Spanish at a coffee shop: paying, queues and tips

Handle the practical parts of visiting a café in Spanish: joining the queue, asking for sugar, paying at the till and requesting a receipt. Learn all 13 words from the matching deck.

13 practical coffee-shop words

Barista vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Barista

English

Barista

Cutlery vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Cubiertos

English

Cutlery

Filter vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Filtro

English

Filter

Grind vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Moler

English

Grind

Kettle vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Hervidor

English

Kettle

Queue vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Fila

English

Queue

Receipt vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Recibo

English

Receipt

Serve vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Servir

English

Serve

Smell vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Oler

English

Smell

Sugar vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Azúcar

English

Sugar

Supplier vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Proveedor

English

Supplier

Till vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Caja

English

Till

Tips vocabulary illustration
Spanish

Propinas

English

Tips

Coffee-shop words in context

See how each word works in a natural Spanish sentence.

  1. La barista prepara dos bebidas a la vez.The barista prepares two drinks at once.
  2. Los cubiertos están junto a las servilletas.The cutlery is next to the napkins.
  3. Este filtro se cambia cada mañana.This filter is changed every morning.
  4. Van a moler los granos justo antes de preparar el café.They're going to grind the beans just before making the coffee.
  5. El hervidor está lleno de agua caliente.The kettle is full of hot water.
  6. Hay una fila larga a la hora del almuerzo.There's a long queue at lunchtime.
  7. ¿Me puede dar el recibo, por favor?Could you give me the receipt, please?
  8. Empezamos a servir el desayuno a las ocho.We start serving breakfast at eight.
  9. Puedo oler el café recién hecho desde la calle.I can smell the freshly made coffee from the street.
  10. Tomo el té sin azúcar.I take my tea without sugar.
  11. El proveedor trae la leche los lunes.The supplier brings the milk on Mondays.
  12. Puede pagar en la caja al salir.You can pay at the till on your way out.
  13. Las propinas se reparten entre todo el equipo.The tips are shared among the whole team.

Useful phrases at a coffee shop

Use these patterns to ask for what you need, understand where to pay and finish your order politely.

¿Dónde está la fila?

Where is the queue?

Perdone, ¿dónde está la fila para pedir?Excuse me, where is the queue to order?

¿Me puede dar…?

Could you give me…?

¿Me puede dar cubiertos, por favor?Could you give me some cutlery, please?

Sin…, por favor

Without…, please

Sin azúcar, por favor.Without sugar, please.

¿Dónde pago?

Where do I pay?

¿Dónde pago, en la mesa o en la caja?Where do I pay, at the table or at the till?

¿Me trae el recibo?

Could you bring me the receipt?

¿Me trae el recibo cuando pueda?Could you bring me the receipt when you can?

A conversation at a busy café

  1. ClientePerdone, ¿esta es la fila para pedir?Excuse me, is this the queue to order?
  2. BaristaSí. Hoy solo hay una caja abierta.Yes. There's only one till open today.
  3. ClienteDe acuerdo. Quiero un té sin azúcar.All right. I'd like a tea without sugar.
  4. BaristaClaro. ¿Necesita cubiertos también?Of course. Do you need cutlery as well?
  5. ClienteNo, gracias. ¿Me puede dar el recibo?No, thank you. Could you give me the receipt?
  6. BaristaPor supuesto. Puede dejar la propina aquí si quiere.Of course. You can leave the tip here if you like.

Try one in the VocabTally quiz

Choose the English meaning, just as you would while practising in the app.

00

What does this mean in English?

Recibo

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