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Spanish for staying at their parents' house

A dinner is two hours. A holiday stay is five days of breakfasts, bathrooms, and hallway small talk. Here's the Spanish that gets you through it.

Free: get the starter kit with all 10 rescue phrases as a PDF and a checklist for your date.

When you arrive

Muchas gracias por recibirme en su casa.Thank you so much for having me in your home.
¿Dónde pongo mis cosas?Where should I put my things?
Qué bonita casa.What a lovely house.

Around the house

¿Dónde está el baño?Where's the bathroom?
¿Puedo bañarme?May I take a shower?Bañarse means to shower in Mexico and much of Latin America.
¿Me presta una toalla?Could I borrow a towel?
¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?What's the Wi-Fi password?
¿Puedo tomar un vaso de agua?May I have a glass of water?
Ask about the house rules on day one, through your partner: when they eat, whether shoes come off, and how long showers can be. In some homes the hot water runs out fast.

Mornings and bedtime

Buenos días. ¿Cómo amaneció?Good morning. How did you sleep?Literally: how did you wake up? Very common in Mexico and Colombia.
Dormí muy bien, gracias.I slept very well, thank you.
Buenas noches. Que descanse.Good night. Rest well.
Hasta mañana.See you tomorrow.

Helping out

Offer to help every day, not just once. Guests who pitch in are remembered.

¿Le ayudo en algo?Can I help with anything?
Yo lavo los platos.I'll wash the dishes.
Yo pongo la mesa.I'll set the table.
¿Dónde va esto?Where does this go?
No, no, siéntese.No, no, sit down.You'll hear this. Offer once more, then let them win.

When you leave

Gracias por todo. Me sentí como en casa.Thank you for everything. I felt right at home.
Los voy a extrañar.I'm going to miss you all.

Then comes the long goodbye. Here's how to do it right.

Free starter kit

Staying with them this Christmas?

Get the 10 rescue phrases and a checklist counting down to your trip.

  • All 10 rescue phrases as a PDF, with pronunciation
  • A week-by-week checklist for your date

Free. You'll get it instantly, plus a few helpful emails before your date. Unsubscribe anytime.

Want these phrases built around their family?

Familia Ready turns their real names, their food, and your story into a short Spanish countdown timed to the day you see them. 10–15 minutes a day, made for beginners.

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Questions

How do you say 'can I take a shower' in Spanish?

¿Puedo bañarme? In Mexico and much of Latin America, bañarse is the everyday word for showering. ¿Puedo ducharme? is also understood.

What does ¿Cómo amaneció? mean?

How did you wake up? It's a common good-morning question, like asking how someone slept.

Should I help with chores as a guest?

Offer every day. Your hosts may say no, no, siéntese (sit down). Offer once more, and if they still say no, thank them and let it go.

What gift should I bring my hosts?

Something small and thoughtful from where you live, flowers, or a dessert. See our guide to gifts in Spanish.

Keep reading

What to say when you give a gift in SpanishHanding it over, thanking them, and what to bring.How to compliment the food in Spanish¡Qué rico!, asking for the recipe, and saying no to a third plate.Spanish phrases for meeting your partner's parentsGreetings, dinner talk, the questions they'll ask, and how to say goodbye.The Latino goodbye, in SpanishWhy leaving takes an hour, and how to do it right.