Go beyond "quiero más queso"

How's your Spanish? Shake off the rust with these 10 common phrases

Image: Jon Tyson

As the fourth most spoken language in the world and the second most spoken in the United States, Spanish is definitely one of the most ubiquitous languages. Whether you are on holiday in a Spanish-speaking country, or you need to speak to someone who only speaks Spanish, it is always a good idea to learn a few phrases to make communication easier. The following ten are some of the most used phrases when visiting unfamiliar places. Did you know any of these?

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A dialogue has to start somewhere. And what better way to start one than saying "hello" in a friendly manner, right? Spanish-speaking folks are no different and a kind greeting is always a good way to introduce yourself.

The Spanish word for "hello" is Hola (ow·luh). And a perfectly agreeable way to follow that would be a "nice to meet you," which in Spanish translates to es un placer conocerte (ehs oon plah-sehr koh-noh-sehr-teh).

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The second part of an introduction is presenting yourself (that is if you are not just simply asking for directions or something along those lines). At this stage, you might want to let your new acquaintance know your name.

You can do so by saying Mi nombre es… (mee nohm-breh ehs) followed by your name. This is the Spanish way of saying "my name is."

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Another advisable thing to know if you are traveling to a Spanish-speaking region is "Where is this address?" Whether you have a map or not, being able to get assistance from the locals is always a good thing.

If you have a map or can, somehow, show the address you need to get to, the correct way of saying this in Spanish is Dónde queda esta dirección? (don·De ke·Da e·sa Deer x ee on)

If you can pronounce the address, then the way to ask is Dónde queda…? ((don·De ke·Da) and complete the dots with the address.

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This phrase is a linguistic Swiss Army knife that can be used to get the correct word for absolutely anything you need. Being able to say "How do you say…?" in a foreign language is extremely valuable and luckily, very simple.

To say this in Spanish, you must say ¿Cómo se dice…? (Koh Moe Ze Dee Ze) followed by the thing you need to say in Spanish.

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This phrase can be of paramount importance if nature calls and you are surrounded by Spanish-speaking individuals. Knowing how to properly ask for a toilette in the local language is, perhaps, not your highest priority when it comes to learning local phrases but maybe it should be, just in case.

The right way to ask for a bathroom in Spanish is to say ¿Dónde queda el baño? (Don Deh Keh Dah L Bah Neeo), which translates to "Where is the bathroom?"

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As a cautionary measure, if you are not fluent in Spanish, it might be a good idea to disclose this information to the person you are speaking to. By doing so, you are excusing yourself for any confusion possible.

To say that you don’t speak the language very well, you can try with No hablo muy bien tu idioma (No Ah Bloh Mooi Bee In Too E deeo Mah). Or you can also say, No hablo bien en Español, which means "I don´t speak Spanish very well."

Image: Courtney Hedger

These are pretty basic things to know. Being kind can take you a long way and it’s free so, why not use it, right? The correct way to say "please" in Spanish is Por favor (Pohr Fah Voor). And the right way to say "thank you" is Gracias (Grah See As).

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Likewise, other two very important things to learn are "I’m sorry" and "excuse me." Being courteous and well-mannered is universally appreciated and help will always be more readily available for a person who shows this kind of behavior.

The right way to say "I’m sorry" in Spanish is Perdón (pehr-dohn). And the correct way to phrase "excuse me" is disculpas (dees-kool-pahs).

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This one can also be crucial if you require assistance and the only people who can provide it are Spanish-speaking individuals. The simple phrase "I need help" can be used for someone who needs advice choosing a wine or someone who is in serious danger.

The correct way to say "I need help" in Spanish is, necesito ayuda (Neh Seh See Toh A Joo Dah).

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The final entry on this list matches the final words of your conversation with a Spanish-speaking person. Or, at least, a version of these words, since there are many ways to say goodbye in any language.

The phrase we are using here is a polite farewell that can be used with someone you have just met, similar to saying, "Goodbye, it was nice meeting you" and it is pronounced Hasta luego, fue un placer conocerte (Fooh Eh Oon Plah Sir Koh No Sir Teh).

Exploring the world

Who got to the Americas first? The unique journeys of 10 iconic explorers

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Nowadays, you can buy your ticket, take a plane, and fly almost anywhere in the world. But this was not always the case. Throughout history, some people have dedicated their lives to exploring unknown parts of the Earth, getting on big ships, and setting sail with little more than hopes and a few wild theories. Today, we're revisiting the journeys of 10 iconic explorers who changed the course of history, making huge contributions to culture, trade, and science. Let's start this adventure!

Image: Tim Foster

Let's travel more than 1000 years into the past to talk about Leif Erikson, one of the earliest renowned explorers in history.

Erikson, a Norse born around 970 CE in what is now Iceland, is recognized as the first European to set foot on mainland America. That's right! Archaeological evidence suggests he had been here almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus. Impressive, isn't it?

In the 11th century, Erikson explored the coasts of North America and is thought to have established a Norse settlement in an area known as Vinland, which many historians believe was located in present-day Newfoundland, Canada.

Image: Egor Myznik

Do you remember what you were doing when you were 17? Most of us were in high school, but that was not the case for Marco Polo, who, at the age of 17, was starting an epic journey from Venice, Italy, to China!

Marco Polo's expedition to Asia began in the year 1271. Although trade had provided Europe with some knowledge about Asia, their understanding of "the East" was quite limited- at that time, Europeans weren't even aware of the existence of the Americas!- In this context, Marco Polo's journey was not only important but also innovative and risky.

Together with his father, he traveled overland along the Silk Road and reached the Chinese Empire in 1275. But that's not all: he spent 17 years there! You can read everything he saw, learned, met, and experienced there in the famous The Travels of Marco Polo.

Image: Kevin Olson

Sometimes, mistakes or unforeseen events end up bringing big changes. That's what happened when the famous Christopher Columbus reached the Caribbean coast, thinking he had arrived in Asia.

As you probably already know, the Genoese set sail from Spain in 1492 in search of a westbound route to Asia. However, a few months after setting sail, Columbus and his ships arrived not in Asia but in the Caribbean on October 12, 1492. Unaware of his amazing finding, Columbus made 3 more voyages to the "New World."

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The Age of Exploration wouldn't have been the same without the iconic Vasco da Gama. Born around 1460 in Portugal, he's famous for nothing less than being the first European to reach India by sea.

At that time, trade between Europe and India was only by land, with many intermediaries involved. Therefore, establishing a safe sea route for trade was a crucial achievement at the time.

Da Gama set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, in 1497. He skirted the coasts of Africa and successfully reached India in 1498. But this major feat didn't end there; da Gama made two more voyages in 1502 and 1524, expanding Portugal's power over the region.

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In 1497, another European set sail in search of Asia, but he ended up exploring the coasts of North America instead.

John Cabot was born in Venice as Giovanni Caboto around 1450. In 1497, he was sent by the English crown to seek a westbound route to reach Asia, but just like Columbus, he encountered America. He arrived in Newfoundland, Canada, without being fully aware of where he was, and he claimed part of present-day Canada and the United States for England.

Cabot is considered the first European to explore the coasts of North America since the Norse voyages, which marked the beginning of England's exploration and land claims in the New World.

Image: Delaney Van

Ferdinand Magellan is a familiar name, right? He was born around 1480 in northern Portugal and would become one of the most famous explorers in history.

In 1519, he set sail from Spain towards the West in search of the "Spice Islands," which was the name for present-day Indonesia. Along the way, he discovered a passage connecting the Atlantic Ocean to another body of water that he named "The Peaceful Sea," known now as the Pacific Ocean. That passage would later take his name: the Strait of Magellan.

In 1521, he and his crew reached The Philippines. Although he lost his life there, the expedition continued and returned to Spain in 1522, completing the very first successful circumnavigation of the globe!

Image: Vincent Yuan

More than 50 years after Magellan, Sir Francis Drake also completed the feat of circumnavigating the globe, becoming the first Englishman to achieve this.

He and his 5 ships began their voyage from Plymouth, England, in 1577. They crossed the Atlantic to what is now the east coast of Argentina. Drake traveled through South America, facing Spanish troops settled in the area.

In 1578, they were crossing the Strait of Magellan. But, before they reached the Pacific, a huge storm hit Drake's crew. Only his ship was able to make it through. With just one vessel, he sailed along the west coast of the Americas, reaching modern California to claim that territory for England. The voyage continued to the Philippines, then crossed the Indian Ocean, the coasts of Africa again, and finally returned to Plymouth in 1580.

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Undoubtedly one of the greatest explorers and navigators of the 18th century, James Cook was born in 1728 in Yorkshire, England. But Cook was not just an explorer; he was also an artist! From a young age, he developed skills in navigation and cartography, mapping large areas with incredible accuracy.

On the first of his major voyages, from 1768 to 1771, he traveled the South Pacific, becoming one of the first Europeans to circumnavigate New Zealand and make a detailed map of the entire region.

On a second voyage, from 1772 to 1775, he traveled South and crossed the Antarctic Circle! On his third and last voyage, from 1776 to 1779, he reached the Hawaiian Islands, making detailed maps of the area and contributing enormously to the geographic knowledge of the Earth and the Pacific Ocean, specifically.

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In 1803, the United States doubled the size of its territory thanks to what we know as the Louisiana Purchase. With so much new territory in our country, someone had to explore it properly. President Thomas Jefferson entrusted this job to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, began in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1804. They traveled up the Missouri River, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and reached the Pacific Ocean! Then, they successfully returned to Missouri in 1806.

These two explorers traveled enormous distances and examined key areas in our territory, discovering new routes and thus helping to improve the country's understanding and knowledge of its lands.

Image: NASA

Our adventure has now reached the 20th century, specifically the year 1969. Since we had already explored almost every corner of the Earth, we humans decided to look up and go for interstellar conquests.

In those years, there was an explorer who, instead of setting sail on tumultuous seas, boarded a spacecraft to cross outer space and reach the Moon!

We're talking about the American Neil Armstrong, astronaut, engineer, and naval aviator. His most famous mission was Apollo 11, thanks to which he became the first human being to set foot on the Moon. You know: "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."