Barcelona Vibe

Spanish & Catalan phrasebook for travellers

The words and phrases you really need on a trip to Barcelona, in Spanish and Catalan, each with a simple romanization for easy pronunciation.

Local Catalan

  • Hello / hi

    Hola

    OH-lah

  • Good morning

    Bon dia

    bohn DEE-ah

  • Good afternoon

    Bona tarda

    BOH-nah TAR-dah

  • Thank you

    Gràcies

    GRAH-see-uhs

  • Please

    Si us plau

    see oos PLOW

  • Goodbye

    Adéu

    ah-DEW

  • Very tasty

    Molt bo

    mohlt BOH

  • Cheers

    Salut

    sah-LOOT

Greetings & basics

  • Hello / hi

    Hola

    OH-lah

  • Good morning

    Buenos días

    BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs

  • Good afternoon

    Buenas tardes

    BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs

  • Good night

    Buenas noches

    BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs

  • Thank you

    Gracias

    GRAH-see-ahs

  • Thank you very much

    Muchas gracias

    MOO-chahs GRAH-see-ahs

  • You are welcome

    De nada

    deh NAH-dah

  • Please

    Por favor

    pohr fah-VOR

  • Yes

    Sí

    see

  • No

    No

    noh

  • Excuse me / sorry

    Perdón

    pehr-DOHN

  • Goodbye

    Adiós

    ah-DYOHS

  • Do you speak English?

    ¿Habla inglés?

    AH-blah een-GLEHS

  • I do not understand

    No entiendo

    noh ehn-TYEHN-doh

Food & tapas

  • The menu, please

    La carta, por favor

    lah KAR-tah, pohr fah-VOR

  • The bill, please

    La cuenta, por favor

    lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-VOR

  • Water

    Agua

    AH-gwah

  • It is very tasty

    Está muy rico

    ehs-TAH mwee REE-koh

  • One tapa, please

    Una tapa, por favor

    OO-nah TAH-pah, pohr fah-VOR

  • A coffee

    Un café

    oon kah-FEH

  • A small draft beer

    Una caña

    OO-nah KAH-nyah

  • Red wine

    Vino tinto

    BEE-noh TEEN-toh

  • I am vegetarian

    Soy vegetariano

    soy beh-heh-tah-RYAH-noh

  • No meat, please

    Sin carne, por favor

    seen KAR-neh, pohr fah-VOR

Transport & getting around

  • Where is...?

    ¿Dónde está...?

    DOHN-deh ehs-TAH

  • To the left

    A la izquierda

    ah lah ees-KYEHR-dah

  • To the right

    A la derecha

    ah lah deh-REH-chah

  • Straight ahead

    Todo recto

    TOH-doh REHK-toh

  • Is it far?

    ¿Está lejos?

    ehs-TAH LEH-hohs

  • The metro station

    La estación de metro

    lah ehs-tah-SYOHN deh MEH-troh

  • Stop here, please

    Pare aquí, por favor

    PAH-reh ah-KEE, pohr fah-VOR

Shopping & money

  • How much is it?

    ¿Cuánto cuesta?

    KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah

  • Too expensive

    Es muy caro

    ehs mwee KAH-roh

  • Can I pay by card?

    ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

    PWEH-doh pah-GAR kohn tar-HEH-tah

  • I am just looking

    Solo estoy mirando

    SOH-loh ehs-TOY mee-RAHN-doh

  • I will take it

    Me lo llevo

    meh loh YEH-boh

Emergencies & help

  • Help!

    ¡Ayuda!

    ah-YOO-dah

  • Call a doctor

    Llame a un médico

    YAH-meh ah oon MEH-dee-koh

  • Hospital

    El hospital

    ehl ohs-pee-TAHL

  • Pharmacy

    La farmacia

    lah far-MAH-see-ah

  • The police

    La policía

    lah poh-lee-SEE-ah

  • I lost my passport

    He perdido el pasaporte

    eh pehr-DEE-doh ehl pah-sah-POR-teh

  • I need help

    Necesito ayuda

    neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah

Common questions

Do they speak Spanish or Catalan in Barcelona?

Both are official languages in Barcelona. Catalan is the local language and the pride of the region, but everyone also understands and speaks Spanish, so with Spanish you will get by everywhere. Opening in Catalan, "Bon dia" (bohn DEE-ah), is always met with a smile.

How do you say thank you in Barcelona?

In Spanish it is "Gracias" (GRAH-see-ahs) and in Catalan "Gracies" (GRAH-see-uhs). Both work, and the Catalan adds a local touch. This phrasebook gives you both languages with a simple romanization for pronunciation.

Do you need to speak the language to travel in Barcelona?

Not at all. In the tourist areas people speak good English. But a few basic words, especially "thank you", "please" and "the bill, please", make all the difference and are warmly received. This phrasebook gives you the basics in Spanish and Catalan.