Do you like coffee? In this article, you will learn how to order a coffee in Spanish and useful vocabulary to help you in the coffee shop. Practicing these phrases will help you immerse yourself in the local coffee culture and interact more comfortably with locals during your visit. Get ready to enjoy your coffee like a true Spaniard!
Camarero: Hola, ¿qué te pongo? / Waiter: Hello, what can I get you?
Cliente: ¿Me puedes poner un café? , ¿Me pones un café? / Client: Could I get a coffee, please?
Cliente: Ponme un café / Client: Give me a coffee
How to order a coffee in Spanish
Coffee types in Spain
In Spain, we have all these types of coffee.
Café solo: A little cup of black coffee
Café largo: A big cup of black coffee
Cortado: Coffee with a little of milk
Café con leche: 50% coffee and 50% milk
Café con hielo: Coffee with ices (perfect for hot days in summer)
Carajillo: Coffee with alcohol (cognac, whiskey or rum)
Bombón: Coffee with condensed milk (really sweet)
Capuchino: Coffee with milk, milk cream and cacao on the top
Café descafeinado: Decaffeinated coffee*
Spanish people drink quite a bit of coffee. We usually have it for breakfast or after meals. Meeting for a coffee is a very common way to socialize in Spain. The most popular ones are “café con leche”, “cortado”, and café solo.
“El Cremaet” is a typical drink from the Valencian Community, especially from the Alicante area. It is prepared with coffee, liquor (usually brandy), sugar, lemon peel, and coffee beans, all flambeed in a pot. The fire burns off the alcohol from the liquor, leaving a unique and smooth flavor, with a slight hint of caramel. It is a very aromatic and comforting drink, especially popular in winter.
How to order a coffee in Spanish
Ordering coffee in Spain
Decaffeinated coffee
*When you ask for a decaffeinated coffee, the waiter will usually ask if you want it ‘de sobre‘ or ‘de máquina‘ meaning ‘from a packet’ or ‘from the machine. Ask for it from the machine because the taste is better, and you won’t even be able to notice it’s decaffeinated.
The milk
The waiter will ask you sometimes how would you like milk in your coffee.
Here are some options.
leche caliente: Hot steamed milk
leche fría: Cold milk
leche templada: A mix of hot and cold milk.
You can also choose the type of milk:
leche desnatada: skimmed milk
leche de soja / de almendras: soy or almond milk
The sugar
In Spain, coffee is usually served with a sugar packet. This allows customers to adjust the amount of sugar according to their individual preferences. Additionally, some places may offer sugar in different formats, such as white sugar, brown sugar, or sweeteners.
Sugar packet: sobre de azucar
azucar blanco: white sugar
azucar moreno: brown sugar
edulcorantes (sacarina, stevia…) : sweeteners (saccharin, stevia…)
That’s all, I hope you now feel more confident when ordering your favorite coffee in Spain. If you wish, you can practice the vocabulary with the following exercise.
How to order a coffee in Spanish
EXERCISE
Pair each type of coffee with their ingredients.
Now you know how to ask for coffee in spanish, but do you know how to order food?
