Spanish Lesson 26: (Travel) Clearing Customs

Hola mis alumnos, bienvenidos a la clase de español.

Today you’re going to learn key words and phrases to use when clearing customs in the airport.  This vocabulary will be useful for your next trip to a Spanish-speaking country!  If you need a refresher, click over and review our previous lesson on At the Airport for more relevant expressions.

A very good verb to know when going into Customs is Declarar (To declare).  Here it is conjugated:

aduana customs-2

Take a peek back at our lessons on Tú and Ustedes if you need a refresher on the different words for “you” in Spanish. You can review the lesson on pronouns.

Imagine the below conversation taking place after the passenger has cleared immigration.  Remember that dialogue from our earlier lesson.

Dialogue at Customs

Aduanero (Customs Officer): Hola, ¿Cómo está usted?
Juan Pablo: Muy bien señor.
Aduanero: ¿Cuánto tiempo va a estar aquí?
Juan Pablo: Estoy aquí por seis días.
Aduanero: ¿Tiene algo que declarar?

Do you have anything to declare?  

Juan Pablo: Sí.  Tengo vino, cervezas y cigarrillos.

Yes.  I have wine, beers and cigarettes.

Aduanero: Muy bien, usted puede pasar por la puerta a la derecha. Hay que pagar un impuesto. Todo cuesta $45.00.  Bienvenido(a) a Colombia.

Very well, you can pass through the door on the right.  You have a fine to pay.  Everything costs $45.00. Welcome to Colombia.

Que lo pase bien aquí.

Have a good stay here/ Hope all goes well here

Juan Pablo: Muchas gracias señor.

Here is a list of some more technical terms that may also be useful when conducting foreign trade (comercio exterior).

Charge El Costo, cargo
Commodity/ Goods La Mercancía(s)
Consignee El Consignatario de la mercancía
Currency La Moneda
Customs La Aduana
Customs Broker El Agente de Aduanas
Freight El Flete
Handling La Manipulación y manejo
Insurance El Seguro
Shipment El Embarque o envió
Shipper El Embarcador
Vessel El Buque
Warehouse El Almacén de la mercancía

Hope you find today’s vocabulary useful.  Soon we’ll cover hotel check-in!

If you’d like more Spanish vocabulary and expressions for travel, download my free Spanish e-Phrasebook for Travel.

Spanish Phrasebook for Travel by K.D. Silva

If you enjoyed this post please LIKE or SHARE.  To learn more about Spanish Language, Latin American history and culture, FOLLOW Over The Andes today via WordPress or subscribe via email (to the right of the post title).

2 Comments

  1. pick1solution July 18, 2019 at 6:28 pm

    I wish I had read this three years ago. Great post. And, I like the new look.
    Lo mejor para ti mi amigo.

    t

    Reply
    1. K D July 31, 2019 at 11:32 am

      🙂 Gracias

      Reply

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *