Spelling your name and email aloud in Spanish

Terms used

• Nombre — The nombre is your first name, including any middle names, on a Spanish form.
• Primer apellido — The primer apellido is your first surname.
• Segundo apellido — The segundo apellido is your second surname, left blank if you have only one.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number given to foreigners in Spain.
• TIE — The TIE is the foreigner identity card issued in Spain.
• Seguridad Social — Seguridad Social is Spain's social security system, which handles health cover and contributions.
• Hacienda — Hacienda is the Spanish tax authority.

Key rules

• B and V: They sound identical, so say "be alta" for b and "uve baja" for v.
• Email symbols: Say "arroba" for @ and "punto" for a dot.
• Match your document: Spell your name exactly as it is written in your passport, NIE or TIE.
• Silent H: H is silent in Spanish, so always say "hache" when it is in your name.

Use Spanish letter names, not English ones

Staff will understand you far better if you say the letters the Spanish way. Here is the full alphabet as you will hear it:

a (a), b (be), c (ce), d (de), e (e), f (efe), g (ge), h (hache), i (i), j (jota), k (ka), l (ele), m (eme), n (ene), ñ (eñe), o (o), p (pe), q (cu), r (erre), s (ese), t (te), u (u), v (uve), w (uve doble), x (equis), y (i griega), z (zeta).

Practise your own name once before you go. Have your passport in front of you and spell it exactly as printed there. The documents below list what to bring.

Tell B and V apart

B and V sound the same in Spanish, so this is where most mistakes happen. Add a tag after the letter:

• B: "be alta" or "be grande". You can also say "b de burro".
• V: "uve baja" or "uve pequeña". You can also say "v de Valencia".

W is "uve doble". Y is "i griega", so nobody confuses it with "i". The letter H is silent in Spanish, so say "hache" clearly and expect to repeat it.

Use place or name examples for tricky letters

Spanish speakers often spell with a place or a first name: A de Madrid, B de Barcelona, C de Cáceres, D de Dolores, E de Enrique, H de Huelva, J de Jaén, M de Mario, N de Navarra, Ñ de ñu, S de Sevilla, V de Valencia, Z de Zaragoza.

There is no official list. Examples vary by person and region, and the international "Alpha, Bravo" alphabet is rarely used. Any common Spanish city or name works, as long as the staff member knows it.

Letters in foreign names that go wrong

Spanish staff most often mishear or misspell these:

• H: it is silent, so "Hannah" or "Hugh" can lose the letter. Spell it: "hache".
• J and G: J sounds like a throaty h. G before e or i sounds the same, so "George" or "Gina" are easy to get wrong. Spell each letter.
• K and W: both are rare in Spanish. K may be written as c or qu, so say "ka".
• Th and sh: Spanish has no such sounds. "Smith" or "Sharon" may become s, ch or es. Spell them letter by letter: "ese, hache".
• Y and English vowels: "Ian" or "Eve" are often misheard. Say "i griega" for y.
• Double letters and silent endings are often dropped, so say "doble" when a letter repeats.

Spell your email aloud

Say the symbols with these words:

• @ is "arroba"

-. is "punto"

• • is "guion"
• _ is "guion bajo"
• / is "barra"

For example, juan.perez@gmail.com is "juan punto perez arroba gmail punto com". Say "todo junto" for no spaces, and "mayúscula" or "minúscula" if capitals matter. For a long or unusual address, spell the odd parts letter by letter, then offer to write it down.

Surnames and forms

Spanish forms usually have three boxes: nombre, primer apellido and segundo apellido. Put your middle name in the nombre box. If you have one surname, leave the second box blank. Some forms accept "No consta", which means "not recorded".

Copy your name exactly as it appears in your passport, or your NIE or TIE once you have one. Banks, Seguridad Social and Hacienda match the document. Hyphens can be dropped or cut off in some systems, and foreign characters can be removed or swapped for similar ones. Check the printed result before you sign.

Make it easier

Write your name, address and phone number on a card and hand it over. The card template below helps with this. The FAQ below answers common questions.

Documents you need

• Your passport, to check the exact spelling of your name before you spell it aloud. Banks, Seguridad Social and Hacienda match the name to this document.

• Your NIE or TIE (foreigner ID number or card), if you already have one. Spell your name exactly as it appears there. The NIE system shows passport names in capitals without accents.

A card with your name, address and phone number in Spanish format

Copy this card onto your phone or a piece of paper. Fill in the blanks, then show or read it out at a counter, a bank, a pharmacy or a delivery door.

Name (as on your passport or residence card)

• Nombre (given and middle names): ______________________
• Primer apellido (first surname): ______________________
• Segundo apellido (second surname): ______________________ (leave blank if you have only one surname)

Spell your surnames out loud or write them in capitals. Spanish forms do not merge surnames, so keep each one in its own line.

Address, in Spanish order Street type and name, number, floor and door, then postcode and city, with the province in brackets.

Example: C/ Mayor, 12, 3º B, 28013 Madrid (Madrid)

Your address:

• Street (calle, avenida, plaza) and name: ______________________
• Number: ______
• Floor and door (piso y puerta): ______
• Postcode (5 digits): ______
• City (province): ______________________

For parcels, put the recipient's name on the line above the address. Add a delivery note if it helps, such as "timbre" (doorbell) or "portero" (concierge).

Phone

• Spanish mobile: +34 ___ ___ ___ (9 digits, no area code. Example: +34 612 345 678)
• Foreign number, if you keep it: + country code, then the number in groups, without the leading zero. Example: +44 7700 900123

Many counters, text confirmations and delivery services need a Spanish mobile, so list one if you have it.

Email: ______________________

ID number (only when asked)

• NIE or passport number: ______________________

Share this number only where an office, contract or pharmacy needs it, not for everyday use.

Frequently asked questions

How do I tell B and V apart when spelling aloud in Spain?

Say "be alta" for B and "uve baja" for V, because both letters sound the same in Spain. You can also say "b de burro" and "v de valencia". Victor or Boris are typical names that need this clarification.

Can I spell with place names, like B de Barcelona?

Yes, Spanish speakers often spell with place or name examples, such as C de Cáceres, J de Jaén, S de Sevilla or Z de Zaragoza. No single standard list exists, so examples vary by speaker and region. The international NATO alphabet is rarely used, so a Spanish example is easier for staff to follow.

Which letters in foreign names do Spanish staff most often get wrong?

The most common problems are H, J, W, K, Y and G, because they sound different in Spanish. H is silent, so Hannah may lose its H. J sounds like a throaty h, and G before e or i sounds the same, so George and Gina cause errors. Spell these letters slowly using their Spanish names.

How do I say a hyphen or underscore in an email address?

Say "guion" for a hyphen and "guion bajo" for an underscore. For example, juan.perez@gmail.com is "juan punto perez arroba gmail punto com". Add "todo junto" to show there are no spaces.