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.
| English | Spanish |
| sun | el sol |
| clouds | las nubes |
| salt water / fresh water | el agua salada / el agua dulce |
| tide | la marea |
| ocean | el océano |
| lake | el lago |
| river | el río |
| lagoon | la laguna |
| shore | la orilla |
| bay | la bahía |
| cove | la cala |
| sea | el mar |
| weather | el clima |
| rain | la lluvia |
| storm | la tormenta |
| shade | la sombra |
| waves | las olas |
| sunset | el atardecer |
| ocean view | la vista al mar |
| island / key | la isla / el cayo |
| rip current | el alfaque |
| sunburn | la quemadura del sol |
Items at the Beach in Spanish
| English | Spanish |
| sand | la arena |
| seashell | la concha / el caracol |
| reef | el arrecife |
| swimming pool | la piscina / la alberca / la pileta |
| palm trees | las palmeras |
| promenade | el paseo marítimo |
| beach hut | la palapa / el rancho |
| beach club | el club de playa / el chiringuito |
| lifeguard | el / la salvavidas |
| fish | el pez / los peces |
| jellyfish | la medusa |
| crabs | el cangrejo |
| algae | las algas |
| starfish | la estrella de mar |
| sand castle | el 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.
| English | Spanish |
| swimwear / bathing suit / bikini | la calzoneta / el traje de baño / el bañador / el biquini |
| towel | la toalla |
| umbrella | la sombrilla |
| beach wrap / sarong | el pareo / la salida de baño |
| beach bag | la bolsa de playa |
| cap / hat / visor | la gorra / el sombrero / la visera |
| sun block | el bloqueador solar / el protector solar / la crema solar |
| tanning oil / tanning lotion | el bronceador |
| sunglasses | los lentes de sol |
| surfboard | la tabla de surf |
| life jacket / flotation device | el chaleco salvavidas / el flotador |
| beach ball | la pelota de playa |
| flip flops | las chanclas / las chancletas / los caites / los huaraches |
| water shoes | los zapatos de agua |
| sandals | las sandalias |
| cooler | la hielera |
| beach lounge chair | el camastro / la silla de playa |
| shovel and pail | la pala y la cubeta |
| magazines and books | las 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!
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