Easy Learning Spanish Conversation

Will it be all right…?

¿Qué te parece si cenamos a las nueve?Will it be all right if we have dinner at nine?¿Qué te parece si te llamo la semana que viene?Will it be all right if I phone you next week?¿Qué os parece si nos vemos más tarde?How about meeting up later?

To ask somebody if they would prefer you to do something, use prefieres or prefiere (depending on whether you speak to them as tú or usted) with que and the verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.

Would you rather…?

¿Prefieres que quedemos en el centro?Would you rather we met in town?¿Prefieres que quedemos otro día?Would you rather we met another time?¿Prefieres que pase a recogerte?Would you rather I came to collect you?

Would it be better to…?

¿Es mejor invitar también a las parejas?Would it be better to invite partners as well?¿Es mejor avisarte antes de pasar por allí?Would it be better to let you know before dropping in?¿Es mejor llamarte por la noche?Is it better to ring you in the evening?

Are we agreed…?

¿Estamos de acuerdo sobre la fecha?Are we agreed on the date?¿Estamos de acuerdo en dónde nos encontraremos?Are we agreed on where to meet?¡De acuerdo!Agreed!

¿LO SABÍAS?

¡Vale! is used to accept or to agree: ¿Vamos juntos? – ¡Vale! (Shall we go together? – OK!).

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can use tengo que (I have to) followed by the infinitive.

I have to…

Tengo que hacer una llamada.I have to make a phone call.Esta noche tengo que quedarme en casa.I have to stay in tonight.Tenemos que estar allí a las ocho en punto.We have to be there at eight o’ clock sharp.

To say that you have to do something in Spanish, you can also use debo (I must) and then the infinitive. debo comes from the verb deber. For more information on deber, see here.

I must…

Esta noche debo irme temprano.I must leave early tonight.Debo decirle que no puedo ir.I must tell her that I can’t come.No debes llegar tarde.You mustn’t be late.

To say that you should do something, use debería (I should) and then the infinitive.

I should…

Debería llamar a Ana.I should call Ana.Debería irme ya.I should be going now.Deberías venir a visitarnos.You should come and visit us.

¿LO SABÍAS?

As you’ll see in the first example above, in Spanish you say llamar a alguien for to call somebody. For more on this use of a, see here.

LISTEN OUT FOR

These are some of the questions you are likely to be asked by people you meet, and some of the comments they might make.

¿Es la primera vez que vienes a España?Is this the first time that you’ve been to Spain?¿Cuánto tiempo hace que estudias español?How long have you been learning Spanish?¿Te estás enterando de la conversación?Are you following the conversation?Habla usted muy bien español.Your Spanish is very good.¿Hablo demasiado rápido?Am I speaking too fast?¿Prefiere que hable en inglés?Would you prefer it if I spoke English?¿Quiere que repita lo que he dicho?Shall I repeat what I said?¿Quiere que hable más despacio?Do you want me to speak more slowly?Me puedes tutear.You can call me tú.¿Nos tuteamos?Shall we call each other tú?¿Cuánto tiempo vas a estar en Madrid?How long are you staying in Madrid?¿Te gusta Sevilla?How do you like Seville?¿Vienes por aquí a menudo?Do you come here often?¿Estás aquí con amigos?Are you here with friends?¿Estás casado?Are you married?

Lifestyle Tips

• When you want to talk to people that you either don’t know at all, or don’t know very well, the way to say you is usted. Nowadays, younger people in Spain tend not to use usted in this way, however it is always still used in Latin America.

• People who work together every day usually say tú to each other, but it’s always safer to wait a little before taking that step, especially with older or more senior colleagues. Many people don’t like to be called usted, because they think it’s too formal. They will usually suggest you call them tú by saying: puedes tutearme (you can call me tú) or nos podemos tutear (we can call each other tú). If you think that the other person will be more comfortable using the tú form, you can make the first move and ask: ¿Nos tuteamos? (Shall we call each other tú?).

• When meeting someone socially for the first time, you usually shake hands – darse la mano – if it’s a man, or kiss if it’s a woman. In business and formal situations, everybody would shake hands.

• Men who are on friendly terms usually shake hands or pat each other on the back, while women kiss - darse un beso. Men also kiss female friends and in some cases other men, for instance when they belong to the same family. Spanish people usually kiss twice, once on each cheek.

• If you hear someone talking about their pareja (partner), remember that, although it’s a feminine noun, it is used for both men and women.

Getting there

¡Buen viaje! – Have a good trip!

Whether you’re hitting the road, boarding a train, catching a plane or heading for the high seas, this unit will help you check out the timetables and find the best routes using natural, confident Spanish.

TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS

In English we use I’m going to to talk about where we’re going and what we’re going to do. It’s just the same in Spanish. You use voy a (I’m going to) before the name of a place or before another verb.

I’m going to…

La semana que viene voy a Segovia.I’m going to Segovia next week.Voy a pasar un día en Pamplona.I’m going to spend a day in Pamplona.Primero vamos a Madrid.First, we’re going to Madrid.Luego vamos a Vigo.Then we’re going to Vigo.Vamos a coger el tren de las siete.We’re going to get the seven o’clock train.

If you want to say what you’re planning to do on your travels, you can use tengo la intención de (I’m planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener (to have). For more information on tener, see here.

I’m planning to…

Tengo la intención de ir a Málaga.I’m planning to go to Málaga.Tengo la intención de alquilar un coche.I’m planning to hire a car.Tenemos la intención de ir por la costa.We’re planning to travel along the coast.

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

To talk about things that you want to do, use quiero (I want) followed by the infinitive. quiero comes from the verb querer (to want). For more information on querer, see here.

I want to…

Quiero hacer varias excursiones.I want to go on several trips.Quiero ver el Museo Guggenheim.I’d like to see the Guggenheim Museum.Queremos conducir los dos.Both of us want to be able to drive.

If you want to say what you feel like doing, you can use tengo ganas de (I feel like) followed by an infinitive.

I feel like…

Tengo ganas de parar en Cuenca para dar una vuelta.I feel like stopping in Cuenca to have a look around.Tengo ganas de hacer una parada.I feel like stopping for a bit.

When you want to explain what you’re hoping to do, use espero (I’m hoping) followed by an infinitive.

I’m hoping to…

Espero llegar allí en unas tres horas.I’m hoping to be there in about three hours.Espero llegar allí antes de que se haga de noche.I’m hoping to get there before nightfall.Espero visitar el monasterio.I’m hoping to visit the monastery.Esperamos ir a ver Montserrat.We’re hoping to go and see Montserrat.

When discussing your travel plans, you may want to say what you’d like to do. To do this you can use me gustaría (I’d like) followed by a verb in the infinitive.

I’d like to…

Me gustaría ver Madrid.I’d like to see Madrid.Me gustaría alquilar un quad.I’d like to hire a quad bike.Nos gustaría asistir a la feria del vino.We’d like to go to the wine fair.

When planning your trip, of course you won’t just want to say what you like and what you’d like to do, you’ll want to say what you’d rather do. Use prefiero (I prefer or I’d rather) or preferiría (I’d prefer or I’d rather) to talk about your preferences.

I’d rather…

Prefiero ir a pie.I’d rather walk.Prefiero viajar en tren.I prefer travelling by train.Yo preferiría ir en autobús.I’d prefer to go by bus.Nosotros preferiríamos quedarnos en casa.We’d rather stay at home.

MAKING SUGGESTIONS

To make suggestions about what you could do, use podríamos (we could) and podemos (we can). They are both from the verb poder (to be able). For more information on poder, see here.

We could…

Podríamos ir mañana.We could go tomorrow.Podríamos ir en el AVE.We could take the high-speed train.Si lo prefieres, podríamos ir andando.We could walk there, if you prefer.Si quieres, podemos coger un taxi.We can take a taxi if you like.

You can also make a suggestion in the same way as English, simply by asking ¿Por qué no…? (Why don’t…?).

Why don’t…?

¿Por qué no preguntamos por coches de alquiler?Why don’t we ask about hiring a car?¿Por qué no cogemos el metro?Why don’t we take the metro?¿Por qué no coges un taxi?Why don’t you get a taxi?

How about…?

¿Qué te parece si nos vamos a Toledo?How about going to Toledo?¿Qué te parece si alquilamos una furgoneta?How about hiring a van?¿Qué te parece si vamos por la autopista?How about taking the motorway?

To find out what someone wants to do, you can ask ¿Te gustaría…? (Would you like…?) or ¿Te apetece…? (Do you fancy…?) followed by an infinitive.

Would you like…?

¿Te gustaría ir a Cuenca?Would you like to go to Cuenca?¿Te gustaría coger un taxi?Would you like to get a taxi?¿Te apetece ir a la playa?Do you fancy going to the beach?¿Te apetece dar un paseo?Do you fancy going for a walk?

To say Let’s…!, you can use ¡Vamos a…! and the infinitive form of the verb.

Let’s…!

¡Vamos a aparcar allí!Let’s park there!¡Vamos a coger el ascensor!Let’s take the lift!¡Vamos a subir hasta arriba en el teleférico!Let’s go up to the top by cable car!

To offer to do something, you can just use the present tense of the verb. You can also use voy a (I’m going to) and vamos a (we’re going to) and the infinitive.

I’ll…

Yo compro los billetes.I’ll buy the tickets.Llamo a un taxi.I’ll call a taxi.Yo te llevo a la estación.I’ll take you to the station.Yo voy a buscarte al aeropuerto.I’ll come and pick you up at the airport.Nosotros te vamos a buscar a la estación.We’ll pick you up at the railway station.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION

When travelling around in an unfamiliar place, you’re quite likely to have to ask for directions or advice. Use perdone (excuse me) or perdone, por favor (excuse me, please) to attract someone’s attention before asking them a question.

How do I get to…?

Perdone, por favor, ¿cómo se llega al centro?Excuse me, how do I get to the city centre?¿Cómo se llega a la estación de tren?How do we get to the railway station?¿Para ir al Museo Picasso, por favor?How do I get to the Picasso Museum, please?¿Para ir a la estación de autobuses es por aquí?Is it this way to the bus station?Perdone, ¿por dónde se va a Segovia?Excuse me, which way do I go for Segovia?

Am I going…?

¿Voy bien para el aeropuerto?Am I going the right way for the airport?¿Vamos bien para la autopista?Are we going the right way for the motorway?¿Va usted al aeropuerto?Do you go to the airport?¿Para usted en la plaza de España?Do you stop in the plaza de España?

Where is…?

Perdone, ¿dónde está la consigna?Excuse me, where’s the left luggage office?Por favor, ¿dónde está la parada de taxis más cercana?Where’s the nearest taxi rank, please?¿Dónde están los servicios?Where are the toilets?¿Sabe usted de dónde salen los autobuses a Torrejón?Do you know where the buses to Torrejón leave from?Perdone, ¿dónde se compran los billetes, por favor?Excuse me, where do I buy a ticket, please?

To ask which bus, which platform, which line, and so on, you use ¿Qué…? followed by a noun.

Which…?

¿Qué línea tengo que coger?Which line do I need to take?¿De qué vía sale el tren a Vilanova?Which platform does the train for Vilanova leave from?¿Qué autobuses van al centro?Which buses go to the centre of town?

You may need to find out what time something is due to happen at or what time your bus, train or flight is scheduled to go. To do this, you can use ¿A qué hora…? (What time…?).

What time…?

¿A qué hora embarcamos?What time are we boarding?¿A qué hora empieza el metro?What time does the underground open?¿A qué hora llegamos a Valencia?What time do we get to Valencia?¿A qué hora sale el siguiente vuelo para Madrid?What time’s the next flight for Madrid?¿A qué hora sale el primer tren de la mañana para Tarragona?What time’s the first train in the morning to Tarragona?

On your travels, you may also need to find out if something is available in a particular area. Just use the same Spanish word, ¿Hay…? to ask Is there…? and Are there…?.

Is there…?

¿Hay una gasolinera por aquí cerca?Is there a petrol station near here?¿Hay una parada de metro por aquí?Is there an underground station near here?¿Hay descuentos para estudiantes?Is there a student discount?¿Hay servicios en la estación de tren?Are there any toilets at the train station?¿Hay tren directo hasta Barcelona?Is there a direct train to Barcelona?

Don’t forget that there are two verbs which both mean to be in Spanish – ser and estar. For information on when to use them, see here.

Is it…?

¿Está lejos?Is it far?¿Está cerca de aquí?Is it near here?¿Está en el centro de la ciudad?Is it in the town centre?¿Está ocupado este asiento?Is this seat free?¿Está incluido el seguro?Is the insurance included?¿Es ésta la parada para el museo?Is this the right stop for the museum?Perdone, ¿es éste el tren que va a Toledo?Excuse me, is this the train for Toledo?

To ask how much something is, use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? or ¿Cuánto vale…? (How much is…?) with a singular noun and ¿Cuánto cuestan…? or ¿Cuánto valen…? (How much are…?) with a plural noun.

How much is…?

¿Cuánto cuesta un billete a Madrid?How much is a ticket to Madrid?¿Cuánto cuesta dejar una maleta en consigna?How much does it cost to leave a case in left luggage?¿Cuánto vale el vuelo?How much is the flight?¿Cuánto cuestan las tarjetas de diez viajes?How much are cards that are valid for ten journeys?¿Cuánto costaría alquilar un coche dos días?How much would it cost to hire a car for two days?¿Cuánto me cobraría por llevarme a Tarragona?How much would you charge to take me to Tarragona?

How long…?

¿Cuánto se tarda en llegar a Figueres?How long does it take to get to Figueres?¿Sabe cuánto se tarda de León a Madrid?Do you know how long it takes from León to Madrid?¿Cuánto tardaremos en llegar allí?How long will it take us to get there?¿Cuánto dura el viaje?How long is the journey?

When travelling, you’re very likely to want to ask about how often buses, trains and so on run. To do this you can use ¿Cada cuánto tiempo…? (How often…?) with a verb in the present tense.

How often…?

¿Cada cuánto tiempo pasa el autobús a Sitges?How often does the bus to Sitges run?¿Cada cuánto tiempo hay vuelos a Londres?How often is there a flight to London?¿Cada cuánto tiempo sale un tren para Vilafranca?How often is there a train to Vilafranca?

To find out if something’s available, whether you’re asking an assistant about car hire, timetables, or seating, you’ll need to use the question ¿Tienen…? (Do you have…?). It’s from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.

Do you have…?

¿Tienen monovolúmenes de alquiler?Do you have people carriers for hire?¿Tienen coches más pequeños?Do you have any smaller cars?¿Tienen horarios de trenes?Do you have train timetables?¿Le quedan asientos de pasillo?Have you got any aisle seats left?

ASKING FOR THINGS

Just as in English we can ask for something by saying a…, please, in Spanish you can say un…, por favor or una…, por favor, depending whether the thing you’re asking for is masculine or feminine. Alternatively, another very natural way to ask for things is using ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).

Can I have…?

Un billete sencillo, por favor.A single, please.Tres billetes de ida y vuelta a Cáceres, por favor.Three returns to Cáceres, please.¿Me da un mapa del metro?Can I have a map of the underground, please?¿Me da un horario de trenes?Can I have a train timetable, please?¿Me da un billete de ida y vuelta a Madrid?Can I have a return to Madrid?

To say what you’d like or what you want, you can use either quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They come from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here.