Getting around
Guagua
Se baja.
Getting off.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Havana
Cuba
Havana lines a sheltered bay on Cuba's north coast, with the old city beside the harbour.
How the language is used
Spanish is the everyday language of shops, schools, and the street in Havana.
In this city
- Language
- Spanish
- Also heard
- English
- A local word
- Paladar — A private restaurant.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
Paladar
Un café, por favor.
One coffee, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
Calle
Buenos días.
Good morning.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
Tienda
¿Qué usted quiere?
What would you like?
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Spanish is the city itself. Around visitors you also hear English, and the local day still runs in Spanish.
Around Habana Vieja, Centro Habana, Vedado, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Havana can run on four lines: “Se baja.”, “Un café, por favor.”, “Buenos días.”, and “¿Qué usted quiere?”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- In a shop, usted is a safe polite you. Tú is warmer, with people your own age.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Havana, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Paladar. It means A private restaurant..
Places you can see
- Old Havana — A harbour quarter of plazas, colonial houses, and stone fortifications.
- Malecón — A long sea wall and avenue along the north shore, from the port toward the river mouth.
- Capitolio — A domed neoclassical building on the edge of the old city, now used by the legislature.
Food
Home restaurants cook rice, beans, and pork, and corner stands sell coffee.
Getting around
City buses and shared classic-car taxis run along the avenues, including the Malecón.
Daily life
You walk the sea wall in the evening while old cars pass on the avenue.
A few everyday phrases
Spanish
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hola | Hello |
| Gracias | Thank you |
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| Me llamo… | My name is… |
