How to Ask for a Wake-Up Call in Spanish (Hotel Front Desk)
Learn to request a hotel wake-up call in Latin American Spanish, say the exact time, and confirm it — a front-desk skill separate from setting your phone alarm.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
A hotel wake-up call is not the same as the alarm on your phone: you ask the front desk (recepción) to ring your room at a specific time, and you confirm the time they repeat back. This lesson gives you five ready phrases in broadly useful Latin American Spanish, shows the polite pattern for making the request, and walks you through a short front-desk dialogue so you can handle it confidently even as a beginner.
By the end, you can…
- ask the front desk for a wake-up call at a specific time.
- state the time I want using 'a las' plus a number.
- confirm the time the receptionist repeats back to me.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Quisiera una llamada de despertador, por favor.
I would like a wake-up call, please.
kee-SYEH-rah OO-nah yah-MAH-dah deh des-per-tah-DOR, por fah-BOR
Polite, standard request at a hotel front desk. 'Quisiera' is a soft, courteous way to say 'I would like'. In some regions you may also hear 'alarma' for this service, but 'llamada de despertador' is clear and widely understood.
A las siete de la mañana, por favor.
At seven in the morning, please.
ah las SYEH-teh deh lah mah-NYAH-nah, por fah-VOR
Use 'a las' + number for a clock time. 'De la mañana' means a.m.; use 'de la tarde' for p.m. and 'de la noche' for night.
¿Me puede despertar a las siete?
Can you wake me at seven?
meh PWEH-deh des-per-TAR ah las SYEH-teh
A direct but polite question using the verb 'despertar' (to wake). Useful if you prefer not to name the service and just ask to be woken.
¿A las siete, verdad?
At seven, right?
ah las SYEH-teh, ber-DAD
A short confirmation tag. 'Verdad' works like 'right?' at the end of a sentence. In some countries people say '¿cierto?' instead.
Sí, a las siete está bien. Gracias.
Yes, seven is fine. Thank you.
see, ah las SYEH-teh es-TAH byehn. GRAH-syahs
Confirms the time the receptionist repeated. 'Está bien' means 'that's fine / that works'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 'Quisiera una llamada de despertador a las' + time. For example: 'Quisiera una llamada de despertador a las seis.' (I'd like a wake-up call at six.) Change only the number to change the time: 'a las cinco', 'a las siete', 'a las ocho'. If you want to be more casual, '¿Me puede despertar a las siete?' uses the same time phrase and is equally polite.
When to use it
Use these phrases at a hotel reception desk or by phone to the front desk, not for your phone alarm. Say 'Quisiera...' first, then add the time with 'a las'. When the receptionist repeats the time, confirm with 'Sí, a las siete está bien' or ask '¿A las siete, verdad?'. If you need a different time, just replace the number: 'A las seis y media' means 6:30.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buenas noches. Quisiera una llamada de despertador, por favor.
Good evening. I would like a wake-up call, please.BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs. kee-SYEH-rah OO-nah yah-MAH-dah deh des-per-tah-DOR, por fah-BORClaro. ¿A qué hora?
Of course. At what time?KLAH-roh. ah keh OH-rahA las siete de la mañana, por favor.
At seven in the morning, please.ah las SYEH-teh deh lah mah-NYAH-nah, por fah-BORMuy bien, a las siete. Que descanse.
Very well, at seven. Rest well.mwee byehn, ah las SYEH-teh. keh des-KAHN-sehA little context goes a long way
In most Latin American hotels, 'recepción' handles wake-up calls, and a polite 'por favor' plus 'gracias' is expected. 'Quisiera' sounds courteous without being stiff; 'quiero' (I want) can sound blunt at a front desk. If you are unsure the time was understood, repeat it back with '¿A las siete, verdad?' rather than staying silent.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Quiero una llamada a las siete' with a flat tone and no 'por favor', which can sound demanding.
Try this instead: Use the softer 'Quisiera una llamada de despertador a las siete, por favor.' 'Quisiera' plus 'por favor' keeps the request polite and clear.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely ask for a wake-up call at 7 a.m.?
Show a sample answer
Quisiera una llamada de despertador a las siete de la mañana, por favor.
This uses the polite 'Quisiera', the service name 'llamada de despertador', the time phrase 'a las siete', and 'de la mañana' for a.m. '¿Me puede despertar a las siete?' is also correct.
2The receptionist says 'A las siete'. How do you confirm?
Show a sample answer
Sí, a las siete está bien. Gracias.
This confirms the repeated time and thanks the receptionist. '¿A las siete, verdad?' also works as a checking question.
3How would you ask for a wake-up call at 6:30 a.m.?
Show a sample answer
Quisiera una llamada de despertador a las seis y media de la mañana.
Replace the time with 'a las seis y media' (6:30). The rest of the pattern stays the same.
Ask with 'Quisiera una llamada de despertador a las' + time, then confirm the time the receptionist repeats. This is a front-desk request, not your phone alarm.
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