Over the past two weeks, we’ve shared a range of essential English travel phrases to help your ESL students prepare for international trips.

From navigating transportation and interacting with hotel staff to ordering at restaurants and shopping with ease, your students are equipped with a good list to start!

This week, we’re wrapping up the series with a final set of practical phrases to boost your students’ confidence as they travel abroad.

Part 3: Social Interactions, Everyday Situations & Emergencies

1) Social Interactions

Where are you from?

• Spanish: ¿De dónde eres?
• Portuguese: De onde você é?

How long are you staying here?

• Spanish: ¿Cuánto tiempo te quedas?
• Portuguese: Quanto tempo você vai ficar?

Is this your first time here?

• Spanish: ¿Es tu primera vez aquí?
• Portuguese: É sua primeira vez aqui?

What do you do?

• Spanish: ¿A qué te dedicas?
• Portuguese: O que você faz?

That sounds great!

• Spanish: ¡Suena genial!
• Portuguese: Isso parece ótimo!

Nice to meet you.

• Spanish: Mucho gusto.
• Portuguese: Prazer em conhecê-lo/la.

Can we take a picture?

• Spanish: ¿Podemos tomar una foto?
• Portuguese: Podemos tirar uma foto?

2) Everyday Situations

Do you speak Spanish/Portuguese?

• Spanish: ¿Habla español?
• Portuguese: Você fala português?

I don’t understand.

• Spanish: No entiendo.
• Portuguese: Não entendo.

Can you repeat that?

• Spanish: ¿Puede repetir eso?
• Portuguese: Pode repetir isso?

Can you speak more slowly?

• Spanish: ¿Puede hablar más despacio?
• Portuguese: Pode falar mais devagar?

What does this mean?

• Spanish: ¿Qué significa esto?
• Portuguese: O que isso significa?

How do you say this in English?

• Spanish: ¿Cómo se dice esto en inglés?
• Portuguese: Como se diz isso em inglês?

Thank you very much.

• Spanish: Muchas gracias.
• Portuguese: Muito obrigado/a.

Excuse me / Sorry

• Spanish: Perdón / Lo siento
• Portuguese: Com licença / Desculpa

3) Emergencies

I need help.

• Spanish: Necesito ayuda.
• Portuguese: Preciso de ajuda.

Can you help me?

• Spanish: ¿Puede ayudarme?
• Portuguese: Pode me ajudar?

Call the police.

• Spanish: Llame a la policía.
• Portuguese: Chame a polícia.

I need a doctor.

• Spanish: Necesito un médico.
• Portuguese: Preciso de um médico.

Where is the nearest hospital?

• Spanish: ¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano?
• Portuguese: Onde fica o hospital mais próximo?

I lost my passport.

• Spanish: Perdí mi pasaporte.
• Portuguese: Eu perdi meu passaporte.

I’ve been robbed.

• Spanish: Me han robado.
• Portuguese: Fui roubado/a.

I don’t feel well.

• Spanish: No me siento bien.
• Portuguese: Não me sinto bem.

While this three-part series covers many essential travel phrases, there are plenty more that can help your students navigate their journeys with greater ease.

Feel free to build on these lists and introduce your own phrases to help your class develop the confidence and vocabulary they need to explore any English-speaking destination!