Spanish for Asking Permission to Film a Dance
Learn polite Spanish questions to ask before recording a dance, including ¿Puedo grabar? and ¿Te molesta si grabo?, plus how to check with staff and respect privacy.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
You are at a social dance evening and want to record a short clip of a move. Before you raise your phone, you need a polite way to ask the people in the frame. In Spanish, the most direct tool is ¿Puedo grabar? (May I record?). When you want to sound softer and more considerate, use ¿Te molesta si grabo? (Does it bother you if I record?). This lesson gives you reusable patterns for asking permission, checking with staff, and responding gracefully whether the answer is yes or no. The focus is on spoken, polite Latin American Spanish that works in social dance settings.
By the end, you can…
- ask a dancer for permission to record a short video using ¿Puedo grabar? and ¿Te molesta si grabo?
- check with venue staff about recording rules without assuming a policy.
- accept a refusal politely and offer alternatives such as recording only feet or not recording at all.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Puedo grabar?
May I record?
PWEH-doh grah-BAR
Direct but polite. Use it when you already have your phone out and want a quick yes or no. In Latin America, grabar is the standard verb for recording audio or video.
¿Te molesta si grabo?
Does it bother you if I record?
teh moh-LES-tah see GRAH-boh
Softer and more considerate. Use it with one person you are about to film. The literal structure is 'Does it bother you if I record?' and it invites an honest answer.
¿Les molesta si grabo este baile?
Does it bother you all if I record this dance?
les moh-LES-tah see GRAH-boh ES-teh BAI-leh
Use les for a group. This is useful when several dancers are in the frame. Baile here means the dance or the dance move you want to capture.
Disculpe, ¿se puede grabar aquí?
Excuse me, is recording allowed here?
dees-KOOL-peh seh PWEH-deh grah-BAR ah-KEE
Ask staff with this impersonal se puede pattern. It asks whether recording is allowed in general, without demanding a specific policy. Disculpe is the polite usted form.
Mejor no grabo, gracias por avisarme.
I'd better not record, thanks for letting me know.
meh-HOR noh GRAH-boh GRAH-syahs por ah-bee-SAR-meh
A graceful response to a refusal. It shows you accept the answer and keeps the social atmosphere friendly.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is ¿Puedo + infinitive? for asking permission: ¿Puedo grabar? (May I record?), ¿Puedo tomar una foto? (May I take a photo?), ¿Puedo pasar? (May I come in?). For a softer, more personal request, use ¿Te molesta si + present tense? : ¿Te molesta si grabo? (Does it bother you if I record?), ¿Te molesta si me siento aquí? (Does it bother you if I sit here?). Notice that Spanish uses the present tense grabo after si, not a future form. For a group, change te to les: ¿Les molesta si grabo? This pattern lets the other person say no without feeling pressured.
When to use it
Use ¿Puedo grabar? when you want a quick, direct answer and the person is already aware of your phone. Use ¿Te molesta si grabo? when you want to signal that you care about the other person's comfort, especially in close partner dancing. If you are asking about the venue rather than a specific person, use the impersonal se puede: Disculpe, ¿se puede grabar aquí? This is a question about rules, not a request for a personal favor. If someone says no, do not negotiate. Say Mejor no grabo, gracias por avisarme and put the phone away. You can also offer a compromise: ¿Puedo grabar solo los pies? (May I record only the feet?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Disculpa, ¿te molesta si grabo este baile?
Excuse me, does it bother you if I record this dance?dees-KOOL-pah teh moh-LES-tah see GRAH-boh ES-teh BAI-lehUn poco, prefiero que no. Estoy practicando y me pongo nerviosa.
A little, I'd prefer you didn't. I'm practicing and I get nervous.oon POH-koh preh-FYEH-roh keh noh es-TOY prak-tee-KAN-doh ee meh PON-goh ner-BYOH-sahEntiendo, mejor no grabo. ¿Puedo grabar solo tus pies para recordar el paso?
I understand, I'd better not record. May I record only your feet to remember the step?en-TYEN-doh meh-HOR noh GRAH-boh PWEH-doh grah-BAR SOH-loh toos PYES pah-rah reh-kor-DAR el PAH-sohSí, los pies está bien. Gracias por preguntar.
Yes, the feet are fine. Thanks for asking.see los PYES es-TAH byen GRAH-syahs por preh-goon-TARA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American social dance spaces, asking before filming is expected, especially in close partner dances. A short, polite question protects privacy and keeps the atmosphere relaxed. If you are unsure about venue rules, ask staff with Disculpe, ¿se puede grabar aquí? rather than assuming recording is allowed. Regional note: in Spain, you may hear grabar equally, but the pronoun vosotros can appear in group questions: ¿Os molesta si grabo? In Latin America, use ustedes and les.
One thing to watch for
Translating 'Can I record?' as ¿Puedo grabar? but then inserting an extra preposition, as in ¿Puedo a grabar?
Try this instead: Use ¿Puedo grabar? with no preposition. The verb grabar follows puedo directly. If you want the softer pattern, use ¿Te molesta si grabo? with the present tense grabo, not a future form like grabaré.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You want to ask one dancer politely if it bothers them that you record a short clip. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
¿Te molesta si grabo?
This uses the te molesta si + present pattern, which is polite and personal. ¿Puedo grabar? is also correct, but it is more direct and less considerate of the other person's feelings.
2You are asking a staff member whether recording is allowed in the venue. What question fits best?
Show a sample answer
Disculpe, ¿se puede grabar aquí?
The impersonal se puede asks about the general rule without demanding a specific policy. ¿Puedo grabar? would sound like a personal request to the staff member rather than a question about the venue.
3Someone says no to being filmed. Give a polite response and one alternative request.
Show a sample answer
Mejor no grabo, gracias por avisarme. ¿Puedo grabar solo los pies?
This accepts the refusal without pressure and offers a limited alternative. Other valid responses include Entiendo, no hay problema or Solo grabaré si estás de acuerdo, but always keep the refusal as final.
Ask before you film: ¿Puedo grabar? for a quick request, ¿Te molesta si grabo? for a softer one, and Disculpe, ¿se puede grabar aquí? for staff. If the answer is no, accept it politely and put the phone away.
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