for help.
The fastest travel set is built from polite chunks and small swaps. Learn the whole phrase first, then change one word: hotel, centro, aeropuerto, taxi, farmacia.
The simple rule: learn the phrase you can say today
Prioritize phrases that start a real interaction: ¿Dónde está...?, ¿Cuánto cuesta...?, Necesito..., Tengo una reserva, and ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?
Do not memorize all 40 at once. Pick the situations for your next trip, hear them aloud, write them once, and repeat them in short sessions.
40 Spanish travel phrases for beginners
The table includes the Spanish phrase, translation, travel situation, and a mini-note so you know when to use it.
| Spanish phrase | Translation | Travel situation | Mini-note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Dónde está la puerta de embarque? | Where is the gate? | Airport gate | Use before boarding, security, or flight updates. |
| Tengo una reserva. | I have a reservation. | Hotel or counter | Works at hotels, restaurants, and tour desks. |
| ¿A qué hora sale el vuelo? | What time does the flight leave? | Flight schedule | Good for schedules, check-in, and departures. |
| Necesito facturar esta maleta. | I need to check this suitcase. | Check-in desk | Useful around check-in and baggage claim. |
| ¿Dónde recojo el equipaje? | Where do I pick up the luggage? | Baggage claim | Useful around check-in and baggage claim. |
| ¿Hay retraso? | Is there a delay? | Flight update | Short question for boards, counters, and announcements. |
| ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor? | Can you repeat that, please? | Fast reply | Essential when speech is too fast. |
| Tengo una reserva a nombre de... | I have a reservation under the name... | Hotel reception | Works at hotels, restaurants, and tour desks. |
| ¿A qué hora es la entrada? | What time is check-in? | Check-in time | Good for schedules, check-in, and departures. |
| ¿A qué hora es la salida? | What time is check-out? | Check-out time | Good for schedules, check-in, and departures. |
| ¿Está incluido el desayuno? | Is breakfast included? | Breakfast | Practical at reception and with room problems. |
| Necesito una habitación tranquila. | I need a quiet room. | Room request | Practical at reception and with room problems. |
| La llave no funciona. | The key does not work. | Room problem | Practical at reception and with room problems. |
| ¿Hay wifi en la habitación? | Is there Wi-Fi in the room? | Hotel Wi-Fi | Practical at reception and with room problems. |
| ¿Dónde está...? | Where is...? | Finding places | Opens most route and location questions. |
| ¿Cómo llego al centro? | How do I get to the city center? | Route question | Opens most route and location questions. |
| ¿Está lejos de aquí? | Is it far from here? | Distance check | Opens most route and location questions. |
| ¿Puede mostrarme en el mapa? | Can you show me on the map? | Map help | Useful when words are not enough. |
| Gire a la derecha. | Turn right. | Route instruction | Helps you understand simple directions. |
| Siga recto. | Go straight ahead. | Route instruction | Helps you understand simple directions. |
| Estoy perdido / perdida. | I am lost. | Asking for help | Opens most route and location questions. |
| ¿Dónde compro un billete? | Where do I buy a ticket? | Ticket counter | Useful for tickets, stops, taxis, and buses. |
| Un billete al centro, por favor. | One ticket to the center, please. | Buying a ticket | Useful for tickets, stops, taxis, and buses. |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta el taxi? | How much is the taxi? | Taxi price | Useful for tickets, stops, taxis, and buses. |
| ¿Este autobús va al aeropuerto? | Does this bus go to the airport? | Bus route | Useful for tickets, stops, taxis, and buses. |
| ¿En qué parada bajo? | At which stop do I get off? | Stop question | Useful for tickets, stops, taxis, and buses. |
| Necesito ir a esta dirección. | I need to go to this address. | Taxi or ride | Useful for tickets, stops, taxis, and buses. |
| Una mesa para dos, por favor. | A table for two, please. | Restaurant arrival | Ready-made phrase for cafes and restaurants. |
| ¿Tiene el menú en inglés? | Do you have the menu in English? | Menu request | Ready-made phrase for cafes and restaurants. |
| Soy alérgico / alérgica a... | I am allergic to... | Food allergy | Keep this one easy to find before meals. |
| La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. | Paying in a restaurant | Useful in shops, taxis, and restaurants. |
| ¿Aceptan tarjeta? | Do you accept card? | Card payment | Useful in shops, taxis, and restaurants. |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? | How much does this cost? | Price question | Keeps simple purchases polite and clear. |
| Solo estoy mirando. | I am just looking. | Shop browsing | Keeps simple purchases polite and clear. |
| Necesito ayuda. | I need help. | Urgent help | Use when you need immediate help. |
| No entiendo. | I do not understand. | Slow the conversation | Helps slow the conversation down. |
| Hablo un poco de español. | I speak a little Spanish. | Set expectations | Helps slow the conversation down. |
| ¿Habla inglés? | Do you speak English? | Language help | Helps slow the conversation down. |
| Llame a un médico, por favor. | Call a doctor, please. | Medical help | Important for pharmacies and medical help. |
| ¿Dónde está la farmacia? | Where is the pharmacy? | Pharmacy | Important for pharmacies and medical help. |
The same travel phrases by situation
Situation groups make review practical. Airport phrases help before arrival, hotel phrases help at check-in, and help phrases cover moments when you need slower speech or real assistance.
Airport and arrival
Use these for gates, flight times, bags, and fast airport answers.
¿Dónde está la puerta de embarque?; Tengo una reserva.; ¿A qué hora sale el vuelo?; Necesito facturar esta maleta.; ¿Dónde recojo el equipaje?; ¿Hay retraso?; ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?
Hotel and check-in
These phrases help with reservations, room needs, keys, breakfast, and Wi-Fi.
Tengo una reserva a nombre de...; ¿A qué hora es la entrada?; ¿A qué hora es la salida?; ¿Está incluido el desayuno?; Necesito una habitación tranquila.; La llave no funciona.; ¿Hay wifi en la habitación?
Directions and maps
These phrases turn a city map into a real conversation.
¿Dónde está...?; ¿Cómo llego al centro?; ¿Está lejos de aquí?; ¿Puede mostrarme en el mapa?; Gire a la derecha.; Siga recto.; Estoy perdido / perdida.
Transport and tickets
Use them for tickets, taxis, buses, stops, and addresses.
¿Dónde compro un billete?; Un billete al centro, por favor.; ¿Cuánto cuesta el taxi?; ¿Este autobús va al aeropuerto?; ¿En qué parada bajo?; Necesito ir a esta dirección.
Restaurants and shopping
These phrases cover tables, menus, allergies, prices, and payment.
Una mesa para dos, por favor.; ¿Tiene el menú en inglés?; Soy alérgico / alérgica a...; La cuenta, por favor.; ¿Aceptan tarjeta?; ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?; Solo estoy mirando.
Help and health
Keep these close when you need slower speech, English, medicine, or urgent help.
Necesito ayuda.; No entiendo.; Hablo un poco de español.; ¿Habla inglés?; Llame a un médico, por favor.; ¿Dónde está la farmacia?
Turn fixed phrases into flexible cards
After the phrase feels familiar, swap one piece: ¿Dónde está el baño?, ¿Dónde está la farmacia?, ¿Dónde está la estación? This gives you more use without memorizing a new sentence from zero.
Keep audio on every card. In a travel moment, recognition is as important as speaking, especially when someone answers quickly.
How to study these phrases before a trip
- Start with airport, hotel, and help phrases if your trip is close.
- Practise aloud, then type or write the Spanish phrase once.
- Review the same small group for several days instead of adding every phrase at once.
- Mark phrases that feel urgent, such as allergies, medicine, payment, and directions.
- Create a separate travel group in Hola Cards so trip phrases do not get mixed with general vocabulary.
Copy all 40 travel phrases into a Hola Cards group
Open word groups in Hola Cards, choose paste/import, and paste this block. The app can read the title and the “Spanish phrase - translation” lines.
**40 Spanish travel phrases for beginners**
¿Dónde está la puerta de embarque? - Where is the gate?
Tengo una reserva. - I have a reservation.
¿A qué hora sale el vuelo? - What time does the flight leave?
Necesito facturar esta maleta. - I need to check this suitcase.
¿Dónde recojo el equipaje? - Where do I pick up the luggage?
¿Hay retraso? - Is there a delay?
¿Puede repetirlo, por favor? - Can you repeat that, please?
Tengo una reserva a nombre de... - I have a reservation under the name...
¿A qué hora es la entrada? - What time is check-in?
¿A qué hora es la salida? - What time is check-out?
¿Está incluido el desayuno? - Is breakfast included?
Necesito una habitación tranquila. - I need a quiet room.
La llave no funciona. - The key does not work.
¿Hay wifi en la habitación? - Is there Wi-Fi in the room?
¿Dónde está...? - Where is...?
¿Cómo llego al centro? - How do I get to the city center?
¿Está lejos de aquí? - Is it far from here?
¿Puede mostrarme en el mapa? - Can you show me on the map?
Gire a la derecha. - Turn right.
Siga recto. - Go straight ahead.
Estoy perdido / perdida. - I am lost.
¿Dónde compro un billete? - Where do I buy a ticket?
Un billete al centro, por favor. - One ticket to the center, please.
¿Cuánto cuesta el taxi? - How much is the taxi?
¿Este autobús va al aeropuerto? - Does this bus go to the airport?
¿En qué parada bajo? - At which stop do I get off?
Necesito ir a esta dirección. - I need to go to this address.
Una mesa para dos, por favor. - A table for two, please.
¿Tiene el menú en inglés? - Do you have the menu in English?
Soy alérgico / alérgica a... - I am allergic to...
La cuenta, por favor. - The bill, please.
¿Aceptan tarjeta? - Do you accept card?
¿Cuánto cuesta esto? - How much does this cost?
Solo estoy mirando. - I am just looking.
Necesito ayuda. - I need help.
No entiendo. - I do not understand.
Hablo un poco de español. - I speak a little Spanish.
¿Habla inglés? - Do you speak English?
Llame a un médico, por favor. - Call a doctor, please.
¿Dónde está la farmacia? - Where is the pharmacy?
Practise travel Spanish in Hola Cards
In Hola Cards you can turn these travel phrases into flashcards with audio, writing, pronunciation practice, custom groups, and spaced review before your trip.