Spanish phrases that make your trip easier

English is widely spoken in resorts, less so outside them. A little Spanish changes how people respond to you. Start with the basics: buenos días, buenas tardes, buenas noches, por favor, gracias, con permiso. Dominicans greet before anything else, and skipping it reads as rude. Useful in practice: cuánto cuesta, how much; la cuenta por favor, the bill; dónde está el baño, where is the toilet; sin hielo, without ice; no muy picante, not too spicy; una fría, a cold beer. Dominican specifics: qué lo que, the universal greeting, roughly what's up. Vaina, thing, used for absolutely everything. Ahorita, which confusingly means later rather than right now. Tranquilo, relax, which you will hear a lot. Say gracias with a smile and mispronounce everything cheerfully. Nobody minds, and doors open.