Madrid: Spanish travel guide

Local greetings

• ¡Hola, buenas!Hi there!Say it: OH-lah, BWEH-nahs
• ¿Qué tal?How's it going?Say it: keh TAHL
• ¡Hasta luego!Bye! (even if you won't see them again)Say it: AHS-tah LWEH-goh
• EncantadoPleased to meet youSay it: ehn-kahn-TAH-dohA woman says encantada.

Friends and new acquaintances greet with two kisses, right cheek then left.

Money and tipping

• Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere, even for small amounts.
• Service is included in prices. Leaving the coins from your change, or 5–10% after a great meal, is a kind extra, not an obligation.

Five Madrid words

• ValeOKSay it: BAH-lehYou'll hear this a hundred times a day.
• GuaycoolSay it: gwy
• Una cañaa small draft beerSay it: OO-nah KAH-nyah
• Ir de tapasto go out for tapasSay it: eer deh TAH-pahs
• ¡Venga!Come on! / OK, bye!Say it: BEHN-gah

Good to know

• Lunch is 2–4 pm and dinner starts around 9 pm. Kitchens are often closed at 6 pm.
• The weekday menú del día is the best-value meal in town.
• Here, z and soft c sound like “th”: gracias is GRAH-thyahs. The speaker buttons on this page use a Spain voice when your device has one.