Vonse

I didn't find the cost of restaurant meals to be any higher than comparable meals in Los Angeles or San Francisco because tax and gratuity are included.

danon

I speak both Italian and a Spanish....not the same language!
Yes, there are many identical words and the speakers of either may
be able to easily read the other language but it does not mean they
understand the spoken word.
Our friends ( all professionals) from Madrid, Barcelona and SS
speak English very well.
Expecting some railway employee in Pamplona or inn keeper in Santander to be
fluent in several languages is silly.
Some posters should try speaking English to older shop-owners in Berlin . You would be surprised.

chapla

I think there are many people who still think of Spain as a cheap destination.You need to do lots of homework to know what to buy-I buy less and less w/each visit-where to stay and eat.
Those bargain days are looooong gone!

mikelg

Mamamia2, just a bit of info, "chollo" in Spanish is slang for "bargain", whenever you see it on a shop it means you´ll supposedly get unbeatable prices.

As a (local) guide in the Basque Country, I appreciate your efforts in trying to inform fellow travelers on Spain. Some of them are kind of innocent but well intended. Surprisingly, you did not mention the menu of the day for 10 to 15 eur, so complete, healthy and nourishing (it includes wine), the cheapest solution for our lunch. Or our meal schedules, so different to yours (and that most of your compatriots find so annoying/surprising/funny so often...I get so many complaints because restaurants are not open at 8...or 9pm...). But thank you for sharing your tips...maybe we can add a few more to the list?

danon

For those who are complaining about" internationally recognizes languages " like French and English....blah,blah

"Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries worldwide. It is estimated that the combined total number of Spanish speakers is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in terms of native speakers."

bvlenci

Danon, I know very well that they're not the same language. I've studied Spanish rather intensively, and am fluent in Italian. I've had numerous Spaniards tell me that they managed very well in Italy by speaking Spanish slowly, aided by a little body language. However, the reverse seems not to be true at all. I'm somewhat curious why that should be so.

My point was really that, having traveled extensively in Europe, Spain is the country where I had the most difficulty making myself understood in places that must deal with tourists, such as hotels, train stations, and restaurants. On the other hand, both my husband and I were almost always able to understand most of what people were saying to us, at least to get the gist of it. They just didn't understand us, in any of the three languages we tried. (Four actually, because we occasionally tried French.) The places we visited were Madrid, Segovia, Salamanca, and Toledo, not little rural villages.

The French have a reputation of refusing to acknowledge any question or statement that's not in perfect French, but I haven't had that experience at all in France. I have a rather basic level of French, a much lower level than my Spanish, and it's always been sufficient there, along with a little patience and effort on the part of both sides.

I have a very basic knowledge of German, and have been able to communicate fairly easily with people who have a similarly rudimentary knowledge of English.

danon

Why would you have a problem being understood in Spain if you have studied Spanih "intensively" .?

I have visited France numerous times....my French is far from perfect but no one has ever refused to
respond. Actually, on my visit ti Paris in July, most people in the tourist industry prefered to
" practice" English instead of continuing the conversation in French.
I found the same in Spain.

jand

mamamia2, thanks for the tips

Sassafrass

Do appreciate your taking time to post and newbe travelers will probably learn some new things.

Just did a google search and there is no official international language. The UN has declared six languages as international languages: Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, English and Arabic. English is just one of several and locals in Spain were already speaking an international language.

French and English are the official working languages of the UN.

amer_can

bvlenci..Salamanca not a place for English?? I had the pleasure of being there twice for 1 month each and visited Segovia,Madrid and many small villages..My Spanish was described by a cab driver (in English)in Madrid as being very Tiajuana..Daughter and I always were understood, even in English, or someone nearby helped out..You don't sound like you enjoyed your experiences very much..A shame!!

giro

Thanks for the tips. Hopefully you will post more in the future, but as you see, one needs a thick skin to ward off all the posters who can't help themselves in responding in a less than tactful way.
Are they correct in their posts? Most of the time they are, but they fail miserably in being able to communicate in an appropriate manner when the OP has made an effort to help others.

IMDonehere

Maybe it was the arrogance of the OP to offer such advice with such limited experience and that the world she cater to her language and tipping expectations.

danon

those same " miserable" posters were more than ready to help when asked for suggestions
on serval threads.
Trip reports are welcomed and often helpful, but there is no reason to ignore any part
that is inaccurate.

kja

bvlenci wrote: "Spain is the country where I had the most difficulty making myself understood in places that must deal with tourists, such as hotels, train stations, and restaurants. ...The places we visited were Madrid, Segovia, Salamanca, and Toledo, not little rural villages." -- My experience was so very different! It must really depend on what one is trying to say and to whom, or when. I visited each of those cities -- along with Avila, Cordoba, (the tiny town of) Capiliera, Granada, Ronda, and Sevilla in 2004. I had done what I could to learn some basic civilities in Spanish, along with a few other basic words, but I did not manage to do so with anything approximating success. I found many, many people who were fluent in English and who, while appreciative that I had at least learned a few words, found it very easy to communicate in English.

BumbleB6

Well, I find the tip about Madrid Barajas airport invaluable. Have never flown into Madrid... I get a free checked bag with United, but after hearing that the airport is that big, and I have to travel further to get my checked luggage - I may just pack lighter and carry everything on with me. So, thanks for that!

I've only been to Andalusia and many there also did not speak any English, but with our attempts at very basic Spanish, we managed to get by. The people we encountered were all friendly and courteous with us. We rented an apartment in Ronda from one fellow who spoke no English. I called him on the phone the day before we were to arrive; we couldn't understand each other; handed the phone to my daughter, who knows and speaks Spanish better than I do, she told him we would call him back in a few minutes. Then I wrote down in Spanish, with daughter's help, what I wanted to tell him and called back. Said it slowly and he understood me. He was very friendly and patient with us, then and later, in person.
I have heard that Spaniards did not push learning English in schools to the extent that some other European countries have... not sure if that's the case or not.
It certainly is true that the U.S. does not push learning foreign languages as much as we should, perhaps...

I always like to learn key phrases anyway before I leave. Doesn't take too much time, it's fun, and people there seem to appreciate it. Or find it amusing, maybe, .

Duo Lingo is a good app for your phone for learning foreign languages in a fun way.

ribeirasacra

BumbleB6
***I have heard that Spaniards did not push learning English in schools to the extent that some other European countries have... not sure if that's the case or not. **
The Spanish do learn English. However it is always Grammar based and thus they can be afraid to speak it. (This is the younger generation). However your good advice is quite correct. Learn a few phrases.

I am also a bit confused about mamamia2 advise about collecting luggage from terminal 4 or 4s.
Here is the plan for 4.
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/...fia&ps=t&ti=T4
On the left click on arrivals then Baggage reclaim then Baggage reclaim hall.
Now go to T4s.
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/...ia&ps=t&ti=T4S
Again click on arrivals and you will see there is no baggage reclaim.
So the information written in the opening post could be reversed.IE land at T4s and use the train to T4.

bvlenci

My studies of Spanish were of a literary sort, and I never was fluent in speaking the language, although I had read most of the works of Cervantes in the original. Besides, learning Italian really ruined my ability to speak Spanish because the languages are so similar. At the beginning, my knowledge of Spanish was a great impediment to learning Italian. I had to willfully erase Spanish from my brain.

Still, I'm sure I know more Spanish than the average tourist. I can still read it fairly well.

bvlenci

There's no denying that English is the de facto international language. A hundred years ago, it was French, and a hundred years from now it may be Chinese, but for now it's English.

If you see a Czech talking to a Belgian in Paris, what language are they speaking? Almost always English.

I read recently that many Korean children are being sent to summer camp in the US. Believe me, it's not because they want to learn to make S'mores.

Ackislander

I am sorry that this post upset Spanish nationalists and attracted the attention of perpetual naysayers.

I felt it did precisely what it announced in its subject line and would be useful to first time visitors to Spain.

Her attempt to prepare English-only visitors for the difficulty of communicating in some towns and some urban areas was laudable, not critical. It was a message to visitors, not an attack on residents.

I hope she is not excessively disturbed by the reaction and will post again on this and other topics.

isabel

I second Ackislander's comments. Really, the way several responders here jumped all over her is far more rude than asking someone if they speak English.

Some people said she should have looked in a guide book and would have known English is not widely spoken in Spain. That's not true - I just checked a few of my many guidebooks and the language section is very similar for Spain, Italy, France, etc - always saying that it's best to learn a few phrases and to start interactions with the local language - Habla inglés? - but that "most people in hotels, shops and restaurants" speak English. So it's perfectly logical to expect that if you've been to France and Italy and widely encountered English that you could expect to do the same in Spain. And I've found that's not the case. I've been to 22 European countries and I think the <i>least</i> English I've found has been in Spain. Even given that fact, I didn't really ever have any difficulty communicating, but it's a useful bit of information for someone going there for the first time that they'll need to spend a bit more time learning some Spanish phrases than they did when they went to France or Germany or Italy.

And while several of her other tips are well known by seasoned travelers, there are plenty of newbies on this forum, and she had lots of useful information.