Cita en oficina: frases de emergencia (copias)

Typical emergency: you’re missing a copy. Key phrase: “¿Dónde puedo hacer copias?” (“Where can I make copies?”). Look for a stationery / copy shop nearby. At the counter, use **usted** and be polite.

“¿Puedo salir y volver? Tengo la cita.” (“Can I go out and come back? I have an appointment.”) Useful if you go out to make copies. Say that you have an appointment.

Another useful phrase: “¿Me puede sellar esta copia?” *sellar* = “to stamp”. They give you back your copy with an official stamp as proof they received it.

Opening hours: many offices are open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If they tell you “vuelve antes de las tres”, that’s why. Useful expression: “antes de las tres” (“before three o’clock”).

Being polite helps: “Perdone, ¿me puede ayudar?” (“Excuse me, can you help me?”) and “gracias” (“thank you”). In Spain it usually works better to speak calmly and use **usted**.