How about?
¿Qué te parece si nos quedamos un día más?How about staying one more day?¿Qué te parece si buscamos alojamiento en el centro?How about looking for accommodation in the centre of town?¿Y si alquilamos un apartamento.How about renting an apartment?¿Y si pasamos la noche aquí?How about spending the night here?Why dont?
¿Por qué no preguntamos en la oficina de turismo?Why dont we ask at the tourist office?¿Por qué no te quedas en un hotel más barato?Why dont you stay at a cheaper hotel?¿Por qué no buscamos un camping más cercano a la costa?Why dont we look for a campsite nearer the coast?To make a suggestion about what you could do, use podríamos (we could).
We could
Podríamos preguntar en la oficina de turismo.We could ask at the tourist office.Podríamos intentar en el Hotel Europa.We could try the Hotel Europa.Podríamos llamar al propietario.We could try phoning the landlord.TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS
Deciding on where youre going to stay is a major part of planning a trip or holiday, so you may well want to talk about those plans in Spanish. Use voy a (Im going to) or vamos a (were going to) and the infinitive to talk about what youre planning to do. Theyre from the verb ir (to go). For more on ir, see here.
Im going to
Voy a alquilar una casa en las montañas.Im going to rent a villa in the mountains.Voy a quedarme en un hotel en Barcelona.Im going to stay in a hotel in Barcelona.Vamos a quedarnos con unos amigos españoles en Madrid.Were going to stay with some Spanish friends in Madrid.Another way of talking about your plans is to use tengo pensado (Im planning to) followed by the infinitive. tengo comes from the verb tener. For more information on tener, see here.
Im planning to
Tengo pensado pasar un par de días en cada sitio.Im planning to spend a couple of days in each place.Tenemos pensado buscar una casa en la costa para pasar las vacaciones.Were planning to look for a holiday home by the coast.Tenemos pensado buscarnos un camping.Were planning on going to a campsite.COMPLAINING
Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using hay, meaning there is or there are, and no hay (there isnt or there arent).
Theres
Hay demasiado ruido.Theres too much noise.Hay una gotera en el techo.Theres a leak in the ceiling.Hay cucarachas en el apartamento.There are cockroaches in the apartment.There isnt
No hay agua caliente.There isnt any hot water.No hay toallas limpias en la habitación.There arent any clean towels in the room.La habitación no tiene balcón.The room doesnt have a balcony.El apartamento no tiene aire acondicionado.The apartment doesnt have air-conditioning.In the next examples notice how the verb ser is used to describe things which wont change, such as the beds being uncomfortable, and estar is used for things which can change, such as the room being dirty. For more on ser and estar, see here.
is
Este hotel es demasiado ruidoso.This hotels too noisy.Las camas son muy incómodas.The beds are very uncomfortable.El apartamento está sucio.The apartments dirty.El agua de la piscina no está limpia.The water in the swimming pool isnt very clean.Hace mucho calor aquí.Its very hot in here.Hace mucho frío aquí.Its very cold in here.¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember that in Spanish to talk about the weather or the temperature inside, you use the verb hacer (to do, to make). For more on hacer, see here.
LISTEN OUT FOR
Here are some key phrases you are likely to hear when youre looking for somewhere to stay.
¿Qué tipo de alojamiento busca?What type of accommodation are you looking for?Estamos completos.Were full.¿Para cuántas noches?For how many nights?¿Para cuántas personas?For how many people?¿Me deja su nombre, por favor?Can I have your name, please?¿Me puede deletrear su nombre, si es tan amable?Can you spell your name for me, please?¿A nombre de quién está la reserva?Whose name is the booking in?¿Me deja ver su pasaporte, por favor?Can I see your passport, please?¿Cuál es el número de su habitación?Whats your room number?Tiene que dejar una señal.You have to leave a deposit.¿En qué número podemos localizarlo?What number can we contact you on?¿Cómo quiere pagar?How would you like to pay?Por favor, rellene este formulario.Please fill in this form.Por favor, firme aquí.Please sign here.Tiene que dejar la habitación antes de las doce.You have to be out of the room by twelve oclock.Lifestyle Tips
The most economical hotels and guesthouses in Spain are pensiones and hostales, which offer no-frills accommodation. Unlike British B&Bs, they do not normally include breakfast so you may have to go elsewhere to get some.
At the other end of the scale are the paradores nacionales de turismo, hotels which are located in places of interest and which are often historic buildings such as castles or monasteries.
Accommodation in casas rurales has become very popular in Spain. These are country houses and cottages that have been converted for holiday lets or that have been turned into guesthouses.
If youre a man, youre likely to hear receptionists and waiting staff call you caballero (literally gentleman). If youre a woman, youll hear señora (literally lady) used in the same way. If the staff are young, you can call them tú rather than usted, even when they call you usted back.
If you want to rent a flat to live in in Spain, youll probably have to sign a contrato de alquiler or de arrendamiento (lease) and leave a fianza (deposit) of one or two months rent with the dueño or propietario (landlord).
Wining and dining
¡Buen provecho! Enjoy your meal!
If youre going out for a meal in Spain, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your Spanish friends in easy, natural Spanish. Well also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS
If youre going out for a meal with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues and you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet, you can use the verb quedar (meaning to meet or to arrange to meet).
Shall we meet?
¿Quedamos en el restaurante?Shall we meet at the restaurant?¿Quedamos a las nueve?Shall we meet at nine oclock?¿Quedamos con ellos en el Café Zurich?Shall we meet them at the Café Zurich?¿Cómo quedamos?Where shall we meet and when?¿Dónde quedamos?Where shall we meet?What time?
¿A qué hora quedamos?What time shall we meet up at?¿A qué hora podrá llegar aquí tu mujer?What time will your wife be able to get here?¿Para qué hora has reservado mesa?What time did you book the table for?¿Hasta qué hora sirven?Up to what time do they go on serving?When making arrangements to eat, youll want to check what suits other people. Use ¿No te importa que? followed by the subjunctive or ¿No te importa si? followed by the ordinary present to ask Is it ok with you if? Of course you should only use te with someone you call tú. Change it to le if you call them usted. For more information on the subjunctive, see here.
Would it be ok if?
¿No te importa que venga un amigo mío?Would it be ok if I brought a friend of mine?¿No te importa si lo dejamos para la semana que viene?Would it be ok if we left it till next week?¿No os importa si llegamos un poco más tarde?Would it be ok if we got there a bit later?To say what would suit you better, you can use me vendría mejor (it would suit me better). vendría comes from venir (to come).
It would suit me better
Me vendría mejor quedar contigo allí.It would suit me better to meet you there.¿Te vendría mejor el sábado por la noche?Would Saturday evening suit you better?El viernes me vendría mejor.Friday would be better for me.Me viene mejor si quedamos un poco más tarde.It would be better for me if we made it a bit later.¿Te viene mejor si lo dejamos para mañana?Would it suit you better if we left it till tomorrow?ASKING FOR INFORMATION
One of the pieces of information you may need to find out is where things are. Remember that when you ask where something is, estar is the verb you generally use.
Wheres?
Estoy buscando la calle Teruel, ¿sabe usted dónde está?Im looking for the calle Teruel. Do you know where it is?¿Sabe usted dónde está el restaurante Don Alfonso?Do you know where the restaurant Don Alfonso is?Perdone, ¿dónde están los servicios?Excuse me, where are the toilets?Before you decide where to eat or what to eat, you may want to find out what the restaurant or the food is like. Dont forget that Spanish has two verbs for to be: ser and estar. For more on these verbs, see here.
Is?
¿Es un restaurante muy caro?Is it a very expensive restaurant?¿Es un plato típico de la zona?Is it a typical local dish?¿Es apto para vegetarianos?Is it suitable for vegetarians?¿La bebida está incluida en el menú de 10 euros?Are drinks included in the 10-euro set menu?To ask more specifically about the menu, you can use ¿Qué? (What?).