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Bar Spanish – How Not To Sound Like A Tourist!

Don’t sound like a tourist, and get respect from the locals when you use these real Spanish phrases in bars!

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Vocab from today’s video:

Nos cobras por favor – The bill please (in a bar)
Ni fu ni fa – So so, not so interesting
Hablar por los codos – To talk non-stop
¿Te apetece ver esta película?- Would you like to watch this film?
Buenas… – Hello
Cuándo puedas por favor – When you’re ready…
Ponme una caña / un doble – A small/large beer please
Qué sean dos – Make it two
Ponme un tinto – A red wine please
¿Qué tenéis para picar? – What have you got to eat
¿Nos pones unas patatas/aceitunas? – Can you give us some crisps/chips or olives?
¿Qué nos recomiendas? – What do you recommend?
Esto merece la pena – This is worth it
¡Tiquismiquis! – Fussy!
Muy sabio/a – Very wise

31 thoughts on “Bar Spanish – How Not To Sound Like A Tourist!”

  1. Como siempre, Muchas gracias por el video. Voy a un grupo de español en línea y el profesor me preguntó recientemente si había vivido en España porque de vez en cuando usaba tu español real!
    Un abrazo, Veronica

  2. Tenemos una casita circa de Antequera …..
    “ Ponme una sin porfa “
    Me gusta mucho carrillada !
    ( Soy irlandés)

  3. ?
    I really enjoyed today’s video because I like to learn Real Spanish.

    One expression that always makes me laugh is Hablar Por Los Codos. It reminds me of when I was in Madrid and was looking for the Calle del Codo to buy Dulces from Las Monjas, cloistered nuns. The convent is just off Plaza del Conde de Miranda.

    I often say Buenas instead of Buenos Días because this is what I often hear.
    I try to remember to use Nos Cobras and Qué Sean Dos. My friends often use both of these.
    I have added Cuándo Puedas Por Favor to my list of expressions. Sixty years ago while in school I remember learning the expression “Oye mozo vengá aquí por favor”.

    Pon me un Tinto de Verano con Gambas Pil Pil.

    Gracias de nuevo por un gran video.

  4. La dificultad para mi ahora es que quiero viajar a España y hablar allí, pero mis amigos aquí en los estados unidos son de México, y la idioma informal es diferente para estos dos países. En España diría ‘Ponme dos tacos’, pero en México diría ‘Tráeme dos tacos’. Mis amigos no le gusta, pero todavía hablo en castellano, porque me gusta la sonida mucho más. 🙂

  6. Recently had confusion asking for a tinto – and getting a vino tinto instead of a tinto de verano! Wasn’t a problem though – I think the vino tinto just transformed into the tinto de V!

  7. Gracias por un vídeo excelente. Viajaré a Granada en noviembre. Voy a pedir, “ponme un tinto….que me recomiendas para picar?”

  8. I love the video because you two are so clearly authentic and likeable in your desire to share real Spanish!
    Such a pleasure to refresh my Spain Spanish (studied in Spain decades ago!)with 2 such dedicated naturally talented teachers!

  9. Good stuff to know!

    Another phrase for ‘getting the bill’ which was taught to me by a friend years ago, and which I use frequently, is “¿Qué te debo?” – is this OK to use generally?

  12. Great video. I always use caña when asking for a small beer. I’ve read somewhere that you can also ask for a tubo, for a larger beer. Is that correct? I’ve never tried it. I will try un doble and see what happens.

    • I used to drink tubos de cerveza in Madrid, but I think maybe it’s gone out of fashion a bit, and people tend to ask for doble’s instead. We always used to debate which held more beer, a tubo or a doble – debate still unresolved!

  13. Muy divertido pero no lo voy a compartir con mis estudiantes ¡de cole! Ponme unas patatas bravas y una porción de pulpo con mi caña por favor

  14. Gracias por el vídeo – me encanta. Mis tapas favoritas son patatas bravas con chorizo, tortilla con vino tinto español- buenísimo ???

  15. Olvidé otra vez que este cadena non reconoce los ‘emoticons’. Los signos de interrogaciónes son errores

  16. Ah, ¡muchísimas gracias, Marina y Ben! ¡Este genial vídeo me ha hecho sonreír!

    When I first learned these expressions in Spain, I used the ‘usted’ form… As you can guess, it was a pretty long time ago – more formal times! 🙂
    ‘¿Me/Nos cobra, por favor?’ ‘¿Cuánto le debo?’
    ‘¿Nos pone una caña y una agüa con gas, por favor?’ ‘Pónganos dos tubos, por favor.’
    ‘¿Qué tienen para picar?’
    Etc.
    And even though customs change, it still feels a tad strange to use the ‘tú’ form in those situations now, in case it’s impolite!

    Also, friends there taught me, ‘Oiga, por favor’, to get the attention of the proprietor / bar staff, but that always felt slightly uncomfortable because it sounded like ‘Oy!’ in English!
    ‘Cuándo pueda(s), por favor’ sounds better…!

    Just one thing – I think ‘Que sean dos’ would be without the tilde that you’ve put (‘that’ rather than ‘what’) ?

    It’s lovely to hear the expressions, and it has transported me back to the atmosphere of the old bars there…thank you both!
    Also, I wasn’t sure if ‘un tubo’ was still about, so thanks for those comments, John and Ben!

  17. Marina y Ben,

    ¡Muchísimas gracias por todo!

    This episode is excellent and just what I needed. I live between the UK and Spain and use your local conversion tips alot which gets me some great feedback.

    I would really like an episode on restaurant’s and some more formal expressions if possible please. I tend to use Me/Nos Pone or Me/Nos trae or Dame/Danos alot when ordering in Spain but I’m not sure if this is appropriate and I hear alot of tu forms even in restaurants or when I’m spoken to by the waiteds. I’ve recently heard using Quisiera as an option but I’m now getting confused and would really like your top tips please.

    Thanks again and keep the episodes coming as they are very much appreciated.

    ¡Tengáis cuidado y buen día!

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