Spanish for Hospitality: Essential Phrases for Hotel and Restaurant Interns
If you are heading to Spain for an internship in a hotel, restaurant or kitchen, English will often get you through the day with guests. But much of the communication with colleagues, suppliers and Spanish-speaking guests happens in Spanish. The good news is that Spanish for hospitality does not require you to master the whole language. The same situations repeat every day, such as greetings, requests, orders, apologies and room questions, and a set of ready-made phrases makes a real difference.
This guide collects the most useful Spanish phrases for reception, restaurant, bar, kitchen and housekeeping, with English translations. It also covers handling complaints, talking with colleagues, numbers and times, menu vocabulary, common false friends and a four-week study plan you can follow before your internship starts.
Why Spanish for Hospitality Matters
- Team communication: instructions in kitchens and housekeeping are usually given in Spanish.
- Guest satisfaction: Spanish guests respond warmly when you greet them in their own language.
- More responsibility: supervisors trust interns who understand Spanish more quickly.
- Daily life: finding housing, shopping, seeing a doctor and handling paperwork become easier.
- Career: Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and a strong asset in tourism.
Basic Polite Phrases
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Buenos días / Buenas tardes / Buenas noches | Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening | Greeting by time of day |
| Bienvenido / Bienvenida | Welcome | Welcoming guests |
| ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? | How can I help you? | Offering help |
| Por favor / Gracias / De nada | Please / Thank you / You're welcome | All the time |
| Perdone / Disculpe | Excuse me | Getting attention, interrupting |
| Lo siento mucho | I'm very sorry | Apologising |
| Un momento, por favor | One moment, please | Asking someone to wait |
| Que tenga un buen día | Have a nice day | Saying goodbye |
With guests, the formal usted form is the safe choice. Colleagues usually use the informal tú with each other.
Reception Phrases
- ¿Tiene una reserva? — Do you have a reservation?
- ¿A nombre de quién? — Under what name?
- ¿Me permite su pasaporte, por favor? — May I have your passport, please?
- Su habitación es la 512, en la quinta planta. — Your room is 512, on the fifth floor.
- El desayuno se sirve de siete a diez y media. — Breakfast is served from seven to ten-thirty.
- La salida es a las doce. — Check-out is at twelve.
- Su habitación todavía no está lista. ¿Le guardo el equipaje? — Your room is not ready yet. Shall I store your luggage?
- La contraseña del wifi es… — The Wi-Fi password is…
- ¿Le pido un taxi? — Shall I call you a taxi?
Restaurant and Service Phrases
Welcoming and seating
- ¿Cuántos son? — How many are you?
- ¿Tienen reserva? — Do you have a reservation?
- Por aquí, por favor. — This way, please.
- Aquí tienen la carta. — Here is the menu.
Taking orders
- ¿Qué desean beber? — What would you like to drink?
- ¿Ya saben qué van a pedir? — Are you ready to order?
- ¿Cómo quiere la carne? ¿Poco hecha, al punto o muy hecha? — How would you like your meat? Rare, medium or well done?
- ¿Tiene alguna alergia o intolerancia? — Do you have any allergies or intolerances?
- Le recomiendo el plato del día. — I recommend the dish of the day.
During and after the meal
- ¿Está todo bien? — Is everything all right?
- ¿Desean algo más? — Would you like anything else?
- ¿Quieren ver la carta de postres? — Would you like to see the dessert menu?
- Aquí tiene la cuenta. — Here is the bill.
- ¿Pagan juntos o por separado? — Together or separately?
- ¿En efectivo o con tarjeta? — Cash or card?
Bar Phrases
- ¿Qué le pongo? — What can I get you? (the most common question at a Spanish bar)
- Una caña / un tinto / un café con leche — A small beer / a red wine / a coffee with milk
- ¿Con hielo? — With ice?
- Invita la casa. — It’s on the house.
Kitchen Spanish
In the kitchen, short and clear communication keeps service fast and safe. These are the phrases you will hear most:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¡Sí, chef! / ¡Oído! | Yes, chef! / Heard! |
| ¡Marcha la mesa cinco! | Fire table five! |
| ¡Cuidado, caliente! | Careful, hot! |
| ¡Detrás! | Behind! |
| La mise en place | Prep before service |
| La cámara | The walk-in fridge |
| Los fogones / el horno | The stove / the oven |
| Picar / cortar / pelar | Chop / cut / peel |
| Se acabó el pescado | The fish is sold out |
Housekeeping Phrases
- Buenos días, limpieza de habitaciones. — Good morning, housekeeping.
- ¿Puedo limpiar la habitación ahora? — May I clean the room now?
- ¿Necesita toallas limpias? — Do you need clean towels?
- Vuelvo más tarde. — I’ll come back later.
Handling Complaints
A simple structure works in any language: listen, apologise, solve, follow up.
- Entiendo. ¿Me puede explicar qué ha pasado? — I understand. Could you tell me what happened?
- Lo siento mucho, ahora mismo lo soluciono. — I’m very sorry, I’ll fix it right away.
- Voy a hablar con mi responsable. — I’ll speak to my supervisor.
- Gracias por decírnoslo. — Thank you for letting us know.
Talking with Colleagues
- ¿Me puedes enseñar cómo se hace? — Can you show me how to do it?
- ¿Me lo puedes repetir, por favor? — Can you repeat that, please?
- Ya he terminado. ¿Qué hago ahora? — I’ve finished. What should I do now?
- ¿Puedo cambiar el turno del sábado? — Can I swap my Saturday shift?
- Llego cinco minutos tarde. — I’m running five minutes late.
Numbers, Times and Menu Words
Small details cause many mistakes, so practise them aloud. Spaniards often use the 24-hour clock (“a las veinte horas” is 8 p.m.), say dates day-first (“el doce de octubre”) and read room numbers as numbers (“la quinientos doce” for room 512). Lunch is usually around 2 p.m. and dinner around 9 p.m., which shapes restaurant service times.
Common menu words include entrantes (starters), primer plato / segundo plato (first course / main course), postre (dessert), menú del día (set lunch menu), a la plancha (grilled on a hot plate), al horno (baked), mariscos (seafood) and sin gluten (gluten-free). The patterns “Lleva…” (it contains…) and “No lleva…” (it does not contain…) help you answer allergy questions with confidence.
False Friends to Watch Out For
- Constipado means having a cold, not constipated.
- Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed.
- Éxito means success; the exit is salida.
- Carpeta means folder, not carpet.
- Ropa means clothes, not rope.
Phone and Email
- Hotel Mar Azul, recepción, le atiende Ana. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? — Hotel Mar Azul, reception, Ana speaking. How can I help you?
- ¿Me puede deletrear su apellido? — Could you spell your surname?
- Le paso con el restaurante. — I’ll put you through to the restaurant.
- Le confirmamos su reserva para el… — We confirm your reservation for… (email)
Small Talk with Guests
- ¿Qué tal el viaje? — How was your trip?
- ¿Es su primera vez en Valencia? — Is this your first time in Valencia?
- Le recomiendo pasear por el casco antiguo. — I recommend a walk around the old town.
- ¡Que disfrute de su estancia! — Enjoy your stay!
Short, friendly conversations make guests feel welcome and are the easiest way to practise your Spanish for hospitality every single day.
Regional Languages and Accents
Besides Spanish (castellano), several regions have their own official languages: Catalan in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, Valencian in the Valencia region, Basque in the Basque Country and Galician in Galicia. Castellano is understood everywhere at work and with guests, but you will see regional languages on signs, menus and in daily life. Accents in Andalusia and the Canary Islands may sound different at first; your ear adjusts within a few weeks.
Do not worry about perfect grammar. A warm “¡Buenos días! ¿En qué puedo ayudarle?” said with the right tone often means more to a guest than a long, flawless sentence. Keep a small notebook of new words you hear at work and review it each evening; after the first month it becomes your own personal dictionary of Spanish for hospitality in your department.
A Four-Week Study Plan
- Week 1: polite phrases, numbers, times and dates.
- Week 2: the section for your department; write your own variations.
- Week 3: role-play check-ins, orders and complaints with a friend, and record yourself.
- Week 4: listen to Spanish series, podcasts or restaurant videos every day.
Spain’s official language institution, the Instituto Cervantes, provides official information about learning Spanish and the internationally recognised DELE diplomas. If you want to certify your level, see the levels and dates of the DELE exams. For more intensive preparation, a Spain language course before or alongside your internship is another option.
Frequently Asked Questions
In international hotels English is often enough. Basic Spanish for hospitality speeds up integration and makes teamwork much easier.
Use the formal usted with guests. Colleagues generally use the informal tú with each other.
Short calls such as “¡Sí, chef!”, “¡Oído!”, “¡Marcha!”, “¡Cuidado, caliente!” and “¡Detrás!” are used constantly for speed and safety.
Usually not. If you want to prove your level, the Instituto Cervantes DELE diplomas are internationally recognised.
Focus on phrases for your department, practise aloud every day, role-play common situations and listen to Spanish content regularly.
Start Your Internship in Spain Prepared
Spanish for hospitality makes a difference from your very first shift. Cardelest supports candidates for hospitality, tourism and gastronomy internships in Spain through program selection, application and preparation. Read about daily life in a hotel internship in Spain, explore our Spain Internship Program or contact us for a free pre-assessment.
