Spanish · Supermercado / caja
The cashier says something is wrong with your card: what to say in Spanish
The cashier says there is a problem with the card.
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How it's done. When the card does not go through they say No pasa la tarjeta or Ha sido rechazada; they offer another way: ¿Tiene otra tarjeta? or ¿Paga en efectivo?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
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
La tarjeta no pasa. ¿Tiene otra?Lah tuhr-KHEH-tuh noh PAH-suh. TYEH-neh OH-truh?
The card doesn't go through. Do you have another?
They might also say:
Me ha salido rechazada. ¿Prueba con otra?
Meh uh suh-LEE-doh reh-chuh-SAH-duh. Proo-EH-buh kohn OH-truh?
It's come up as rejected. Will you try another?
YOU REPLY
Voy a intentarlo otra vez.
Boy uh een-tayn-TAHR-loh OH-truh bes.
I'll try again.
THEY SAY
Sigue sin pasar. ¿Paga en efectivo?SEE-geh seen puh-SAHR. PAH-guh en eh-fek-TEE-boh?
It still doesn't go through. Do you pay in cash?
2
YOU REPLY
Sí, tengo efectivo.
See, TAYN-goh eh-fek-TEE-boh.
Yes, I have cash.
THEY SAY
Perfecto. Cuarenta y dos con cincuenta.Pehr-FEK-toh. Koo-uh-RAYN-tuh ee dos kohn seen-koo-AYN-tuh.
Fine. Forty-two fifty.
3
YOU FINISH
Aquí tiene. Muchas gracias.
Uh-KEE TYEH-neh. MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs.
Here you are. Thank you very much.
THEY SAY
Gracias a usted. Hasta luego.GRAH-syuhs uh oos-TED. AHS-tuh loo-EH-goh.
Thank you. See you later.
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
tarjeta
tuhr-KHEH-tuh
noun
card
no
noh
adverb
no
pasa
PAH-suh
verb
passes
Voy
Boy
verb
I go
intentarlo
een-tayn-TAHR-loh
verb
to try it
vez
bes
noun
time (occasion)
23 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?
¿Puede escribírmelo, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh es-kree-BEER-meh-loh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you write it down for me, please?
¿Qué significa esto?
Keh seeg-nee-FEE-kuh ES-toh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You ask whether you can buy fresh breadSupermercado / caja · A2 in the app
→You look for gluten-free or lactose-free productsSupermercado / caja · A2 in the app
→You ask about closing timeSupermercado / caja · A2 in the app
→You ask whether shopping can be delivered to your homeSupermercado / caja · A2 in the app
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