Free guide · Level A2
Registering at the town hall in Spain (empadronamiento): what to say and how to follow the counter
«Empadronarse» is one of the most common procedures when you settle in a Spanish city, and it's done in Spanish, at a counter. This guide doesn't tell you which papers you need, because they change from one town hall to another. It teaches you what to say and how to understand the answers.
Watch out for this«Empadronarse» roughly means registering with the council: you get on the padrón, the official list of the people who live in a municipality. It isn't the same as getting an NIE or residence: those are other procedures, at other offices.
Asking for an appointment
Quería pedir cita previa para empadronarme.I'd like to book an appointment to register. To ask politely
¿Qué documentos tengo que llevar?Which documents do I have to bring? To find out which papers you need
¿Hace falta cita previa?Do I need an appointment? To find out whether you can go without one
At the counter: understanding what they ask for
¿Me da su pasaporte, por favor?Can I have your passport, please? They ask for a document
Necesito una fotocopia.I need a photocopy. They ask for a copy
Tiene que rellenar este formulario.You have to fill in this form. «Tener que» + infinitive: what you must do
Firme aquí, por favor.Please sign here. A command with «usted»
Watch out for thisWith «usted» they'll say «firme», «rellene» or «espere»: these are commands. You don't need to form them, only to recognise them.
Answering and asking for help
Sí, aquí lo tiene.Yes, here you are. When you hand over a document
Me falta el contrato. ¿Puedo traerlo mañana?I'm missing the contract. Can I bring it tomorrow? To explain what's missing and offer a solution
No entiendo la palabra «justificante». ¿Qué significa?I don't understand the word «justificante». What does it mean? To ask what a word means
¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?Could you repeat that, please? To ask them to say it again
Three office words
- →El trámite: an official procedure you have to go through.
- →La ventanilla: the counter where they serve you in an office.
- →El justificante: the paper that proves something, for example which address you live at.