Useful Galician for your Camino trip

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Useful Galician for your Camino trip

While on the Camino de Santiago, you will encounter and befriend fellow pilgrims of many nationalities and many languages, particularly as you get closer to Santiago de Compostela. You might have learnt a bit of Spanish before but did you know Galicia has its own language? It is called ‘galego’, Galician.

This will become evident as you reach the mountains into O Cebreiro if you are walking the Camino Francés, as you cross the River Minho from Portugal into Tui or the River Eo into Ribadeo on the Camino del Norte.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia, as such you will encounter many signs and businesses using Galician (galego), as well as native speakers. When written, Galician looks quite similar to Portuguese as they share the same roots.

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Here’s a simple guide of useful Galician phrases for your Camino trip:

ENGLISH                                          GALEGO

Does anyone speak English?           Alguén fala inglés?

Hello                                                 Ola

Good morning                                  Bos días

Good afternoon                                Boas tardes

I like it                                               Gústame

I don’t like it                                      Non me gusta

I’m a vegetarian                               Son vexetariano (male) vexetariana (female)

I’m allergic                                        Son alérxico (male) alérxica (female)

What’s your name?                          Cómo se chama?

I am from…                                       Son de… Irlanda (Ireland), Estados Unidos (USA), Reino Unido (UK), Australia…

What time is it?                                 Qué hora é?

What time does the bus leave?        A qué hora sae o bus?

What time does the bus arrive?       A qué hora chega o bus?

Today                                              Hoxe

Tomorrow                                        Mañá

I’m looking for                                  Estou buscando…

Camiño                                            Way

Bo Camiño!

An English-Galician guide and other useful phrases are included in CaminoWays.com holiday packs. You can also download our free Camino phrasebook here: Camino phrasebook ebook.

For more information about the Camino de Santiago or to book your Camino trip, contact our travel specialists.contact-us-button-2017

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