Do you know how to use the present tense in Spanish? If so, give yourself a pat on the back because you possess the essentials to place a coffee order in Spanish!
In this blog post, we’ll discuss how using the present tense to order coffee can make your life simpler. Forget about formalities, subjunctive forms or complicated polite phrases.
Stick around until the end to uncover the art of ordering a coffee using straightforward phrases in the present tense. These phrases come in handy whether you’re savoring a coffee and medialuna in Buenos Aires or indulging in a coffee and sandwich combo in Cuba—whichever tickles your fancy!
How Can I Use the Present Tense in Spanish to Order Coffee?
All it takes to order a coffee in Spanish is to know these (3) three verbs in the present tense: tener (to have), querer (to want), and pedir (to order). Let’s review their conjugations in the present tense below. Although these verbs are not difficult to remember, take into account they are irregular.
Tener:
- (yo) tengo
- (tú) tienes / (vos) tenés
- (él, ella, usted) tiene
- (nosotros/as) tenemos
- (ellos/ellas/ustedes) tienen
Querer:
- (yo) quiero
- (tú) quieres / (vos) querés
- (él, ella, usted) quiere
- (nosotros/as) queremos
- (ellos/ellas/ustedes) quieren
Pedir:
- (yo) pido
- (tú) pides / (vos) pedís
- (él, ella, usted) pide
- (nosotros/as) pedimos
- (ellos/ellas/ustedes) piden
What Are Some Useful Phrases to Order a Coffee in Spanish?
After our little present tense Spanish conjugation practice, we are ready to form phrases.
Quiero un café
Here is the most useful and simplest phrase: “Quiero un café”. Students have asked me before if this phrase is impolite or rude. Let’s put it this way: you are just saying that you want a coffee, and that is perfectly fine. It is not considered rude or too “straightforward” in Argentina.
Would you like to make it politer? You can say “Quiero un café, por favor” or, if you want to take it to the next level, “Quisiera un café, por favor”.
Te pido un café
The closest translation of this phrase in English would be “I want to order a coffee (from you)” or “I ask you for a coffee”.
In Spanish we use the verb “pedir” (to ask for) as a synonym of “ordenar” (to order). If you prefer to be formal, you should say “Le pido un café”. Another common phrase is “Quiero pedir un café” which means “I want to order a coffee”.
Ordering Coffee for Two?
Here are some phrases natives use to order coffee for more than one person.
Queremos dos cafés
Let’s say you are in a coffee shop with a friend and both of you want a coffee. You can order for both of you by saying “Queremos dos cafés”.
Why ‘queremos’? Because when there are two people, ‘yo’ becomes ‘nosotros’ and the conjugation in the present tense of querer-nosotros is ‘queremos’. Make it even better by adding a “por favor” at the end.
Te pedimos dos cafés
Another way of ordering coffee in Spanish for you and your friend is to say “Te pedimos dos cafés”. If you prefer to be formal, you should say “Le pedimos dos cafés”. Again, change the conjugation of pedir-yo for pedir-nosotros when you speak for two or more of you.
Are There Other Useful Phrases?
In case you are not sure if a place sells coffee, ask the question “¿Tienen café?“.
¿Tienen café?
We usually use the plural pronoun ‘ustedes’ for these types of questions. For example, “Do you have sandwiches?” = “¿Tienen sándwiches?”. The answer will be in plural too: “Sí, tenemos” or “No, no tenemos”.
You can also ask “¿Venden café?” which means “Do you sell coffee?”.
Want a second coffee?
Te pido otro café, por favor
Use the phrase “te pido otro café, por favor” to order another coffee.
If you prefer to be more formal, you should say “le pido otro café, por favor”.
When you order a second coffee for you and your friend as well, say “te pedimos otro café, por favor” or, formally, “le pedimos otro café, por favor”.
Quiero un café y ellos quieren un jugo y una chocolatada
Sometimes you might need to order for others who do not drink coffee, like your kids, for example.
In this case, use the following sentence formula “Quiero un café y ellos quieren (say what they want here)”. For example “Quiero un café y ellos quieren un jugo y una chocolatada”.
If you are with a woman or girl, say “Quiero un café y ella quiere (say what she wants here)”. Or if you are with a man or boy, say “Quiero un café y él quiere (say what he wants here)”.
Conclusion
To order a coffee using the present tense in Spanish should not be complicated or scary. Do not worry about being impolite or using the wrong conjugation, just go ahead and order that delicious coffee that you deserve.
The fact that you are trying to learn and speak Spanish shows that you have respect for other cultures and that is fantastic (¡fantástico!).
Now go and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee while showing off your Spanish fluency!
Please let me know if this post was useful. Comment below!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media: