Survival Spanish

¡Hola! Here are some helpful Spanish words and phrases that can be helpful for you during your travels and stay in this part of the world.

Standard greeting: Buenas / Buenas tardes, Hola amigo/amiga

How are you?: ¿Qué tal?, ¿Cómo le va?

You’re welcome: A la orden (It’s also “de nada”, but many vendors or people doing business will use “a la orden”. You can just use “de nada” unless you’re giving someone some kind of service or doing them a favour.)

Listo: This means “ready”, but they use it for many things here. It usually means “ok”, “alright”, that someone agrees with or approves of something.

At the market:

Hola veci / Gracias veci (veci is short for “vecino”, which means “neighbour”
What’s this?: ¿Qué es esto?
Is it sweet or sour?: ¿Es dulce o ácido?
How much are the…?: ¿A cuantos son las…? or ¿Cuanto cuestan las…?
Do you have any riper ones?: ¿Tiene algunas más maduras?
Is it raw?: ¿Es crudo/cruda?
Do you have change for a 20?: ¿Tiene suelto por un veinte? (They usually don’t, so bring the smallest bills that you can.)
A bag: Una funda/fundita
I don’t need a bag: No necesito una funda
I already have a bag: Ya tengo una funda

Fruits/Vegetables/Food:

Apple: Manzana
Avocado: Aguacate
Banana: Banano/Guineo
Beans: Frejoles
Beet: Remolacha
Capsicum (hot): Ají
Capsicum (sweet): Pimiento/Pimentón
Carrot: Zanahoria
Cassava: Yuca
Celery: Apio
Coconut: Coco
Cucumber: Pepino
Grapes: Uvas
Lentils: Lentejas
Mandarin: Mandarina
Muskmelon: Melón
Oats: Avena
Onion: Cebolla
Orange: Naranja
Papaya: Papaya
Passion Fruit: Maracuyá
Pear: Pera
Pineapple: Piña
Potato: Papa
Rice: Arroz
Strawberries: Frutillas/Fresas
Sweet Passion Fruit: Granadilla
Sweet Potato: Camote
Tomato: Tomate
Tree Tomato: Tomate de Árbol
Watermelon: Sandía

Money and Numbers:

Dollar: Dólar
Cents: Centavos
25: Veinticinco
50: Cincuenta
75: Setenta y cinco

On the bus:

Does this bus go to…?: ¿Este bús va a …?
the coast: la costa
the Andes: la sierra
the Amazon: el Oriente
How much is the fee for the ride?: ¿Cuánto es el pasaje?
Stop: Just yell “Gracias” very loudly
Excuse me (to ask a question): Perdón / Disculpe
Excuse me (to pass someone): Perdón / Con permiso