Asking someone to save your place in line | Learn Spanish in English

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Use Asking someone to save your place in line to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

¿Podrías hacerme un favor rápido?

poh-DREE-ahs ah-SER-meh oon fah-VOR RAH-pee-doh Could you do me a quick favor?

¿Qué necesitas?

keh neh-seh-SEE-tahs What do you need?

¿Puedes guardar mi lugar mientras voy al baño?

PWEH-des gwahr-DAR mee loo-GAR mee-EN-trahs boy ahl BAH-nyoh Can you keep my place while I use the restroom?

Puedo hacerlo, pero por favor vuelve rápido si la fila empieza a avanzar.

PWEH-doh ah-SER-loh, PEH-roh por fah-VOR BWEHL-beh RAH-pee-doh see lah FEE-lah em-PYEH-sah ah ah-ben-SAR I can, but please come back quickly if the line starts moving.

Ahora vuelvo.

ah-OH-rah BWEHL-boh I'll be right back.

Si la fila avanza, avanzaré y guardaré tu lugar.

see lah FEE-lah ah-BAN-sah, ah-ban-sah-REH ee gwahr-dah-REH too loo-GAR If the line moves, I'll move forward and keep your place.

Gracias. Me daré prisa y volveré directamente.

GRAH-syahs. meh dah-REH PREE-sah ee bol-beh-REH dee-rehk-tah-MEN-teh Thanks. I'll hurry and come straight back.

Word by Word

Podrías “Podrías” means “could you” in the polite request “¿Podrías hacerme un favor rápido?”. It is a useful way to ask someone for a favor politely, followed here by “hacerme” and the requested action.

hacerme “Hacerme” means “do me” in “¿Podrías hacerme un favor rápido?”. It combines “hacer” with “me”, and the same pattern can be reused with another action directed toward the speaker, such as “hacerme una pregunta” in a new example.

un “Un” means “a” in “un favor”. It introduces the singular noun “favor” and agrees with that noun here. A reusable pattern is “un” followed by a singular masculine noun.

favor “Favor” means “favor” in the request “hacerme un favor”. In this dialogue it refers to a small helpful action for the speaker. The expression “hacer un favor” is a common way to talk about helping someone.

rápido “Rápido” means “quick” in “un favor rápido”, describing a favor that should take little time. It agrees with “favor” in this expression. You can reuse it with a suitable noun when describing something quick.

Qué “Qué” means “what” in the question “¿Qué necesitas?”. The accent marks it as an interrogative word. It is commonly placed at the beginning of a question asking what someone needs or wants.

necesitas “Necesitas” means “you need” in “¿Qué necesitas?”. It asks about the other person’s current need in response to a request. A reusable pattern is “¿Qué necesitas?” when offering help or asking for clarification.

Puedes “Puedes” means “can you” in “¿Puedes guardar mi lugar?”. It asks whether the other person is able or willing to do the following action. It is followed here by the infinitive “guardar”.

guardar “Guardar” means “keep” or “save” in “guardar mi lugar”. Here it means holding the speaker’s position in the line while the speaker is away. A reusable pattern is “guardar” followed by the thing or place being kept.

mi “Mi” means “my” in “mi lugar”. It identifies the place as belonging to the speaker. It is placed directly before the noun it describes.

lugar “Lugar” means “place” in “guardar mi lugar”. In this dialogue it refers to the speaker’s position in the line. “Mi lugar” is a useful expression when asking someone to keep your position.

mientras “Mientras” means “while” in “mientras voy al baño”. It introduces an action happening during the time of another action. A reusable pattern is “mientras” followed by a clause describing what happens at the same time.

voy “Voy” means “I go” in “mientras voy al baño”. Here it describes the speaker going to the bathroom while the other person keeps the place. It is commonly followed by a destination introduced with “a”.

al “Al” means “to the” in “voy al baño”. It is the combined form used here for “a” plus “el” before the destination. The reusable pattern is “ir al” followed by a masculine singular destination.

baño “Baño” means “bathroom” in “voy al baño”. It is the destination the speaker is going to during the break. “Ir al baño” is a common expression for saying that you are going to the bathroom.

Puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “Puedo hacerlo”. It shows that the other person agrees to carry out the requested favor. It is followed here by the action expression “hacerlo”.

hacerlo “Hacerlo” means “do it” in “Puedo hacerlo”, referring to keeping the speaker’s place. It combines “hacer” with “lo”, which points back to the requested action. A reusable pattern is “puedo hacerlo” when accepting a task or offer.

pero “Pero” means “but” in “Puedo hacerlo, pero…”. It introduces the condition or limitation that follows the agreement. It is useful for accepting something and then adding an important qualification.

por “Por” is part of the polite expression “por favor” in “por favor vuelve rápido”. Together, “por favor” makes the request more polite. Use the complete expression before or after a request.

vuelve “Vuelve” means “come back” in “por favor vuelve rápido”. It is a direct request for the other person to return, with “por favor” making it polite. A reusable pattern is “vuelve” followed by an adverb describing how or when to return.

si “Si” means “if” in “si la fila empieza a avanzar”. It introduces the condition under which the speaker should return quickly. It commonly begins a clause that describes a possible situation.

la “La” means “the” in “la fila”. It introduces the specific line both speakers are waiting in. It is placed before the noun it accompanies.

fila “Fila” means “line” or “queue” in “la fila”. It refers to the line that may start moving. “La fila avanza” is a reusable pattern for saying that the line moves forward.

empieza “Empieza” means “starts” in “la fila empieza a avanzar”. It shows that the line begins moving. The reusable construction here is “empezar a” followed by an infinitive for an action that starts.

a “A” means “to” in the construction “empieza a avanzar”. Here it links “empieza” with the infinitive “avanzar” to express the beginning of an action. The pattern “empezar a” is followed by an infinitive.

avanzar “Avanzar” means “move forward” in “empieza a avanzar”. It describes the line moving ahead. It can be reused after “empezar a” when an action is beginning.

Ahora “Ahora” means “now” in “Ahora vuelvo”. It tells the listener that the return is happening immediately or very soon. It can be placed before a verb to indicate when an action occurs.

vuelvo “Vuelvo” means “I come back” in “Ahora vuelvo”. In this dialogue, it reassures the other person that the speaker will return shortly. “Ahora vuelvo” is a useful expression when briefly leaving and planning to return soon.

avanza “Avanza” means “moves forward” in “Si la fila avanza”. It describes the line’s possible movement. It is used here after “si” to state the condition that affects what the other person will do.

avanzaré “Avanzaré” means “I will move forward” in “avanzaré y guardaré tu lugar”. It describes what the other person promises to do if the line moves. The future form is useful for stating a planned or promised action.

y “Y” means “and” in “avanzaré y guardaré tu lugar”. It connects two actions that the speaker will carry out. It can join verbs or other matching parts of a sentence.

guardarÉ “Guardaré” means “I will keep” or “I will save” in “guardarÉ tu lugar”, referring to keeping the other person’s place in the line. It expresses a promise about a future action. A reusable pattern is “guardaré” followed by the place or thing that will be kept.

tu “Tu” means “your” in “tu lugar”. It identifies the place as belonging to the other person. It is placed directly before the noun it describes.

Gracias “Gracias” means “thanks” in the final exchange. The speaker uses it to show appreciation for the favor. It is a common polite expression after someone agrees to help.

Me “Me” refers to the speaker in the expression “Me daré prisa”. Together with “daré” and “prisa”, the expression means that the speaker will hurry. In this construction, “me” appears before the verb.

daré “Daré” means “I will give” inside the expression “Me daré prisa”. The whole expression “Me daré prisa” means “I will hurry”; “daré” contributes the future action in that expression. This pattern is used to say that the speaker will hurry.

prisa “Prisa” means “hurry” in “Me daré prisa”. It appears in the fixed expression “darse prisa”, meaning to hurry. The expression is useful when promising to act quickly.

volveré “Volveré” means “I will come back” in “volveré directamente”. It promises a future return after the speaker leaves. It can be followed by an adverb describing the manner or direction of the return.

directamente “Directamente” means “straight” or “directly” in “volveré directamente”. It explains that the speaker will return without going somewhere else first. It can modify an action to show that it is done directly.

Grammar Points

Futuro simple: infinitivo + -aré

Avanzaré ahora.

ah-ban-sah-REH ah-OH-rah

I will move forward now.

El futuro simple expresa una acción que ocurrirá después. En verbos terminados en -ar, se añade -aré al infinitivo.

mientras + verbo

Guardaré tu lugar mientras voy al baño.

gwahr-dah-REH too loo-GAR mee-EN-trahs boy ahl BAH-nyoh

I will keep your place while I go to the restroom.

Mientras conecta dos acciones simultáneas. La segunda acción normalmente usa el presente.

Spanish Vocabulary

baño noun

BAH-nyoh restroom; bathroom

voy al baño

favor noun

fah-VOR favor

hacerme un favor rápido

guardar verb

gwahr-DAR to keep; to save

¿Puedes guardar mi lugar?

hacerme verb

ah-SER-meh do me

¿Podrías hacerme un favor rápido?

lugar noun

loo-GAR place

guardar mi lugar

mi det

mee my

mi lugar

mientras conj

mee-EN-trahs while

mientras voy al baño

necesitas verb

neh-seh-SEE-tahs you need

¿Qué necesitas?

pero conj

PEH-roh but

Puedo hacerlo, pero por favor vuelve rápido

qué pron

keh what

¿Qué necesitas?

rápido adj

RAH-pee-doh quick

un favor rápido

voy verb

boy I go; I am going

mientras voy al baño

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Could you do me a quick favor?

Show Answer

¿Podrías hacerme un favor rápido?

What do you need?

Show Answer

¿Qué necesitas?

I'll be right back.

Show Answer

Ahora vuelvo.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to keep; to save

Show Answer

guardar

place

Show Answer

lugar

favor

Show Answer

favor

you need

Show Answer

necesitas