logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
February 21, 2021 by Sofía Godoy Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

Talk About Your Trip to the Beach in Spanish

Dreaming of going to the beach? Summer is around the corner and spending some time under the sun sounds like the perfect plan for you and your family. If you love beaches, sand, and the sound of waves, this blog post is a great resource for you to discover vocabulary for discussing your trip to the beach in Spanish. Get ready to soak up the sun and let’s begin this lesson before you head out to your favorite playa (beach). 

Talking About the Beach in Spanish

Spanish-speaking countries have different words for referencing the beach. Some terms are used more frequently than others. Let’s take a look at the common terms that will come in handy and some examples in action:

La playa

Frequently used all over Latin America and Spain, the term playa is the exact translation to beach in English. Playa can be used for referencing either the ocean shore, lakeside, or river bank.

Quiero ir a la playa para mi cumpleaños.
I want to go to the beach for my birthday.  

El Puerto

The word puerto means port in English. This expression is frequently used to refer to centers of trade and international commerce. In countries like Guatemala, even if there are no ports around, el puerto is often used instead of la playa.

Quiero invitarte a la casa en el puerto de mi familia. 
I want to invite you to my family’s house on the beach. 

La Costa

La costa translates to “the coast.” It’s easily understood and frequently used in all Spanish-speaking countries. 

Este verano tenemos planes de ir a la costa con mi familia.
This summer we have plans to go to the coast with my family. 

El Litoral

The term el litoral isn’t as common as the previous ones, it’s used in proper Spanish and more formal scenarios when you want to talk about the coast. 

Nos vamos a un crucero que sale del litoral del Pacifico en Julio.
We are going on a cruise that leaves the Pacific coast in July. 

Beaches have different elements that make the visit worth your while and can also affect how your trip goes. Let’s examine words that help you discuss your visit to the beach in Spanish. 

EnglishSpanish
sunel sol
cloudslas nubes
salt water / fresh waterel agua salada / el agua dulce
tidela marea
oceanel océano
lakeel lago
riverel río
lagoonla laguna
shorela orilla
bayla bahía
covela cala
seael mar
weatherel clima
rainla lluvia
stormla tormenta
shadela sombra
waveslas olas
sunsetel atardecer
ocean viewla vista al mar
island / keyla isla / el cayo
rip currentel alfaque
sunburnla quemadura del sol

Items at the Beach in Spanish

EnglishSpanish
sandla arena
seashellla concha / el caracol
reefel arrecife
swimming poolla piscina / la alberca / la pileta
palm treeslas palmeras
promenadeel paseo marítimo
beach hut la palapa / el rancho
beach clubel club de playa / el chiringuito
lifeguardel / la salvavidas
fishel pez / los peces
jellyfishla medusa
crabsel cangrejo
algaelas algas
starfishla estrella de mar
sand castleel castillo de arena

What to Bring to the Beach

If you’re like me, when you visit the beach you like to come prepared with all the essentials for a great time and comfort. Use this list of must bring items for the beach in Spanish to help you expand your vocabulary and prepare for your trip. 

EnglishSpanish
swimwear / bathing suit / bikinila calzoneta / el traje de baño / el bañador / el biquini
towella toalla
umbrellala sombrilla
beach wrap / sarongel pareo / la salida de baño
beach bagla bolsa de playa
cap / hat / visorla gorra / el sombrero / la visera
sun blockel bloqueador solar / el protector solar / la crema solar
tanning oil / tanning lotionel bronceador
sunglasseslos lentes de sol
surfboardla tabla de surf
life jacket / flotation deviceel chaleco salvavidas / el flotador
beach ballla pelota de playa
flip flopslas chanclas / las chancletas / los caites / los huaraches
water shoeslos zapatos de agua
sandalslas sandalias
coolerla hielera
beach lounge chairel camastro / la silla de playa
shovel and pailla pala y la cubeta
magazines and bookslas revistas y los libros

Activities you can Enjoy at the Beach

What do you like to do at the beach? Are you into water sports or would you rather chill on the sand? The beach offers splendid activities for people of all ages. 

When it comes to talking about the beach in Spanish, the possibilities are endless. Let’s look at a few phrases that you can use to describe what you did on your trip to the beach.

Mi hijo construyó un castillo de arena.
My son built a sand castle.

Hoy aprendí a hacer surf.
Today I learned to surf.

Tuvimos un torneo de vóleibol de playa.
We had a beach volleyball tournament. 

Hicimos snorkel y vimos muchos peces de colores.
We went snorkeling and saw many colorful fish.

Pasé el día tomando el sol y bronceándome.
I spent the day sunbathing and tanning. 

A mis hijos les gusta salpicar y jugar en el agua.
My children like to splash and play in the water.

Mi amigo tiene un velero y estuvimos navegando.
My friend has a sailboat and we were sailing. 

¿Me ayudas a aplicarme bloqueador solar en la espalda?
Can you help me apply sunblock on my back?

Me gusta pescar con mis amigos en la playa.
I like fishing with my friends at the beach.

Nos invitaron a una boda en la playa.
We were invited to a beach wedding.

¿Quieres nadar en el mar?
Would you like to swim in the sea?

Tirémonos de clavado a la piscina. 
Let’s dive in the pool. 

Usa tu chaleco salvavidas, el agua esta honda y te puedes ahogar.
Use your life jacket, the water is deep and you could drown.

¿Quieres ir a la playa conmigo?
Do you want to come to the beach with me?

Me subí a la moto de agua y también esquiamos.
I got on the jet ski and we also skied. 

Almorzamos unos deliciosos mariscos en la playa. 
We had delicious seafood for lunch on the beach. 

Mi cumpleaños será una barbacoa y fiesta en la playa.
My birthday will be a barbecue and beach party. 

Estoy aprendiendo a bucear así que hoy voy a la playa.
I’m learning to scuba dive so I’m going to the beach today. 

Me estuve bañando en el mar todo el día y me quemé la cara por no usar gorra. 
I was bathing in the sea all day, and I burned my face by not wearing a cap. 

Estamos planeando una ida a la playa este verano ¿Nos acompañan?
We’re planning to go to the beach this summer, will you join us?

Resources for Practicing

I encourage you to practice these phrases as much as you can and to combine them with vocabulary related to the beach in Spanish. An amusing activity you can enjoy if you have kids is playing a game of ¿Que hay en mi bolsa de playa? (What’s in my beach bag?).  

This game challenges your memory and gets tougher as it advances. The first player starts by saying: en mi bolsa de playa hay una / un… (in my beach bag there’s a..) with a word from the previous vocabulary lists. 

Each player adds an item from the vocabulary list to the bag and mentions the previous words that the players before have included. If someone forgets, it’s time to start over. Challenge yourself and others to see how many words you can remember!

If you need extra assistance in memorizing these useful terms, or want to take your practice further with your kids, read our blog post on Spanish Summer Words for Kids with more fun resources and flashcards you can download for free.  

Time to Hit the Beach!

I hope after reading this blog post you feel ready and confident to discuss how much you’ve enjoyed your trip to the beach in Spanish. If going to the beach isn’t in your plans yet, I suggest you use these phrases and vocabulary for improving your conversational skills with others. 

Now if you want to make it extra and put this lesson into action, you can sign up for a free trial class with our native Spanish-speaking teachers. Not only will your fluency improve, you’ll learn more useful vocabulary you can use whether you’re at the beach or returning from that dreamy vacation. With enough practice, talking about the beach in Spanish will be a piece of cake!

learn spanish online
Sign up for your FREE TRIAL CLASS today!

Ready to learn more Spanish vocabulary? Check these out!

  • Vegan and Vegetarian Vocabulary in Spanish
  • 18 Meanings of ‘Cuenta’ in Common Spanish Idioms
  • A-Z: Beginner Spanish Word Lists for Kids + Free Flashcards
  • 50 Essential Medical Phrases for Your Upcoming Physical
  • How To Introduce Yourself in Spanish
  • 100+ Basic Spanish Words and Phrases for Travelers
  • The Sweetest Guide to Valentine’s Day Vocabulary in Spanish
  • An Easy Vocabulary Guide to Describe the Post Office in Spanish
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Sofía Godoy
Sofía Godoy
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
Native speaker of English and Spanish, I’m a sustainable travel and social impact entrepreneur who loves going to new places and meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds. I love spending time with my family and being outdoors with my dogs. Writing, communicating, and creating are my passions. I strongly believe there are more creative ways to solve the issues our world is facing and I like doing my part in any way I can.
Sofía Godoy
Latest posts by Sofía Godoy (see all)
  • 29 Cool and Catchy Spanish Phrases To Use With Friends [+Audio] - January 8, 2023
  • A Fun Kids’ Guide to Opposites in Spanish (Free Lesson and Activities) - December 29, 2022
  • 10 Fun Spanish Folk Tales for Kids - December 10, 2022
beach vocabulary spanish vocabulary vocabulary
1

Related Posts

mission trip Spanish

45+ Mission Trip Spanish Phrases You Need To Know

December 23, 2021
Read More
Spanish quotes

44 Essential Spanish Quotes and Proverbs to Fuel Your Motivation

October 21, 2021
Read More
Spanish body parts

Spanish Body Parts: Vocabulary, Idioms, and Culture

January 4, 2022
Read More
Spanish greetings

Spanish 101: Greetings and Farewells

May 2, 2022
Read More

Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Using Diminutives in Spanish for More Colorful ConversationsPrevious Post
A Comprehensive Lesson on Demonstrative Adjectives in SpanishNext Post

About Us

With over 10 years of experience, HSA is where your goals merge with our teachers’ passion: to improve your Spanish fluency. Custom-tailored to fit your needs, you choose your program, schedule, favorite teachers, pace of learning, and more.. Learn More

Resources

  • About
  • Get a Transcript
  • FAQs
  • How it Works
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • 10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior
    10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior
    March 20, 2023
    You surely know that learning a second...
  • 8 Places to Learn Spanish in Costa Rica
    8 Places to Learn Spanish in Costa Rica
    March 18, 2023
    Here's an idea: learn Spanish in Costa Rica....

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Contact Us© 2022 HSA. All rights reserved.