una taza de café, por favor
/ˈuna ˈtaθa de kaˈfe poɾ faˈboɾ/word by word
The English phrase "a cup of coffee please" is translated into Spanish as una taza de café, por favor.
This phrase is a polite way to request a serving of coffee from a server. You can add Gracias to the end of the phrase to express gratitude. In many Spanish-speaking contexts, it is more common and natural to omit the words for "a cup of" and simply order by saying un café, por favor.
How does it change in a sentence?
While una taza de café is grammatically correct, you can often simplify your request to un café, por favor when ordering in a cafe or restaurant.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈuna ˈtaθa de kaˈfe poɾ faˈboɾ/
When do people say it?
Depending on how you want your coffee prepared, you might use more specific terms. For example, you can say Un café solo, por favor to order a black coffee or Un cortado, por favor to order a coffee with a small amount of milk.
Did you know?
- The word cortado used for a specific type of coffee literally means 'cut', referring to the way the espresso is 'cut' or reduced by a splash of warm milk.
- In Spain, if you order un café without specifying the type, you might receive a different drink depending on the hour, such as a café con leche in the morning and an espresso later.
- The word for cup, taza, reveals a historical connection to the Middle East, as it traces back to the Arabic word ṭās.
Examples in context
- Tráeme una taza de café, por favor.Bring me a cup of coffee, please.This sentence uses una taza de café, por favor to ask someone to bring you a coffee.Tatoeba #1456164 by marcelostockle, translation #62191 by CK
- Quisiera una taza de café, por favor.I'd like a cup of coffee, please.This sentence uses una taza de café, por favor to express that you would like a coffee.Tatoeba #2015625 by marcelostockle, translation #2015234 by CK
Example conversation
In a small cafe in the morning.
- ElenaBuenos días, una taza de café, por favor.Good morning, a cup of coffee, please.
- MateoClaro que sí, Elena. ¿Algo más?Of course, Elena. Anything else?
- ElenaNo, solo eso, gracias.No, just that, thanks.
- MateoEn un momento te la traigo.I will bring it to you in a moment.
