In the Northern Hemisphere, summer’s over, and that means cuffing season is in full swing. But regardless of where you are in the world, there’s never a wrong time to be scouting for a cuddle buddy. Someday you might find yourself in the Spanish-speaking world, all alone and yearning for love. Who can blame you? So much of Spain and Latin America is a romantic wonderland, with beaches, fine wines and guitar music that could be used to impress the object of your affection. What all this means is that it’s essential to know at least a couple of ways of asking someone out in Spanish — with a little practice (and enough charisma, too), you could find the amante of your dreams!
Keep reading to find out what you need to know to satisfy your need for companionship in the mundo hispanohablante with these helpful expressions for asking someone out in Spanish.
The Ins And Outs Of Asking Someone Out In Spanish
What you say to someone you’re asking out — in any language — will depend on the circumstances of your relationship. Do you know this person, and have they already expressed an interest in you? What you say to a stranger who matched with you on Tinder will be very different from what you’d say to a friend with whom you’ve had a years-long flirtation that’s just beginning to blossom into a romance.
If you’re not into the risk of throwing out a cheesy pickup line — and if you are, scroll to the bottom for inspiration — the easiest way to start is probably with a “hello.” Review our guide to Spanish greetings if you need a refresher. Keep in mind that cultures around the world treat the idea of personal space and comfort with strangers differently. Know the context and be careful not to cross any boundaries if someone isn’t reciprocating your advances.
After you capture your beloved’s attention, it’s time to get the ball rolling. The following are all ways to tell someone that you think they’re attractive, pretty, stunning or the bee’s knees. Keep in mind that adjectives in Spanish take different endings depending on the gender (masculine or feminine) of the noun they’re describing (in this case, the person you’re asking out). For the most part, adjectives ending in -o are masculine, and those ending in -a are feminine.
- Eres guapo/a. — You are handsome.
- Yo creo que eres bonito/a. — I think that you are pretty.
- Me pareces muy lindo/a. — You look very lovely (to me).
- Tienes una sonrisa muy bella. — You have a very beautiful smile.
- Me encantan tus ojos. — I love your eyes.
- Tú eres hermoso/a. — You are gorgeous.
- ¡Qué mono/a eres! — How cute you are!
Depending on the situation, it might be wise to check if your potential new partner is available or if you’re wasting your efforts on someone who’s already spoken for:
- ¿Tienes novio? — Do you have a boyfriend?
- ¿Tienes novia? — Do you have a girlfriend?
- ¿Eres soltero? / ¿Estás soltero? — Are you single? (to a man)
- ¿Eres soltera? / ¿Estás soltera? — Are you single? (to a woman)
- ¿Estás saliendo con alguien? — Are you seeing someone?
If the answer to the above questions is good news, you’ll want to keep going and eventually seal the deal by asking someone out in Spanish. Whether you want to compliment someone or make small talk is up to you; the rhythm, speed and duration of your conversation will vary depending on how much you know the person and how much you think they’ve warmed up to you. But when the time comes, you’ve got to be ready to make your move.
A good catch-all expression for doing so is ¿Te gustaría salir conmigo?, or “Would you like to go out with me?” It’s important that you know the distinction between the above expression and ¿Quieres salir conmigo?, which in Spain and parts of Latin America means “Will you be my girlfriend/boyfriend?”. Certain expressions like ¿Te gustaría ___? (“Would you like (to) ___?”) are softer ways of asking someone to spend time with you rather than flat-out demanding that they do it, which is not likely to get you the results you’re looking for.
You can interchange the above expressions with a lot of other words and phrases that convey the same idea of gently asking someone out in Spanish— and of course, whatever you invite someone to do is up to you! Here are some examples:
- ¿Te gustaría ir al cine conmigo? — Would you like to go to the movies with me?
- ¿Qué tal si cenamos juntos a las siete? — What if we ate dinner together at seven o’clock?
- ¿Qué te parece si vamos a bailar más tarde? — What do you say we go dancing later?
- ¿Tienes ganas de tomar una bebida conmigo? — Do you feel like grabbing a drink with me?
- Tengo dos entradas a un concierto mañana. ¿Quieres acompañarme? — I have two tickets to a concert tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?
- Quisiera invitarte a mi restaurante favorito esta noche. — I would like to invite you to my favorite restaurant tonight.
Be ready for possible rejection, but don’t take it personally. It’s always scary to put yourself on the line in front of someone, especially when you don’t speak the same language. But if the person says yes, congratulations! You’ve made it far. (But now you’ve got to actually impress your new date, which is a whole other ball game; you’d better brush up on your Spanish!)
Cheesy Spanish Pickup Lines That Just Might Work
If you need a little extra dose of creativity when it comes to asking someone out, there’s always the clichéd and corny pickup line. Yes, they exist in Spanish, too, and many people know them as piropos. When you’re delivering these lines, it’s important not to take them (or yourself) too seriously. We can’t guarantee they’ll work, but if you find someone who appreciates a little eye-roll-inducing humor, you might just be in luck.
- Perdí mi número. ¿Puedo tener el tuyo? — I lost my number. Can I have yours?
- Si besarte fuera pecado, caminaría feliz por el infierno. — If kissing you were a sin, I’d happily walk through hell.
- Si el agua fuera belleza, tú serías el océano entero. — If water were beauty, you’d be the whole ocean.
- Ojalá la mitad de las estrellas brillaran tanto como tus ojos. — If only half of the stars shone as brightly as your eyes.
- ¿Desde cuándo se comenzaron a caer los ángeles del cielo? — Since when did angels start falling from heaven?
- Tu papá debe ser pirata porque tú eres un tesoro. — Your father must be a pirate, because you’re a treasure.
- Quisiera ser joyero para poder apreciar un diamante como tú. — I would like to be a jeweler to be able to appreciate a diamond like you.
- Hola, soy un ladrón/una ladrona, y estoy aquí para robar tu corazón. — Hi, I’m a thief, and I’m here to steal your heart.