Top Ten Useful Phrases in Spanish, Catalan, Basque & Galician

Thursday August 24, 2006

So, you've spent six weeks at nightschool doing their "Vacation Spanish" course and then traveled through northern Spain, only to be met by people saying "Fins ara", "Falas inglés?" and "Bi garagardo, mesedez", which you don't remember your tutor ever mentioning and you can't find anywhere in your phrasebook. Should you demand your money back? No, welcome to the Spanish regions, where they speak different lingos to the rest of the nation.

Maybe you aren't aware that in Catalonia they speak Catalan, in the Basque country they speak Basque and in Galicia they speak Galician. 'Normal' Spanish is spoken too ('Castillian' Spanish to those in the know), but it can get frustrating for those keen on learning Spanish to feel lost again, surrounded by people speaking a different language to you, especially after all the progress made in Madrid and Andalusia.

But help is at hand! Learn my Top Ten Useful Phrases in Spanish, Catalan, Basque & Galician (or print it out and refer to it in emergencies!) and you'll at least receive some begrudging recognition for your efforts.

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