50 Essential Spanish Phrases for UK Property Buyers

You do not need to be fluent in Spanish to buy property on the Costa del Sol — but knowing the right vocabulary transforms your experience. Instead of nodding blankly while your lawyer explains the escritura, you understand what is happening. Instead of relying entirely on your agent's translation of what the seller said, you catch the key points yourself.

These 50 phrases are selected specifically for the UK property buying journey — from initial viewings to notary completion, plus essential daily life vocabulary for when you are on the ground. For the broader cultural adjustment, see our culture shock guide.

At the Estate Agent (En la Inmobiliaria)

#	Spanish	English	When You'll Use It
1	Piso	Apartment/flat	The standard word for an apartment in a block
2	Chalet / Villa	Detached house	Used interchangeably on the Costa del Sol
3	Adosado	Townhouse (terraced/semi)	Attached or semi-detached house in a row
4	Ático	Penthouse	Top-floor apartment, usually with a large terrace
5	Bajo	Ground floor	Ground-floor apartment — "bajo con jardín" means with a garden
6	Dormitorio / Habitación	Bedroom	Both words are used — "3 dormitorios" = 3 bedrooms
7	Aseo	Small bathroom / WC	A bathroom without a bath or shower — just toilet and sink
8	Terraza	Terrace / balcony	Outdoor space — a major selling point in Spain
9	Garaje / Plaza de garaje	Garage / parking space	"Con garaje" = includes parking. Often sold separately
10	Trastero	Storage room	A storage unit, often in the building's basement. Valuable in apartments
11	Urbanización	Residential development / estate	A gated or communal residential complex — very common on the Costa del Sol
12	Obra nueva	New build	New construction, not yet lived in
13	Segunda mano	Resale / second-hand	A previously owned property
14	Reformado / Para reformar	Renovated / Needs renovation	"Reformado" = already renovated; "para reformar" = needs work
15	Metros cuadrados (m²)	Square metres	Property sizes are always in square metres. 100m² ≈ 1,076 sq ft

Legal and Financial (Legal y Financiero)

#	Spanish	English	When You'll Use It
16	Escritura (pública)	Title deed	The notarised deed that proves ownership — the most important document
17	Nota simple	Land registry extract	Summary showing owner, charges, and property description. Your lawyer gets this first
18	Registro de la Propiedad	Land registry	Where ownership is officially recorded
19	Notario	Notary	Public official who witnesses the deed signing. Not the same as a lawyer
20	Contrato de arras	Deposit contract / reservation	The binding contract with 10% deposit — legally commits both parties
21	Señal / Reserva	Reservation deposit	Initial holding deposit (EUR 3,000-6,000) before the arras contract
22	NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero)	Foreign ID number	Your Spanish tax identification number — needed for any property transaction
23	Hipoteca	Mortgage	"Necesito una hipoteca" = I need a mortgage
24	Impuesto de Transmisiones (ITP)	Transfer tax	The main tax on resale property purchases (7% in Andalucía)
25	IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles)	Council tax / property tax	Annual municipal property tax — equivalent of UK council tax
26	Plusvalía	Land value increase tax	Municipal tax paid by the seller based on land value appreciation
27	Comunidad de propietarios	Community of owners / HOA	The body that manages shared areas in apartment blocks and urbanisations
28	Cuota de comunidad	Community fee	Monthly/quarterly charge for shared maintenance — "¿Cuánto es la cuota?"
29	Poder notarial	Power of attorney	Authorises your lawyer to sign documents on your behalf
30	Certificado energético	Energy performance certificate	Mandatory for property sales — rated A (best) to G (worst)

At the Property Viewing (En la Visita)

#	Spanish	English	When You'll Use It
31	¿Cuánto cuesta?	How much does it cost?	The essential price question
32	¿Está incluido en el precio?	Is it included in the price?	Ask about furniture, appliances, parking, storage
33	¿Cuántos años tiene la propiedad?	How old is the property?	Important for understanding construction quality and potential issues
34	¿Hay problemas de humedad?	Are there damp problems?	Damp is common in older properties — ask directly
35	¿Cuánto son los gastos de comunidad?	How much are the community fees?	Monthly or quarterly — clarify which
36	¿Tiene plaza de garaje?	Does it have a parking space?	Essential question — parking can be scarce
37	Orientación sur / norte / este / oeste	South / north / east / west facing	South-facing is most desirable for sunlight
38	¿Se admiten mascotas?	Are pets allowed?	Some communities restrict pets — check before buying
39	¿Hay ascensor?	Is there a lift?	Critical for upper-floor apartments, especially for retirement planning
40	Vistas al mar / montaña	Sea views / mountain views	A major value driver on the Costa del Sol

At the Notary and Bank (En el Notario y el Banco)

#	Spanish	English	When You'll Use It
41	Firma	Signature / signing	"La firma de la escritura" = the deed signing ceremony
42	Cuenta bancaria	Bank account	"Necesito abrir una cuenta bancaria" = I need to open a bank account
43	Transferencia	Bank transfer	How you will pay for the property — "transferencia bancaria"
44	Cheque bancario	Banker's draft / cashier's cheque	Often required for the completion payment at the notary
45	Cita previa	Prior appointment	Required at banks, government offices, and many services. Essential vocabulary

Daily Life Essentials (Vida Cotidiana)

#	Spanish	English	When You'll Use It
46	Ayuntamiento	Town hall	Where you register on the padrón and handle municipal paperwork
47	Padrón	Municipal census / register	Registering your address — required for many administrative processes
48	Farmacia	Pharmacy	Your first stop for minor health issues. Pharmacists can advise and dispense
49	Ferretería	Hardware shop	Where you buy tools, paint, fixings — essential for any property owner
50	Fontanero / Electricista / Albañil	Plumber / Electrician / Builder	The tradespeople you will inevitably need. "Necesito un fontanero" = I need a plumber

Bonus: Useful Phrases for Negotiations

• "¿Es negociable el precio?" — Is the price negotiable? (The polite way to open a negotiation)
• "Necesito consultarlo con mi abogado" — I need to check with my lawyer. (Your escape phrase for any pressure situation)
• "¿Puede ponerlo por escrito?" — Can you put that in writing? (Essential when anyone makes a promise)
• "No tengo prisa" — I am not in a hurry. (Removes pressure and strengthens your negotiating position)
• "Necesito pensarlo" — I need to think about it. (Politely declining to make an immediate decision)

Pronunciation Tips

Spanish pronunciation is much more consistent than English — what you see is generally what you say. Key rules for the phrases above:

• J is pronounced like a strong H (jota = HO-ta)
• LL is pronounced like Y (calle = CA-yeh)
• Ñ is pronounced like NY (España = es-PAN-ya)
• H is always silent (hipoteca = ee-po-TEH-ca)
• C before E or I is pronounced like TH in "think" in Castilian Spanish, but like S on the Costa del Sol (certificado = cer-ti-fi-CA-do or ser-ti-fi-CA-do)
• Stress falls on the second-to-last syllable unless there is an accent mark (escritura = es-cri-TU-ra, padrón = pa-DRON)

How to Keep Learning

These 50 phrases give you a foundation. To build on it:

• Apps: Duolingo (free, gamified), Babbel (structured, good for beginners), SpanishDict (excellent dictionary and conjugation tool)
• Classes: Local language schools on the Costa del Sol offer group classes from EUR 50-100/month. Immersive and social
• Practice: Use these phrases with your estate agent, at the supermarket, and with neighbours. Spaniards are overwhelmingly positive and encouraging when foreigners attempt Spanish
• Media: Spanish Netflix shows with Spanish subtitles, Spanish radio in the car, Spanish newspapers online — passive exposure builds comprehension over time

The Bottom Line

You do not need perfect Spanish to buy property in Spain. But knowing these 50 phrases transforms you from a completely dependent buyer into someone who can follow their own transaction, ask the right questions, and catch potential issues. More importantly, it signals respect for the country you are buying into — and Spanish professionals respond to that with greater trust and better service.

Print this guide, save it on your phone, and refer to it during your viewing trip and throughout your purchase. By the time you pick up your keys at the notary, half of these words will be second nature.

Ready to start your property journey? Join MUNDO to browse listings across Spain's coastal regions. And for the full buying process these phrases will help you navigate, see our step-by-step buying guide.