language barrier
May 25th, 2003, 07:09 AM
#1
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language barrier
My husband and I are going to Madrid in two weeks. This was a last minute decision and I have had very little time to prepare for this trip. My biggest concern is my lack of spanish. I would like to know how easy or hard it is to communicate outside of the major tourist attractions and big hotels? Especially when you go into the smaller cafes or boutiques. Thanks!
May 25th, 2003, 07:13 AM
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Spaniards tend not to speak or understand English very well. Do you have any romance languages at all? That will help. Phrase books are also a good thing.
I found Madrid incredibly boring. Rent a car and drive around to Segovia or Toledo instead ;-) Driving in Spain is very easy.
I found Madrid incredibly boring. Rent a car and drive around to Segovia or Toledo instead ;-) Driving in Spain is very easy.
May 25th, 2003, 07:38 AM
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I was in Madrid a few weeks ago and loved it, so each to his own 
My husband speaks Spanish quite well, but mine is virtually zero. However I found I got on ok by just pointing, smiling and saying por favor and gracias whenever appropriate!
My husband speaks Spanish quite well, but mine is virtually zero. However I found I got on ok by just pointing, smiling and saying por favor and gracias whenever appropriate!
May 25th, 2003, 01:50 PM
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I was in Madrid recently and agree that you should try to learn some Spanish but a little can go a long way when combined with gestures. Not surprisingly we found more English speakers in Madrid than we found in rural parts of Spain. I liked Madrid and will spend some time there the next time that I go back to Spain.
May 30th, 2003, 07:48 PM
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We were in Madrid last year and loved it! My friend can speak and understand a little Spanish. Learn the basic phrases (please, thank you, how much is this please, where is...,). Just be polite, try to speak the language and people will be very happy to help. I found the people in Madrid very nice. One tip for restaurants - if you have any dietary restrictions or concerns, try to bring a translation book that has a good section on definitions of food items. Many of the restaurants do not provide an English menu, you'll need to ask for one. I am a semi-vegetarian and I had some difficulty trying to translate some of the items (such as eel). If you don't have these concerns, then enjoy!
May 30th, 2003, 08:26 PM
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pick up a small soft-covered book in the travel section of the bookstore that has pictures of common necessities. (ie. in the restaurant section, it has small pictures of fish, chicken, beef, vegetables, pasta). Also has pictures of men's room, ladies' room, hospital, etc. You will have no problem getting by. happy traveling!
May 31st, 2003, 04:17 PM
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Boring! Madrid is great. The Prado, The botanical gardens, The Thysen Bormieza, the cafe's and more. If you only a few words of Spanish you will be fine. As it happens I speak spanish, but my husband doesn't. He gets by. He lived in Spain for 6 months and somehow got by. He smiles a lot, says he is sorry alot, and He is very polite. The spanish are always gracious, helpful and friendly. Take a good book, with a menu translator and try to stay out of the super touristy areas. Also, My mother when she visited us in Spain spoke English like she was an obnoxious crazy women. It was surprising how many boutiques that I had frequented for years actually spoke english, but were embarrassed to use if if they thought you spoke Spanish. Just be gracious and polite and carry a dictonary for emergency.
