vanny

Is it possible to get around Nicaragua without speaking Spanish?

ttraveler

Yes, you can. Just got back from a trip in October and we made out just fine. We hired a driver from our hotel to pick us up at the airport. Our hotel staff spoke English and I used Oro travel to book day trips and our guides spoke excellent English. Where were you planning on going?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

The person on the street will probably not know any English, but those connected with the tourist industry should know some. I'd ask the same question ttraveler did: Where are you going? A place like Granada is a lot more accustomed to tourists than someplace off the beaten path.

hopefulist

If you have time before you travel you might want to give a well-regarded program like Learning Spanish Like Crazy a try. Locals have always seemed grateful when I'd give Spanish a shot and it's a good ice breaker. Now that I speak Spanish well enough to engage locals in conversation my trips are really incredible - so much richer and more amazing since I can experience the culture in a new way instead of just looking at it.

If you like the area and plan to return you, too, may decide Spanish acquisition is a good goal for you. Plus attending Spanish schools is a great excuse for returning to CA year after year!

Happy trails!

dariow

I was surprised how few people at the hotels, restaurants, or tour companies who spoke any English. For me it was not an issue since I am fluent in Spanish. I noticed some American tourists who were frustrated though.

I still would go as most Nicas are very friendly and helpful.

I would suggest that you make aggresive requests that your tour guide be proficient in English. (Most of mine were not)

I had fun in Nicaragua especially in Granada and Isla Ometerpe.

Have fun and Va Pues.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

I think study of English in schools is a fairly recent development in Nicaragua, and even then, it's not widespread. Plus, so many kids can't finish school, primarily due to economic reasons. So you don't have the wider knowledge of English that you find in Costa Rica.

drtravels

Learn Spanish

althom1122

I've traveled extensively and found less English spoken in Nicaragua than anywhere I've ever been, except maybe rural Portugal. That said, I think you can manage to get around just about anywhere in the world because people are people and somehow almost always manage to communicate the essentials. Agree it would be most helpful if you could learn at least a few basics - greetings, numbers, "where is", and things like that. Take a Spanish-English dictionary, and that should help a lot. I was fortunate to be visiting a friend who's fluent in Spanish, but otherwise, it would have been a struggle, although not an impossible one. Nicaragua's great - don't pass up the opportunity because of concerns about the language barrier.

ttraveler

I went to Nicaragua in November and I speak very little Spanish. We got along just fine. We stayed at a hotel that had staff that spoke good English, and used Oro Travel for most but not all of our outings.One day we hired a driver and he brought along a friend that spoke English. His friend was a big help throughout the day. Have fun.I always like to carry along a phrase book in case I get stuck. You can always point to the phrase for them to read in Spanish.

sandals

It depends on where you go and how you go there. If you have hired guides and drivers, English-speaking staffs where you stay, go with a travel company, or stick to the more touristed areas such as San Juan Del Sur, Granada, or go to Montelimar, for example, you will have no worries.

If you are fending for yourself and traveling a lot throughout the country and outlying areas, you may wish you could communicate better. You might be very frustrated if you need to, for example, make arrangements along the way or deal with a crisis.

Nicaragua has a lot of people who want to earn money, so you may be able to find someone like ttraveler suggests.

Adios!