Thread: Language Problem!

Hello,
In the novel I am working on right now my main character goes to Spain. I am stuck because there are some people that only speak Spanish, and others who speak English. The book is written in English but is there a way I can show that one character is "speaking Spanish" and the other is speaking English without saying it every time? I would just put the phrases in Spanish but then the audience that does not speak Spanish would not know what was being said. Help please! Also, if there is a novel out there that deals with this problem that you know of that would be a great help as well! Thanks!

You could write the Spanish phrases in Spanish with a footnote for the translation? I think I've seen that in books before.

Introduce a translator character to help the main character, like that guy Indiana Jones always had hanging around. Either that, or have the main character not understand what the Spanish speakers say at all, and have that be a conflict that alienates them.

In Cormac McCarthy's All The Pretty Horses, there are long conversations in which nothing but Spanish is used, showing no mercy to the English readers. However, I know Spanish so I was OK

Use italics.

"I'm so hungry right now," he said in Spanish.

I can't remember correctly, but I think "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn uses something similar, since the main character is a gorilla.

I know limited Spanish, but this is a little idea:

"Como te llamos?" He asked. 'What is your name?'
"Excuse me?" The man asked.
"...hablas espanol?" 'Do you speak Spanish?'

Then build upon Mike's technique and alternate between the two? I don't know, just a thought.