About the only trouble with vacationing in Mexico is the language barrier.
Sure, most Canadians know the basics (Uno cerveza por favor), but if you want to get out of the hotel bar and access the culture, it’s important to know a few sentences.
Like everyone else, I had a phrasebook, but unless you’re looking for a museum (Me gustaria ver el museo) it’s pretty useless.
So, without further ado, I present the UBC Grad Student Guide to Essential Spanish.
When you meet a member of the opposite sex
Soy Soltero. (I’m single.)
¿Cuál es se número de teléfono? (What’s your phone number?)
When asked why a 40-year-old is going to school
Soy alérgico trajabo. (I am allergic to work.)
At the beach
¿Cuántos años tienetu hermana? (How old is your sister?)
Enjoying the local culture with your new friend
Me gusta ir de bar en bar. (I like pub crawls.)
In the bar
Le invito a una copa. (I’ll buy you a drink.)
¡Salud! (Cheers!)
Otra de lo mismo. (Same again, please.)
After the bar
Estoy enfermo. (I’m sick.)
He estado vomitando. (I’ve been vomiting.)
Trying to e-mail someone back home for sympathy
¿Dónde hay un cibercafé cercano? (Where is the local internet café?)
Discovering it’s running Windows Vista
Se ha quedado colgado. (It’s crashed.)
Trying to get through customs to board your plane
Tengo receta para esta droga. (I have a prescription for this drug.)
Sure, most Canadians know the basics (Uno cerveza por favor), but if you want to get out of the hotel bar and access the culture, it’s important to know a few sentences.
Like everyone else, I had a phrasebook, but unless you’re looking for a museum (Me gustaria ver el museo) it’s pretty useless.
So, without further ado, I present the UBC Grad Student Guide to Essential Spanish.
When you meet a member of the opposite sex
Soy Soltero. (I’m single.)
¿Cuál es se número de teléfono? (What’s your phone number?)
When asked why a 40-year-old is going to school
Soy alérgico trajabo. (I am allergic to work.)
At the beach
¿Cuántos años tienetu hermana? (How old is your sister?)
Enjoying the local culture with your new friend
Me gusta ir de bar en bar. (I like pub crawls.)
In the bar
Le invito a una copa. (I’ll buy you a drink.)
¡Salud! (Cheers!)
Otra de lo mismo. (Same again, please.)
After the bar
Estoy enfermo. (I’m sick.)
He estado vomitando. (I’ve been vomiting.)
Trying to e-mail someone back home for sympathy
¿Dónde hay un cibercafé cercano? (Where is the local internet café?)
Discovering it’s running Windows Vista
Se ha quedado colgado. (It’s crashed.)
Trying to get through customs to board your plane
Tengo receta para esta droga. (I have a prescription for this drug.)
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