Everyday language survival
Helps you get by in everyday Spanish from day one.
Get by in everyday Spanish from day one: how much you need by stage, how Spanish sounds in Spain, ready scripts for errands and home life, and what to do when you do not understand.
- topics
- 7
- articles
- 48
- of reading
- 4.5 hours
Begin with
Survival Spanish by stage
You will know the realistic Spanish floor for your situation and stage, and where English will and will not carry you in Spain.
How much Spanish you need before you arrive in Spain · What to say on your first day in Spain · The Spanish phrases that carry your first week
More in everyday language survival
6 more topics in this section, about 4.5 hours of reading in all.
How Spanish sounds in Spain
You will understand why Spanish in Spain sounds different from course Spanish and how to follow and adapt to everyday speech.
How Spanish in Spain differs from most course Spanish · The z and c sounds in Spain (theta, ceceo and seseo) · Why accents in Andalusia, the Canaries and Madrid sound so different
Greetings, small talk and politeness
You will greet, address and chat with people in Spain without sounding stiff, rude or lost.
Greeting people in Spain, including the two-kiss greeting (dos besos) · Introducing yourself and making small talk in Spanish · Why Spaniards sound direct and how polite you need to be
Eating, shopping and transport scripts
You will know what to say, and what you will be asked, in the most frequent paid errands of daily life in Spain.
Ordering at a Spanish bar or café · Eating at a restaurant, from set menu (menú del día) to bill · Shopping at the supermarket, market and food counters
Home, services and phone scripts
You will be able to describe a problem, arrange a visit or make a call in Spanish and understand what was agreed.
Making phone calls to Spanish businesses when you are not fluent · Telling your landlord or agent that something is broken · Booking a repair visit and agreeing the price
When you do not understand
You will have practical ways to recover when Spanish gets too fast, too unfamiliar or too important to guess.
What to say when you do not understand · Following fast Spanish in bars, groups and on the phone · Using translation apps in conversation, and where they fail
Numbers, signs and messages
You will read and say the details that break bookings and deliveries when they go wrong, and use written Spanish as an advantage.
Numbers, prices, times and dates as Spaniards say them · Reading and giving Spanish addresses and directions · Spelling your name and email aloud in Spanish
Other sections in Language and integration
Regional and co-official languages
Helps you work out how much a regional language matters where you live.
Administrative, healthcare, and school language
Helps you communicate safely when a misunderstanding has real consequences.
Language learning strategy
Helps you plan how to learn Spanish to the level you need.
Friendship, community, and belonging
Helps you build friendships and a local social life.
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.