Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Useful Phrases in Spanish / Frases Útiles en Español
Useful Phrases in Spanish / Frases Útiles en Español
Useful Phrases in Spanish / Frases Útiles en Español
ESPAOL
The predominant language in Mxico is Spanish. Mexican Spanish is unlike
Castillan Spanish, the language of much of Spain, in two main respects: in Mexico
the Castillan Lips has more or less disappeared and numerous indigenous have
been adopted, specially from Nhuatl.
Pronuntiation
Pronuntiation of Spanish is not difficult, given that many Spanish sounds are
similar to their English counterparts, and there is a clear and consistent relationship
between pronuntiation and spelling. Unless otherwise indicated, the English words
used below to approximate Spanish sounds take standard America Pronuntiation.
Vowels.
Spanish has five vowels: a, e, i, o and u. They pronounced something like the
highlighted letters of the following English words.
a as in father
e as in met
i as in feet
o as in the british hot
u as in put
Diphthongs
A diphthong is one syllable made up of two vowels, each of which conserves its
own sound. Here are some diphthongs in Spanish, and their approximate
pronunciations:
ai as in hide
au as in how
ei as in hay
ia as in yard
ie as in yes
oi as in boy
ua as in wash
ue as in well
Consonants
Many consonants are pronounced in much the same way as in English, but there
are some exceptions:
C is pronounced like s in sit when before e or i, elsewhere it is like k
Ch as in choose
G as in the g in gate before a, o, and u; before e or i it is a harsh,
breathy sound like the h in hit. Note that when g in followed by ue or ui the
u is silent, unless it has a dieresis (), in which case it functions much like the
English w:
guerra GHE-rra
gero GWEH-ro
H always silent
J a harsh, gutural sound similar to the ch in the Scotthish loch
Ll as the y in yard
nasal sound like the ny in canyon
Q as the k in kick; always followed by a lilent u
R a very short rolled r
RR a longer rolled r
X like the English h when it comes after e or i, othewise it is like English x as
in taxi; in many Indian words (particulary Mayan ones) x is pronounced like
English sh
Z the same as the English s; under no circumstances should s or z be
pronounced like English z that sounds does not exist in Spanish.
There are few other minor pronunciation differences, but the longer you stay in
Mexico, the easier they will become. The letter is considered a separate letter of
the alphabet and follows n in alphabetically organized lists and books, such as
dictionaries and phone books.
Stress
There are three general rules regarding stress:
naranja na-RAHN- ha
catedral ka-teh-DRAL
Gender
Nouns in Spanish are either masculine or femenine. Nouns ending in o, e or
ma are usually masculine. Nouns ending in a ion or dad are usually
femenine. Some nouns take either masculine or femenine form, depending on the
ending; for example, viajero is a male traveler, viajera is a female traveler. An
adjetive usually comes after the noun it descibes and must take the same gender
as the noun
English
Saludos cordiales
Hola - hi
Buenos das/ buen da Good morning
Buenas tardes Good afternoon
Buenas tardes/ buenas noches Good evening
Buenas noches Good night
Como ests? How are you?
Qu tal? How do you do?
Que tenga buen da! - Have a nice day!
Hasta luego! Good bye!
Nos vemos! See you!
Hasta pronto! See you soon!
Cortesa
Muchas gracias - Thank you very much
Perdn/ disculpe Im sorry / Excuse me
Por favor - Please
Muy amable you are so kind
Quisiera... I Would
Se lo agradezco Thank you
Gracias por la informacin Thank you for the information
De nada - You are welcome
S - yes
No- no
Presentacin
Le presento a.. This is
Le presento al seor... This is Mr.
Le presento a la seora... This is Mrs.
Mucho gusto Nice to meet you
Me alegro de haberte conocido I am glad to meet you
Bienvenido! Welcome!
Soy.. (nacionalidad) Im (nationality)
Me llamo... My name is
Cmo te llamas? - What is your name
Vivo en.. I live in
Estoy aqu de vacaciones I am here on Holidays
Estoy aqu por razones de trabajo I am here because my work
Estoy contento de estar aqu I am glad to be here
Tengo... aos I am years old
Cuntos aos tienes? How old are you?
De dnde eres? Where are you from
Dnde vives? Where do you live?
Hablas ingles? Do you speak English?
A que te dedicas? What do you do?
Eres estudiante? Are you student?
Estudio... I study
Trabajo I work
En qu trabajas? - What is your profession?
Trabajo en... I work on
Yo tambin Me too
papers
Nombre - Name
Apellido(s) Last name
Nacionalidad - Nationality
Profesin - Profession
Lugar de nacimiento Birth place
Fecha de nacimiento Date of birth
No. de pasaporte Passport number
Acta de nacimiento - Birth certificate
Licencia de manejo - Driver`s license
Identificacin - Identification
Seguro - Insurance
Cambio
Banco - Bank
Billete - Bill
Cajero automtico Cash machine ATM
Cheque - Cheque
Cheque de viajero travellers cheque
Comisin - comission
Cuenta bancaria (bank) account
Moneda - Coin
Nmero personal pin PIN number
Retiro Withdraw money
Sacar dinero To withdraw money
Tarjeta de crdito Credit card
Transferencia - Transfer
Estoy buscando un cajero automtico Im looking for a cash machine
Quisiera hacer una transferencia Id like to transfer some money
Cunto tiempo tardar? how long will it take?
Estoy esperando un giro Im waiting for a Money order
Quisiera comunicar la prdida de mis tarjetas de crdito
Id like to report the loss of my credit card
El cajero se trago la tarjeta Introduzca la tarjeta Please insert your card
Teclee su nmero personal nip Please enter your security number
Cajero(temporalmente) fuera de servicio this machine is temporarily out of
service
Pases
For femenine you have to add a for example: male: mexicano female: mexicana
Country
Pas
Nacionality/nacionalidad
Afghanistan
Afganistn
Afgano(a)
Africa
Africa
africano(a)
Albania
Albania
Albanes(a)
America
Amrica
americano(a)
Argentina
Argentina
argentino(a)
Asia
Asia
asitico(a)
Australia
Australia
australiano(a)
Austria
Austria
austriaco(a)
(The) Bahamas
(las) Bahamas
Bahameo(a)
Belgium
Blgica
Belga
Belize
Belice
Beliceo(a)
Bolivia
Bolivia
Boliviano(a)
Bolivia
Bolivia
Boliviano(a)
Brazil
Brasil
Brasileo(a)
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Blgaro(a)
Canada
Canad
Canadiense
Chile
Chile
Chileno(a)
China
China
Chino(a)
Columbia
Colombia
Colombiano(a)
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
costarriqueo(a), costarricense
Cuba
Cuba
Cubano(a)
Denmark
Dinamarca
Danes(a)
Dominican Republic
la Repblica Dominicana
Dominicano(a)
Dubai
Dubai
Dubaite
Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuatoriano(a)
Egypt
Egipto
Egipcio(a)
El Salvador
El Salvador
Salvadoreo(a)
England
Inglaterra
ingles(a)
France
Francia
frances(a)
Germany
Alemania
aleman(a)
Great Britain
Gran Bretaa
britnico(a)
Greece
Grecia
griego(a)
Grenada
Granada
granadino(a)
Guatemala
Guatemala
guatemalteco(a)
Haiti
Hait
haitiano(a)
Hawaii
Hawaii
hawaiano(a)
Holland
Holanda
holandes(a)
Honduras
Honduras
hondureo(a)
Iceland
Islandia
islandes(a)
India
(la) India
indio(a)
Indonesia
Indonesia
indonesio(a)
Irak
Irak, Iraq
iraque
Iran
Irn
irane
Ireland
Irlanda
irlandes(a)
Israel
Israel
israele
Italy
Italia
italiano(a)
Jamaica
Jamaica
jamaicano(a)
Japan
Japn
japons(a)
Laos
Laos
laosiano(a)
Lebanon
Lbano
libanes(a)
Liberia
Liberia
liberiano(a)
Luxemburg
Luxemburgo
luxemburgues(a)
Marruecos
Morocco
Marroque
Mexico
Mxico, Mjico
mexicano(a)
Netherlands
Pases Bajos
holandeses(a)
New Zealand
Nueva Zelanda
neozelandes(a)
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
nicaragense
Norway
Noruega
noruego(a)
Pakistan
Paquistn
paquistane
Palestine
Palestina
palestino(a)
Panama
Panam
panameo(a)
Paraguay
Paraguay
paraguayo(a)
Persia
Persia
persa
Peru
Per
peruano(a)
Philippines
Filipinas
filipino(a)
Poland
Polonia
polaco(a)
Portugal
Portugal
portugues(a)
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
puertorriqueo(a)
Rumania
Rumana
rumano(a)
Russia
Rusia
ruso(a)
Scotland
Escocia
escoces(a)
Spain
Espaa
espaol(a)
Sweden
Suecia
sueco(a)
Switzerland
Suiza
suizo(a)
Taiwan
Taiwn
taiwanes(a)
Thailand
Tailandia
tailandes(a)
Turkey
Turqua
turco(a)
United States
Estados Unidos
estadounidense
Uruguay
Uruguay
uruguayo(a)
Venezuela
Venezuela
venezolano
Expresiones
Es genial It`s cool
Me gusta I like it
Me gusta mucho... I like it a lot
No me gusta mucho... I don`t like it that much
Me gustara... I`d like
Me encanta - I love it
Me parece... I think...
Estoy de acuerdo I agree
No estoy de acuerdo I disagree
No lo s I don`t know
Me da igual It`s the same
Me pone nervioso(masc.)/ nerviosa (fem.) It/ he/ she make me feel nervous
Sabe un poco raro it tastes strange
Hay demasiada gente It`s crowded
El tiempo
Qu tiempo prevn para maana? what`s the weather forecast for tomorrow?
Va a hacer mal clima it`s going to be bad
Qu asco de clima! whar horrible weather!
Va a hacer buen clima It`s going to be nice
Qu da tan bonito what a beautiful day
Tenemos suerte con el clima we`re lucky with the weather
Hace calor! It`s really hot!
El clima estuvo magnifico the weather was beautiful
Por la noche hace fri It`s cold in the evenings
Hay mucha humedad it`s damp
Viajar
Dnde puedo comprar boletos? where can I buy tickets?
Un boleto a... one ticket to...
Cunto cuesta un boleto a...? how much is a ticket to...?
Quisiera reservar un boleto I`d like to book a ticket
Hay descuentos para estudiantes? are there any concessions for students?
Podra darme un folleto con los horarios? do you have a timetable, please?
Le quedan boletos para...? are there any tickets for?
No hay ms tmpano/ tarde? is there an earlier/ later one?
Cunto dura el viaje? how long does the journey take?
Esta libre este asiento? is this seat free?
Lo siento, esta ocupado I`m sorry, this SEAT is taken
Me puede dar un mapa del metro? can I have a map of the subway?
Qu lnea tengo que tomar para ir a...? which line do I take to get to...?
Sale de aqu el autobs a...? does the bus for... leave from here?
sta es la parada de...? is this the right stop for...?
podra decirme cuando hay que bajar? could you tell me when I have to get off?
Necesito un taxi a las ocho - i`d like to book a taxi for... o`clock
Voy a... i`d like to go to
Puede parar aqu, gracias can you drop me off here, thanks
Cunto es al aeropuerto? how much will it cost to go to the air port?
Salir
Calle- Street
Bulevar, boulevard - Boulevard
Avenida - Avenue
Camino - Road
Carretera - Highway
Esquina (de) - Corner(of)
Cuadra - Block
A la izquierda - To the left
A la derecha - To the right
Adelante - Forward, ahead
Por aqu - This way
Por all - That way
Norte - North
Sur - South
Este - East
Oeste - West
Dnde est? where is?
A dnde podemos ir? where can we go?
Te gustara ir? how about going?
Qu vas a hacer esta noche? what are you doing tonight?
Vamos a tomar algo? shall we go for a drink?
Tienes algn plan? have you anything planned?
Hoy no puedo pero quedamos otro da si puedes I can`t today what about some
other time?
A qu hora quedamos? what time shall we meet?
Dnde nos vemos? where shall we meet?
Te voy a dar mi numero, llmame maana I`ll give you my number, call me
tomorrow
Hay alguna gua de espectculos? is there a listings magazine?
Quiero tres entradas para... i`d like three tickets for...
A qu hora es la funcin? Y la pelcula? what time does the program starts?,
what about the film?
Me gustara mucho ir a ver un espectculo I`d like to go to a show
Quedan entradas para otro da? Is there any tickets left for a different day?
Compras
Barato - cheap
Amarillo - yellow
Rosa - pink
Morado - purple
Caf - brown
Gris - grey
Naranja orange
Plateado - silver
Dorado - golden
Mexican slang
You will hear many of this slang words and phrases all around Mexico, but others
are particular to Mexico City.
Qu onda? what`s up?, what`s happening?
Qu pex? - what`s up?
Qu pasin? (Mexico City only) - what`s up?, what`s going on?
Qu padre! how cool!
Fregn really good at something, way cool, awesome
-este club esta fregn this club is way cool
- El cantante es un fregn the singer is really awesome
Ser muy buena onda to be really cool, nice
- mi novio es muy buena onda my boyfriend is really cool
- eres muy buena onda you`re really cool, nice
Estar de pelos to be super, awesome
- la msica esta de pelos the music is awesome
Pisto (in the noth) booze
Alips booze
- echarse un alips, echarse un trago to go get a drink
- echamos un alips/ trago let`s go have a drink
Tirar la onda try to pick someone up, to flirt
Ligar to flirt
Irse de reventn go partying
- vmonos de reventn! let`s go party!
Reven a rave huge party, lots of loud music and wild atmosphere
Un desmadre a mess
Simn yes
Nel no
No hay tos no problem (literally there`s no cough)
rale! (positive) sounds great! (responding to an invitation)
rale! (negative) what the *#*? (taunting exclamation)
caray! shit!
Te cae? are you serious?
Me late sounds really cool to me
Me vale I don`t care, whatever
Sale y vale I agree. Sounds good