Getting Ready to Go There

Essential Vocabulary

Learn key Spanish vocabulary related to travel, such as words for airport, ticket, suitcase, passport, etc. For example: Aeropuerto, Billete, Maleta, Pasaporte.
Understand how to use numbers in Spanish. This will be important for discussing travel times, buying tickets, and understanding opening hours. For example, “El museo abre a las nueve y cierra a las cinco.” (The museum opens at nine and closes at five.)
Learn how to express and understand dates in Spanish. This will help with booking tickets and making and understanding reservations. Remember that in Spanish-speaking regions, it’s common to express the day before the month.
Familiarize yourself with modes of transportation and related phrases, such as tren (train), autobús (bus), metro (subway/metro), bici (bike), a pie (by foot) and coche (car).

Practice useful travel- and tourism-related phrases, questions and answers. This might include asking for directions, confirming a hotel reservation, ordering food or asking about local attractions. For example:
- “¿Dónde está el aeropuerto?” (Where is the airport?)
- “Tengo una reserva en este hotel.” (I have a reservation at this hotel.)
- “¿Se puede llegar a pie a la playa?” (Can one walk to the beach?)
Practice giving and understanding directions in Spanish. Some key words may include: a la derecha (to the right), a la izquierda (to the left), todo recto (straight ahead), cerca de (near), and lejos de (far from).

Review cultural customs and etiquette information about the Spanish-speaking location you could potentially visit. This might involve when to eat meals, tipping, and any special social customs. For example, in Spain, it’s customary to greet friends with a kiss on each cheek.