Order in a Spanish café: quiz
One full café visit, line by line. Listen to the barista, pick your answer, and get from “buenos días” to “hasta luego” without switching to English.
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- Barista¡Hola, buenos días! ¿Qué te pongo? Hi, good morning! What can I get you?
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See the whole conversation with answers
- Barista¡Hola, buenos días! ¿Qué te pongo?Hi, good morning! What can I get you?
- YouUn café con leche, por favor.Name the drink + por favor. That is the normal, polite way in Spain.
- Barista¿Grande o pequeño?Large or small?
- YouPequeño, por favor.Café is masculine, so pequeño (not pequeña).
- Barista¿Algo más?Anything else?
- YouSí, un cruasán, por favor.¿Algo más? means "anything else?". Answer with the next thing, or "No, nada más, gracias".
- Barista¿Para tomar aquí o para llevar?For here or to take away?
- YouPara llevar, por favor.Para llevar = to take away, para tomar aquí = for here.
- Barista¿Con leche de vaca o vegetal?With cow’s milk or plant milk?
- YouVegetal, de avena, por favor.Leche vegetal / de avena / de soja: plant / oat / soy milk.
- Barista¿Lo quieres con azúcar?Do you want it with sugar?
- YouNo, sin azúcar, gracias.Sin = without. "Sin azúcar" is all you need.
- BaristaAquí tienes. ¿Algo más?Here you go. Anything else?
- YouNo, nada más. ¿Cuánto es?¿Cuánto es? = how much is it (the bill). ¿Cuánto cuesta? is for the price of one item.
- BaristaSon tres euros con cincuenta.That is three euros fifty.
- YouAquí tiene. ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? = can I pay by card?
- BaristaSí, claro. Acerca la tarjeta.Yes, of course. Tap your card.
- YouVale, gracias.Vale = OK, the most Spanish word there is. De nada is the answer to gracias, not a thank-you.
- Barista¡Gracias! ¡Que aproveche!Thanks! Enjoy!
- You¡Gracias, igualmente! Hasta luego.Igualmente = you too. Hasta luego is the everyday goodbye in a shop or café.
The café phrases you need
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué te pongo? | What can I get you? |
| Un café con leche, por favor. | A white coffee, please. |
| ¿Para tomar aquí o para llevar? | For here or to take away? |
| sin azúcar / con leche de avena | without sugar / with oat milk |
| ¿Algo más? — No, nada más, gracias. | Anything else? — No, nothing else, thanks. |
| ¿Cuánto es? | How much is it? |
| ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay by card? |
| ¡Que aproveche! — Igualmente. | Enjoy! — You too. |
Why “un café, por favor” is enough
English speakers translate “Can I have…” or “I would like…” and end up with long, odd sentences. In Spain, naming what you want and adding “por favor” is polite and normal. Spaniards also say “¿Me pones un café?” (will you put me a coffee?), which sounds strange in English but is the everyday way to order.
Questions and answers
How do you order a coffee in Spanish?
Say “Un café con leche, por favor” for a white coffee or “Un café solo, por favor” for an espresso. In Spain you can also say “¿Me pones un café con leche?”.
What does “¿Qué te pongo?” mean?
It means “What can I get you?”, literally “What do I put you?”. It is what bar and café staff in Spain say. A more formal version is “¿Qué le pongo?”.
How do you ask for the bill in a Spanish café?
Say “¿Cuánto es?” at the counter or “La cuenta, por favor” at a table.
What does “para llevar” mean?
“Para llevar” means to take away. “Para tomar aquí” means to have it here.
What do you answer to “¡Que aproveche!”?
Say “¡Gracias!” or “¡Igualmente!” (you too), if the other person is also eating.
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