Mission Trip Spanish You Need to Know to Survive!
As you plan your mission trip, you likely already have high expectations for what your time abroad will look like – fellowship, meals at big communal tables, a brand new church or home completed and filled. To make all of your lovely visions a reality, you need to master Spanish so you can so you can effectively communicate with the locals in the community you are serving.
No matter where you are in your language learning, there are some key things you need to know to be ready for your mission trip. Here is a breakdown of nouns and verbs to help you spread the good news.
Introduce Yourself and Your Faith
A great way to introduce your work abroad is to start with your organization. All churches have a name in Spanish:
- Mormon – Mormón
- Catholic – Católico
- Protestant – Protestante
- Christian – Cristiano
- Jehovah’s Witness – Testigos de Jehová
As you meet the new congregation or group of volunteers, be sure to include the purpose of your mission trip as you say hello.
- My name is ______ and I am missionary – Me llamo _______ y soy un misionero (de) __________.
(name of your institution)
Say What You Believe
More complex yet equally important, you need to state your beliefs so there is no confusion about your goals or beliefs. Here are some key phrases.
- I believe the bible is the word of God – Yo creo que la Biblia es la palabra de Dios.
- Do you know the story of ______? – ¿Conoces la historia de _____?
- I follow the bible and the Book of Mormon – Sigo la Biblia y el Libro de Mormón.
- We pray everyday – Rezamos todos los días.
- I go to church on Saturday – Asisto a la iglesia el sábado.
- God loves you- Dios te ama.
Learn Verbs to Explain Your Activities
- Pray – Orar or rezar
- Attend – Asistir
- Minister – Ministro
- Build – Construir
- Join – Unir
Furthermore, use those verbs to invite people in, explain an activity and make everyone feel welcome.
- Will you join us in prayer? – ¿Te unirás a nosotros en oración?
- Are you available to attend a service? – ¿Estás disponible para asistir a un servicio?
- We are here to minister to the children. – Estamos aquí para ministrar a los niños.
- We want to build a new church. – Queremos construir una iglesia nueva.
- You are invited to join us for lunch. – Estás invitado a unirte a nosotros para el almuerzo.
Names and Texts
Reading in Spanish, particularly the bible, will take practice. Don’t wait to start your studies in your new language. Practice with important names and simple excerpts from the scripture to start, then work with people on your mission trip or ministry group before you leave.
- Jesus – Jesús
- The Virgin Mary – La Virgen Maria
- Joseph – San José
- The apostles – Los apóstoles
- Angel – Ángel
- God – Señor or El Padre, (the father)
- The Son – El hijo
- The Holy Spirit – El espíritu santo
After a few lessons, try a few easy bible verses in your new language.
- Psalm 118:6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid – Salmos 118:6 Dios está conmigo: no tendré miedo.
- Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Actos 16:31 Ellos respondieron: “Cree en el Señor Jesús, y serás salvo, tú y tu casa”.
- Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. Lucas 6:31 Haz a los demás lo que quieras que te hagan a ti.
Practice, practice, practice for your new adventure and get your Spanish as fluid as you can. You will see the difference great communication can make between a visitor and the host country. Likewise, your new parishioners will love that you made the effort.
