Polite Expressions

Politeness in Spanish relies less on intonation and more on fixed expressions and, especially, on the conditional tense. Knowing the right formula makes any request sound respectful.

The essentials

Por favor.

Please.

Gracias.

Thank you.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much.

Mil gracias.

A thousand thanks.

Responses to gracias

There is no single "you're welcome" in Spanish. Several options are all common.

De nada.

You're welcome. (literally: of nothing)

Con gusto.

With pleasure.

Por nada.

Don't mention it.

No hay de qué.

No problem.

A la orden.

At your service. (Colombia, Venezuela)

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A la orden is a beloved everyday phrase in Colombia and Venezuela. It can mean "you're welcome", "at your service", or even "can I help you?" when a shopkeeper says it first.

Apologies

Spanish separates "sorry" (sympathy) from "excuse me" (asking permission or pardon).

Lo siento.

I'm sorry. (sympathy or apology)

Lo siento mucho.

I'm very sorry.

Perdón.

Sorry. / Pardon me.

Perdóname.

Forgive me.

Disculpe.

Excuse me. (formal)

Disculpa.

Excuse me. (informal)

Asking permission

To get past someone, borrow something, or interrupt politely.

Con permiso.

Excuse me. (to pass through)

¿Me permite?

May I? (formal)

¿Puedo pasar?

May I come in?

¿Se puede?

May I? / Is it okay?

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Con permiso is used to signal you're moving through a space someone else occupies (leaving the table, squeezing past on a bus). Permiso alone, with falling intonation, works too.

Softening requests

The conditional and the imperfect subjunctive soften any request. Compare the directness:

DirectSofter
Quiero un café.Quisiera un café. / Querría un café.
Me puede ayudar?¿Me podría ayudar?
Dame la sal.¿Me pasas la sal, por favor?

Quisiera una mesa para dos.

I'd like a table for two.

¿Sería posible cambiar la reservación?

Would it be possible to change the reservation?

¿Me haría el favor de esperar un momento?

Would you do me the favor of waiting a moment?

¿Podría repetirlo, por favor?

Could you repeat that, please?

Me gustaría probar el otro.

I'd like to try the other one.

Titles and address

Addressing someone correctly is itself an act of politeness.

Señor, se le cayó esto.

Sir, you dropped this.

Señora, por aquí, por favor.

Ma'am, this way, please.

Señorita, ¿puede ayudarme?

Miss, can you help me?

Don Carlos, mucho gusto.

Mr. Carlos, nice to meet you.

Using usted rather than tú is itself a polite gesture with strangers, older people, and in service interactions. See greetings.

Responding to an apology

No te preocupes.

Don't worry about it.

No hay problema.

No problem.

Está bien.

It's okay.

Tranquilo.

It's all good. / Relax.

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