your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using hay, meaning there is or there are, and no hay (there isn’t or there aren’t).
There’s…
| Hay demasiado ruido. | There’s too much noise. |
| Hay una gotera en el techo. | There’s a leak in the ceiling. |
| Hay cucarachas en el apartamento. | There are cockroaches in the apartment. |
There isn’t…
| No hay agua caliente. | There isn’t any hot water. |
| No hay toallas limpias en la habitación. | There aren’t any clean towels in the room. |
| La habitación no tiene balcón. | The room doesn’t have a balcony. |
| El apartamento no tiene aire acondicionado. | The apartment doesn’t have air-conditioning. |
In the next examples notice how the verb ser is used to describe things which won’t change, such as the beds being uncomfortable, and estar is used for things which can change, such as the room being dirty. For more on ser and estar, see here.
is…
| Este hotel es demasiado ruidoso. | This hotel’s too noisy. |
| Las camas son muy incómodas. | The beds are very uncomfortable. |
| El apartamento está sucio. | The apartment’s dirty. |
| El agua de la piscina no está limpia. | The water in the swimming pool isn’t very clean. |
| Hace mucho calor aquí. | It’s very hot in here. |
| Hace mucho frío aquí. | It’s very cold in here. |
¿LO SABÍAS?
Remember that in Spanish to talk about the weather or the temperature inside, you use the verb hacer (to do, to make). For more on hacer, see here.
Here are some key phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.
| ¿Qué tipo de alojamiento busca? | What type of accommodation are you looking for? |
| Estamos completos. | We’re full. |
| ¿Para cuántas noches? | For how many nights? |
| ¿Para cuántas personas? | For how many people? |
| ¿Me deja su nombre, por favor? | Can I have your name, please? |
| ¿Me puede deletrear su nombre, si es tan amable? | Can you spell your name for me, please? |
| ¿A nombre de quién está la reserva? | Whose name is the booking in? |
| ¿Me deja ver su pasaporte, por favor? | Can I see your passport, please? |
| ¿Cuál es el número de su habitación? | What’s your room number? |
| Tiene que dejar una señal. | You have to leave a deposit. |
| ¿En qué número podemos localizarlo? | What number can we contact you on? |
| ¿Cómo quiere pagar? | How would you like to pay? |
| Por favor, rellene este formulario. | Please fill in this form. |
| Por favor, firme aquí. | Please sign here. |
| Tiene que dejar la habitación antes de las doce. | You have to be out of the room by twelve o’clock. |
• The most economical hotels and guesthouses in Spain are pensiones and hostales, which offer no-frills accommodation. Unlike British B&Bs, they do not normally include breakfast so you may have to go elsewhere to get some.
• At the other end of the scale are the paradores nacionales de turismo, hotels which are located in places of interest and which are often historic buildings such as castles or monasteries.
• Accommodation in casas rurales has become very popular in Spain. These are country houses and cottages that have been converted for holiday lets or that have been turned into guesthouses.
• If you’re a man, you’re likely to hear receptionists and waiting staff call you caballero (literally gentleman). If you’re a woman, you’ll hear señora (literally lady) used in the same way. If the staff are young, you can call them tú rather than usted, even when they call you usted back.
• If you want to rent a flat to live in in Spain, you’ll probably have to sign a contrato de alquiler or de arrendamiento (lease) and leave a fianza (deposit) of one or two months’ rent with the dueño or propietario (landlord).
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal!
If you’re going out for a meal in Spain, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your Spanish friends in easy, natural Spanish. We’ll also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.
If you’re going out for a meal with Spanish-speaking friends or colleagues and you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet, you can use the verb quedar (meaning to meet or to arrange to meet).
Shall we meet…?
| ¿Quedamos en el restaurante? | Shall we meet at the restaurant? |
| ¿Quedamos a las nueve? | Shall we meet at nine o’clock? |
| ¿Quedamos con ellos en el Café Zurich? | Shall we meet them at the Café Zurich? |
| ¿Cómo quedamos? | Where shall we meet and when? |
| ¿Dónde quedamos? | Where shall we meet? |
What time…?
| ¿A qué hora quedamos? | What time shall we meet up at? |
| ¿A qué hora podrá llegar aquí tu mujer? | What time will your wife be able to get here? |
| ¿Para qué hora has reservado mesa? | What time did you book the table for? |
| ¿Hasta qué hora sirven? | Up to what time do they go on serving? |
When making arrangements to eat, you’ll want to check what suits other people. Use ¿No te importa que…? followed by the subjunctive or ¿No te importa si…? followed by the ordinary present to ask Is it ok with you if…? Of course you should only use te with someone you call