Spanish · Billetes / abono
You top up your travel card: what to say in Spanish
You top up the transport card.
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How it's done. You top up the card at a metro machine or kiosk; say recargar la tarjeta; ask how many trips or how much money; check the balance.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
Quiero recargar mi tarjeta. ¿Cuánto saldo le queda?
KYEH-roh reh-kuhr-GAHR mee tuhr-KHEH-tuh. Koo-AHN-toh SAHL-doh leh KEH-duh?
I want to top up my card. How much balance does it have?
THEY SAY
Déjeme ver. Tiene un euro con diez.DEH-kheh-meh behr. TYEH-neh oon EH-oo-roh kohn dyehs.
Let me see. It has one euro ten.
They might also say:
A ver. Le quedan un euro y diez céntimos.
Uh behr. Leh KEH-dahn oon EH-oo-roh ee dyehs SAYN-tee-mos.
Let's see. It has one euro ten left.
2
YOU REPLY
Póngame veinte euros.
POHN-guh-meh BAYN-teh EH-oo-ros.
Put on twenty euros.
THEY SAY
Aquí tiene. Veinte euros.Uh-KEE TYEH-neh. BAYN-teh EH-oo-ros.
Here you are. Twenty euros.
3
YOU FINISH
Muchas gracias. Hasta luego.
MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs. AHS-tuh loo-EH-goh.
Thank you very much. See you later.
THEY SAY
A usted. Buen viaje.Uh oos-TED. Boo-AYN BYAH-kheh.
Thank you. Have a good trip.
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
Quiero
KYEH-roh
verb
I want
recargar
reh-kuhr-GAHR
verb
to top up
tarjeta
tuhr-KHEH-tuh
noun
card
saldo
SAHL-doh
noun
balance
queda
KEH-duh
verb
stays
Déjeme
DEH-kheh-meh
verb
let me
20 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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