What to say on your first day in Spain

Terms used

• Fianza — The fianza is the deposit you pay the landlord as security for the rental.
• Contrato de alquiler — The contrato de alquiler is the written rental contract between you and the landlord.
• Inventario — The inventario is the list of the flat's contents and their condition, which you check at handover.
• NIE — The NIE is the identity number Spain gives to foreigners.

Key rules

• SIM card: You must show a passport, NIE or residence card (or a national ID card if you are from the EU) to buy a prepaid SIM, and it cannot be activated without registration.
• Taxi price: Ask whether the ride is metered or a fixed fare before you set off.
• Tipping: Tipping a taxi driver is not required.
• Check-in ID: Hotels and tourist flats must record ID details for every guest aged 14 and over.

Arrival day runs on a handful of short exchanges, usually in Spanish and usually fast. Learn the lines below, or keep this page open on your phone and point to them.

In the taxi

Show the address on your phone and say: "Buenas tardes. A esta dirección, por favor." For a station or airport: "Al aeropuerto, por favor" or "A la estación de..., por favor."

Settle the price before you set off:

• "¿Va con taxímetro?" means "Is it on the meter?" If you want the meter on, say "Ponga el taxímetro, por favor."
• "¿Cuánto cuesta aproximadamente?" means "Roughly how much?"
• "¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta?" means "Can I pay by card?" If not, say "Puedo pagar en efectivo."

Some airports have a flat fare to the centre, and Madrid is the clearest case. Others, such as Barcelona, use the meter plus an airport supplement. Amounts change and differ by city, so look up the current fare on the airport's or the city taxi regulator's website before you leave.

To get out, say "Pare aquí, por favor" or "Aquí está bien, gracias." Ask for a receipt with "¿Me puede dar un recibo, por favor?" Tipping is not required. Rounding up is common, and "Quédese con el cambio" means "Keep the change."

At the key handover

This applies to a long-term rental. A short-term host does a simpler version. Expect to meet the landlord or agent, confirm the contrato de alquiler and the fianza, go through the inventario, and get your keys. Do not let the person leave before you have asked these questions:

• "¿Cuántas llaves hay?" Make sure you also get the gate or portal key.
• "¿Puede darme una copia del contrato?"
• "¿Dónde están los contadores?" Photograph the electricity, gas and water meter readings.
• "¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?"
• "¿Cómo funciona la calefacción?"
• "¿Dónde se tira la basura y el reciclaje?"

If something is damaged, say "Hay un desperfecto aquí" and add "Quisiera hacer fotos del estado del piso." Photos plus the inventario are your proof of the flat's condition. You may also need to put the utilities in your name, which is called cambio de titularidad. Ask the landlord how.

At hotel or tourist-flat check-in

Expect to be asked for ID. Hotels and tourist flats must collect guest details and pass them to the police. Guests aged 14 and over give their name, date of birth, nationality, ID type and number, home address, phone and email, and dates of stay. You usually sign a form or fill it in online. Have your passport, NIE or national ID ready.

Buying a SIM card

Say: "Quisiera una tarjeta SIM prepago." You must show a passport, NIE or residence card (or a national ID card if you are from the EU), and the SIM cannot be activated without registration. Staff will say "Necesito su pasaporte o NIE."

Useful questions:

• "¿Qué tarifas tienen con datos?"
• "¿Cuántos gigas incluye?"
• "¿Cuánto cuesta al mes?"
• "¿Tiene validez de 30 días?"
• "¿Puedo recargar?" (can I top up?)

Look for "sin permanencia", which means no contract commitment. They may ask "¿Tiene el móvil desbloqueado?" so check that your phone is unlocked before you go. Then they will say "Tiene que activarla" and "Reinicie el móvil," meaning restart the phone.

The checklist and document list below cover what to carry.

Documents you need

• Passport, NIE or national ID card (DNI for Spaniards), for hotel or tourist-flat check-in. Guests aged 14 and over must give the document type and number.

• Passport, NIE or residence card (or a national ID card if you are from the EU), for buying a prepaid SIM.

• A copy of the signed rental contract (contrato de alquiler) from the landlord or agent at a long-term key handover.

• The inventory and condition report (inventario) of the flat, which you check at a long-term key handover.

Checklist

• Show the driver your destination address and say "A esta dirección, por favor."

• Ask whether the fare is fixed or metered with "¿Va con taxímetro?" before you set off.

• Ask "¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta?" and keep some cash ready in case the answer is no.

• Ask "¿Cuántas llaves hay?" at the handover and confirm you receive the gate or portal key as well.

• Ask "¿Dónde están los contadores?" and photograph the electricity, gas and water meter readings.

• Ask "¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?" and "¿Cómo funciona la calefacción?" before the landlord leaves.

• Take your passport, NIE or residence card to the phone shop and ask for "una tarjeta SIM prepago".

• Ask "¿Cuántos gigas incluye?" and "¿Tiene validez de 30 días?" before you pay.

• Restart your phone when the assistant says "Reinicie el móvil" and check that the SIM works before you leave the shop.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have to show ID when you check in at a hotel or tourist flat in Spain?

Yes, hotels and tourist flats must collect ID details from every guest aged 14 and over and pass them to the police. Have a passport, NIE or national ID card ready. You usually sign a form or enter the details online, and since 2 December 2024 this replaces the old paper registers.

Is there a fixed taxi fare from the airport into the city?

Madrid-Barajas has a fixed fare to the area inside the M-30 ring road, but Barcelona uses the meter plus an airport supplement. Palma and some other airports use zones or meters with supplements.

Do you have to tip a taxi driver in Spain?

No, tipping a taxi driver in Spain is not required. Rounding up the fare is common.

How do you prove the flat's condition at a key handover?

Take photos of any damage and of the meter readings while the landlord or agent is with you. Point at the problem and say "Hay un desperfecto aquí", meaning there is a defect here. Then ask for a copy of the contract and the inventory.