Spanish phrase of the week

¿Me pones un café con leche?

Can I have a white coffee, please?

A1, beginnerYou can use everyday phrases and very simple sentences, introduce yourself and ask basic questions, as long as people speak slowly and help you out.

How to use it

In a bar in Spain you’ll rarely hear anyone order with quiero (“I want”). Most people say ¿me pones…?, which literally means “will you put me…?”. It sounds friendly and it’s perfectly polite, especially with por favor on the end.

Pones is the informal tú form. That’s normal in most bars and cafés in Spain, even with staff you’ve never met. To order for the whole table, swap me for nos: ¿nos pones…?

Try not to translate “Can I have…?” word for word. ¿Puedo tener…? is understood, but it sounds odd in Spanish.

Examples

  • ¿Me pones una caña, por favor?

    Can I have a small beer, please?

  • ¿Nos pones dos tostadas con tomate?

    Can we have two pieces of toast with tomato?

  • ¿Me cobras, por favor?

    Can I pay, please? (literally: will you charge me?)

Good to know

A café con leche is roughly half coffee, half hot milk. For a small strong coffee ask for un café solo, and for one with just a dash of milk, un cortado.

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