How to return an item in Spanish
Quería devolver esto.
“I'd like to return this.”
When: At the counter, item in hand
The moment
You are back in the same Madrid shop the next morning with the jumper in its bag. It is the wrong size, and you want a swap or your money back.
A1 · Unit 5 · Shopping
The lines
Starting a return
Open with 'Quería devolver esto.' Here 'quería' means 'I'd like', and it sounds much politer than 'quiero'. Then you explain what is wrong.
Quería devolver esto.
“I'd like to return this.”
When to use it: At the counter, item in hand
What you’ll hear back: ¿Tiene el ticket? (Do you have the receipt?)
Asking for a swap
'¿Me lo pueden cambiar por otra talla?' asks for an exchange instead of money back. Add the size you want: 'por una L'.
¿Me lo pueden cambiar por otra talla?
“Could you exchange it for another size?”
When to use it: When you want the same item in a different size
What you’ll hear back: Claro, ¿qué talla necesita? (Of course, what size do you need?)
Words for this scene
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Aquí tiene el ticket | ah-KEE TYEH-neh el TEE-ket | Here's the receipt |
Lo compré ayer, aquí tiene el ticket. I bought it yesterday, here's the receipt. Tip: Without the ticket most Spanish shops only offer a vale (store credit). | ||
| No funciona | noh foon-THYOH-nah | It doesn't work |
Compré esta lámpara ayer y no funciona. I bought this lamp yesterday and it doesn't work. Tip: For torn or broken clothes say 'está roto' instead. | ||
| ¿Me devuelven el dinero? | meh deh-BWEL-ben el dee-NEH-roh | Can I have my money back? |
No lo quiero en otra talla, ¿me devuelven el dinero? I don't want it in another size, can I have my money back? Tip: Card purchases are refunded to the card, never in cash. | ||
Your objective
Say what you bought and what’s wrong with it, and ask to exchange it or get your money back.
- what you bought
- what’s wrong with it
- an exchange or a refund
Lines that get it done
- Quería devolver esto.
- Compré esta lámpara ayer y no funciona. · I bought this lamp yesterday and it doesn't work.
- ¿Me devuelven el dinero? · Can I have my money back?
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You bought a jumper in the wrong size. How do you open at the counter?
- Quería devolver esto.
- Quería comprar esto.
- Quería probar esto.
- Quería pagar esto.
Show the answer
Quería devolver esto.
'Devolver' means to give something back, so 'Quería devolver esto' starts any return politely.
2. The lamp you bought yesterday will not switch on. What do you say?
- No funciona.
- No me gusta.
- No lo tienen.
- No es caro.
Show the answer
No funciona.
'No funciona' is the everyday phrase for anything that has stopped working.
3. You want your money back rather than another item. What do you ask?
- ¿Me devuelven el dinero?
- ¿Me lo pueden cambiar por otra talla?
- ¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?
- ¿Tienen el ticket?
Show the answer
¿Me devuelven el dinero?
Asking to 'cambiar' gets you an exchange; 'devolver el dinero' is the refund.