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Spanish phrases for borrowing something from a neighbour in Spain

Knock and start gently: “Perdona, ¿te puedo pedir un favor?” or “¿Tienes un minuto?”. Then ask: “¿Tienes un taladro?” or “¿Me dejas un poco de sal?”. Promise to give it back: “Te lo devuelvo mañana”. Afterwards, say “Gracias, muy amable” and “Ya te devolveré el favor”.

Try it · about two minutes

You’re putting up a shelf and need a drill, so you knock next door to borrow your neighbour’s.

Sound on: the neighbour speaks Spanish. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Neighbour

    ¡Muy buenas!

    Hi there.

    You

    Perdona, ¿te puedo pedir un favor?

    Sorry, could I ask you a favour?

  2. Neighbour

    Claro, dime.

    Of course, go ahead.

    You

    ¿Tienes un taladro?

    Do you have a drill?

  3. Neighbour

    Claro, ahora te lo traigo.

    Sure, I’ll bring it over right now.

    You

    Gracias, muy amable.

    Thanks, that’s very kind.

  4. Neighbour

    No te preocupes, para eso están los vecinos.

    Don’t worry, that’s what neighbours are for.

    You

    Ya te devolveré el favor.

    I’ll return the favour.

  5. The next day you knock at the same door to give the drill back. You speak first.

    You

    Aquí tienes.

    Here you go.

  6. Neighbour

    De nada.

    You’re welcome.

    You

    Si necesitas algo, llama a mi puerta.

    If you need anything, just knock on my door.

Which Spanish phrases do you need?

  • Perdona, ¿te puedo pedir un favor?

    Sorry, could I ask you a favour?

  • ¿Tienes un minuto?

    Have you got a minute?

  • ¿Tienes un taladro?

    Do you have a drill?

  • ¿Me dejas un poco de sal?

    Could I borrow a bit of salt?

  • Claro, ahora te lo traigo.

    Sure, I’ll bring it over right now.

  • Gracias, muy amable.

    Thanks, that’s very kind.

  • Te lo devuelvo mañana.

    I’ll give it back tomorrow.

  • No te preocupes, para eso están los vecinos.

    Don’t worry, that’s what neighbours are for.

  • Ya te devolveré el favor.

    I’ll return the favour.

  • Si necesitas algo, llama a mi puerta.

    If you need anything, just knock on my door.

What is worth knowing in Spain?

How a favour goes

  1. 1

    Knock and ask if they have a minute.

    Have you got a minute?
  2. 2

    Say what you need, and why.

    Do you have a drill?
  3. 3

    Say when you’ll give it back.

    I’ll give it back tomorrow.
  4. 4

    Return it on time, with a thank-you.

Salt and sugar

For small kitchen things like salt, nobody expects them back. For a tool, always say when you’ll return it.

¿Me dejas un poco de sal?

Could I borrow a bit of salt?

Tú or usted?

Most neighbours

¿Tienes un minuto?

Have you got a minute?

Older neighbour you don’t know

Perdone, ¿tiene un momento?

Excuse me, do you have a moment?

Neighbours of your age usually use tú. With an older neighbour you haven’t met, usted is safer until they say otherwise.

Questions about this situation

Which Spanish phrases matter most here?
“Perdona, ¿te puedo pedir un favor?” (Sorry, could I ask you a favour); “¿Tienes un minuto?” (Have you got a minute); “¿Tienes un taladro?” (Do you have a drill). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Spain. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Spanish

All situations in Spanish

Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.