Buying and exchanging clothes in Spanish
¿Lo tienen en la talla M?
“Do you have it in a medium?”
When: Item in hand, at the rail or the counter
The moment
You walk into a shop in Madrid to buy a jumper: ask for your size, try it on, pay by card and take the receipt. The next day you are back at the same counter because the size is wrong and you need an exchange.
A1 · Unit 5 · Shopping · Checkpoint
This is the unit’s checkpoint: one roleplay that puts the unit’s scenes together.
The lines
Asking for your size
Every clothes purchase starts here: '¿Lo tienen en la talla M?' The same pattern gets you a colour, too: '¿Lo tienen en negro?'
¿Lo tienen en la talla M?
“Do you have it in a medium?”
When to use it: Item in hand, at the rail or the counter
What you’ll hear back: Sí, ahora mismo se lo traigo. (Yes, I'll bring it right away.)
Paying by card
Check before they ring you up with '¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?' If the answer is no, you already know the fix: 'Pago en efectivo.'
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
“Can I pay by card?”
When to use it: At the till, just before paying
What you’ll hear back: Sí, sin problema. ¿Quiere el ticket? (Yes, no problem. Do you want the receipt?)
Words for this scene
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Me lo puedo probar? | meh loh PWEH-doh proh-BAR | Can I try it on? |
Me gusta este jersey, ¿me lo puedo probar? I like this jumper, can I try it on? Tip: An attendant may count your items before the fitting room. | ||
| Me queda pequeño | meh KEH-dah peh-KEH-nyoh | It's too small on me |
Este jersey me queda pequeño, es la talla equivocada. This jumper is too small on me, it's the wrong size. Tip: Say 'me queda grande' for too big — same pattern. | ||
| Quería devolver esto | keh-REE-ah deh-bol-BEHR ES-toh | I'd like to return this |
Buenos días, quería devolver esto, por favor. Good morning, I'd like to return this, please. Tip: Most Spanish chains give you thirty days to bring things back. | ||
Your objective
Ask for your size and try it on, pay by card, then come back, say what’s wrong and ask to exchange it.
- your size
- paying by card
- an exchange
Lines that get it done
- ¿Lo tienen en la talla M?
- ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
- Buenos días, quería devolver esto, por favor. · Good morning, I'd like to return this, please.
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. In the fitting room the jumper is far too big on you. What do you say?
- Me queda grande.
- Me queda pequeño.
- Me queda bien.
- Me lo llevo.
Show the answer
Me queda grande.
'Me queda grande' means it is too big; 'pequeño' would mean the opposite.
2. You have just paid and you want the receipt for later. What do you say?
- ¿Me da el ticket, por favor?
- ¿Me da el cambio, por favor?
- ¿Me da otra talla, por favor?
- ¿Me da la tarjeta, por favor?
Show the answer
¿Me da el ticket, por favor?
'El ticket' is the shop receipt, and you will need it to return the jumper.
3. Back the next day, you want a bigger size instead of your money. What do you ask?
- ¿Me lo pueden cambiar por otra talla?
- ¿Me devuelven el dinero?
- ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
- ¿Me lo puedo probar?
Show the answer
¿Me lo pueden cambiar por otra talla?
'Cambiar por otra talla' asks for a swap, while 'devolver el dinero' would ask for a refund.