Travel Spanish: Getting Around and Staying Safe
Getting around Colombia — TransMilenio in Bogotá, or exploring a smaller town — comes with its own practical vocabulary, plus one widely-known piece of everyday safety advice.
What you'll learn
- Ask for directions naturally ("¿dónde queda...?")
- Use basic transport vocabulary (TransMilenio, taxi, pasaje)
- Understand "dar papaya" as practical travel safety advice
- Make natural small talk about a place you're visiting
Vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿dónde queda...? | "Where is...?" — the natural way to ask where something is located |
| el pasaje | A fare or ticket for transport (e.g., a TransMilenio ride) |
| un taxi | A taxi — in Bogotá often recognizable by its yellow color |
| no des papaya | Don't make yourself an easy target — advice about not drawing attention to valuables |
Cultural context
"No des papaya" is widely-known, practical safety advice in Colombia — the idea being not to draw unnecessary attention to valuables in public. Like any safety guidance, how much it matters varies by specific location, time of day, and circumstance — better understood as a general mindset (stay aware, don't be flashy) than a rule that applies identically everywhere in the country.
Examples
Siga derecho, y después gire a la derecha.
Go straight, then turn right.
Note "derecho" (straight) vs. "derecha" (right) — one letter apart, easy to mix up.
Guarda el celular, no des papaya.
Put your phone away, don't make yourself a target.
Grammar & communication note
When reacting to a place you're visiting, matching the moment's enthusiasm directly ("es hermoso, se nota por qué te gusta tanto") tends to land better than a flatter, more textbook-correct observation.
Related guides
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