In this workshop you will practice a short customs conversation in Spanish. You will learn how to ask whether something needs to be declared, how to say you are not sure, and how to ask where the declaration form is. You will also hear a staff member ask what the item is and whether it is new, and you will practice understanding the answer. The recordings give you the exact lines to use. Listen, repeat, and then try each task. You can listen to the recordings and repeat the lines, but there is no automatic check, so use the answer notes to check yourself.
Asking the key question
Start with the most useful question. «¿Tengo que declarar esto?» means "Do I need to declare this?" It is a direct, polite way to ask about one item. A slightly different version is «¿Hay que declarar esto?», which means "Does this need to be declared?" or "Is this something that must be declared?" Use «¿Hay que declarar esto?» when you want to ask about the item itself, not about yourself. If you are unsure, you can say «No estoy seguro si esto se declara.», which means "I'm not sure whether this needs to be declared." This is helpful when you want to show that you do not know the rule. Finally, «¿Dónde está el formulario de declaración?» means "Where is the declaration form?" Use it when you need the form. Practice each line slowly, then a little faster.
Understanding the staff reply
In a customs conversation, a staff member may ask you questions. «¿Qué es? ¿Es nuevo?» means "What is it? Is it new?" The staff member wants to know what the item is and whether it is new. You can answer with «Es una cámara usada. La compré hace dos años.», which means "It's a used camera. I bought it two years ago." This tells the staff member the item is not new. Then the staff member may say «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.», which means "Then you don't need to declare it. Just fill out the form if you're carrying more than a thousand dollars in cash." Listen for the word for "then" and the instruction about the form. The reply tells you that the camera does not need to be declared, but cash over a certain amount does. «Buenos días. ¿Tengo que declarar esto?» means "Good morning. Do I need to declare this?" and shows how to open the conversation politely.
Putting it together
A full exchange can be short. You greet the staff member and ask your question. The staff member asks what the item is and whether it is new. You describe the item and say when you bought it. The staff member then tells you whether you need to declare it and when you need a form. Use «Buenos días. ¿Tengo que declarar esto?» to start, «¿Qué es? ¿Es nuevo?» to understand the question, «Es una cámara usada. La compré hace dos años.» to answer, and «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.» to understand the result. If you only need to ask about the item, use «¿Tengo que declarar esto?» or «¿Hay que declarar esto?». If you are unsure, use «No estoy seguro si esto se declara.». If you need the form, use «¿Dónde está el formulario de declaración?». Practice the lines in order, then try the tasks below.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
¿Tengo que declarar esto?
Do I need to declare this?
TEN-goh keh deh-kla-RAR ES-toh
¿Hay que declarar esto?
Does this need to be declared? / Is this something that must be declared?
eye keh deh-kla-RAR ES-toh
No estoy seguro si esto se declara.
I'm not sure whether this needs to be declared.
noh es-TOY seh-GOO-roh see ES-toh seh deh-KLAH-rah
¿Dónde está el formulario de declaración?
Where is the declaration form?
DON-deh es-TAH el for-moo-LA-ree-oh deh deh-kla-ra-SYON
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Buenos días. ¿Tengo que declarar esto?
Good morning. Do I need to declare this?¿Qué es? ¿Es nuevo?
What is it? Is it new?Es una cámara usada. La compré hace dos años.
It's a used camera. I bought it two years ago.Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.
Then you don't need to declare it. Just fill out the form if you're carrying more than a thousand dollars in cash.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: ask and answer
Imagine you are at customs with a used camera. You will play the traveler. The staff member's lines are from the recordings. Use the recording references to guide your speaking.
Your task: Say the traveler's opening line from «Buenos días. ¿Tengo que declarar esto?». Then listen to the staff member's question «¿Qué es? ¿Es nuevo?». Answer with «Es una cámara usada. La compré hace dos años.». Finally, listen to the staff member's reply «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.» and repeat it once. If you want to ask only about the item, you may also practice «¿Tengo que declarar esto?» or «¿Hay que declarar esto?» before the exchange.
Reply comprehension: choose the correct meaning
Read or listen to the staff reply «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.». Then choose the correct meaning from the options below. This task checks whether you understand what the staff member says about declaring the camera and about the form.
Your task: Staff reply: «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.». Option A: You must declare the camera and fill out a form for any cash. Option B: You do not need to declare the camera, but you need the form if you carry more than a thousand dollars in cash. Option C: You need to declare the camera only if it is new. Choose A, B, or C.
Recall with correct roles
This task checks whether you remember who says what. The lines are from the recordings. You will say each line in the correct role.
Your task: Look at these lines: «Buenos días. ¿Tengo que declarar esto?», «¿Qué es? ¿Es nuevo?», «Es una cámara usada. La compré hace dos años.», «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.». Decide who says each line: traveler or staff member. Then say the traveler lines and the staff lines in the correct order. Start with the greeting and question, then the staff question, then the traveler answer, then the staff reply.
Common questions
What is the difference between «¿Tengo que declarar esto?» and «¿Hay que declarar esto?»?
«¿Tengo que declarar esto?» means "Do I need to declare this?" and focuses on you and your need. «¿Hay que declarar esto?» means "Does this need to be declared?" or "Is this something that must be declared?" and focuses on the item itself. Both are useful. Use «¿Tengo que declarar esto?» when you want to ask about your own situation. Use «¿Hay que declarar esto?» when you want to ask about the item in a more general way.
What should I say if I am not sure whether something needs to be declared?
You can say «No estoy seguro si esto se declara.», which means "I'm not sure whether this needs to be declared." This tells the staff member that you do not know the rule. Then you can ask «¿Dónde está el formulario de declaración?», which means "Where is the declaration form?" if you need the form. The staff member may then ask «¿Qué es? ¿Es nuevo?» or give a reply like «Entonces no necesita declararla. Solo llene el formulario si trae más de mil dólares en efectivo.».
Sources and further reading
- spanish: ask about customsChecked September 2026
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