Order food and ask for the bill: Más despacio, por favor

Published May 16, 2026·Updated May 26, 2026

Transcript

Read along, Spanish & English, side by side

Did you know that a lot of people study Spanish for years and still don't know how to ask them to speak slower?

I mean, they use hard words, but they don’t say, “please speak slower.”

It's like, MMM, running before learning to walk.

Totally.

And another thing, many beginners say "do you like" when they want to offer something, and of course, that confuses.

The waiter thinks, "I like it," and everything gets tangled up.

It happened to me once, really.

Yes, yes, and there are those who say "okay" for everything.

In a serious conversation, it sounds odd.

Well, hello everyone, how's it going?

Welcome to our language café, right?

Hi, beautiful people.

Thank you for being here.

Today we’re talking about essential phrases, you know, the phrases you'll use every day.

No complicating things, let’s get to the useful stuff.

Okay, let’s start with the basics to survive: greeting and being polite.

Hello, good morning, good afternoon, good evening.

Then, "please," "thank you," and "you're welcome."

And something key, "excuse me" or "sorry" to get attention, and "I'm sorry" to truly apologize.

Exactly.

And when you don’t understand, don’t stay silent, you know?

Say, "I don’t understand, can you repeat, please," or "slower, please."

Also, how you say it, in Spanish.

It always works, and people help.

Before we continue, let’s do a mini-roleplay in a café.

Something very simple, but real.

I'm the waiter, and you, María, come in and order.

Okay, I’m coming in.

Good, hi.

For me, a café con leche, please.

Can you make it to go?

Sure, one moment.

Do you want sugar?

I mean, do you want sugar?

Yes, with one packet, thanks.

Ah, and how much is it?

It's two euros fifty.

Card or cash?

Card, please.

Thank you.

And, excuse me, where are the restrooms?

At the back, to the right.

Here’s your coffee.

Have a good day.

Thanks, you too.

Bye.

See?

Short phrases, but clear.

For me, "I want," "can you give me," "how much is it," "where are they."

With that, you can order without fear.

Yes, and watch out for the earlier mistake.

Don’t say "do you like sugar" when offering or asking.

Better, "do you want sugar?" or "with sugar?"

I once said "do you like sauce" to the waiter and he looked at me like, "me? well, yes," and brought me a really strange extra dish.

What a mess, and all I wanted was a bit of sauce.

Ha, ha, ha, that happens a lot.

Another essential block, to understand each other.

You can say, "sorry, I can’t hear you well," "can you speak louder," or "can you write it down, please?"

If someone talks too fast, take a breath and let one go for a moment, please.

It helps a lot.

Quick pause.

Quick pause.

Flash exam.

Let's see, María, and also you who are listening, if someone talks really fast, what do you say?

Come on, no looking at notes.

Easy, "slower, please."

And if I don’t understand anything, "I don’t understand," or "can you repeat, please?"

There you go, basic but powerful.

Perfect.

Let’s continue.

Another useful thing, expressing need and time.

I need help, I'm looking for the station, right now, in five minutes.

And if you get lost, "I'm lost" or "can you help me, please?"

With that, people respond well.

Let’s talk about "vale."

In Spain, yes, people say "vale" a lot, but be careful, okay?

If the topic is serious, better use "agreed" or "I understand."

If you say "vale, vale, vale" all the time, it sounds like you’re not listening and it can be annoying.

Totally.

And to be more polite, use "could you" or "can you?"

For example, "could you tell me the time, please?" or "could you open the window?"

They're tiny changes, but people feel respected.

Something key too, "you" with older people or in formal situations.

Yes, in many countries "you" is important.

Say "how are you?" instead of "how are you?" when speaking with an older person, a teacher, or in a bank.

And if you're not sure, start with "you" and then switch if they tell you "speak informally."

Come on, second roleplay, this time on the street asking for directions.

I'm an older man.

Go ahead, María.

Excuse me, good morning.

Can you help me, please?

I'm looking for the station.

Is it close?

Good morning, miss.

Yes, it’s close.

Go straight for two blocks, then turn left.

It's across from the park.

Thank you very much.

And how long will it take me to walk?

About ten minutes, more or less.

You're welcome.

Good day.

Ready.

Simple phrases: "can you help me," "I'm looking for," "it's nearby," "how long will it take?".

And directional words: "straight," "left," "right," "in front of."

With that, you'll survive in a new city.

Another key area, understand.

"How much does it cost?", "do you have a medium size?", "do you accept card?", "I'm just looking," "thank you."

And if something's really expensive, say, "it's a bit pricey," with a smile.

No need for a long speech, just courtesy.

And for restaurants, "for me, the daily special," "can you bring me the check, please," "no spice, please," "I'm vegetarian," or "I don't eat meat."

If you don't know a word for a dish, say, "what does it contain?".

I mean, "what ingredients does it have?".

Let's talk about listening better.

A surprising trick: learn Spanish with Spanish resources from the start.

Videos, podcasts, menus, whatever.

At first, it's tough, yes, but your ear gets used to it quickly and your memory works better without translating every word.

Totally.

I say use set phrases like building blocks.

You repeat the block, and that's it.

For example, "please get me," "let me," "a question," "excuse me."

They’re templates, right?

With that, you can talk even if you don't know all the vocabulary.

Also be mindful of cultural tone.

In some countries, "please" and "thank you" are used more, in others less, but it always helps.

And the topic of "mande," as we said, in Mexico, it sounds fine, in Spain, better "like," or "excuse me," to avoid confusion.

Another mini list for emergencies: "it's all good," to calm down.

"All good," to say that it’s okay.

"I'll be back in a moment, please," and "that's fine like this."

And if you need time, "let me think," MMM.

It's natural, and you don't freeze up.

If you have to communicate in writing, ask, "should I send you an email?" or "do you have a website?".

Say it clearly and simply.

And when taking down information, repeat, "let's see, your name."

"Carlos, right?"

"Your number, 123456."

Okay, thank you.

Digit by digit.

Good point.

And one more warning about "okay," don’t use it as an automatic response when someone tells you a serious problem.

Better say, "I'm so sorry," "oh, what a shame," and then, "how can I help you?".

Sounds human, not robotic, right?

Another typical confusion: ser and estar.

For both, don’t get mixed up.

Introducing yourself: "I'm Ana," "I'm tired," "I'm at home," "it's expensive."

And when you don’t know a word, say, "it's like," and explain with gestures.

For example, "it's like bread, but sweet."

People understand.

Quick recap of golden phrases: "hello," "good morning," "please," "thank you," "you're welcome," "excuse me," "I'm sorry," "I don't understand," "slower, please," "how do you say?," "how much does it cost?," "for me," "can you help me," and "where is it?".

If you memorize these, you’ll improve already.

Yes.

And remember the restaurant case, when you offer or ask, use "do you want" or "would you like".

Avoid "do you like" in that context.

I learned the lesson with my mystery dish, haha.

Better clear than funny, at least when you’re hungry.

To practice, I suggest an exercise.

Today, only Spanish in your simple tasks: when ordering coffee, looking at the menu, asking the time.

No translating in your head.

That is, Spanish mode.

You'll see that in a week you’ll improve, I don’t know, by about 30% in fluency.

Is it noticeable?

And if someone corrects you, say "thanks for the correction".

Don't get mad.

Everyone makes mistakes.

The key is to repeat the phrase well afterward, "ah, okay, bring me the bill".

Thanks, I’ll jot that down.

Before we close, a question for you: what phrase saved you in a real situation?

For example, in a store or when asking for directions.

Tell us the brief story, with the exact phrase, so others can learn too.

We love reading your examples.

And if you have a local phrase from your country, share it and say when you use it, so we all understand the culture behind it.

Remember, language and culture always go together.

Well, if this episode helped you, like and subscribe to the channel.

This way, you won’t miss the upcoming talks with more useful phrases and, of course, more roleplays.

Thanks for being here, really.

Take care, practice at least one phrase today, and we’ll talk next week.

Bye, bye.

And yes, you know, "slow down, please" is your superpower.