Shopping at the supermarket, market and food counters

Key rules

• Who is last: At a stall or small shop with no ticket, ask "¿Quién es el último?" and remember who answers "yo".
• Ticket counters: If there is a dispenser, take a number and answer "yo" when yours is called.
• Produce: Whether you weigh your own fruit and vegetables depends on the store, so check the signs.
• Bags: Bags at the checkout cost a few cents, so bring your own if you can.

Ask for an amount by weight

Start with "Hola, buenas", then say what you want. Two easy openers are "Quería..." and "Póngame...", followed by the amount.

• un kilo: 1 kg
• medio kilo: 500 g
• un cuarto (de kilo): 250 g
• tres cuartos: 750 g
• cien / doscientos gramos: 100 / 200 g

For example: "Quería 200 gramos de jamón, por favor." You can also ask by pieces or slices, such as "seis lonchas". Say "un poquito más" or "un poquito menos" to adjust. The seller will ask "¿Algo más?". If you are done, answer "nada más, gracias".

Take a ticket at a counter

Meat, fish, deli and cheese counters in supermarkets often have a ticket dispenser marked "Pida su turno". Take a number, then watch the display or listen for it. When your number comes up, say "yo" or "el 45" and step forward.

If you miss your number, ask "Perdone, ¿quién tiene el turno?" or take a new ticket.

Ask who is last at a market or small shop

Busy stalls, bakeries, pharmacies and small shops often have no ticket and no visible line. When you arrive, ask "¿Quién es el último?" (or "¿Quién es la última?", or "¿Quién da la vez?"). Someone will answer "yo". Remember that person. When they are served, you are next.

When the seller asks "¿Quién da la vez?" or "¿Quién sigue?", say "yo" (or "creo que yo"). If someone arrives after you and asks, tell them "yo". Letting someone go first with "pase usted" is polite.

Name the cut

Counter staff will ask how you want it. These words cover most cases:

• en lonchas or cortado fino: sliced thin
• en tacos: cubes
• a cuñas: wedges
• fileteado or en filetes: filleted or in thin cuts
• picado: minced or chopped
• troceado: in pieces
• entero: whole
• en una pieza: one piece
• al corte: cut to order
• envasado al vacío: vacuum packed

For meat and fish: con hueso is with bone, deshuesado is boneless, sin espinas is boneless fish, sin piel is skinless, limpio is cleaned and gutted, and sin cabeza is headless.

For cheese, tierno is soft and curado is aged. Ham can be cortado a cuchillo (knife-cut) or a máquina (machine-cut).

Fruit and vegetables

At a market or greengrocer, the seller weighs it for you. In supermarkets it depends on the chain and the store. Some weigh at the till. Others expect you to weigh your produce on a scale in the produce section and print a label. Signs near the produce usually tell you which applies.

At the checkout

Expect a few short questions:

• "¿Quiere bolsa?" Answer "Sí, una bolsa, por favor" or "No, gracias, traigo la mía".
• "¿Tiene tarjeta de cliente?" Answer "No tengo tarjeta".
• "¿Pagas con tarjeta o en efectivo?" Answer "Con tarjeta" or "en efectivo".
• "¿Quiere el ticket?"

Plastic, paper and reusable bags cost a few cents, so many people bring their own. Many supermarkets also have self-checkouts.

The questions people ask most often are in the FAQ below.

Frequently asked questions

What do I say when the seller asks who is next at a market stall?

Say 'yo' (or 'creo que yo') when the seller asks '¿Quién da la vez?' or '¿Quién sigue?' and it is your turn. If someone arrives after you and asks who is last, answer 'yo' so they know to follow you. Letting others go ahead with 'pase usted' is polite.

What if I miss my number at a supermarket counter?

Ask 'perdone, ¿quién tiene el turno?' or take a new ticket if you miss your number. When your number is called, say 'yo' or the number itself, such as 'el 45', and step forward. Then greet with 'hola, buenas' and order.

Do I weigh my own fruit and vegetables in a Spanish supermarket?

It depends on the chain: in some supermarkets the cashier weighs produce at the till, and in others you weigh it and print a label in the produce section.

What will the cashier ask me at a Spanish supermarket checkout?

Cashiers often ask '¿Quiere bolsa?', '¿Tiene tarjeta de cliente?', '¿Pagas con tarjeta o en efectivo?' or '¿Quiere el ticket?'.