How to ask for things politely in Spanish
In Barcelona, a lot of everyday Spanish happens at a counter: registering on the padrón at the town hall, collecting your NIE or TIE, booking an appointment at the health centre, opening a bank account. In English, people make a request polite with "could I" and "please". Spanish does it mostly with the verb.
Softening a request
Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
Quería… | Quería pedir cita para el padrón. | I'd like to book an appointment for the padrón. |
Me gustaría… | Me gustaría abrir una cuenta. | I'd like to open an account. |
¿Podría…? | ¿Podría repetir la fecha, por favor? | Could you repeat the date, please? |
¿Me puede…? | ¿Me puede decir dónde está la ventanilla 3? | Can you tell me where window 3 is? |
¿Le importaría…? | ¿Le importaría hablar más despacio? | Would you mind speaking more slowly? |
Quería looks like a past tense, but here it means "I'd like" now. You'll hear it all the time in Spain, at counters and in shops.
Phrases for the counter
Spanish | English |
|---|---|
Vengo a recoger mi TIE. | I've come to collect my TIE. |
Tengo cita a las diez. | I have an appointment at ten. |
¿Qué documentos necesito? | What documents do I need? |
¿Dónde tengo que firmar? | Where do I have to sign? |
¿Me lo puede escribir? | Could you write it down for me? |
¿Cuánto tarda? | How long does it take? |
Perdone, no lo he entendido. | Sorry, I didn't understand. |
Usted or tú?
In offices and with older people, start with usted: ¿puede…?, ¿podría…?, perdone. Many people in Barcelona will answer with tú. If they do, you can switch to tú as well.
The mistakes we hear most
What learners say | What to say | Why |
|---|---|---|
¿Puedo tener un café? | ¿Me pone un café? | "Can I have" doesn't translate word for word. In bars and shops, Spanish asks the other person to give it to you |
Quiero una cita. | Quería pedir una cita. | Quiero isn't wrong, but on its own it can sound abrupt |
¿Puede usted ayudarme por favor? in every sentence | ¿Me puede ayudar? | Spanish doesn't need "please" in every sentence. The verb form already makes it polite |
Try it
How would you ask for these, politely?
At the town hall: you'd like an appointment for the padrón.
At the health centre: you'd like the receptionist to write down the time.
At a café: you'd like a white coffee.
Possible answers: 1. Quería pedir cita para el padrón. 2. ¿Me lo puede escribir, por favor? 3. ¿Me pone un café con leche?
Practising in class
In class you practise requests like these in role plays of real situations, and your teacher corrects you as you speak. If you freeze while you look for the words, these phrases that give you time to think help. To find out which group would suit you, book a free level test.
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