Let’s learn how to ask for things in Spanish. Spanish has some very simple structures for making requests:
| Tú (informal) | Usted (formal) | |
| More formal | ¿Me podrías (verbo infinitivo)…? | ¿Me podría (verbo infinitivo)…? |
| Neutral | ¿Me puedes (verbo infinitivo)…? | ¿Me puede (verbo infinitivo)…? |
| Less formal | ¿Me (verbo 2º persona singular)…? | ¿Me (verbo 3º persona singular)…? |
These structures change depending on the situation. If you are asking a friend for something, you would use tú, and depending on the type of favor, you would use ¿Me podrías (verbo infinitivo)…? if it’s a big favor and ¿Me (verbo 2º persona singular)…? if it’s something minor. If you are asking something from an important person or someone you barely know, you would use the “usted” forms.
Easy, right? Now we must consider what we are asking for, as Spanish uses different verbs. Let’s take a look!
Dar: Used to ask for something that will NOT be returned.
-¿Me podrías dar algo de comer?
-¿Me puedes dar un caramelo?
Dejar or Prestar: Used to ask for something that WILL be returned.
-Tengo frío, ¿Me dejas tu chaqueta?
-Perdone, ¿Me puede prestar su teléfono para hacer una llamada?
Pasar: Used to ask for something you can’t reach.
-¿Me pasas la sal?
-¿Me podría pasar esos papeles?
Poner: Used when ordering something at a bar.
-¿Me puede poner un café? (Can you get me a coffee?)
-¿Me puedes poner un granizado de limón? (Can you get me a lemon slushie?)
Tener: Used to ask for something when you don’t know if the other person has it. BE CAREFUL, with this verb you do NOT use the structures above.
-¿Tienes hora? (Do you have the time?)
-¿Tiene un bolígrafo? (Do you have a pen?)
Let’s practice! Read the situation and make a request:
1- You want to ask for a jug of water, but you can’t reach it:
Example: ¿Me pasas la jarra de agua? (Will you pass me the jug of water?)
2- You want to ask a friend for their car:
3- You need one euro to buy a subway ticket:
4- You are at a bar and want a beer:
5- You are in class and don’t have the textbook:
6- Eating with your family, you want to ask for the bread on the table:
Answers:
2- ¿Me podrías/puedes dejar/prestar tu coche? (Could you/can you lend me your car?)
3- ¿Me podría/puede dar un euro para el metro? (Could you/can you give me a euro for the subway?)
4- ¿Me pones una cerveza? O ¿Me puedes poner una cerveza? (Can I have a beer? Or Can you get me a beer?)
5- ¿Me dejas tu libro? O ¿Me puedes dejar tu libro? (Will you lend me your book? Or Can you lend me your book?)
6- ¿Me pasas el pan? (Will you pass me the bread?)
