Easy Learning Spanish Conversation

SAYING WHAT YOU WANT (#ulink_b2de28b8-79d9-59c0-b9b7-506cacf88adf)

When looking for somewhere to stay, for instance in the local tourist office, you’ll want to specify the type of accommodation you’re looking for. The way to say this is busco (I’m looking for), from the verb buscar.

I’m looking for…

I need…

To say what kind of room you’d like, how long you want to stay and so forth, you can use quiero or quisiera (I’d like). They are both from the verb querer. For more information on querer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I’d like…

¿LO SABÍAS?

As in the first example above, when saying how long you’ll need your room for, you use para.

ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_6c5e3563-4b60-5e1a-8041-d574ad2a825e)

Before choosing your accommodation, you’ll want to find out some basic information by asking Is it near?, Is it expensive? and so forth. Don’t forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. You use ser to talk about how things are permanently and estar to talk about temporary states and where things are located. For more information on these two verbs, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Is it…?

The way to ask what something is like in Spanish is to use ¿Cómo…? (How…?) and the verb ser.

What’s it like…?

You can use ¿Cuánto cuesta…? (How much is…?) to ask the price of something.

How much is…?

When deciding where to stay, you’ll need to find out what facilities are on offer. Remember that asking Is there…? and Are there…? in Spanish couldn’t be easier. The word ¿Hay…? covers them both.

Is there…?

Once you’re in your accommodation one of the first things you’ll need to do is find out where things are. Remember that when you use ¿Dónde…? (Where…?), estar is the verb you generally use with it.

Where’s…?

What’s…?

How…?

To find out what time services are available where you’re staying, the phrase you need is ¿A qué hora…? meaning At what time…?.

What time…?

To find out whether you can do something, use ¿Puedo…? or ¿Se puede…? (Can I…?). They are both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Can I…?

TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_d61f804e-30d7-56d2-896a-b17746c0553a)

Wherever you stay you’ll probably need to give some basic information about yourself, such as your name and nationality.

My name’s…

I’m…

¿LO SABÍAS?

As you’ll see from the last two examples, when talking about your reasons for being in Spain, you use estoy rather than soy.

I’m…ing

ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_7f13baff-9584-5cf4-99f7-67be880e97c9)

¿Tienen…? (Have you got…?) is the right verb form to use whenever asking if something is available in hotels, guesthouses, hostels, tourist offices, and so on. It is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Have you got…?

Use ¿Puede…? and ¿Podría…? (Can you…? and Could you…?) when asking someone to do something. They are both from poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Can you…?

Could you…?

Would you mind…?

When asking for things in Spanish, very often all you need to do is use the present tense and make it a question: ¿Me da…? (Can I have…?).

Can I have…?

¿LO SABÍAS?

When you ask for something extra in Spanish, such as two more towels más (more) comes after what you’re asking for.

SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_2af1f299-4b90-5e66-89c9-38060040db8a)

You’ll often need to let the people where you’re staying know about things you have to do, so that they can help you. To say what you have or need to do, use tengo que (I have to) and the infinitive. tengo is from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

I have to…

ASKING FOR PERMISSION (#ulink_a21731e8-382f-57dd-923c-99060a8cb13d)

Wherever you stay you’ll need to find out what’s allowed and what isn’t, such as where you can park, where you can camp and so on. Use ¿Puedo…? (Can I…?) and ¿Podemos…? (Can we…?) to ask if you can do something. They’re both from the verb poder. For more information on poder, see here (#litres_trial_promo).

Can I…?

Do you mind if…?