In this workshop you will practice a short, realistic exchange at a metro ticket counter. You will learn how to ask for one ticket politely, ask about the price, talk about zones, and understand the staff member's questions about your destination and payment. The recordings give you clear native models to listen to and repeat. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so use the answer keys and self-checks to confirm your choices. Speak out loud as much as possible, and repeat each line until it feels comfortable.
Asking for a Ticket and the Price
Start with the polite request. The recording «Un boleto, por favor.» means "One ticket, please." Use it when you reach the window. If you want to know the price before paying, ask «¿Cuánto cuesta el boleto?», which means "How much does the ticket cost?" These two lines are the core of your first turn. Say them slowly, then at a natural speed. Keep your voice calm and friendly. In the recorded dialogue, the staff member answers with a price and then asks about payment, so listen for the word for cash or card. You do not need to add extra words; these two lines are enough to begin.
Zones and Destinations
Some metro systems charge by zone. To check whether that applies, ask «¿Hay diferentes zonas?», which means "Are there different zones?" If the answer is yes, you can say where you are going with «Quiero ir a la zona dos.», which means "I want to go to zone two." Replace the number with the zone you need. In the dialogue, the staff member asks which zone you are going to with «Claro. ¿A qué zona va?», meaning "Sure. Which zone are you going to?" You can answer with the same structure as «Voy a la zona dos. ¿Cuánto cuesta?», which means "I'm going to zone two. How much does it cost?" Notice that «Voy a la zona dos. ¿Cuánto cuesta?» combines your destination and your price question in one natural turn.
Understanding Payment Questions
After the price, the staff member may ask how you want to pay. In the dialogue, «Cuesta diez pesos. ¿Paga en efectivo o con tarjeta?» means "It costs ten pesos. Are you paying cash or by card?" Listen for the two options at the end. You can recognize the two options and repeat the recorded question to check your understanding. The full opening exchange is modeled in «Buenos días. Un boleto, por favor.», which means "Good morning. One ticket, please." Together, «Buenos días. Un boleto, por favor.», «Claro. ¿A qué zona va?», «Voy a la zona dos. ¿Cuánto cuesta?», and «Cuesta diez pesos. ¿Paga en efectivo o con tarjeta?» form a complete ticket-counter conversation. Practice the staff role and the customer role separately, then switch. This helps you recognize the questions even when you are the one speaking.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Un boleto, por favor.
One ticket, please.
oon boh-LEH-toh, pohr fah-BOHR
¿Cuánto cuesta el boleto?
How much does the ticket cost?
KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah el boh-LEH-toh
¿Hay diferentes zonas?
Are there different zones?
eye dee-feh-REHN-tehs SOH-nahs
Quiero ir a la zona dos.
I want to go to zone two.
KYEH-roh eer ah lah SOH-nah dohs
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Buenos días. Un boleto, por favor.
Good morning. One ticket, please.Claro. ¿A qué zona va?
Sure. Which zone are you going to?Voy a la zona dos. ¿Cuánto cuesta?
I'm going to zone two. How much does it cost?Cuesta diez pesos. ¿Paga en efectivo o con tarjeta?
It costs ten pesos. Are you paying cash or by card?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Ticket Counter Exchange
You are at a metro ticket window in the morning. The staff member greets you and waits for your request. You want one ticket and you need to know the price.
Your task: Say your opening line using the polite request from the recordings. Then ask the price. Use only the lines you have practiced. Speak clearly and pause after each line.
Listen and Choose the Right Reply
You hear a staff member ask which zone you are going to. You know your destination is zone two, and you also want to ask the price.
Your task: Choose the best reply from the lines you have learned. Say it out loud. Then say the staff member's question again to check your understanding.
Recall the Conversation with Correct Roles
You will now rebuild the full exchange from memory. One person is the customer and one person is the staff member. Use the recorded lines as your model.
Your task: Take the customer role first: greet, ask for one ticket, state your zone, and ask the price. Then switch to the staff role: greet, ask the zone, and use the recorded line «Cuesta diez pesos. ¿Paga en efectivo o con tarjeta?» to give the price and ask about payment. Do not read the lines while you speak.
Common questions
Do I need to memorize every line before speaking?
No. Start by listening to the recordings and repeating each line slowly. Then practice one role at a time. It is fine to look at the lines during the first attempts. The goal is to become comfortable with the sounds and the order of the exchange, not to perform perfectly from memory on the first try.
What if the staff member uses a different word for ticket or payment?
Listen for the word the staff member uses and repeat it back if you need to. The recordings give you a standard polite request and common questions about zones, price, and payment. If you hear a new word, you can still use the lines you know to ask for one ticket and ask the price. Stay calm and keep the exchange simple.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: buy a ticket for the metroChecked September 2026
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