Personal Phrasebook: Customizing and Practicing for Your Trip - Survival Travel Phrases in Spanish, French, and Mandarin

Q: You know the Spanish phrase “Voy al aeropuerto a las ocho” (I’m going to the airport at eight). Which option correctly changes it to “I’m going to the restaurant at six” using the same pattern?

Voy al restaurante a las seis.. The pattern is “Voy a [lugar] a las [hora].” You must swap the place to “restaurante” and the time to “seis.” Only “Voy al restaurante a las seis.” keeps the correct structure and meaning: “I’m going to the restaurant at six.”

New Words and Phrases (in English)

These phrases help you build a personal mini phrasebook and adapt it on the fly. We’ll focus on patterns you can reuse by swapping place, time, number, or item.

Word	Pronunciation	Translation	Example
Spanish: Mis frases clave French: Mes phrases clés Mandarin: 我的关键句子 (wǒ de guānjiàn jùzi)	Spanish: mees FRAH-sehs KLA-veh French: meh frahs KLAY Mandarin: woh duh gwan-jyen JOO-dzuh	My key phrases	Spanish: Quiero guardar mis frases clave en el teléfono. French: Je veux garder mes phrases clés dans le téléphone. Mandarin: 我想把我的关键句子存在手机里。(wǒ xiǎng bǎ wǒ de guānjiàn jùzi cún zài shǒujī lǐ)(I want to keep my key phrases on my phone.)
Spanish: ¿Cómo se dice ___? French: Comment on dit ___ ? Mandarin: ___ 用中文怎么说？(___ yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?)	Spanish: KOH-moh seh DEE-seh ___? French: koh-MAHN on DEE ___ ? Mandarin: ___ yohng JONG-wen ZEM-muh shwoh?	How do you say ___?	Spanish: ¿Cómo se dice “vegetariano” en español? French: Comment on dit “végétarien” en français ? Mandarin: “素食者”用中文怎么说？(“sùshízhě” yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?)(How do you say “vegetarian” in Spanish/French/Chinese?)
Spanish: ¿Puede repetir, por favor? French: Vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ? Mandarin: 请您再说一遍，可以吗？(qǐng nín zài shuō yí biàn, kěyǐ ma?)	Spanish: PWEH-deh reh-peh-TEER, por fah-VOR? French: voo poo-VAY ray-pay-TAY, seel voo PLEH ? Mandarin: ching NEEN dzai shwoh ee-BYEN, kuh-YEE ma?	Could you repeat, please?	Spanish: Lo siento, ¿puede repetir, por favor? French: Désolé, vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ? Mandarin: 不好意思，请您再说一遍，可以吗？(bùhǎo yìsi, qǐng nín zài shuō yí biàn, kěyǐ ma?)(Sorry, could you repeat, please?)
Spanish: ¿Cómo se dice esto en [idioma]? French: Comment on dit ça en [langue] ? Mandarin: 这个用[语言]怎么说？(zhège yòng [yǔyán] zěnme shuō?)	Spanish: KOH-moh seh DEE-seh ES-to en ___? French: koh-MAHN on DEE sah ahn ___ ? Mandarin: JER-guh yohng ___ ZEM-muh shwoh?	How do you say this in [language]?	Spanish: ¿Cómo se dice esto en francés? French: Comment on dit ça en espagnol ? Mandarin: 这个用法语怎么说？(zhège yòng Fǎyǔ zěnme shuō?)(How do you say this in French/Spanish/Chinese?)
Spanish: Necesito esta frase para el aeropuerto / hotel / restaurante. French: J’ai besoin de cette phrase pour l’aéroport / l’hôtel / le restaurant. Mandarin: 我在机场 / 酒店 / 餐厅需要这句。(wǒ zài jīchǎng / jiǔdiàn / cāntīng xūyào zhè jù)	Spanish: neh-seh-SEE-to ES-tah FRAH-seh pah-rah el ah-eh-roh-PUER-to / oh-TEL / rehs-taw-RAHN-teh French: zhay buh-ZWAN duh set FRAHZ poor lay-roh-POR / loh-TEL / luh res-toh-RAHN Mandarin: woh dzai JEE-chang / jyoh-DYAN / tsan-TING shyoo-YOW juh JYOO	I need this phrase for the airport / hotel / restaurant.	Spanish: Necesito esta frase para el hotel. French: J’ai besoin de cette phrase pour l’hôtel. Mandarin: 我在酒店需要这句。(wǒ zài jiǔdiàn xūyào zhè jù)(I need this phrase for the hotel.)
Spanish: Voy a [lugar] a las [hora]. French: Je vais à [lieu] à [heure]. Mandarin: 我在[时间]去[地方]。(wǒ zài [shíjiān] qù [dìfang])	Spanish: boy ah [loo-GAR] ah las [OR-ah] French: zhuh VAY ah [lyuh] ah [EUR] Mandarin: woh dzai [shir-JYEN] chyoo [DEE-fahng]	I’m going to [place] at [time].	Spanish: Voy al aeropuerto a las ocho. French: Je vais à l’aéroport à huit heures. Mandarin: 我在八点去机场。(wǒ zài bā diǎn qù jīchǎng)(I’m going to the airport at eight o’clock.)
Spanish: ¿Puede escribirlo, por favor? French: Vous pouvez l’écrire, s’il vous plaît ? Mandarin: 请您写下来，可以吗？(qǐng nín xiě xiàlai, kěyǐ ma?)	Spanish: PWEH-deh es-kree-BEER-lo, por fah-VOR? French: voo poo-VAY lay-KREER, seel voo PLEH ? Mandarin: ching NEEN shyeh SHYAH-lai, kuh-YEE ma?	Could you write it down, please?	Spanish: Es difícil para mí, ¿puede escribirlo, por favor? French: C’est difficile pour moi, vous pouvez l’écrire, s’il vous plaît ? Mandarin: 对我有点难，请您写下来，可以吗？(duì wǒ yǒudiǎn nán, qǐng nín xiě xiàlai, kěyǐ ma?)(It’s a bit hard for me, could you write it down, please?)
Spanish: Solo quiero recordar lo más importante. French: Je veux seulement retenir l’essentiel. Mandarin: 我只想记住最重要的。(wǒ zhǐ xiǎng jìzhù zuì zhòngyào de)	Spanish: SOH-loh kyeh-RO reh-kor-DAR lo mahs eem-por-TAHN-teh French: zhuh vuh suh-leh-MAHN ruh-tuh-NEER less-ahn-SYEL Mandarin: woh jir SHYANG JEE-joo dzway JONG-yow deh	I only want to remember the most important things.	Spanish: No necesito todo, solo quiero recordar lo más importante. French: Je n’ai pas besoin de tout, je veux seulement retenir l’essentiel. Mandarin: 我不需要全部，我只想记住最重要的。(wǒ bù xūyào quánbù, wǒ zhǐ xiǎng jìzhù zuì zhòngyào de)(I don’t need everything, I only want to remember the most important things.)

Language Pattern (in English)

1. Reusable pattern: “I’m going to [place] at [time]”

You can build many travel sentences by keeping the frame and swapping the key words.

Spanish pattern: Voy a [lugar] a las [hora].
Example: Voy al aeropuerto a las ocho. = I’m going to the airport at eight.
Swap place: Voy al hotel a las ocho. (I’m going to the hotel at eight.)
Swap time: Voy al aeropuerto a las seis. (I’m going to the airport at six.)

French pattern: Je vais à [lieu] à [heure].
Example: Je vais à l’aéroport à huit heures. = I’m going to the airport at eight o’clock.
Swap place: Je vais à l’hôtel à huit heures. (I’m going to the hotel at eight.)
Swap time: Je vais à l’aéroport à six heures. (I’m going to the airport at six.)

Mandarin pattern: 我在[时间]去[地方]。 (wǒ zài [shíjiān] qù [dìfang])
Example: 我在八点去机场。 (wǒ zài bā diǎn qù jīchǎng) = I’m going to the airport at eight.
Swap place: 我在八点去酒店。 (wǒ zài bā diǎn qù jiǔdiàn) (I’m going to the hotel at eight.)
Swap time: 我在六点去机场。 (wǒ zài liù diǎn qù jīchǎng) (I’m going to the airport at six.)

Notice that only two parts change: the place word and the time word. This is the core idea of a personal phrase pattern: memorize one strong frame, then plug in new words.

2. Asking how to say something

These patterns let you expand your phrasebook on the spot.

Spanish:
¿Cómo se dice ___? (How do you say _?)
¿Cómo se dice “taxi” en español? (How do you say “taxi” in Spanish?)
¿Cómo se dice esto en [idioma]? (How do you say this in [language]?)
¿Cómo se dice esto en francés? (How do you say this in French?)

French:
Comment on dit ___ ? (How do you say _?)
Comment on dit “gare” en chinois ? (How do you say “station” in Chinese?)
Comment on dit ça en [langue] ? (How do you say this in [language]?)
Comment on dit ça en espagnol ? (How do you say this in Spanish?)

Mandarin:
___ 用中文怎么说？ (__ yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?) (How do you say _ in Chinese?)
“地铁”用中文怎么说？ (How do you say “subway” in Chinese?)
这个用[语言]怎么说？ (zhège yòng [yǔyán] zěnme shuō?) (How do you say this in [language]?)
这个用法语怎么说？ (How do you say this in French?)

You only change the blank word or the language name, but the structure stays the same.

3. Support phrases for memory and clarity

These help you turn any new phrase into part of your personal phrasebook:

“My key phrases”:
Spanish: Mis frases clave
French: Mes phrases clés
Mandarin: 我的关键句子 (wǒ de guānjiàn jùzi)

“I need this phrase for the airport / hotel / restaurant.”
Spanish: Necesito esta frase para el aeropuerto / hotel / restaurante.
French: J’ai besoin de cette phrase pour l’aéroport / l’hôtel / le restaurant.
Mandarin: 我在机场 / 酒店 / 餐厅需要这句。 (wǒ zài jīchǎng / jiǔdiàn / cāntīng xūyào zhè jù)

“Could you write it down, please?”
Spanish: ¿Puede escribirlo, por favor?
French: Vous pouvez l’écrire, s’il vous plaît ?
Mandarin: 请您写下来，可以吗？ (qǐng nín xiě xiàlai, kěyǐ ma?)

Together with “Could you repeat, please?”, these phrases support your real-time learning: you hear a phrase, ask for it, get it slowly, and then get it written down for your mini phrasebook.

Practice Dialogue (in English)

You are in a hotel lobby the night before several activities. You want to check your key phrases with the receptionist and write them into your personal phrasebook. The dialogue shows how to ask for phrases, adapt them for different places and times, and ask for repetition and writing.

At the hotel reception, the traveler is preparing a personal phrase list for airport, hotel, and restaurant situations.

Traveler

Spanish: Hola, estoy haciendo mis frases clave para mañana. French: Bonjour, je prépare mes phrases clés pour demain. Mandarin: 你好，我在为明天整理我的关键句子。(nǐ hǎo, wǒ zài wèi míngtiān zhěnglǐ wǒ de guānjiàn jùzi)

Hello, I’m preparing my key phrases for tomorrow.

Receptionist

Spanish: Claro, ¿en qué situaciones? ¿Aeropuerto, hotel, restaurante? French: Bien sûr, pour quelles situations ? Aéroport, hôtel, restaurant ? Mandarin: 当然，可以。什么情况？机场、酒店还是餐厅？(dāngrán, kěyǐ. shénme qíngkuàng? jīchǎng, jiǔdiàn háishi cāntīng?)

Of course, for which situations? Airport, hotel, restaurant?

Traveler

Spanish: Primero, necesito esta frase para el aeropuerto: “Voy al aeropuerto a las ocho”. French: D’abord, j’ai besoin de cette phrase pour l’aéroport : « Je vais à l’aéroport à huit heures ». Mandarin: 首先，我在机场需要这句：“我在八点去机场。”(shǒuxiān, wǒ zài jīchǎng xūyào zhè jù: “wǒ zài bā diǎn qù jīchǎng.”)

First, I need this phrase for the airport: “I’m going to the airport at eight.”

Receptionist

Spanish: Muy bien. Si cambia la hora, dice: “Voy al aeropuerto a las seis”. French: Très bien. Si vous changez l’heure, vous dites : « Je vais à l’aéroport à six heures ». Mandarin: 好的，如果时间变成六点，可以说：“我在六点去机场。”(hǎo de, rúguǒ shíjiān biàn chéng liù diǎn, kěyǐ shuō: “wǒ zài liù diǎn qù jīchǎng.”)

Very good. If you change the time, you say: “I’m going to the airport at six.”

Traveler

Spanish: Gracias. ¿Puede repetir, por favor? Y, ¿puede escribirlo? French: Merci. Vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ? Et vous pouvez l’écrire ? Mandarin: 谢谢。请您再说一遍，可以吗？还能写下来吗？(xièxie. qǐng nín zài shuō yí biàn, kěyǐ ma? hái néng xiě xiàlai ma?)

Thank you. Could you repeat, please? And could you write it down?

Receptionist

Spanish: Claro. También puede decir: “Voy al restaurante a las ocho”. French: Bien sûr. Vous pouvez aussi dire : « Je vais au restaurant à huit heures ». Mandarin: 当然。您也可以说：“我在八点去餐厅。”(dāngrán. nín yě kěyǐ shuō: “wǒ zài bā diǎn qù cāntīng.”)

Of course. You can also say: “I’m going to the restaurant at eight.”

Traveler

Spanish: Perfecto. ¿Cómo se dice esto en francés y en chino? French: Parfait. Comment on dit ça en espagnol et en chinois ? Mandarin: 太好了，这个用西班牙语和中文怎么说？(tài hǎo le, zhège yòng Xībānyáyǔ hé Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?)

Perfect. How do you say this in Spanish/French and in Chinese?

Receptionist

Spanish: No se preocupe, solo recuerde lo más importante. Escribimos sus frases clave. French: Ne vous inquiétez pas, retenez seulement l’essentiel. On écrit vos phrases clés. Mandarin: 别担心，只要记住最重要的就好。我们帮您写下关键句子。(bié dānxīn, zhǐyào jìzhù zuì zhòngyào de jiù hǎo. wǒmen bāng nín xiě xià guānjiàn jùzi)

Don’t worry, just remember the most important things. We’ll write down your key phrases.

Check Your Understanding (in English)

Answer this question about using patterns to adapt your personal phrasebook.

You know the Spanish phrase “Voy al aeropuerto a las ocho” (I’m going to the airport at eight). Which option correctly changes it to “I’m going to the restaurant at six” using the same pattern?

Voy al restaurante a las seis.
Voy al aeropuerto a las seis restaurante.
Voy a las seis restaurante.
Voy al restaurante a las ocho.

Show Answer

Answer: A) Voy al restaurante a las seis.

The pattern is “Voy a [lugar] a las [hora].” You must swap the place to “restaurante” and the time to “seis.” Only “Voy al restaurante a las seis.” keeps the correct structure and meaning: “I’m going to the restaurant at six.”

Key Terms

Mis frases clave, Mes phrases clés, 我的关键句子: My key phrases – label for your personal phrase list.
¿Cómo se dice ___?, Comment on dit ___ ?, ___ 用中文怎么说？: How do you say ___? – to ask for a new word or phrase.
Voy a [lugar] a las [hora]., Je vais à [lieu] à [heure]., 我在[时间]去[地方]。: I’m going to [place] at [time]. – reusable pattern for appointments and movements.
¿Cómo se dice esto en [idioma]?, Comment on dit ça en [langue] ?, 这个用[语言]怎么说？: How do you say this in [language]? – pointing to an object or written word.
¿Puede repetir, por favor?, Vous pouvez répéter, s’il vous plaît ?, 请您再说一遍，可以吗？: Could you repeat, please? – to hear a phrase again.
¿Puede escribirlo, por favor?, Vous pouvez l’écrire, s’il vous plaît ?, 请您写下来，可以吗？: Could you write it down, please? – to save new phrases.
Solo quiero recordar lo más importante., Je veux seulement retenir l’essentiel., 我只想记住最重要的。: I only want to remember the most important things. – to limit your phrasebook to high‑priority items.
Necesito esta frase para el aeropuerto / hotel / restaurante., J’ai besoin de cette phrase pour l’aéroport / l’hôtel / le restaurant., 我在机场 / 酒店 / 餐厅需要这句。: I need this phrase for the airport / hotel / restaurant. – to focus on key scenarios.