The Spanish language is the world's third most-spoken mother tongue. From mainland Spain, to most countries in South America, to Africa and the Philippines, to Mexico and the United States, over 350 million people speak Spanish.
It is a beautiful and expressive language, with many words similar to English and a grammatical structure which is logical and simple to understand.
I don't profess to be a qualified teacher but a few easy words will go a long way towards a better understanding and enjoyment of your tapas.
So have a go at ordering your tapas like the locals. The worst that can happen is that you'll have a laugh with the waiter!
For the best entertainment, and the cheapest prices, it is best to do what the locals do and sit at the bar. Some places in the more popular tourist areas will charge a bit more for table service and yet more for a table on the terrace. This isn't really the real Spain but hey, you're on holiday!
Wherever you go, though, you'll need to order something, so a little local vocabulary will always come in handy. The menu choices are usually displayed under glass all along the bar so, in theory, you can just point at something and order. But where's the sense of adventure in that?
Just have a go at ordering in Spanish. If you get it wrong, as I said above, the waiter will probably look a bit puzzled, then laugh and speak to you in English!
Click on the links below to see some basic words and some tapas words which will help you get the most from your Spanish tapas experience.