English speaking pilgrims

[Oxford Alice]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

 

[henrythedog]

You’ll get away with English at any time on the Camino; but you’ve time to learn just a few words on Spanish: daily greetings; one of those please (point); do you speak English? Etc. any effort will be appreciated.

 

[mspath]

Oxford Alice,
Please relax. Pilgrims are a polyglot group.
Furthermore smiles and the basic words hola, por favor, cuanto and gracias will take you far. Also learn to point!!

Many years ago walking west from Leon on the CF in pouring rain at Villadangos del Páramo I staggered dripping and exhausted into a truck stop. What a way to make an impact! The place was packed with about 80 VERY macho men whose lorries were parked in front. All seemed to be eating the menu del dia or special daily menu. When the flustered young waiter rattled off the main course choices l pointed towards the nearest customer's plate, nodded and said por favor. The food was copious, hot and delicious.

At dessert time half the room seemed curious about what I would choose. I pointed to rice pudding, but fruit and chocolate cake also appeared on my table por la fuerza en el camino. As the truck drivers left for their coffee served at the bar most waved and wished Buen Camino....All these years later when necessary I still point.

 

[good_old_shoes]

Oh you must be so excited! But don't worry. You've chosen a good Camino for an english-only-speaker English is more or less the common language for pilgrims on the CF, especially those starting from St Jean. It is a very international route with people from all over the world.

Locals, especially older people in the small villages, are less likely to speak english, and there are also pilgrims who speak neither spanish or english. But a smile will be understood by everyone! Nonverbal communication is a thing and can be very helpful. I remember several conversations I had with locals and other pilgrims in languages I don't understand or speak, which was an interesting experience.

You'll probably pick up a few words of spanish on the way, also. Some words and phrases you'll hear/read repeatedly, over and over, so after a while you'll understand

Buen Camino!

 

[Ianinam]

Don't worry! Many English speaking pilgrims on the camino, and you'll soon pick up some Spanish words. I'll be a hospitalera in Roncesvalles in that period, my colleague hospitaleros (most of them speak English too) and I are looking forward to welcome you there

 

[Jeff Crawley]

As others have said English is now the lingua franca for the Camino Frances.

You might like to try out Google Translate on your smart device. Download the Spanish dictionary (French and German too while you're at it). You can type in English phrases and save them for later; hold conversations where you pass the device back and forwards. There's also speech recognition and a camera function (which sometimes works) that will help translate menus etc.
I wish you well, April in Spain can be sublime.

 

[Anamiri]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

In my experience you have a higher chance of meeting English speaking pilgrims if you start in SJPDP.
A lot of the Spanish start at Pamplona, I guess they don't feel the need to start in another country.

I have no data to back this up but my impressions are that:
A number of people who live in the EU or Britain walk a week or two a year - purely because the transport costs are so affordable ,and they may only have a few weeks holiday a year. You may meet and befriend these people but they will only be there a short time.
A number of Spanish people walk in weekends, I took me a while to figure out why I met a lot of nicely dressed people at dinner in weekends only. They often walked in pairs or groups, and often socialized together.
People who travel a longer distance to get to Spain often walk the longer trails because it is time consuming and more expensive to get there, so they make the most of it. I found a lot of the people who started at SJPDP spoke English, even if it wasn't their main language. And on that first night, most people stay in Roncesvalles, so you have a good chance to meet more people all in one place. You can hear people talking in a large dormitory, and know who is speaking English. Something you cant do if you have private rooms. Plus if you have the dinner offered there's a high chance you'll be at a table for 8 which also gives more opportunities to chat. After Roncesvalles people start to spread out between accommodation options.
Half of the people walking start in Sarria, and a lot of those are Spanish. It does help if you have already worked out who speaks English, but even so I met a few on the Camino there. On several trips I found a number of church groups etc who spoke English, and some English/Irish/etc walking just the last 100kms.

If you consider that about half of the pilgrims start at Sarria, and many are Spanish, there are large numbers of other people from countries/languages starting in other places. The stats from the pilgrim office do show plenty of pilgrims who would speak English.

 

[dick bird]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

Most pilgrims speak at least some English, in fact a lot more pilgrims speak English than Spanish, and nowadays more and more Spanish people (especially the younger generation) also speak English. But communicating face to face is as much visual as verbal or oral. Focus on looking at the person you are talking to and learn to use mime, gesture and facial expression. It's a skill, it's fun acquiring it and as a human being, evolution has programmed you to be good at it. Or just smile. If that doesn't work, they probably weren't worth speaking to anyway.

 

[NYSE]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

A simple smile goes a long way.

 

[Barbara]

It's OK to start in English pretty much anywhere in the world. But please try to learn a few words in the language of your host country. Though I expect you will find conversation defaults to English once there are three different nationalities around a table.
How about getting a simple language course on your phone? I found earworms good.

 

[Saint Mike II]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

Hola @Oxford Alice . If you can master "cafe con leche"(coffee with milk); dos cerveza por favor (two beers please) you will be ok. As one who speaks English virtually only a Spanish phrase book was helpful and I found that if you tried the Spanish people were very friendly. Also you will find that a large percentage of pilgrims have some english. Buen Camino

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Don't worry.
I'm Spanish, after my first Camino, to understand other pilgrims in my others Caminos I had to study English.

 

[mspath]

More on pointing.
Half a lifetime ago hiking in alone in rural Japan and knowing no Japanese I could only order meals by pointing (!!) and thus ate/drank only what I could see. Sweets were almost impossible to spot but containers of chocolate milk were often sold from small self-service kiosks which resembled mail boxes. Thus I happily 'had a few too many' chocolate milks every day to calm my craving for sugar.

 

[Oxford Alice]

Thanks for your encouragement, everyone! This would be my 3rd CF, so I have some experience and enough Spanish to order food and get accommodation, even to exchange a few words of greeting. But not enough to have a worthwhile conversation and as has been pointed out, the Spanish have their own vibe and in the past I have had only one or two Spanish Camino friends. I'm just wondering how things are now, today and this week: are Brits, Australians, Canadians, etc. doing the CF under present circumstances? Or is it mainly Spanish pilgrims? Does anyone have access to stats from SJPP? I have put a Union Jack on my pack to identify myself as an English-speaker.

 

[Kathar1na]

It is early in the pilgrimage season and we are still in March. I doubt that you will get any statistics of the kind you are looking for, only individual anecdotes and reports from individual forum members. Look for the posts by those forum members who have just arrived in SJPP to start walking. All of them, obviously, can speak English.

There was an article in a regional Spanish newspaper two days ago that wrote that during the 14 days since the opening of the albergue of Roncesvalles, 428 pilgrims from 37 countries have been registered.

Coreanos en lunas de miel, duelos por fallecidos, búsqueda de aventuras... mensajes del Camino desde Roncesvalles

En los 14 días de apertura del albergue de la Real Colegiata de Roncesvalles se han registrado 428 peregrinos de 37 países

www.diariodenavarra.es

 

[Marc S.]

Of those 428: 81 were Spanish, and 347 were from other countries.
Of those 347: 83 were from either USA/UK/Canada/Ireland, thus probably speaking English.

Seems to me you'll be fine and there is no reason for unnecessary anxiety. Buen Camino !

 

[Former member 92300]

I keep trying to learn Spanish - and it just doesn't stick. Which is really frustrating because I live REALLY close to Mexico and people are always speaking Spanish around me (I live South of Tucson AZ USA). A few words here and there? Sure. But not anywhere near where I would like to be. That said - it is pretty easy to find English Speakers all over Europe and in Spain. On the Camino - you will find that English is frequently spoken as people with other native languages from around the world converge together - and English is a common second language in MANY countries.

Last summer when Spain FIRST re-opened - it was a challenge because almost everyone on trail in the first few days were either from France or Spain and the rest of the world had not returned yet. I mean - I literally arrived in Spain the very day they first allowed vaccinated tourists. I did find in those early days, the Spaniards spoke Spanish and the French spoke French and I felt left out because I didn't know enough of either to join in the conversation. But - if I needed help - I also knew most of the Spaniards DID speak English and was able to get assistance from them when I needed help. There were also a couple who made a point to include me - but I felt bad when someone was constantly translating for me so I tried to avoid those situations too much. I mean, it was fine when someone was actively just trying to practice their English, but when they were trying to have a conversation and kept stopping to translate - I felt bad for interfering with the conversation so would sometimes politely excuse myself. And then - within just a few days (maybe 4 or 5)... people from other countries started appearing more frequently and I suddenly had plenty of people to speak with.

As for when you DON'T have others around who speak English - I strongly recommend you study up on a few useful phrases. But beyond that - google translate comes in VERY handy. You can type in what you want to say and it will translate it for you. You can also take a picture of menus and such and it will translate things for you. This is especially important for me as there are a lot of foods I can't eat. Moral of the story - don't stress. You will be fine!

I would imagine now, the Camino is probably less crowded - but well represented with English speakers. And somehow - the English Speakers WILL find each other within a few days! And as April is beginning in a couple days- the Camino is coming back to life with people from all over. I would expect that even if you don't find many English speakers in your first few days - you will still find them.

 

[Kathar1na]

And further to what @Marc S. quoted: the article also states that on 17 March 2022, 38 pilgrims slept in the Roncesvalles albergue while on the same day in 2019 and in 2018, the number of pilgrims was 59 and 50.

While it would be foolish to extrapolate on such a slim numerical basis, to me it is further confirmation of my impression that the Camino Frances is back in full swing again, after the two years of Covid-19 restrictions with very few pilgrims, in particular with very few non-Spanish pilgrims.

 

[JanelMcB]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

If you are able learn some very basic words or phrases. Use Google translate as needed if that fails you.

 

[Oxford Alice]

Of those 428: 81 were Spanish, and 347 were from other countries.
Of those 347: 83 were from either USA/UK/Canada/Ireland, thus probably speaking English.

Seems to me you'll be fine and there is no reason for unnecessary anxiety. Buen Camino !

Brilliant! Thanks so much. That's reassuring.

 

[bayou_jenny]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

Good luck! I am excited for you and do let us know how it goes. English is sort of like an invasive language, so many people will be able to speak it even if they aren't native speakers. I recommend brushing up on some Spanish, the basics, maybe.

I have the opposite problem - I hope I don't run into English speakers.

You will do grand!

 

[Shazenalan]

Hi - some of my best memories were of trying to communicate using the ‘Translate’ app - it was great fun! I usually started out with ‘I am English - sorry! ‘ which evoked a knowing grin. Then I asked my question…it worked really well. I did also learn how to ask for ‘2 beds, for 2 people, tonight’ in Spanish so that I made some effort. That too was fun and all part of the great adventure. Enjoy!

 

[GraemeHall]

A few years ago we were all taking courses and seminars in topics such as Cultural Competence and Cultural Literacy etc.
I recent times I have happily one across the concept of cultural humility. It has changed my life.
For me, this means I no longer measure other cultures against my own. Wherever I am, that is the pervasive culture. I am the outsider, and I need to earn my welcome.
In my own country, how would we respond if a Spanish visitor, for example, fronted the ticket office at the train station and asked in Spanish for their reservation? So why should I expect to be able to do the same in English if I am in Spain?
Go quietly, leave no print, and breathe humility. (Says I to self.)
Amen

 

[André Walker]

How many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so.

Hi Alice,

English is not my native language. And that's the case for a lot of pilgrims!!! In fact, they represent the majority.

But I read, write and speak (a kind of) English anyway. And that's the case for a lot of pilgrims!!! In fact, they represent the majority.

After having walked a couple of camino's so far, my experience is that English is the most common language. At least among the non-Spanish pilgrims. And there are plenty of non-Spanish pilgrims. So you won't be facing a lot of social problems.

On my first camino I didn't understand any Spanish. But I'm eager to learn, so I quickly picked up some basic Spanish by observing locals ordering something at bars and restaurants. That way I quickly learned about 'cafe con leche', 'bocadillos', 'queso', and so on. And so can you!

So, a very buen Camino to you.

 

[RJM]

Those that work in the various jobs in the infrastructure of the Camino Frances are well aware that not all the pilgrims have Spanish speaking abilities. You will have no problem if you have zero Spanish speaking skills. As I have mentioned here before I quite frequently had Spanish pilgrims want to practice their English speaking to me.

 

[Barbara]

A few years ago we were all taking courses and seminars in topics such as Cultural Competence and Cultural Literacy etc.
I recent times I have happily one across the concept of cultural humility. It has changed my life.
For me, this means I no longer measure other cultures against my own. Wherever I am, that is the pervasive culture. I am the outsider, and I need to earn my welcome.
In my own country, how would we respond if a Spanish visitor, for example, fronted the ticket office at the train station and asked in Spanish for their reservation? So why should I expect to be able to do the same in English if I am in Spain?
Go quietly, leave no print, and breathe humility. (Says I to self.)
Amen

Agreed. However, in a room full of people who all speak a different language, having a common language can be uncommonly useful. As can having a little book full of pictures, and a translation app. As i often found traveling in countries with a different alphabet, or pictograms. Are you seriously going to learn more than hello, please, thank you, yes and no for three days on a train as you travel across the world?
For three or four weeks in Spain you can take the time to learn much more, obviously.

 

[musicman]

This will have everything you need and more….

 

[wanderingsage]

Hola @Oxford Alice . If you can master "cafe con leche"(coffee with milk); dos cerveza por favor (two beers please) you will be ok. As one who speaks English virtually only a Spanish phrase book was helpful and I found that if you tried the Spanish people were very friendly. Also you will find that a large percentage of pilgrims have some english. Buen Camino

Small correction….Dos cerveza grande por favor!

 

[oursonpolaire]

I found French a helpful backup, especially in Navarre, but English has come to be the default European language, and you will find that Dutch and Norwegian and Danish pilgrims speak it far better than you do, helpfully correcting your subjunctives.
As far as Spanish is concerned, get your basic greetings down, and your numbers, and your favourite foods and beverages, and you'll be fine. You will find that our Spanish hosts will do their utmost to figure out what you want and need, and supply it with a surprising degree of grace. They are proud of their language and culture (the good side of nationalism) and will be pleased with every honest effort you make to communicate.
Remember to smile a lot, and never omit to say gracias and por favor, and you'll do well.

 

[Peacemaker]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

My wife, Mary Ann, and I are starting April 4, so we may well run in to you along the way. She speaks only English. I speak enough Spanish to carry on a decent conversation.

 

[Tim Floyd]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

In six weeks we met hundreds of people (like you, I enjoy the pilgrim crowds) and got by in our only language, English. As others have said, there are many Americans and other English-speaking countries, and most Europeans speak English to a degree. In fact, English was so convenient I learned far less Spanish than I expected simply because I did not need it. Translation apps were helpful to understand signage, but otherwise person to person we were fine. I learned how to order coffee and ask for "dos pequeno aqua" at the convenience stores. Don't let it worry you. We also had an app that would let us speak or type English then it would translate to Spanish. We could then just show the screen to the person. Worked great. Especially when my wife needed to tell the guy at the bar there was no toilet paper in the ladies room. Not a sentence you learn is Spanish class anyway. Have fun!

 

[J Willhaus]

@Oxford Alice I believe you will meet many English speakers! Also my husband Phil has had some really great conversations with people using Google Translate in other languages. He loves a good heart-to-heart and had several just passing the phone back and forth. We do use that as hospitaleros when we get Russian, Korean, Japanese, French, etc. pilgrims.

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

I am also Monolingual (though perhaps you speak other languages besides Spanish/Castellano).
I did administer an international academic year exchange student program for well over a decade though and I tried to learn four words in as many languages of students I administered. Which largely I did (Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, etc ). But, because I have a short term memory disability (passing things don't imprint) retaining is hard for me and nearly all of my good intentions have vanished like smoke.

Fortunately, all of my kids learned "honey" was an endearment and was a bridge when I couldn't remember. Not a great cheat with adults however, lol.

I arrive next Monday and am reasonably comfortable being uncomfortable relating to language, I have used my rule from before and am working on four simple statements/questions:
1. eres genial, gracias! (remember the c has a th sound in Castellano)
2.por favor donde esta el baño?
3.Esto es hermoso!
4. Lo siento, no hablo castellano. (and the last in Castellano seem to have more of a y sound.

Perhaps we'll meet along the way and we can chuckle at ourselves. Everyone has given great advice though, and I suspect maybe it's just the manifestation of all of the departure jitters. I've had to embrace compartmentalizing this last two weeks also not my Forte

Until we meet over the infamous Cafe Con Leche...Buen Camino

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April but having last-minute jitters! The social angle is big for me -- I've never complained that CF is too crowded with pilgrims -- and I wonder how many English-speakers are likely to be walking in a week or so. Does anyone have any direct experience or insight on this? Better yet, does anyone know if English-speakers are registering at SJPP or Pamplona? I don't speak other languages so this is important for me. Darn! I should have studied Spanish in high school!

 

[Esperanza]

I think you have already received plenty of reassurance that you’ll have other English speakers with whom to socialize. As someone also fluent in Spanish, please be assured that there are a handful of us around, and we are (generally) very willing to help out as needed. I have had other pilgrims approach me for help that I didn’t know, but others had told them that I spoke Spanish. It was never a problem.

Buen Camino!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

[Emphasis added]
A number of people who live in the EU or Britain walk a week or two a year - purely because the transport costs are so affordable ,and they may only have a few weeks holiday a year.

(Comparing American and European leave times.)

 

[Owensr23]

Take one of these shirts and just point.

 

[Esperanza]

A few years ago we were all taking courses and seminars in topics such as Cultural Competence and Cultural Literacy etc.
I recent times I have happily one across the concept of cultural humility. It has changed my life.
For me, this means I no longer measure other cultures against my own. Wherever I am, that is the pervasive culture. I am the outsider, and I need to earn my welcome.
In my own country, how would we respond if a Spanish visitor, for example, fronted the ticket office at the train station and asked in Spanish for their reservation? So why should I expect to be able to do the same in English if I am in Spain?
Go quietly, leave no print, and breathe humility. (Says I to self.)
Amen

This is so important. Thank you for posting it. I try, really try, to always remember that I am a guest and act accordingly, with various levels of success, of course. When I encounter something unexpected in another culture, my mantra is: “It’s not good; it’s not bad; it’s just different.”

 

[marjan78]

HI. I will be starting on Friday 8th. So hopefully we can meet somewhere for a chat in English and a glass of wine if you will not be too fast .

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Although I am Irish, the English language is my mother tongue. I have so often been humbled by how well other Europeans and those from further afield speak English. So often English is used as the common language. It is courteous of us when in such company, to speak a little slower than usual and also to avoid using idioms and local slang.
Buen Camino to you all.

 

[Pamb]

A few years ago we were all taking courses and seminars in topics such as Cultural Competence and Cultural Literacy etc.
I recent times I have happily one across the concept of cultural humility. It has changed my life.
For me, this means I no longer measure other cultures against my own. Wherever I am, that is the pervasive culture. I am the outsider, and I need to earn my welcome.
In my own country, how would we respond if a Spanish visitor, for example, fronted the ticket office at the train station and asked in Spanish for their reservation? So why should I expect to be able to do the same in English if I am in Spain?
Go quietly, leave no print, and breathe humility. (Says I to self.)
Amen

A few years ago on arrival at Barcelona airport, I went to enquire where to get the train into city. Being in Spain I asked in Spanish. The girl in the information booth replied very rapidly, so I asked if she could speak a little slower. She responded by saying "if you don't know the language why didn't you just speak English". I was taken aback. But it hasn't stopped me. I still try to speak Spanish whenever I can in Spain, and am continuing to study and improve my Spanish.

 

[Kathar1na]

I'm planning to start the CF on 6 April

@Oxford Alice, you will be soon on your way now! A volunteer from the pilgrims welcome office in SJPP posted on Facebook that they had 136 pilgrims coming to their office on Friday and more are expected this weekend. The first photo of a line of pilgrims waiting outside to enter the office has been posted, too. I think you will have plenty of company from the English-speaking international pilgrims community. Buen Camino!

 

[Gilberto del Camino]

Oxford Alice,
Please relax. Pilgrims are a polyglot group.
Furthermore smiles and the basic words hola, por favor, cuanto and gracias will take you far. Also learn to point!!

Many years ago walking west from Leon on the CF in pouring rain at Villadangos del Páramo I staggered dripping and exhausted into a truck stop. What a way to make an impact! The place was packed with about 80 VERY macho men whose lorries were parked in front. All seemed to be eating the menu del dia or special daily menu. When the flustered young waiter rattled off the main course choices l pointed towards the nearest customer's plate, nodded and said por favor. The food was copious, hot and delicious.

At dessert time half the room seemed curious about what I would choose. I pointed to rice pudding, but fruit and chocolate cake also appeared on my table por la fuerza en el camino. As the truck drivers left for their coffee served at the bar most waved and wished Buen Camino....All these years later when necessary I still point.

Such a good typical story, quite real, experienced this on many occasions. 20 yrs ago I started off, now I know sufficient Spanish to have a conversation of sorts with them!

 

[Albertinho]

I found French a helpful backup, especially in Navarre, but English has come to be the default European language, and you will find that Dutch and Norwegian and Danish pilgrims speak it far better than you do, helpfully correcting your subjunctives.
As far as Spanish is concerned, get your basic greetings down, and your numbers, and your favourite foods and beverages, and you'll be fine. You will find that our Spanish hosts will do their utmost to figure out what you want and need, and supply it with a surprising degree of grace. They are proud of their language and culture (the good side of nationalism) and will be pleased with every honest effort you make to communicate.
Remember to smile a lot, and never omit to say gracias and por favor, and you'll do well.

By the way. On the first floor of the Pilgrims Office in Santiago is a room from the Dutch and Flamish Pilgrims Association where before or after your registration for your Compostela certificate you can have a coffee and a talk with Dutch speaking volunteers. So Dutch and Flamish speakers, make a visit to them if you arrive there.You will be welcome

 

[Ianinam]

In the albergue of Roncesvalles we have 125+ pilgrims now everyday, of which I have seen Canadian, people from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA .....
Will be happy to meet you in the albergue in a few days!