The short version
- In Spain, ¿Me pones…? or just Ponme… is the normal, polite way to order. It isn't rude.
- Know the sizes: a tapa is small, a ración is a sharing plate, and a media ración is half of one.
- The bill won't come until you ask. ¿Me cobras? is the easiest way to do it.
You walk up to the bar, the waiter looks at you and says ¿Qué os pongo? ("What can I get you?"), and every word you practised disappears. It happens to a lot of people. Ordering food in Spanish is one of the first things you'll do in Spain, and bars move fast, so there isn't much time to think.
The good news is that bar Spanish is very predictable. The same dozen phrases come up every time. Learn those, say them out loud a few times, and you'll be ordering without thinking about it. If you've just arrived, the other situations you'll meet early on are in the Spanish you need in your first month in Spain.
How to order: me pones and ponme
In English, ordering tends to be wrapped in politeness: "Could I possibly get…?" In Spain, it's much more direct, and that's completely normal.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Me pones una caña? | Can I get a small beer? | The most common way |
| Ponme un café con leche. | I'll have a white coffee. | Direct but not rude |
| Para mí, un vino tinto. | For me, a red wine. | Good when ordering for a group |
| Quería una tostada. | I'd like a piece of toast. | A bit softer |
| ¿Me pones otra, por favor? | Can I have another one, please? | For a second round |
Add por favor and a gracias and you'll be more polite than a lot of locals.
To get someone's attention, Perdona (excuse me) is the normal way. Raising a hand slightly or catching the waiter's eye works too. Shouting ¡Camarero! sounds old-fashioned and a bit rude.
Drinks you'll order most
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| una caña | a small draught beer |
| un tercio | a 33cl bottle of beer |
| una clara | a shandy (beer with lemonade) |
| un tinto de verano | red wine with lemonade, over ice |
| una copa de vino tinto / blanco | a glass of red / white wine |
| un agua con gas / sin gas | a sparkling / still water |
| un café solo | an espresso |
| un cortado | an espresso with a little milk |
| un café con leche | a white coffee |
Agua is feminine, but it takes un because it starts with a stressed "a": un agua, el agua fría.
Tapas, raciones and sharing
This is the part that confuses people. Spanish bar food comes in different sizes, and the menu or the blackboard often lists more than one.
- A tapa is a small portion, sometimes just a few bites.
- A ración is a full plate, made for sharing.
- A media ración is half a ración. Good if you want to try more things.
In some cities, especially Granada, you get a free tapa with every drink. In most of Spain you'll pay for them. If you're not sure, just ask: ¿La tapa va incluida? (Is the tapa included?)
Useful questions when you're choosing:
- ¿Qué tenéis para picar? What have you got to nibble on?
- ¿Qué me recomiendas? What do you recommend?
- ¿Es mucho para dos? Is it a lot for two people?
- Para compartir. To share.
The menú del día
At lunchtime on weekdays, many restaurants offer a menú del día: a set lunch at a fixed price, usually with a starter, a main, a dessert or coffee, bread and a drink. It's often the best-value meal you'll find.
You order it course by course:
- De primero, la ensalada.For the starter, the salad.
- De primero, la ensalada, y de segundo, el pollo.For the starter, the salad, and for the main, the chicken.
- De primero, la ensalada, y de segundo, el pollo. Y de beber, agua, por favor.For the starter, the salad, and for the main, the chicken. And to drink, water, please.
At the end, the waiter will ask ¿Postre o café? Just pick one.
Allergies and food you don't eat
If you have an allergy or don't eat something, prepare these before you go. You don't want to be building them on the spot.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Soy alérgico / alérgica a… | I'm allergic to… |
| ¿Lleva gluten? | Does it have gluten in it? |
| ¿Tenéis algo vegetariano? | Have you got anything vegetarian? |
| No como carne. | I don't eat meat. |
| Sin cebolla, por favor. | Without onion, please. |
In some traditional places, a "vegetable" dish can still come with bits of jamón or be cooked in meat stock. If it matters to you, ask directly: ¿Lleva carne o jamón?
Paying the bill
In Spain, the waiter won't bring the bill until you ask. That isn't slow service. Nobody's in a hurry for you to leave.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Me cobras? | Can I pay? (literally "Will you charge me?") |
| La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. |
| ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay by card? |
| Invito yo. | It's on me. |
| ¿Pagamos a medias? | Shall we split it? |
¿Me cobras? is the one you'll hear most at the bar. Add cuando puedas (when you get a chance) to make it friendlier. Tipping works differently from the US or UK: it isn't expected in the same way, and many people just leave some small change.
Here's how the whole thing might go:
When you're waiting at a busy bar, listen to how the people ahead of you order. Then use the exact same words, and just change the drink or the dish. You'll pick up the local way of saying things, and you'll have the sentence ready before it's your turn. Say it quietly to yourself while you wait.
Once you're comfortable ordering, the next step is chatting about what you're eating. That's covered in how to talk about food you like in Spanish.
Recap
- Order with ¿Me pones…? or Ponme…. It's normal and polite in Spain.
- Get attention with Perdona.
- A tapa is small, a ración is for sharing, a media ración is half.
- Prepare allergy phrases before you go.
- Ask for the bill with ¿Me cobras? It won't come otherwise.
Eating out is the kind of everyday conversation 100 Spanish Conversations is built around, practised out loud before you're at the bar for real. If you've had a good or a funny ordering moment, tell us about it in the community on Skool.
Leeroy studied Spanish for years before moving to Spain and finding he couldn't hold a conversation. He built Basically Spanish around the method that fixed it. Questions? leeroy@basicallyspanish.com