Learn Summer Related Words in Spanish [Language Tips]

If you’re thinking about taking a trip to sunny Spain for your next vacation, why not learn some useful seasonal vocabulary words before you go? Or even if you're learning Spanish and just want to expand your lexicon.

If you want to make yourself understood at the beach, order delicious summer drinks by the pool and understand important signs then this brief guide to Spanish summer words is a travel must-have!

Note down any new vocabulary you learn here today and get the ball rolling on your Spanish learning journey. Now, let's dive into some fun Spanish summer words and phrases.

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Spanish Beach Vocabulary

Whether you are off to multicultural Barcelona, striking Asturias, lively Valencia, stunning Alicante, party town Málaga or cultural haven Seville, you will be within reach of a lovely Spanish beach.

Loved among Brits, Germans, and the rest of the world, it is hard to find a more picturesque and entertaining spot than a Spanish beach in the Summer.

So, read on to learn some basic new words and phrases for your Spanish beach trip.

¡Vamos A La Playa!

You might recognize this Spanish beach vocabulary from the classic old Europop song Vamos A La Playa.

This phrase means "let's go to the beach", something you are bound to say during your Spanish summer retreat.

You may also ask ¿quieres ir a la playa?, meaning "do you want to go to the beach?"

As you may have worked out, la playa means "the beach" in Spanish.

Once you know these phrases and some other simple Spanish words, you can start to develop your summer vocabulary words and phrases.

Tomar El Sol

A key beach phrase for your summer vacation is "to sunbathe", which is tomar el sol in Spanish.

The verb tomar literally translated means "to take", and it can be used in various contexts.

You can tomar el tren (take the train) or tomar un cafe (drink a coffee). In this instance, you are taking in the sun.

Tomar - Take/ drink
El sol - The sun
Tiempo soleado - Sunny weather
Broncearse - To tan
Voy a broncearme - I'm going to tan (myself)

When you are preparing for a day of sunbathing at the beach, you'll have to make sure you pack or know how to ask for, the essentials. These include:

Las chanclas - Flip flops/ sliders
Las sandalias - Sandles
El traje de baño/ el bañador - Swimsuit
Las gafas de sol - Sunglasses
El bloqueador solar/ el protector solar - Sun cream

Other Useful Spanish Beach Phrases

¿Dónde está...? - Where is...?
El mar - The sea
El baño - The bathroom
El bar - The bar
El restaurante (más cercano) - The (nearest) restaurant

If you are holidaying with kids, or just love to have fun at the beach, here are some useful Spanish words for you:

Jugar al vóleibol - Play volleyball
Jugar al fútbol - Play football
Castillo de arena - Sand castle
Construir castillos de arena - Build sand castles
Clase de natación - Swimming lesson
Aprender a nadar - Learn to swim
Hacer surf - To surf
Quiero ir a hacer surf - I want to go surfing

You have learned two useful Spanish -ar verbs here, jugar (to play) and nadar (to swim).

Moreover, you've seen aprender (to learn), hacer (to do/make) and querer (to want), three significant Spanish verbs ending in -er. You have also learned construir (to build).

Picking up useful Spanish verbs is one of the first steps to opening up lines of communication and making yourself understood.

Now, let's look at how to order (pedir) your summer refreshments.

Food And Drink Summer Vocabulary

Whether you are sunning yourself at the beach, lounging by the pool, or enjoying a Spanish city break, you will want to be able to ask for snacks and drinks to keep you going in the heat.

Simple phrases to learn and words to look out for on a menu include:

Los aperitivos y bebidas - Light food and drinks
Las aceitunas - Olives
Patatas fritas - Fries
Frutos secos - Nuts/ seeds/ dried fruits
Agua - water
Cerveza - Beer
Vino blanco - White wine
Vino tinto - Red wine
Tinto de verano - Red wine with lemon soda or soda water

A tinto de verano is a classic Spanish summer drink. The name is made up of the words for red wine (vino tinto) and the summer (el verano).

It is similar to sangría, but without the fruits, sugar, and other liqueurs. Tinto de verano is your lighter, less alcoholic, and more refreshing choice for a hot Spanish afternoon.

While you are visiting one of Spain's many famous coastal towns, you should sink your teeth into some of the seafood.

Marisco - Seafood
Pescaíto frito - Fried anchovies/ sardines or similar
Mejillones - Mussels
Ensalada de cangrejo - Crab salad
El cangrejo - Crab (food and animal)

Remember, in English, we say "fish" for both the animal and the food. However, in Spanish, there is a distinction.

The Spanish word "pez" refers to a living fish swimming in the ocean. You catch a "pez" (fish) by fishing ("pescar"), and once caught, it is "pescado" (past participle of the verb "to fish").

So, the Spanish word "pescado" refers to the cooked fish on your plate.

If you want to learn more about food terminology in Spanish check out our guide to Spanish restaurant vocabulary.

Danger Signs

Finally, to ensure you have a fun-filled, safe, and happy trip so your Spanish-speaking country of choice, here are some practical phrases to note down.

If you see a danger sign, or a señal de peligro, you must know what it says.

(No) es seguro nadar aquí - It is (not) safe to swim here

If you are ever unsure, you can ask ¿puedo nadar aquí?, meaning "can I swim here?"

Las olas - The waves
Cuidado - Careful
Peligro/ Peligroso - Danger/ dangerous
Salvavidas - Lifeguards
La mareada alta/ baja - High/ low tide

This has been a brief look at some Spanish beach vocabulary and other useful summer words.

Now you know how to plan a beach trip, order food, and drinks, and keep yourself safe this summer.

If you want to learn more useful Spanish words and phrases, why not check out Lingopie, the streaming service designed to make language learning fun and accessible?

With Lingopie, you can watch Spanish TV and movies and learn practical vocabulary words through natural exposure. It is a great Spanish language learning tool to prepare you for your next vacation. Have a great trip to la playa.

Learn Summer Related Words in Spanish [Language Tips]