Making phone calls to Spanish businesses when you are not fluent

Key rules

• Register: Use the polite usted form with businesses and strangers.
• Repeat back: Confirm every time, date, number and address by saying it back before you hang up.
• Record: Write down the date, the person's name and what was agreed.
• Timing: Calls between about 14:00 and 16:00 are often unproductive.

The method in one line

Prepare, open politely, ask for repeats, confirm every detail back, then write it down. Do the same five steps on every call and the language gets much easier.

Before you call

• Write your reason in one short Spanish sentence, for example "Llamo por una avería" or "Quería preguntar por mi factura".
• Have your DNI or NIE number and your customer number in front of you. Menus often ask for them.
• Have a pen and paper ready, not just your phone.
• Avoid calling between about 14:00 and 16:00. Lunch hours often make calls unproductive.
• For small jobs, a first call followed by WhatsApp is common with tradespeople, landlords and small agencies. Urgent faults are still best by phone. Email suits quotes and invoices.

Answering a call

Businesses often answer "Buenos días, [company], ¿dígame?". On a private line you will hear "¿Diga?", "¿Dígame?", "¿Sí?" or "¿Hola?". You can answer the same way. If you miss a call from a tradesperson, call back or send a WhatsApp message. A missed call is normally returned.

Placing a call

1. Greet: "Buenos días" until about 2 pm, "Buenas tardes" until dark, then "Buenas noches".
2. Give your name and reason: "Me llamo Ana García. Llamo por el anuncio del piso."
3. Ask for the person: "¿Podría hablar con...?"
4. Use usted, the polite form, with businesses and strangers. Add "perdone" and "por favor" to soften requests.

When you do not understand

Say it early rather than guess:

• "¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?"
• "¿Puede repetir, por favor?"
• "Perdone, no le he entendido."
• "No hablo bien español."

Ask "¿Cómo se escribe?" or "¿Cómo se deletrea?" for any name or address you cannot catch.

Spelling things out

Spell with letters plus a place name: A de Alicante, B de Barcelona, C de Cádiz, D de Dinamarca, M de Madrid, N de Navarra, S de Sevilla, V de Valencia, Z de Zaragoza. W is "uve doble". There is no official alphabet, so any city or name you know works.

For emails: @ is "arroba", "." is "punto", "-" is "guion" and "_" is "guion bajo". The letter ñ is "eñe". An accent is "con tilde".

Automated menus

Most utilities, telecoms firms, banks and insurers start with a menu. Listen for the key words:

• "Para... pulse 1" or "marque el 1": press that number.
• "Diga 'facturas'": speak the option.
• "Atención al cliente": customer service, usually what you want.
• "Averías": faults. "Facturación": billing. "Contratar": sign up. "Darse de baja": cancel. "Otras consultas": other queries.
• "Introduzca su número de cliente", "DNI" or "NIE": type that number on the keypad.
• "Manténgase a la espera" or "Espere": stay on hold.
• "Para volver al menú anterior, pulse almohadilla": the # key goes back. "Asterisco" is *.
• "Esta llamada puede ser grabada": the call is recorded.
• "Hable después de la señal" and "Deje su mensaje": leave a message after the tone.

Menus often offer a call-back ("le llamamos"). Accepting it saves waiting on hold. If you get lost, stay on the line or wait for the menu to repeat. Many menus loop back to the start.

Taking down details

• Phone numbers come in pairs or triples: "seiscientos doce, treinta y cuatro, cincuenta y seis". Mobiles start with 6 or 7, landlines with 9.
• Times are spoken in 12-hour form: "las cinco de la tarde", "y media", "y cuarto", "menos cuarto". Written schedules often use 24-hour time.
• Dates go day then month: "el 5 de marzo".
• Addresses come as "calle Mayor, número 12, tercero B" (street, number, floor, door), then the postal code.

Confirm before you hang up

Repeat each key detail back: "Entonces, el jueves a las diez, ¿correcto?" or "¿Me confirma que es...?". If you are unsure, ask them to say it again with "Se lo repito" in mind: they may offer to repeat it themselves.

Then write down the date of the call, the name of the person you spoke to, and exactly what was agreed. If it matters, send a short WhatsApp or email afterwards repeating the agreement.

The documents list, checklist and FAQ below cover what to have to hand, the phrases in order, and common questions.

Documents you need

• Your DNI or NIE number, to hand in case an automated menu asks you to enter it. DNI is the Spanish national ID number and NIE is the foreigner ID number.

• Your customer number with the company, if you have one, because menus often ask you to enter it before connecting you.

Checklist

• Open the call with "Buenos días" until about 2 pm, then "Buenas tardes" until dark and "Buenas noches" after that.

• State your reason with "Llamo por..." or "Quería preguntar por...", and ask for the person you need with "¿Podría hablar con...?".

• Ask the speaker to slow down or repeat with "¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?" or "¿Puede repetir, por favor?".

• Write down phone numbers as they are said in pairs or triples, remembering that mobiles start with 6 or 7 and landlines with 9.

• Note times, dates and addresses as you hear them: times in 12-hour form, dates as day then month, addresses as street, number, floor and door, then postal code.

• Repeat every key detail back, for example "Entonces, el jueves a las diez, ¿correcto?", and ask "¿Cómo se escribe?" for any name you are unsure of.

• Finish by writing down the date, the name of the person you spoke to and what was agreed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use WhatsApp instead of phoning a tradesperson?

Yes, plumbers, electricians, painters and many landlords take enquiries, photos of faults and appointment changes on WhatsApp, often after a first phone call. Phone is still the better choice for urgent faults. Utilities, insurers and banks mostly use menus, apps and web forms.

What time of day is best for calling a Spanish business?

Avoid calling during lunch, roughly 14:00 to 16:00, because it is often unproductive. Late evening messages are tolerated, but replies usually come the next day. If you miss a call from a tradesperson, they will often call back or reply by WhatsApp.

What does the almohadilla key mean in a phone menu?

The almohadilla is the # key, and pressing it usually takes you back to the previous menu. The asterisco is the * key. Menus also say "pulse" or "marque" for press, and "espere" for hold.

How do I give an email address over the phone in Spanish?

Say each letter, then name the symbols: @ is "arroba", "." is "punto", "_" is "guion bajo" and "-" is "guion". For tricky letters, use a place name, such as "B de Barcelona" or "M de Madrid". Any city or name works, because there is no single official alphabet.