Most useful words and phrases

[sillydoll]

I need help from all of you innovative and sharing people!
We will have two Spanish teachers at our camino workshop in Durban at the end of the month.
I have asked them if they will do a short session teaching the most useful Spanish camino phrases. They have asked me what those might be. Any ideas?? Besides the obvious like please and thank you and buen camino! (I'll write your suggestions onto flip chart paper and they can go through them at the workshop.)

 

[grayland]

This is a good idea, Sil.
I can usually "get by" as long as no one expects a complete sentence or gender correctness.
My wife has nada and will be traveling to meet me on her own this year. It would really be great if she had some phrases she could point to and get assistance when needed. I will try to work some out for her but will come up short. I need a lot of gestures to get my point across and they don't print up so well. :wink:

It would be great if you could post the results here when you have them.

To start it off:
Please, where is the Camino? (simpler than a more formal question of how to get back on track)
What time is dinner available? Do you have a Menu de Dia?
Please, where is the Albergue?

 

[Tia Valeria]

Remember the need to understand the answers too.
So:-
Turn right
Turn left
(Go) straight on/ahead

Also:-
How many metres/kilometres please?
Basic numbers , say 1-20, for the answer.

Basic words for food/drink

I think that is enough from me. Great idea Sil and folk in any country appreciate it when anyone makes the effort to speak their language
Tia Valeria

 

[viajero]

Perhaps something to ask for medical care.

 

[andy.d]

Simple question forms:

where is the ...?
is it possible to ...?
how much is ...?

It would be good to have it printed so people can point to it.

The traditional standby in phrase books was "The postilion has been struck by lightning". This is probably not essential on today's Camino,

Andy

 

[Rose Louise]

Perhaps something to ask for medical care.

Where is a doctor
Where is the hospital
Where is the emergency room

Rose Louise

 

[jeff001]

I need a room for (x) persons. (if none available) Can you suggest another place?
One large beer
What time is (name of meal, the next bus)
Where does the bus stop?

 

[sillydoll]

Thank you for the suggestions. One forum members sent me a list in Spanish (thanks Anna) so I'll have 2 lists to share with you.
Another reminded me that Santiagobis has a Spanish phrase book in their Files.
Besides some useful headings, this 11 page document also has a few choice phrases especially for pilgrims such as:

Where is that $@%#& yellow arrow?
¿Donde está esta $#@%^&*^%#$ flecha amarilla?

Is this albergue free of bed bugs or can I bring my own?
¿Hay bichos en este albergue, o es que puedo llevar los míos propios?

The first one who snores gets a boot in the nose
El primero que ronca recibe mi zapato en la nariz

I only need one bed. My manservant will sleep with the horses
Solo necesito una cama. Mi sirviente dormirá con los caballos.

Have you got a strong box for my jewelry?
¿Hay una caja fuerte para mis joyas?

Is that a piece of tortilla española in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?
¿Es esto un pedazo de tortilla lo que tienes en tu bolsa o es solo que te alegras de verme?

.... and a few more!

 

[dutchpilgrim]

And what about the most important one for a pilgrim:

Thank you = Gracias


Ultreya,
Carli Di Bortolo.

 

[Telluridewalker]

Ha dormido aqui Shirley MacLaine alguna vez?

(Did Shirley MacLaine ever sleep here?)

 

[WolverineDG]

?Donde esta....? (where is)
?A que hora es la cena? (what time is dinner?)
?Hay habitaciones esta noche? (do you have any rooms tonight?)
?Tiene un menu del dia/peregrino? (do you have a menu of the day/pilgrim's menu?)

...el medico? (doctor) ...la farmacia? (pharmacy) ...la tienda (store)

Necesito (I need)
Ayudame (help me)
Por Favor (please)
Gracias (thank you)

Kelly

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Move your goats, please. They are blocking the path.

Can I get pork for all three courses of the menu?

 

[johnBCCanada]

Vino Tinto por favor

cafe latte grande por favor

tarte de santiago por favor

muchas gracias

and let us not forget that much can be conveyed by expression and simple pantomime

john

 

[sillydoll]

I am often surprised by how many Spanish words have Moorish roots.
And then I read a blog post by a girl studying Arabic and she said:

When I was learning Spanish, it puzzled me to no end that the word for “olive” was “aceituna” (ah-say-TOO-na). In French, it’s olive. In Italian, it’s olivo. What made Spanish different? When I learned the Arabic word for olive, though, it all made sense: zeitun (zay-toon). And when you add the definite article to it, it becomes as-zeitun. This applies to all sorts of other words.
Aceite is “oil” in Spanish. Zeyt is “oil” in Arabic. Cereza is “cherry” in Spanish. Ceriss is “cherry” in Arabic. Zumo is “juice” in Spanish. Zum is “juice” in Arabic. Once I figured this out, I went to Wikipedia to confirm my suspicions, and there’s a nice long list of Arabic cognates in Spanish for those of you who are curious. It was pleasing to see concrete evidence of something that I had known abstractly before. And it makes Arabic a little less daunting.