Spanish
Although there are dozens of indigenous tongues scattered throughout South America – some thirty in the Peruvian Amazon alone – this is, in general, a Spanish-speaking continent. The Spanish you will hear in South America does not always conform to what you learned in the classroom, and even competent speakers of peninsular Spanish will find it takes a bit of getting used to. In addition to the odd differences in pronunciation – discussed in detail below – words from native languages as well as various European tongues have infiltrated the different dialects of South American Spanish, giving them each their own unique character.
For the most part, the language itself is the same throughout the continent, while the pronunciation varies slightly. In parts of Argentina, for example, the ll and y sound like a zh (the English equivalent is the s in “treasure”), while the final s of a word is often not pronounced.
Spanish itself is not a difficult language to pick up and there are numerous learning products on the market. You’ll be further helped by the fact that most South Americans, with the notable exception of fast-talking Chileans, speak relatively slowly (at least compared with Spaniards) and that there’s no need to get your tongue round the lisping pronunciation. Spanish: The Rough Guide Phrasebook is a concise and handy phrasebook.
Pronunciation
The rules of Spanish pronunciation are pretty straightforward. All syllables are pronounced. Unless there’s an accent, words ending in d, l, r and z are stressed on the last syllable, all others on the second last. All vowels are pure and short.
A somewhere between the “A” sound of back and that of father.
E as in get.
I as in police.
O as in hot.
U as in rule.
C is soft before E and I, hard otherwise: cerca is pronounced “serka”.
G works the same way: a guttural H sound (like the ch in loch) before E or I, a hard G elsewhere – gigante becomes “higante”.
H is always silent.
J is the same sound as a guttural G: jamón is pronounced “hamón”.
LL sounds like an English Y: tortilla is pronounced “torteeya”.
N is as in English unless it has a tilde (accent) over it, when it becomes NY: mañana sounds like “manyana”.
QU is pronounced like an English K.
R is rolled, RR doubly so.
V sounds more like B, vino becoming “beano”.
X is slightly softer than in English – sometimes almost SH – except between vowels in place names where it has an “H” sound – for example México (Meh-Hee-Ko) or Oaxaca.
Z is the same as a soft C, so cerveza becomes “servesa”.
Words and phrases
The following will help you with your most basic day-to-day language needs.
Basic expressions
Yes, No Sí, No
Please, Thank you Por favor, Gracias
Where, When? ¿Dónde, Cuándo?
What, How much? ¿Qué, Cuánto?
Here, There Aquí, Allí
This, That Este, Eso
Now, Later Ahora, Más tarde/Luego
Open, Closed Abierto/a, Cerrado/a
Pull, Push Tire, Empuje
Entrance, Exit Entrada, Salida
With, Without Con, Sin
For Para/Por
Good, Bad Buen(o)/a, Mal(o)/a
Big, Small Gran(de), Pequeño/a
A little, A lot Poco/a, Mucho/a
More, Less Más, Menos
Another Otro/a
Today, Tomorrow Hoy, Mañana
Yesterday Ayer
But Pero
And Y
Nothing, Never Nada, Nunca
Greetings and responses
Hello, Goodbye Hola, Adios
Good morning Buenos días
Good afternoon/night Buenas tardes/noches
See you later Hasta luego
Sorry Lo siento/Discúlpeme
Excuse me Con permiso/Perdón
How are you? ¿Como está (usted)?
What’s up? ¿Qué pasa?
I (don’t) understand (No) Entiendo
Not at all/You’re welcome De nada
Do you speak English? ¿Habla (usted) inglés?
I (don’t) speak Spanish (No) Hablo español
My name is … Me Ilamo …
What’s your name? ¿Como se Ilama usted?
I am English/American Soy inglés(a)/ americano(a)
Cheers Salud
Asking directions, getting around
Where is…? ¿Dónde está…?
…the bus station …la estación de auto-buses
…the train station …la estación de ferro-carriles
…the nearest bank …el banco más cercano
…the post office …el correo
…the toilet …el baño/sanitario
Is there a hotel nearby? ¿Hay un hotel aquí cerca?
Left, right, straight on Izquierda, derecha, derecho
Where does the bus to ¿De dónde sale el … leave from? autobús para…?
How do I get to…? ¿Por dónde se va a…?
I’d like a (return) Quiero un boleto (de ticket to… ida y vuelta) para…
What time does it leave? ¿A qué hora sale?
Accommodation
Private bathroom Baño privado
Shared bathroom Baño compartido
Hot water (all day) Agua caliente (todo el día)
Cold water Agua fría
Fan Ventilador
Air-conditioned Aire-acondicionado
Mosquito net Mosquitero
Key Llave
Check-out time Hora de salida
Do you have…? ¿Tiene …?
… a room … …una habitación
… with two beds/ …con dos camas/double bed … cama matrimonial…
It’s for one person Es para una persona(two people) (dos personas)
…for one night … …para una noche…
…one week …una semana
It’s fine, how much is it? ¿Está bien, cuánto es?
It’s too expensive Es demasiado caro
Don’t you have anything ¿No tiene algo más cheaper? barato?
Numbers and days
1 un/uno/una
2 dos
3 tres
4 cuatro
5 cinco
6 seis
7 siete
8 ocho
9 nueve
10 diez
11 once
12 doce
13 trece
14 catorce
15 quince
16 dieciséis
20 veinte
21 veintiuno
30 treinta
40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta
60 sesenta
70 setenta
80 ochenta
90 noventa
100 cien(to)
200 doscientos
500 quinientos
1000 mil
Monday lunes
Tuesday martes
Wednesday miércoles
Thursday jueves
Friday viernes
Saturday sábado
Sunday domingo
Useful words
Barrio Suburb, or sometimes shantytown
Carretera Route or highway
Cerro Hill, mountain peak
Colectivo Shared taxi/bus
Combi Small minibus that runs urban routes
Cordillera Mountain range
Criollo “Creole”: a person of Spanish blood born in the American colonies
Entrada Ticket (for theatre, football match, etc)
Estancia Ranch, or large estate
Farmacia Chemist
Gaucho The typical Argentine “cowboy”, or rural estancia worker
Gringo Foreigner, Westerner (not necessarily a derogatory term)
Hacienda Large estate
Mestizo Person of mixed Spanish and indigenous blood
Micro City bus
Mirador Viewpoint
Peña Venue with live music
Soroche Altitude sickness
A Spanish menu reader
While menus vary by country and region, these words and terms will help negotiate most of them.
Basic dining vocabulary
Almuerzo Lunch
Asada Barbecue
Carta (la)/Lista (la) Menu
Cena Dinner
Comida típica Typical cuisine
Cuchara Spoon
Cuchillo Knife
Desayuno Breakfast
La cuenta, por favor The bill, please
Merienda Set menu
Plato fuerte Main course
Plato vegetariano Vegetarian dish
Tenedor Fork
Fruit (frutas)
Cereza Cherry
Chirimoya Custard apple
Ciruela Plum
Fresa/frutilla Strawberry
Guayaba Guava
Guineo Banana
Higo Fig
Limón Lemon or lime
Manzana Apple
Maracuyá Passion fruit
Melocotón/durazno Peach
Mora Blackberry
Naranja Orange
Pera Pear
Piña Pineapple
Plátano Plantain
Pomelo/toronja Grapefruit
Sandía Watermelon
Vegetables (legumbres/verduras)
Aguacate Avocado
Alcachofa Artichoke
Cebolla Onion
Champiñón Mushroom
Choclo Maize/sweetcorn
Coliflor Cauliflower
Espinaca Spinach
Frijoles Beans
Guisantes/arvejas Peas
Hongo Mushroom
Lechuga Lettuce
Lentejas Lentil
Menestra Bean/lentil stew
Palmito Palm heart
Patata Potato
Papas fritas French fries
Pepinillo Gherkin
Pepino Cucumber
Tomate Tomato
Zanahoria Carrot
Meat (carne) and poultry (aves)
Carne de chancho Pork
Cerdo Pork
Chicharrones Pork scratchings, crackling
Chuleta Pork chop
Churrasco Grilled meat with sides
Conejo Rabbit
Cordero Lamb
Cuero Pork crackling
Cuy Guinea pig
Jamón Ham
Lechón Suckling pig
Lomo Steak
Pato Duck
Pavo Turkey
Pollo Chicken
Res Beef
Ternera Veal
Tocino Bacon
Venado Venison
Offal (menudos)
Chunchules Intestines
Guatita Tripe
Hígado Liver
Lengua Tongue
Mondongo Tripe
Patas Trotters
Shellfish (mariscos) and fish (pescado)
Anchoa Anchovy
Atún Tuna
Calamares Squid
Camarón Prawn
Cangrejo Crab
Ceviche Seafood marinated in lime juice with onions
Corvina Sea bass
Erizo Sea urchin
Langosta Lobster
Langostina King prawn
Lenguado Sole
Mejillón Mussel
Ostra Oyster
Trucha Trout
Cooking terms
A la parrilla Barbecued
A la plancha Lightly fried
Ahumado Smoked
Al ajillo In garlic sauce
Al horno Oven-baked
Al vapor Steamed
Apanado Breaded
Asado Roast
Asado al palo Spit roast
Crudo Raw
Duro Hard boiled
Encebollado Cooked with onions
Encocado In coconut sauce
Frito Fried
Picant Spicy hot
Puré Mashed
Revuelto Scrambled
Saltado Sautéed
Secado Dried
Drinks (bebidas)
Agua (mineral) Mineral water
Con gas Sparkling
Sin gas Still
Sin hielo Without ice
Aguardiente Sugar-cane spirit
Aromática Herbal tea
Manzanilla Camomile
Menta Mint
Batido Milkshake
Café (con leche) Coffee (with milk)
Caipirinha Cocktail of rum, lime, sugar and ice
Cerveza Beer
Chicha Fermented corn drink
Gaseosa Fizzy drink
Jugo Juice
Leche Milk
Limonada Fresh lemonade
Mate de coca Coca leaf tea
Ron Rum
Té Tea
Vino blanco White wine
Vino tinto Red wine
Yerba (hierba) mate Herbal infusion with mate
Food glossary
Aceite Oil
Ají Chilli
Ajo Garlic
Arroz Rice
Azúcar Sugar
Galletas Biscuits
Hielo Ice
Huevos Eggs
Mantequilla Butter
Mermeleda Jam
Miel Honey
Mixto Mixed seafood/meats
Mostaza Mustard
Pan (integral) Bread (wholemeal)
Pimienta Pepper
Queso Cheese
Sal Salt
Salsa de tomate Tomato sauce
Soups
Caldosa Broth
Caldo de gallina Chicken broth
Caldo de patas Cattle-hoof broth
Crema de espárragos Cream of asparagus
Locro Cheese and potato soup
Sopa de bolas de verde Plantain dumpling soup
Sopa del día Soup of the day
Yaguarlocro Blood sausage (black pudding) soup
Snacks (bocadillos)
Bolón de verde Baked cheese and potato dumpling
Chifles Banana chips/crisps
Empanada Cheese/meat pasty
Hamburguesa Hamburger
Humitas Ground corn and cheese
Omelet Omelette
Palomitas Popcorn
Patacones Thick-cut dried banana/ plantain
Salchipapas Sausage, fries and sauces
Sanwiche Sandwich
Tamale Ground maize with meat/ cheese wrapped in leaf
Tortilla de huevos Firm omelette
Tostada Toast
Tostado Toasted maize
Dessert (postres)
Cocados Coconut candy
Ensalada de frutas Fruit salad
Flan Crème caramel
Helado Ice cream
Manjar de leche Very sweet caramel made from condensed milk
Pastas Pastries
Pastel Cake
Torta Tart