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PhrasebookThe first minute

SPANISH TO SAY · CATALAN TO READ

The first minute

Opening a conversation, rescuing one that has stopped working, and what to do when somebody answers you in Catalan.

Search the phrases, translations and pronunciation notes on this page.

The first minute phrases

Fifteen sentences

CAPITALS = the loud syllable · th as in “think” · kh in the throat · b for v

  1. Perdone.per-DO-neExcuse me.

  2. No entiendo.no en-TYEN-doI don’t understand.

  3. ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?PWE-de a-BLAR mas des-PA-thyo, por fa-BORCan you speak more slowly, please?

  4. ¿Me lo puede escribir, por favor?me lo PWE-de es-kri-BIR, por fa-BORCan you write it down for me, please?

  5. ¿Puede repetir, por favor?PWE-de rre-pe-TIR, por fa-BORCan you repeat that, please?

  6. ¿Habla inglés?A-bla in-GLESDo you speak English?

  7. ¿Podemos hablar en castellano?po-DE-mos a-BLAR en kas-te-YA-noCan we speak Spanish?

  8. ¿Me puede ayudar, por favor?me PWE-de a-yu-DAR, por fa-BORCan you help me, please?

  9. ¿Cuánto es en total?KWAN-to es en to-TALHow much is it altogether?

  10. ¿Qué documentos tengo que traer?ke do-ku-MEN-tos TEN-go ke tra-ERWhat documents do I have to bring?

  11. ¿Cuánto tarda?KWAN-to TAR-daHow long does it take?

  12. ¿Dónde tengo que ir ahora?DON-de TEN-go ke ir a-O-raWhere do I have to go now?

  13. Perdone, pero a mí me dijeron otra cosa.per-DO-ne, PE-ro a mi me di-KHE-ron O-tra KO-saExcuse me, but I was told something different.

  14. Si no puede ser, ¿qué tengo que hacer ahora?si no PWE-de ser, ke TEN-go ke a-THER a-O-raIf it can’t be done, what do I have to do now?

  15. Muchas gracias, muy amable.MU-chas GRA-thyas, mwi a-MA-bleThank you very much, that’s very kind.

Reading the pronunciation: CAPITALS are the loud syllable. th = tongue between the teeth, like English “think”. kh = scraped in the throat. b where you see a v. h is silent. Vowels exactly as in Tagalog.

If you only ever learn four: numbers 1, 2, 4 and 14. They open the conversation, stop it going wrong, capture what was said, and find out what happens next. Everything else is detail.

WORDS YOU SAY

The survival card

Fifteen sentences, in the order you will need them. Screenshot this page, or tap play and say each one after the voice until it feels ordinary in your mouth.

  1. Perdone.

    Excuse me.

    Say it like: per-DO-ne

  2. No entiendo.

    I don't understand.

    Say it like: no en-TYEN-do

  3. ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?

    Can you speak more slowly, please?

    Say it like: PWE-de a-BLAR mas des-PA-thyo, por fa-BOR

  4. ¿Me lo puede escribir, por favor?

    Can you write it down for me, please?

    Say it like: me lo PWE-de es-kri-BIR, por fa-BOR

  5. ¿Puede repetir, por favor?

    Can you repeat that, please?

    Say it like: PWE-de rre-pe-TIR, por fa-BOR

  6. ¿Habla inglés?

    Do you speak English?

    Say it like: A-bla in-GLES

  7. ¿Podemos hablar en castellano?

    Can we speak Spanish?

    Say it like: po-DE-mos a-BLAR en kas-te-YA-no

  8. ¿Me puede ayudar, por favor?

    Can you help me, please?

    Say it like: me PWE-de a-yu-DAR, por fa-BOR

  9. ¿Cuánto es en total?

    How much is it altogether?

    Say it like: KWAN-to es en to-TAL

  10. ¿Qué documentos tengo que traer?

    What documents do I have to bring?

    Say it like: ke do-ku-MEN-tos TEN-go ke tra-ER

  11. ¿Cuánto tarda?

    How long does it take?

    Say it like: KWAN-to TAR-da

  12. ¿Dónde tengo que ir ahora?

    Where do I have to go now?

    Say it like: DON-de TEN-go ke ir a-O-ra

  13. Perdone, pero a mí me dijeron otra cosa.

    Excuse me, but I was told something different.

    Say it like: per-DO-ne, PE-ro a mi me di-KHE-ron O-tra KO-sa

  14. Si no puede ser, ¿qué tengo que hacer ahora?

    If it can't be done, what do I have to do now?

    Say it like: si no PWE-de ser, ke TEN-go ke a-THER a-O-ra

  15. Muchas gracias, muy amable.

    Thank you very much, that's very kind.

    Say it like: MU-chas GRA-thyas, mwi a-MA-ble

WORDS YOU SAY

Greetings and getting someone’s attention

Greetings sorted by time of day, then the words that get someone’s attention before you ask for anything.

  1. Buenos días.

    Good morning. (from waking until about 2pm)

    Say it like: BWE-nos DI-as

  2. Buenas tardes.

    Good afternoon / good evening. (after lunch until dark)

    Say it like: BWE-nas TAR-des

  3. Buenas noches.

    Good evening / good night. (after dark)

    Say it like: BWE-nas NO-ches

  4. Hola, buenos días.

    Hello, good morning.

    Say it like: O-la, BWE-nos DI-as

  5. Buenas.

    Hi. (short, works at any hour, very common)

    Say it like: BWE-nas

  6. Disculpe.

    Excuse me. (slightly more formal, same job)

    Say it like: dis-KUL-pe

  7. Perdone, ¿me puede ayudar?

    Excuse me, can you help me?

    Say it like: per-DO-ne, me PWE-de a-yu-DAR

  8. Disculpe, ¿tiene un momento?

    Excuse me, do you have a moment?

    Say it like: dis-KUL-pe, TYE-ne un mo-MEN-to

  9. Perdone que le moleste.

    Sorry to bother you.

    Say it like: per-DO-ne ke le mo-LES-te

WORDS YOU SAY

Please, thank you, sorry — and closing a conversation

Please, thank you and sorry, then how to close a conversation and leave.

  1. Por favor.

    Please.

    Say it like: por fa-BOR

  2. Gracias.

    Thank you.

    Say it like: GRA-thyas

  3. Muchas gracias.

    Thank you very much.

    Say it like: MU-chas GRA-thyas

  4. Gracias por su ayuda.

    Thank you for your help.

    Say it like: GRA-thyas por su a-YU-da

  5. Muy amable.

    That’s very kind of you. (say it after gracias; it lands well in Spain)

    Say it like: mwi a-MA-ble

  6. De nada.

    You’re welcome.

    Say it like: de NA-da

  7. Perdón.

    Sorry. (bumping into someone, squeezing past)

    Say it like: per-DON

  8. Lo siento.

    I’m sorry. (for something that mattered)

    Say it like: lo SYEN-to

  9. Hasta luego.

    Goodbye. (the normal one — used even with strangers)

    Say it like: AS-ta LWE-go

  10. Que vaya bien.

    Have a good one. (very common in Barcelona)

    Say it like: ke BA-ya byen

  11. Muchas gracias, hasta luego.

    Thank you very much, goodbye.

    Say it like: MU-chas GRA-thyas, AS-ta LWE-go

  12. Adiós.

    Goodbye. (a little more final)

    Say it like: a-DYOS

  13. Vale, gracias.

    OK, thanks.

    Say it like: BA-le, GRA-thyas

WORDS YOU SAY

When you’re still stuck

Memorise these before anything else on this page. They do not answer a question — they rescue a conversation that has stopped working. Any one of them buys you the time to understand.

  1. ¿Cómo se dice … en español?

    How do you say … in Spanish?

    Say it like: KO-mo se DI-the … en es-pa-NYOL

  2. ¿Cómo dice?

    Sorry, what? (when you missed it entirely)

    Say it like: KO-mo DI-the

  3. Un momento, por favor.

    One moment, please.

    Say it like: un mo-MEN-to, por fa-BOR

  4. Estoy aprendiendo español.

    I’m learning Spanish. (this makes people slow down)

    Say it like: es-TOY a-pren-DYEN-do es-pa-NYOL

  5. Más despacio, por favor.

    More slowly, please.

    Say it like: mas des-PA-thyo, por fa-BOR

  6. No hablo bien español, pero entiendo un poco.

    I don’t speak Spanish well, but I understand a little.

    Say it like: no A-blo byen es-pa-NYOL, PEH-ro en-TYEN-do oon PO-ko

  7. ¿Me lo puede enseñar?

    Can you show me?

    Say it like: meh lo PWEH-deh en-seh-NYAR

WORDS YOU SAY

Spanish in Barcelona, specifically

People will often open in Catalan. This is not a test and it is not aimed at you. It is simply the language they reached for first. Answering in Spanish is completely normal and completely polite. Almost everyone switches instantly, without comment.

  1. Perdone, no hablo catalán. ¿En castellano, por favor?

    Sorry, I don’t speak Catalan. In Spanish, please?

    Say it like: …no A-blo ka-ta-LAN. en kas-te-YA-no, por fa-BOR

  2. ¿Me lo puede decir en castellano?

    Can you say that to me in Spanish?

    Say it like: me lo PWE-de de-THIR en kas-te-YA-no

  3. Lo entiendo un poco, pero no lo hablo.

    I understand a bit, but I don’t speak it.

    Say it like: lo en-TYEN-do un PO-ko, PE-ro no lo A-blo

  4. Perdone, no le entiendo. ¿En castellano, por favor?

    Sorry, I don’t understand you. In Spanish, please?

  5. Bon dia.

    Good day.

  6. Digui'm.

    Tell me. (how a shop or counter often opens)

  7. Què vols?

    What do you want?

  8. Sí, claro.

    Yes, of course.

  9. Sin problema.

    No problem.

  10. Perdona, no me había dado cuenta.

    Sorry, I hadn’t noticed.

3 sources · checked September 2026
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Ask Juan The first minute · Catalan & Spanish phrasebook