Spanish at the Beach – Vocabulary and Phrases

Are you planning a trip to the beach in a Spanish-speaking country?

In this post we’ll learn some Spanish vocabulary and phrases we can use to impress the native people (and ourselves!). 🙂

We will start with some phrases, and then provide vocabulary lists with useful words.

Enjoy your time “en la playa”!

Phrases

Also, if you need phrases for the beach bar or restaurant (ordering, paying the bill…), check out our post about VOCABULARY & PHRASES AT THE RESTAURANT!

Otherwise, here are some phrases to use at the beach:

¿Dónde ponemos las toallas?
Where do we put the towels?

Vamos a colocar la sombrilla.
Let’s place the umbrella.

La marea está alta / baja.
The tide is high / low.

La marea va a subir, vamos a mover nuestras cosas.
The tide is coming, let’s move our stuff.

¡Qué calor hace!
It’s so hot!

¿Nos bañamos?
Shall we get in the water?

Te espero en el agua.
I’ll wait for you in the water.

¿Me pones crema solar en la espalda, por favor?
Could you put sunscreen on my back, please?

¡Ponte crema solar! De lo contrario, te vas a quemar.
Put sunscreen! Otherwise, you are going to burn your skin.

¿Se pueden practicar deportes acuáticos?
Are water sports allowed?

¿Te apetece jugar un rato a las palas?
Do you feel like playing beach tennis a bit?

¿Vamos al chiringuito a tomar una cerveza?
Shall we go to the beach bar and have a beer?

Vocabulary – Things we find at the beach

Main parts of the beach

La playabeach
La calacove, small bay
El marsea
La arenasand
El aguawater
El solsun
El océanoocean
La orillashore
El paseo marítimopromenade
El chiringuitobeach bar / beach restaurant

Other things

La olawave
La salsalt
El pezfish (alive)
El pescadofish (at the restaurant)
El cangrejocrab
La medusajellyfish
La conchashell
Las algasseaweed
El castillo de arenasandcastle
La mareatide
El socorristalifeguard
La boyabuoy
El farolighthouse
El vientowind
El levanteeasterly wind
El ponientewesterly wind
El barcoboat, ship
El hidropedalpedal boat

Vocabulary – Things we bring to the beach

El traje de bañobathing suit
El bikinibikini
El bañadorswimming trunks
Las gafas de solsunglasses
Las chanclasflip flops
Las sandaliassandals
La toallatowel
La hamacahammock
La tumbonasun bed
La sombrillaumbrella (for the sun)
La neveracool box
La crema solarsunscreen
La pelota de playabeach ball
La palashovel (also, beach racket)
El cubobucket, pail
La cometakite
La colchonetalilo
Los manguitosarmbands
La tabla de surfsurfboard

Vocabulary – Actions

Bañarseto be in the water
Nadarto swim
Bucearto snorkel, to dive
Hacer surfto surf
Hacer un castillo de arenato build a sandcastle
Jugar a… (algo)to play… (something)
Jugar a las palasto play beach tennis
Jugar al vóley-playato play beach volleyball
Jugar al frisbeeto play frisbee
Pasear por la playato take a walk along the beach
Pescarto fish
Recoger conchasto collect shells
Tomar el solto sunbathe

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