How to Use Spanish at a Gas Station

In the Latin America, it is more common to see full-service gas stations than in the United States, so there is more opportunity to engage in conversation with the Spanish-speaking attendants as they take care of the needs of your car. These include filling up your gas, washing the windshield, checking the oil, checking the air pressure of your tires and washing your car. Read on to learn how to use Spanish at a gas station.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Ask the attendant at the station to fill your tank by saying "¿Puedes llenar el tanque?" (PWAY-days yay-NAHR ehl TAHN-kay). Always add "please" to requests by saying "por favor" (pohr fah-VOHR).

2. Check the kinds of gasoline that are offered. Add that, if you like, to the phrase in step one, with the use of the word "con," which means "with." For example, "...llenar el tanque con regular" (yay-NAHR ehl TAHN-kay cone ray-goo-LAHR).

3. Request that the attendant wash your windshield, if he isn't already doing so, by saying "¿Puedes lavar el parabrisas?" (PWAY-days lah-VAHR ehl pah-rah-BREE-sahs).

4. Ask the attendant in Spanish to check your oil by saying "¿Puedes revisar el aceite?" (PWAY-days ray-vee-SAHR ehl ah-SAY-ee-tay). You could make the question more specific by asking if the level is fine, using "¿Está bien el nivel del aceite?" (eh-STAH bee-EHN ehl nee-VEHL dehl ah-SAY-ee-tay).

5. Have the attendant check the air pressure in your tires by asking, "¿Puedes revisar la presión en las llantas?" (PWAY-days ray-vee-SAHR lah pray-see-OHN en lahs YAHN-tahs). Other words for "tires" include neumaticos (nay-oo-MAH-tee-kohs), ruedas (roo-AY-dahs) and gomas (GOH-mahs). If the attendant doesn't seem to understand one of the words, use another and you should get your meaning across.

6. Find out how much you owe the attendant by saying "¿Cuánto es?" (KWAHN-toh ehs). As you hand him the money, say "Here you are" by using the Spanish equivalent of "Aquí tienes" (ah-KEE tee-EH-nays), which means "Here you have (it)."

7. Add a tip to the cost of the gasoline, as the service is something extra, and it pays to leave a positive feeling behind you when visiting another place.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice these and other phrases in Spanish over and over until you can say them easily and clearly, with a sharp, crisp accent.
• It would help to learn your basic numbers (see the source links) to keep track of how much the service at the gas station costs, and to be able to repeat back to the attendant the amount to make sure you've understood.

Resources

• Great Site to Help You Learn Spanish