Do You Need Spanish To Travel To Spain? My Experience

I traveled to Spain as an Erasmus student and visited many places from the north to the south. After that, I lived in Spain for 2 years. While I learned Spanish later on, it became a lot of fun connecting with locals in Spain while speaking Spanish.

In the beginning, I didn’t have any Spanish skills. As a tourist who only knew English in Spain, I quickly learned it was easy to get around. I didn’t have any issues, and I’m sure you’ll get by with only English, too.

So in this article, I’ll give you all the information about the English level of people living in Spain and how you can even learn a few Spanish words before your trip.

Stay tuned!

Do You Need Spanish To Travel To Spain? Answered!

No, you don’t need Spanish to travel to Spain. Locals in Spain speak English, so you can get by with only English. You’ll be fine speaking English in bigger cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Bilbao, where locals are used to tourists.

If you go to remote areas, such as small villages in central or southern Spain, locals speak less English. But you can still get by only speaking English.

Is It Difficult To Get Around Spain Without Speaking Spanish?

No, it’s easy to get around Spain without speaking English. There are also English signs, menus in restaurants are often translated into English, and locals speak English when booking major attractions or getting on trains and buses.

Can You Live In Spain Without Speaking Spanish?

Yes, you can live in Spain without speaking Spanish, mainly in bigger cities. My family moved to Spain with my little brother; no one spoke Spanish, and they only spoke basic English.

They still managed to communicate with basic English while living in Spain.

Do People In Spain Speak English?

Yes, locals in Spain speak English pretty well. According to EF English Live, Spain has a moderate level of English and ranks #35 out of 119 countries in English proficiency. It’s better than Italy, Russia, or Turkey.

Spain English-Speaking Percentage

About 30% of all Spain speaks English. These 30% of people who speak English mainly live in bigger cities in Spain.

Where Do They Speak The Most English In Spain?

Locals in Spain speak the most English in bigger cities with many tourists, such as Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Murcia, Seville, Granada, Malaga, Cordoba, Toledo, Bilbao, Santander, San Sebastian, A Coruna, Santiago de Compostela, and Salamanca.

Locals have adapted to the rise of tourism in Spain, especially in these big cities, and learned English pretty well, so you won’t have any language issues in these places.

What Other Languages Are Spoken In Spain?

Spain has 4 official languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan, Basque (Euskera), and Galicia. Castilian Spanish is spoken all over Spain, so if you can speak a few words, you don’t have to learn any other language.

It’s called Castilian Spanish because locals in South America also speak Spanish, but that one is called Latin Spanish. It has a few different words, and the accent is also slightly different from Castilian Spanish.

So that’s why locals invented the word Castilian Spanish to refer to Spanish that locals speak in Spain.

The other languages are spoken in Spanish regions: the Galician language is used in Galicia (northwestern Spain), the Basque language is spoken in the Basque country (northern Spain), and the Catalan language is in Catalonia (northeastern Spain).

So, besides Spanish, when you come to these regions, you’ll also hear locals speak these languages.

5 Tips For Traveling To Spain Only Speaking English

If you only know English and want to explore Spain, here are my top tips for getting around and how to get by only using English.

I use these hacks all the time when I travel to a country where English isn’t the main language:

✅ Speak slowly
✅ Be aware of an accent
✅ Use your body language
✅ Be nice
✅ Learn basic Spanish

✅ Speak Slowly

When speaking English to people in Spain, take it easy and speak slowly. Use clear language and articulate. This way, locals will feel more confident in speaking English with you.

I experienced it when I traveled to Spain and wanted to speak Spanish. I appreciated it when locals spoke slower to me so I could catch the words and process the meaning of sentences.

✅ Be Aware Of An Accent

People in Spain and Spanish-speaking people generally have accents when speaking English.

So be prepared for it – the English they speak might sound slightly different from what you’re used to back home, especially if you’re a native English speaker from the UK, Austria, New Zealand, or the USA and Canada.

So adapt to the accent and catch the English words they use to talk to you.

✅ Use Your Body Language

If you’re in remote areas in Spain where people speak less English, use your arms and mimics. It always helps to point out things or show what you mean with your body.

I often did this when traveling through German and Spanish-speaking countries and couldn’t remember the local word. I just used my body language, and it worked most of the time.

✅ Be Nice

When ordering food or interacting with locals in Spain as an English speaker, they’ll naturally respond to you easier in English if you’re friendly and understanding.

Show that you’re fine if it takes more time for them to understand what you say. Be willing to repeat your sentences, and locals will feel more comfortable around you speaking English.

✅ Learn Basic Spanish

I love learning languages, and I highly recommend you learn a few Spanish words before traveling to Spain. You don’t have to be fluent. Knowing the basics is a lot of fun because you can practice.

Locals understand your mistakes and always appreciate it when you speak a local language. It’s one of the most rewarding things while traveling. So try to learn a few words before your trip.

I also find that when you speak a bit of Spanish, you can avoid scams from locals. Sometimes, they might charge you more in a restaurant in tourist cities because they know you’re a tourist. But if you speak at least a few words of Spanish, they perceive you more as a caring tourist.

Why Should You Learn Spanish To Visit Spain? Benefits

Knowing a few Spanish words when traveling to Spain has many advantages. I highly encourage you to learn basic Spanish. I’ll greatly help you.

I’ve experienced these benefits myself when I learned Spanish. Afterward, I traveled through the entire of Spain, walked the Camino de Santiago twice, and had a much better experience than if I didn’t know any Spanish.

Here are the benefits of knowing Spanish when traveling to Spain.

🔅 Connect with locals
🔅 Be sustainable traveler
🔅 Avoid tourist scams
🔅 Have better experience
🔅 It’s rewarding when you speak the local language
🔅 You get to do more things
🔅 Travel is more comfortable
🔅 You can rely on yourself as a solo traveler

How To Learn Spanish Quickly Before Your Trip

I recommend breaking the language into topics/categories within which you’ll learn words: airport, restaurants, hotels, attractions, and transportation. Then, learn a few words within each category to get by easily.

Take one topic and think about all the words you might need to be able to communicate in Spain. After, write these words down in your native language.

Once you have all the words, translate them into Spanish. Then, use some of these tips to learn vocabulary for basic Spanish words.

This way, you’ll catch a few words when you’re in Spain and understand the signs and words around you.

➡ Practice your Spanish skills with native speakers via iTalki here.

Basic Spanish Vocabulary For Your Trip To Spain

To help you start learning basic Spanish for your trip, here are a few words I recommend you learn at the beginning.

You can use these essential words even if you don’t want to learn more Spanish. Locals will appreciate it if you use them:

SPANISH WORD:	ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
Hola! / Buenos días!	Hello! / Good morning!
Qué tal? / Cómo estás?	How are you?
Hasta luego/pronto.	See you soon.
Cómo te llamas?	What’s your name?
Me llamo (Dominik). Soy (Dominik)	My name is (Dominik). I’m (Dominik).
Cuándo sale el tren?	When does the train depart?
Quiero (una sopa).	I want (a soup).
Qué quieres?	What do you want?
Desayuno	Breakfast
Almuerzo	Lunch
Cena	Dinner
Voy a dormir.	I’m going to bed.
Encantado (male) / Encantada (female)	Nice to meet you.
Me gusta (la fruta).	I like (fruits).
Tengo una reserva.	I have a reservation.
Gracias!	Thank you!
De nada!	You’re welcome!
La propina	Tips
Por favor!	Please!
Cuánto cuesta, por favor?	How much does it cost, please?
Hoy visito la Sagrada Família.	Today, I visit Sagrada Família.

BONUS: How To Learn A Language For Travel:
7 Basic Steps

Have I convinced you to learn the basics of Spanish before your trip? Let me help you even further. You might already know how much I love learning languages for travel. That’s why I’ve developed a method for how to do so.

I’ve written a separate article about the steps for learning a language for travel. Follow it and learn Spanish easily and in a fund way before you travel to Spain.

Guide To Order Food & Drinks In Spanish

I’ve also created a detailed guide on how you can order food and drinks in the Spanish language. Download it for free and learn it so you can practice when you’re in Spain.

It contains exact dialogue in a restaurant, what the waiter might say, and what you should reply to order what you want. I’ve also included exercises so you can practice the words and sentences.

FAQs

I’ve also answered frequently asked questions about traveling to Spain without speaking Spanish. So check my answers below:

What Percentage Of People From Spain Speak English?

About 30% of people in Spain speak English, mostly in big cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Bilbao, Santander, San Sebastian, Valencia, and Granada.

Spain is a huge country, and most of its area isn’t inhabited. So that’s why the percentage might seem a bit low.

Do They Speak English In Barcelona?

Yes, locals speak English in Barcelona. Since it’s a major tourist city, locals speak English very well, and you can get by only speaking English in Barcelona.

Do They Speak English In Madrid?

Yes, locals speak English in Madrid. Most of the people in Madrid speak English very well. Although they have a Spanish accent when speaking English, you don’t have to learn Spanish to travel to Madrid.

Which City In Spain Speaks The Most English?

Madrid speaks the most English in Spain. It’s the capital city, and many expats speak English very well.

Barcelona also speaks English well, but since locals also speak Catalan and are proud of being Catalans, you might find that they like to use Catalan more than English.

How Much Spanish Do I Need To Travel To Spain?

You need to be a beginner Spanish skills to travel to Spain. There is no need to learn intermediate or advanced Spanish to get around.

Basic words to order food, get tickets for attractions and trains and understand the signs will be enough for you to get by.

Why Do Many Spaniards Want To Speak English?

Because they want to get better-paying jobs in English-speaking countries and see more opportunities in their life when they speak English.

I met many Spaniards in Spain and Latin American countries whose teenagers learned English and went abroad to work to earn some extra cash as their economies aren’t the most supportive. Getting a well-paying job is more difficult, especially in Latin American countries.

Do You Think Tourists Should Make An Effort To Speak Spanish?

Yes, I think so. I think it’s always great to show respect towards local people and try to communicate in their language.

They’ll treat you better, and you’ll have a great experience if you can speak to them in their language. It’s rewarding, and locals appreciate it.

WRAP-UP: Do You Need Spanish To Travel To Spain?

This is how Spanish people speak English. They’re used to the tourists and know English pretty well. So you won’t have any problems. My biggest tip is to speak slowly so they can understand you. And be aware of their accent.

I recommend learning at least a bit of Spanish, as ordering food or drinks in the local language is very rewarding. Locals in Spain will appreciate it even if it’s not 100% correct.

If you have any questions or want to learn the Spanish language for travel, check out my article in my language learning section. Or contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com and tell me what you like to learn or where you struggle.

Happy Spanish learning and travels!