En el control de seguridad del aeropuerto
Going through airport security · a free Spanish immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Buenas tardes, aquí tiene mi pasaporte.
Good afternoon, here is my passport.
Literal Good afternoons, here has my passport.
A polite way to greet a security officer and hand over your travel document. 'Aquí tiene' is the standard phrase for 'here you are' in formal contexts.
- 'Aquí tiene' = here you are (formal); literally 'here (you) have'
- 'Buenas tardes' = good afternoon/evening — used from around noon onward
Por favor, quite los zapatos y póngalos en la bandeja.
Please, remove your shoes and put them in the tray.
Literal Please, remove the shoes and put them in the tray.
A security officer's instruction using two chained formal commands. 'Quite' and 'póngalos' are both formal (usted) imperatives.
- 'Quite' = remove (formal imperative of 'quitar')
- 'Póngalos' = put them (formal imperative of 'poner' + pronoun 'los' referring to the shoes)
- Formal imperatives are formed from the present subjunctive
Sí, tengo una computadora portátil en la mochila.
Yes, I have a laptop in my backpack.
Literal Yes, I have a portable computer in the backpack.
Using 'tengo' (I have) to declare a carried item clearly. This pattern is essential whenever you need to tell officials what you're carrying.
- 'Tengo' = I have (first person singular of 'tener')
- 'Computadora portátil' = laptop (Latin American Spanish); 'ordenador portátil' in Spain
¿Puede abrir su maleta, por favor?
Can you open your suitcase, please?
Literal Can you open your suitcase, please?
'¿Puede...?' softens a command into a polite request. You'll hear this phrase whenever an officer wants to inspect your luggage more closely.
- '¿Puede...?' = Can you...? (formal second person, from 'poder')
- 'Abrir' = to open (infinitive follows modal verb 'poder')
- 'Su maleta' = your suitcase (formal possessive 'su')
No llevo líquidos de más de cien mililitros.
I'm not carrying any liquids over one hundred milliliters.
Literal I don't carry liquids of more than one hundred milliliters.
Proactively declaring compliance with the liquids rule. 'Llevar' is used for things you bring or carry with you on a trip.
- 'No llevo' = I'm not carrying (present tense, first person of 'llevar')
- 'De más de' = more than / exceeding — a useful comparison phrase
- 'Cien mililitros' = one hundred milliliters (100 ml)
El cinturón y las llaves van en la bandeja.
The belt and keys go in the tray.
Literal The belt and the keys go in the tray.
A matter-of-fact instruction listing items to place in the X-ray tray. 'Van' (they go) from 'ir' is used here in a descriptive, instructional way.
- 'Van' = (they) go — third person plural of 'ir'
- Listing items: 'el cinturón y las llaves' connects two nouns with 'y' (and)
¿Tiene algún objeto metálico en los bolsillos?
Do you have any metal objects in your pockets?
Literal Do you have any metallic object in the pockets?
A standard security screening question. 'Algún' is the masculine singular form of 'alguno,' meaning 'any' before a noun.
- '¿Tiene...?' = Do you have...? (formal, from 'tener')
- 'Algún' = any (masculine singular before a noun; 'alguna' before feminine nouns)
- 'Bolsillos' = pockets (plural of 'bolsillo')
Disculpe, ¿tengo que sacar la computadora de la mochila?
Excuse me, do I have to take the laptop out of the backpack?
Literal Excuse me, do I have to take out the laptop from the backpack?
Asking for clarification using the 'tener que + infinitive' structure, which expresses obligation. Starting with 'disculpe' keeps the tone respectful.
- '¿Tengo que...?' = Do I have to...? (obligation: 'tener que' + infinitive)
- 'Sacar' = to take out / remove (from a container or bag)
- 'Disculpe' = excuse me (formal, from 'disculpar')
Todo está en orden, puede pasar.
Everything is in order, you may proceed.
Literal Everything is in order, you can pass.
The phrase every traveler hopes to hear. 'Puede pasar' grants polite permission and signals you're free to go through.
- 'Todo está en orden' = everything is in order (set phrase)
- 'Puede pasar' = you may proceed (formal permission: 'poder' + infinitive)
- 'Pasar' = to pass through / to proceed
Gracias, ¿dónde recojo mi equipaje?
Thank you, where do I pick up my luggage?
Literal Thank you, where do I collect my luggage?
A natural follow-up question using '¿Dónde?' (where). 'Recojo' is the irregular first person singular of 'recoger' (to pick up/collect).
- '¿Dónde...?' = Where...? (interrogative adverb)
- 'Recojo' = I pick up / I collect (first person singular of 'recoger'; irregular -go form)
- 'Equipaje' = luggage/baggage (singular collective noun in Spanish)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
pasaporte
passport
Aquí tiene mi pasaporte.
Here is my passport.
Essential travel document; always have it ready at checkpoints
bandeja
tray
Ponga sus llaves en la bandeja.
Put your keys in the tray.
The plastic tray at the X-ray belt conveyor
equipaje
luggage / baggage
¿Dónde recojo mi equipaje?
Where do I pick up my luggage?
Used as a singular collective noun in Spanish
líquido
liquid
No llevo líquidos de más de cien mililitros.
I'm not carrying liquids over one hundred milliliters.
maleta
suitcase
¿Puede abrir su maleta, por favor?
Can you open your suitcase, please?
bolsillos
pockets
¿Tiene algo en los bolsillos?
Do you have anything in your pockets?
Singular: bolsillo
sacar
to take out / remove
Tengo que sacar la computadora de la mochila.
I have to take the laptop out of the backpack.
Used for removing items from bags; 'quitar' is used for items worn on the body
cinturón
belt
El cinturón va en la bandeja.
The belt goes in the tray.
pasar
to pass / to go through
Puede pasar ahora.
You may go through now.
Also means 'to happen' in other contexts
seguridad
security
El control de seguridad es rápido hoy.
The security check is quick today.
'Control de seguridad' = security checkpoint
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
María llega al control de seguridad del aeropuerto con su mochila y su maleta pequeña. El agente le pide el pasaporte y le indica que quite los zapatos y los ponga en la bandeja. Ella también saca su computadora portátil y la coloca en otra bandeja. El agente pregunta si lleva líquidos, y María responde que solo tiene una botella pequeña de agua. Después de pasar por el escáner, el agente le dice: 'Todo está en orden, puede pasar.' María recoge sus cosas, le da las gracias, y avanza hacia la puerta de embarque.
Sentence by sentence
llega al control de seguridad
arrives at the security checkpoint
'Llega' is the third person singular present of 'llegar' (to arrive). 'Control de seguridad' is the standard Spanish phrase for the security checkpoint area.
le pide el pasaporte
asks her for the passport
'Le pide' uses the indirect object pronoun 'le' (to her) + 'pide' (asks for, from 'pedir'). The 'le' here refers to María — this pronoun-plus-verb construction is very common in Spanish.
que quite los zapatos y los ponga en la bandeja
to remove her shoes and put them in the tray
Two formal imperative commands in reported speech, introduced by 'que.' The subjunctive forms 'quite' and 'ponga' are used here because they follow a verb of telling/ordering.
saca su computadora portátil
takes out her laptop
'Saca' is the third person singular of 'sacar' (to take out from a bag or container). Note: 'quitar' is used when removing items worn on the body, like shoes or a belt.
Todo está en orden, puede pasar
Everything is in order, you may proceed
The reassuring phrase every traveler wants to hear. 'Puede pasar' grants polite permission using the present tense of 'poder' + the infinitive 'pasar.'
avanza hacia la puerta de embarque
heads toward the boarding gate
'Avanza' (moves forward) from 'avanzar.' 'Puerta de embarque' is the standard Spanish term for boarding gate — essential airport vocabulary for any traveler.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Formal Imperative Commands (Usted)
When security officers or officials give instructions in Spanish, they use the formal (usted) command form. To form it, take the yo-form of the present tense, drop the -o, and add -e for -ar verbs, or -a for -er/-ir verbs. These commands sound direct but are standard and polite in official contexts.
yo form → drop -o → add -e (for -ar verbs) or -a (for -er/-ir verbs)
Quite los zapatos.
Remove your shoes.
Abra su maleta.
Open your suitcase.
Ponga el cinturón en la bandeja.
Put the belt in the tray.
Pase por el escáner, por favor.
Please go through the scanner.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Spanish: 'Please remove your shoes and place them in the tray.'
Hint Use the formal imperative (usted) for both verbs.
¿Tiene algún objeto metálico en los bolsillos?
Hint Think about what a security agent might ask before you walk through the scanner.
No llevo líquidos de más de ___ mililitros.
Hint The standard airport liquid limit is a well-known number.
You want to politely ask the agent where you pick up your luggage. Which phrase is correct?
Rewrite this informal command using the formal usted imperative: 'Abre tu maleta.'
Hint Change the final -e of the tú imperative to -a, and swap 'tu' for 'su'.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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