If you’re a beginner learning Spanish, two of the most useful things you’ll want to know are how to ask for the check in Spanish and how to order snacks. This guide will walk you through these essential phrases, so you’ll feel confident the next time you’re at a Spanish-speaking restaurant or café.

As always, don’t forget to listen to the podcast because we cover more vocabulary and useful phrases. ¡No te lo pierdas!

How to ask for the check in Spanish

When you’re ready to wrap up your meal, knowing how to ask for the check in Spanish is crucial. Here are some polite and commonly used phrases:

• ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor? Could you bring us the check, please?
• ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor? Could you bring me the check, please?
• Tráiganos la cuenta, por favor. Bring us the check, please.
• Tráigame la cuenta, por favor. Bring me the check, please.

These phrases are polite and will be appreciated by the waitstaff. Whether you’re dining alone or with others, these variations will help you request the check appropriately. In addition, the first part of the sentence is very useful to order your drinks or food.

• ¿Nos trae dos jugos de manzana, por favor? Could you bring us two apple juices, please?

Ordering drinks and snacks in Spanish

After mastering how to ask for the check in Spanish, the next step is to get comfortable with ordering drinks and snacks. In the previous episode, we learn some drinks that we can order. If you want another drink, you can use otro/a. Por ejemplo:

• Otra cerveza, por favor.  Another beer, please.
• Otro vino tinto, por favor. Another red wine, please.

Notice the use of otro/a (another). The word otro is used with masculine nouns like vino (wine), and otra is used with feminine nouns like cerveza (beer).

Some snacks in Spanish

Now, let’s move on to some common phrases for ordering snacks in Spanish, which you can use whether you’re at a tapas bar or a casual eatery:

• un bocadillo a sandwich (usually refers to a Spanish-style sandwich made with a baguette)
• un sándwich a sandwich (used for more American-style sandwiches)
• un bocadillo de queso a cheese sandwich
• un bocadillo de jamón a ham sandwich
• una ración de… a portion of…

Some popular snacks you might order include:

• Tortilla a Spanish omelette, usually made with potatoes and onions.
• Patatas bravas fried potatoes served with a spicy tomato sauce.
• una ensalada a salad
• Patatas fritas chips, french fries.

Further examples that will help you to order food

When ordering, you can use the following phrases:

• ¿Nos trae un bocadillo de queso, por favor? Could you bring us a cheese sandwich, please?
• ¿Me trae una ración de patatas bravas, por favor? Could you bring me a portion of patatas bravas, please?
• Tráiganos una ensalada, por favor. Bring us a salad, please.
• Tráigame patatas fritas, por favor. Bring me French fries, please.

As a beginner, don’t worry if you don’t get everything right the first time. Remember that how to ask for the check in Spanish and ordering snacks in Spanish are practical skills that will improve with use. Start by memorising the key phrases, and soon you’ll be ordering like a pro.

Learning how to ask for the check in Spanish and how to order snacks in Spanish is a fun and practical way to immerse yourself in the language. Whether you’re asking for another drink or a tasty snack, these phrases will help you navigate any Spanish-speaking restaurant or café with ease. 

Practice these phrases regularly, and before you know it, you’ll be impressing your friends and making the most of your dining experiences in Spanish-speaking countries.

In the next episode, we’ll be covering how to order in Spanish in a restaurant, so don’t miss it!

Nos vemos and happy Coffee Breaking!