How to pay and ask for a receipt in Spanish
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
“Can I pay by card?”
When: At the till, just before paying
The moment
You are at the till of a small shop in Madrid with the jumper in your hands. You want to pay by card, understand the total, and leave with a receipt.
A1 · Unit 5 · Shopping
The lines
Paying by card
Ask '¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?' before they start ringing you up. Small shops and bars in Spain sometimes ask for cash on small amounts.
¿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. (Yes, no problem.)
Asking for the receipt
'¿Me da el ticket, por favor?' asks for the paper receipt. In Spain the everyday word is 'el ticket', and you will need it to return anything.
¿Me da el ticket, por favor?
“Can I have the receipt, please?”
When to use it: Right after paying, before you walk away
What you’ll hear back: Aquí tiene. (Here you go.)
Words for this scene
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Pago en efectivo | PAH-goh en eh-fek-TEE-boh | I'll pay cash |
No llevo tarjeta, pago en efectivo. I don't have my card on me, I'll pay cash. Tip: Many small bars still set a card minimum around ten euros. | ||
| ¿Cuánto es en total? | KWAN-toh es en toh-TAL | How much is it altogether? |
¿Cuánto es en total, por favor? How much is it altogether, please? Tip: Prices are read out like 'doce con cincuenta' for 12,50 €. | ||
| ¿Tienen cambio? | TYEH-nen KAHM-byoh | Do you have change? |
Solo llevo un billete de cincuenta, ¿tienen cambio? I've only got a fifty-euro note, do you have change? Tip: Small shops rarely break a fifty-euro note, so carry twenties. | ||
Your objective
Ask if they take cards, check the total, and ask for a receipt.
- paying by card
- the total
- a receipt
Lines that get it done
- ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
- ¿Cuánto es en total? · How much is it altogether?
- ¿Me da el ticket, por favor?
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You want to know whether the shop accepts cards. What do you ask?
- ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
- ¿Puedo pagar mañana?
- ¿Cuánto cuesta la tarjeta?
- ¿Tienen tarjetas aquí?
Show the answer
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
'¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?' is the normal way to check that card payment is accepted.
2. The cashier says 'Son doce con cincuenta.' What is the price?
- Doce euros con cincuenta céntimos.
- Cincuenta euros.
- Dos euros con cincuenta.
- Doce céntimos.
Show the answer
Doce euros con cincuenta céntimos.
Spanish prices join euros and cents with 'con', so 'doce con cincuenta' is 12,50 €.
3. You have paid and want the paper receipt. What do you say?
- ¿Me da el ticket, por favor?
- ¿Me da la cuenta, por favor?
- ¿Me da el cambio, por favor?
- ¿Me da la talla, por favor?
Show the answer
¿Me da el ticket, por favor?
In a shop the receipt is 'el ticket'; 'la cuenta' is the bill you ask for in a bar or restaurant.