Spanish Phrases – Andalucia Edition!

IF you are not a native of this beautiful, sun soaked country then learning the language can feel like a daunting task.

For this reason, many of us do not dare attempt it! However, the key to making the most of Spain lies in connecting with its people, whether it’s showing some effort with your local friends or becoming a beloved regular at the tapas bar down the street, even knowing just a few phrases will help build those all important bonds with our Andalucian amigos.

“Hola!, como vas?”  Translates to: “Hello, how is it going?”  This is a typical greeting down in southern Spain, give it a try today and see their response! 

“Anda ya!”  Translates to: “Walk now!”, but forget the literal meaning, this expression is a positive reaction to some sort of good news. For example, “I got the job!” “Anda ya! Congratulations!” 

“Mas o menos”  Translates to: “More or less”. For extra Andaluz accent, forget to pronounce the s’ completely. This phrase is handy in this laid back region, “I will arrive at two o’clock…mas o menos.”

“No me digas!”  Translates to: “Do not tell me!”. This is used when somebody has received a piece of shocking news. It can be positive or negative depending on the situation but for dramatic effect (and we love that here in Spain) put both hands to your face and repeat the phrase two or three times! 

“Hasta ahora wapa/wapo!”  Translates to: “See you now pretty/handsome!”. It’s not as weird as it sounds, calling somebody wapa or wapo (officially guapa or guapo but down here it is pronounced like that) is a very common and friendly thing. You also may not be seeing this person for a few days or weeks even but the feeling is similar to “I will see you when I see you!”

So why not be brave and give these local expressions a try, it will surely be appreciated and might just be the start of a new language learning journey. This time next year Rodney, we’ll be fluent in Spanish!”