Order anything by pointing in Spanish
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. Play the ten Spanish words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Spanish phrases in this lesson
- Quería...keh-REE-ah
- I would like...
- EsteEHS-teh
- This one
- ¿Cuánto es?KWAN-toh ehs
- How much is it?
- La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR
- The bill, please
- Con tarjetakohn tar-HEH-tah
- By card
- En efectivoehn eh-fehk-TEE-voh
- In cash
- AguaAH-gwah
- Water
- Cafékah-FEH
- Coffee
- Téteh
- Tea
- Cervezathehr-BEH-thah
- Beer
- Sin...seen
- Without...
Literally "I wanted", the polite way to order. In Spanish bars, "me pone..." (meh POH-neh), will you give me, is just as common.
Point and say it. Esta for feminine things, but at a deli counter nobody is grading your grammar, they are watching your finger.
For the total. For a single item price ask "¿cuánto cuesta?" (KWAN-toh KWEHS-tah). At markets, prices are usually per kilo.
The bill will not come until you ask, lingering is the point of Spanish dining. The air-signature mime works too, waiters see it fifty times a day.
Ask "¿se puede pagar con tarjeta?" or just hold up the card with a questioning face. Cards work almost everywhere in Spain now, even for a single coffee.
The cashier may ask "¿tarjeta o efectivo?". Market stalls and some small bars still prefer cash, keep a few coins around.
In restaurants specify "agua con gas" (sparkling) or "sin gas" (still), and "del grifo" if you want free tap water, which not every place will serve.
A plain café is an espresso. "Con leche" adds milk; "cortado" a dash.
A small draft is "una caña" (OO-nah KAH-nyah).
"Sin hielo", without ice.
Where Spanish is spoken
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