Spanish - Shopping — Payments & Returns

Lesson 157 of 159

Learner at a Latin American market asking about payment methods in Spanish — shopping phrases practice.

Goal: Common Latin America shopping phrases for paying, receipts, and exchanges

Free Spanish lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to shop like a local? This short lesson gives you quick, polite phrases you can use at markets, shops, and small restaurants across Latin America. Say them out loud, practice the mini-dialogue, then try the quick exercises.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn 13 practical Spanish phrases for shopping — asking to pay, checking payment methods (card or cash), asking for change, receipts and invoices, warranty, exchanges, returns, and saying “I'll take it.” These are CEFR-aligned, focused on everyday interactions in Latin America.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Practice asking how to pay: card or cash, and how to request the bill politely.
  • Learn to ask for change, a receipt (ticket), or an invoice (factura).
  • Ask about guarantees, returns, and say you’ll take an item.
A friendly shop counter scene where a customer asks if the store accepts card or cash — Spanish shopping expressions.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

¿Nos cobras, por favor?

Can you ring us up, please?

Meaning: ¿Nos cobras, por favor?

When to use: Use when you and your companions are ready to pay at a restaurant or small shop; a polite, casual way to ask for the bill.

Mesero, ¿nos cobras, por favor?
Waiter, can you bring our bill, please?
Terminamos, ¿nos cobras, por favor?
We're done, can you ring us up, please?

¿Aceptan tarjeta?

Do you take card?

Meaning: ¿Aceptan tarjeta?

When to use: Ask this at shops, taxis, or restaurants when you want to pay by card and need to know if it's accepted.

Disculpe, ¿aceptan tarjeta?
Excuse me, do you take card?
En este puesto, ¿aceptan tarjeta o solo efectivo?
At this stall, do you take card or only cash?

¿Aceptan efectivo?

Do you take cash?

Meaning: ¿Aceptan efectivo?

When to use: Use when you want to pay with cash and want to confirm the vendor accepts it.

¿Aceptan efectivo en la tienda?
Do you accept cash in the store?
Si no aceptan tarjeta, ¿aceptan efectivo?
If you don't take card, do you accept cash?

¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

Can I pay by card?

Meaning: ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

When to use: Ask this when you want to pay by card and need permission or confirmation to do so.

¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta aquí?
Can I pay by card here?
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta de crédito?
Can I pay with a credit card?

¿Tienen cambio?

Do you have change?

Meaning: ¿Tienen cambio?

When to use: Use when paying in cash and you need smaller bills or coins.

¿Tienen cambio para 500 pesos?
Do you have change for 500 pesos?
Voy a pagar en efectivo. ¿Tienen cambio?
I'll pay in cash. Do you have change?

¿Me cambias ___?

Can you break/change ___ for me?

Meaning: ¿Me cambias ___?

When to use: Ask an employee to break a bill or exchange a denomination (e.g., ¿Me cambias 100? meaning ‘Can you change a 100?’).

Tip: Don't leave out what you want changed — say the amount or bill (e.g., 50, 100).

¿Me cambias 200 por billetes pequeños?
Can you change 200 into smaller bills?
Perdón, ¿me cambias 50?
Excuse me, can you break a 50?

¿Me das ticket?

Can you give me a receipt?

Meaning: ¿Me das ticket?

When to use: Ask for a receipt. 'Ticket' is common in Mexico and many Latin American shops for a sales receipt.

Por favor, ¿me das ticket?
Please, can you give me a receipt?
Compré esto, ¿me das ticket para garantía?
I bought this — can you give me the receipt for warranty?

¿Me facturas?

Can you issue me an invoice?

Meaning: ¿Me facturas?

When to use: Use this when you need an invoice (factura), often for tax purposes — common in Mexico.

¿Me facturas a nombre de la empresa?
Can you invoice me in the company's name?
Compré esto ayer. ¿Me facturas por favor?
I bought this yesterday. Can you issue an invoice, please?

¿Tiene garantía?

Does it have a warranty?

Meaning: ¿Tiene garantía?

When to use: Ask when buying electronics or appliances to know if there's a warranty.

¿Este celular tiene garantía?
Does this phone have a warranty?
¿El electrodoméstico tiene garantía incluida?
Does the appliance come with a warranty?

¿Lo puedo cambiar?

Can I exchange it?

Meaning: ¿Lo puedo cambiar?

When to use: Use to ask if you can exchange an item for a different size, color, or because it's defective.

La camisa no me queda bien, ¿lo puedo cambiar?
The shirt doesn't fit, can I exchange it?
¿Lo puedo cambiar por otro modelo?
Can I exchange it for another model?

¿Lo puedo devolver?

Can I return it?

Meaning: ¿Lo puedo devolver?

When to use: Ask if you can return an item and receive a refund; useful when you change your mind or the product is faulty.

No funciona, ¿lo puedo devolver?
It doesn't work; can I return it?
Compré esto ayer, ¿lo puedo devolver?
I bought this yesterday; can I return it?

Me lo llevo.

I’ll take it.

Meaning: Me lo llevo.

When to use: Say this when you've decided to buy something and want the seller to wrap it or finalize the sale.

Perfecto, me lo llevo.
Perfect, I'll take it.
Está bien, me lo llevo en este color.
Alright, I'll take it in this color.

Estoy buscando ___.

I’m looking for ___.

Meaning: Estoy buscando ___.

When to use: Begin this phrase when asking a shop assistant for an item (add the item name after the blank).

Tip: Remember to add the item after the blank; e.g., 'Estoy buscando una mochila.'

Estoy buscando zapatos de cuero.
I'm looking for leather shoes.
Hola, estoy buscando una camisa blanca.
Hi, I'm looking for a white shirt.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

At a small restaurant after the meal

Two people at a small restaurant asking for the bill and a receipt — short Spanish mini-conversation about paying.

What do Anna and David ask about?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Perdón, ¿nos cobras, por favor?

Excuse me, can you bring our bill, please?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

¿Aceptan tarjeta?

Do you take card?

Server

Sí, aceptamos tarjeta. ¿Quieren ticket?

Yes, we accept card. Do you want a receipt?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Sí, por favor. ¿Me das ticket?

Yes, please. Can you give me a receipt?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Spanish phrase asks if the store accepts credit/debit cards?

How do you politely ask for the bill for your table?

Which phrase asks for a receipt (common word in Mexico)?

You want to know if you can exchange a shirt for a different size. Which phrase fits?

I want to pay, is card OK here? — '¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?'

I want to pay, is card OK here? ___

We need smaller bills. Do you have change? — '¿Tienen cambio?'

We need smaller bills. Do you have change? ___

This doesn't work. Can I return it? — '¿Lo puedo devolver?'

This doesn't work. Can I return it? ___

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Nos cobras, por favor?

Can you ring us up, please?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Aceptan tarjeta?

Do you take card?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Aceptan efectivo?

Do you take cash?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?

Can I pay by card?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Tienen cambio?

Do you have change?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Me cambias ___?

Can you break/change ___ for me?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Me das ticket?

Can you give me a receipt?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Me facturas?

Can you issue me an invoice?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Tiene garantía?

Does it have a warranty?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Lo puedo cambiar?

Can I exchange it?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Lo puedo devolver?

Can I return it?

Say this phrase out loud:

Me lo llevo.

I'll take it.

Say this phrase out loud:

Estoy buscando ___.

I'm looking for ___.