Spanish · Aparcar / multa
You pay for parking in a zone: what to say in Spanish
You pay for parking in a zone.
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How it's done. Paid zones are zona azul or ORA (blue), zona verde; you pay at a parquímetro (machine) or in an app; the ticket goes behind the windscreen; check the hours.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Disculpe, ¿cómo funciona el parquímetro?
Dees-KOOL-peh, KOH-moh foon-SYOH-nuh el puhr-KEE-meh-troh?
Excuse me, how does the parking meter work?
THEY SAY
Mete la matrícula y paga con tarjeta o monedas.MEH-teh lah muh-TREE-koo-luh ee PAH-guh kohn tuhr-KHEH-tuh oh moh-NEH-duhs.
You enter the registration and pay with card or coins.
They might also say:
Introduzca la matrícula y pague con tarjeta o con monedas.
Een-troh-DOOS-kuh lah muh-TREE-koo-luh ee PAH-geh kohn tuhr-KHEH-tuh oh kohn moh-NEH-duhs.
Enter the registration and pay with card or coins.
2
YOU REPLY
¿Hasta cuándo puedo aparcar?
AHS-tuh koo-AHN-doh poo-EH-doh uh-puhr-KAHR?
Until when can I park?
THEY SAY
Hasta las dos, y por la tarde otra vez.AHS-tuh lahs dos, ee por lah TAHR-deh OH-truh bes.
Until two, and in the afternoon again.
3
YOU FINISH
Muy claro. Muchas gracias.
Mooy KLAH-roh. MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs.
Very clear. Thank you very much.
THEY SAY
De nada. Que tenga buen día.Deh NAH-duh. Keh TAYN-guh boo-AYN DEE-uh.
You're welcome. Have a good day.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Spanish for life in Spain”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Disculpe
Dees-KOOL-peh
verb
excuse me
funciona
foon-SYOH-nuh
verb
works (a device)
parquímetro
puhr-KEE-meh-troh
noun
parking meter
Mete
MEH-teh
verb
puts in
matrícula
muh-TREE-koo-luh
noun
enrolment
paga
PAH-guh
verb
pays
27 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh reh-peh-TEER-loh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh uh-BLAHR mahs des-PAH-syoh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
¿Qué significa esto?
Keh seeg-nee-FEE-kuh ES-toh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
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