Life in Madrid
Relocating to Madrid: Spanish for your first weeks
Phrases, service-counter vocabulary and social codes for handling paperwork and daily life in Spanish during your first weeks in Madrid.
You have just arrived in Madrid, or you are about to. You have a rental contract to sign, a school to choose and a never-ending list of paperwork. In many offices they will help you in English if you ask. But the letter from the bank, the school circular and the conversation with the building’s porter all come in Spanish.
Your first weeks don’t call for complete Spanish. They call for precise Spanish in a limited number of situations that keep coming up. This guide puts them in order.
What you will say in your first weeks
| Where | Useful phrase |
|---|---|
| Citizen service office | ‘Vengo a empadronarme. Tengo cita a las diez.’ (I’ve come to register on the padrón. I have an appointment at ten.) |
| Police (foreigner’s identity card) | ‘Tengo cita para la toma de huellas.’ (I have an appointment to have my fingerprints taken.) |
| Bank | ‘Quería abrir una cuenta. ¿Qué documentación necesito?’ (I’d like to open an account. What documents do I need?) |
| Electricity company | ‘Quería cambiar el titular del contrato de la luz.’ (I’d like to change the name on the electricity contract.) |
| School | ‘¿Podría pedir una tutoría con la profesora de mi hija?’ (Could I request a meeting with my daughter’s teacher?) |
| Health centre | ‘Quería pedir cita con el médico de familia.’ (I’d like to make an appointment with the GP.) |
| Pharmacy | ‘¿Me puede recomendar algo para la tos?’ (Can you recommend something for a cough?) |
Notice ‘quería’. The imperfect softens the request and sounds more polite than ‘quiero’ (I want). You will hear it at every service counter in Madrid.
Service-counter vocabulary
Some words come up in almost every procedure. It is worth learning to recognise them by ear:
- Cita previa (advance appointment). Many public procedures require one. It is usually booked online or by phone.
- Justificante. The document that proves an appointment, a payment or an application. Always keep it.
- Volante y certificado de empadronamiento (padrón registration slip and certificate). They are different documents. Check which one you are asked for.
- Dar de alta, dar de baja. To start or end a service: electricity, water, internet.
- Cambio de titular. What you ask for when the supply already exists and only the name on the contract changes.
- ‘Le falta un documento’, ‘Tiene que volver con…’. Phrases worth understanding the first time (‘You are missing a document’, ‘You need to come back with…’).
Padrón, NIE and TIE: the essentials
The padrón is the register of a municipality’s residents. In Madrid it is handled at the Línea Madrid citizen service offices, with a cita previa. Procedures such as enrolling your children at school or getting a health card usually require the volante or the certificate.
The NIE is your identity number as a foreign national. You will need it for contracts, at the bank and for most administrative procedures.
The TIE is the physical residence card, with your NIE printed on it. You apply for it at the National Police (Policía Nacional), with a cita previa, and that is where your fingerprints are taken. European Union citizens do not receive a TIE but a registration certificate. If you are arriving as accredited diplomatic staff, your documents follow a different route; your mission will tell you which.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Requirements may change; check them on the official website before each procedure. Padrón: madrid.es. Immigration matters and cita previa: sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es and policia.es.
Home, school and the neighbourhood
Away from the service counters, the Spanish of your first weeks revolves around home and school.
- The porter. In many Madrid buildings, the porter takes in parcels, knows the residents and gives notice of building works. Saying hello every morning will be your first regular conversation.
- The residents’ association. Decisions about the building are taken at the residents’ meeting. Maintenance is managed by the property administrator.
- School. Your contact is your child’s class tutor. In many schools, families organise themselves through the parents’ association (AMPA). Notices arrive as circulars, increasingly through apps.
- The duty pharmacy. It opens outside normal hours. The list is usually displayed on the door of every pharmacy.
The codes you won’t find on any form
- Greet people as you go in. In a small shop, a lift or a waiting room, people say ‘Buenos días’ (good morning). When leaving, ‘Hasta luego’ (see you later), even if you are not coming back.
- Greet before you explain. At the counter, start with a greeting and then set out your case: ‘Buenas tardes. Verá, vengo a…’ (Good afternoon. You see, I’ve come to…).
- The two kisses. In social settings it is common to greet people with two kisses on the cheek. If you prefer to shake hands or simply say hello, take the lead naturally.
- Tú and usted (informal and formal ‘you’). At the counter, ‘usted’. At the local greengrocer’s, often ‘tú’.
The Institute’s tip. Take the original and a copy of every document to each appointment, along with the justificante for the appointment and a pen. If your application is returned, ask: ‘¿Me puede indicar qué falta exactamente?’ (Could you tell me exactly what is missing?). Write down the answer in Spanish, exactly as it is given to you. It will help you at the next appointment and when you go over it in class.
How Welcome Spain is organised
This programme has been developed for your first weeks in Spain. It consists of 15 hours of one-to-one lessons in three five-hour blocks:
- Practical Spanish for official procedures.
- Social codes and protocol.
- Guided outings around Madrid with your teacher.
The price is €1,450 and the programme is valid for four weeks. It is taught in person, although the 10 classroom hours can be taken online before you arrive in Spain. During those four weeks you can send questions by WhatsApp. It is also recommended for spouses and children. Everything begins with a free 30-minute level test. More information on the Welcome Spain page.
