Spanish phrases for your Spain trip

Not in the big tourist centres - hotels, stations and attractions in Barcelona, Madrid and the coasts work in English. But menus in local bars, markets, bus drivers and small towns are Spanish-first, and a Hola and Gracias change how people treat you. These phrases cover the moments English does not.

We mark five at the top: Hola (hello), Por favor (please), Gracias (thank you), Habla ingles? (do you speak English?) and Soy vegetariano (I am vegetarian). With these plus pointing, a family manages almost every situation on a first trip.

Say Soy vegetariano (I am vegetarian), then Sin carne ni pescado (without meat or fish). For Jain needs add Sin cebolla y sin ajo (without onion and garlic), and ask Lleva huevo? (does it contain egg?). Our Spain food guide lists the dishes that are safe and the traps to check.

Spanish is one of the easiest languages for Hindi speakers to pronounce - the vowels a, e, i, o, u sound almost exactly like Hindi's. Two things to know: in most of Spain, c before e/i and z sound like the English th (we write it as thy), and ll sounds like y, as in YA-meh.

Card works almost everywhere in the cities, including tapas bars, but carry some cash for markets, small towns and public toilets. Puedo pagar con tarjeta? (can I pay by card?) is the phrase to keep ready.