B2 · Unit 16 · 41 words, 3 texts with translation
Write a polite letter to the bank
Make polite requests at the bank and in letters: certificates, accounts, loans and the most courteous phrases Spanish has.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Le agradecería que me enviara…: the most polite request
You already know the request le ruego que me envíe… (unit 4) and the forms enviara, hiciera after me gustaría que (unit 13). Now we put them together into the most polite request there is.
Why. At a bank, at a government office, in a letter to your landlord, you're asking someone who owes you nothing. Le agradecería que… means "I would be grateful if you…". You're not demanding anything: you're thanking the person in advance.
How it's built. Le agradecería (the conditional of agradecer, to thank, to be grateful) + que + the imperfect subjunctive (the -ra form). Compare it with a request in the present:
| Main part | Form after que | Example |
|---|---|---|
le ruego, le pido — present tense | present subjunctive | Le ruego que me envíe el certificado. |
| le agradecería (conditional) | imperfect subjunctive | Le agradecería que me enviara el certificado. |
This isn't about the past: the certificate will be sent tomorrow. The conditional in the main part simply pulls the -ra form after it. English does something similar: "I'd be grateful if you sent it" uses a past form for something that hasn't happened yet.
- Le agradecería que me llamara mañana por la mañana. — I'd be grateful if you called me tomorrow morning.
- Les agradecería que me dieran una respuesta esta semana. — I'd be grateful if you gave me an answer this week (to several people, formal).
- Se lo agradecería mucho. — I'd be very grateful. This is what you say when someone offers to help.
Ask for a thing, not an action, and you don't need que or a second verb: Le agradecería una respuesta rápida. — I'd appreciate a quick reply.
Common mistakes:
siinstead of que: English says "I'd be grateful if you…", but in a letter Spanish says le agradecería que me enviara;- the present after the conditional: not ✗ le agradecería que me envía, but que me enviara;
enviaraand enviará are different forms: the first means "(if you) sent", the second, with the written accent, is the future "will send".
Three formal politeness formulas: ¿sería tan amable de…?, si no le importa, quisiera saber si…
Not every request starts with le agradecería que. Formal Spanish has three more ready-made formulas. The key thing is which form comes after each one.
| Formula | What comes after it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Sería tan amable de…? ("would you be so kind as to…?") | infinitive | ¿Sería tan amable de firmar aquí? |
| Si no le importa, … ("if you don't mind") | the normal form (indicative): this is si + present, no subjunctive | Si no le importa, espero aquí. |
| Quisiera saber si… ("I'd like to know if…") | the normal form: it's a question inside a sentence (B1, unit 7) | Quisiera saber si puedo pagar con tarjeta. |
- ¿Sería tan amable de decirme dónde está la oficina? — Would you be so kind as to tell me where the office is?
- Si no le importa, prefiero una cita por la tarde. — If you don't mind, I prefer an afternoon appointment.
- Quisiera saber cuánto cuesta el certificado. — I'd like to know how much the certificate costs.
- Quisiera saber si han recibido mi carta. — I'd like to know if you've received my letter.
In quisiera saber si, the word si means "whether", not "if" in a condition. A question word can take its place: cuánto, cuándo, dónde.
How to answer. To say yes, use faltaría más ("of course, don't mention it") or por supuesto.
The politeness ladder. ¿Puede…? is normal. ¿Podría…? is polite. ¿Sería tan amable de…? and le agradecería que… are the top step: the bank, a government office, a letter. You don't talk like this to friends: ¿Serías tan amable de pasarme la sal? sounds like a joke or as if you're offended. But si no te importa, with tú, is ordinary politeness among friends.
Common mistake: que and the subjunctive after sería tan amable. Not ✗ ¿sería tan amable que me diga…?, but ¿sería tan amable de decirme…?
Words in this unit
cuenta corriente — checking account
Quiero abrir una cuenta corriente. — I want to open a checking account.
la nómina — paycheck, pay slip
Me ingresan la nómina el día 28. — They deposit my paycheck on the 28th.
el préstamo — loan
Pido un préstamo al banco. — I'm asking the bank for a loan.
el crédito — credit, loan
Tengo un crédito a diez años. — I have a ten-year loan.
la hipoteca — mortgage
Pagamos la hipoteca el día cinco. — We pay the mortgage on the fifth.
la deuda — debt
Tengo una deuda con el banco. — I have a debt to the bank.
el extracto — bank statement, statement
Necesito el extracto de mi cuenta. — I need the statement for my account.
retirar — to withdraw (money), to pick up
Voy a retirar dinero del cajero. — I'm going to withdraw money from the ATM.
prestar — to lend
¿Me puedes prestar cincuenta euros? — Can you lend me fifty euros?
domiciliar — to set up autopay, to set up direct deposit
Quiero domiciliar el recibo de la luz. — I want to put the electric bill on autopay.
facilitar — to provide, to make easier
Le facilito mi número de cuenta. — I'm giving you my account number (formal).
emitir — to issue
El banco emite el certificado en un día. — The bank issues the certificate in one day.
proporcionar — to provide, to give
Le proporciono la información que necesita. — I'm giving you the information you need (formal).
verificar — to verify, to check
Voy a verificar sus datos. — I'm going to check your details (formal).
acceder — to access, to get into
No puedo acceder a mi cuenta. — I can't access my account.
el usuario — user
El usuario tiene que escribir su contraseña. — The user has to enter their password.
el asesor — advisor, consultant
Mi asesor del banco me llama mañana. — My bank advisor is calling me tomorrow.
el gestor — gestor (paperwork agent)
Mi gestor hace la declaración de la renta. — My gestor does my tax return.
el inversor — investor
Mi tío es inversor. — My uncle is an investor.
el coste — cost
El coste del préstamo es alto. — The cost of the loan is high.
la moneda — currency, coin
¿Cuál es la moneda de este país? — What's the currency of this country?
la divisa — foreign currency
Quiero cambiar divisas. — I want to exchange foreign currency.
el duplicado — duplicate
Necesito un duplicado de la tarjeta. — I need a duplicate of the card.
el débito — debit
Pago con tarjeta de débito. — I pay with a debit card.
números rojos — the red (being overdrawn)
Estoy en números rojos este mes. — I'm in the red this month.
a plazos — in installments
Compré el sofá a plazos. — I bought the sofa in installments.
al contado — in full, all at once
Pago al contado, ¿hay descuento? — I'm paying in full. Is there a discount?
correspondiente — corresponding, appropriate
Rellena el formulario correspondiente. — Fill out the appropriate form.
mediante — by means of, through
Puede pagar mediante transferencia. — You can pay by bank transfer (formal).
cortés — polite, courteous
El director es muy cortés con todos. — The director is very courteous to everyone.
la cortesía — courtesy, politeness
Por cortesía, saludo a todos. — Out of courtesy, I say hello to everyone.
la amabilidad — kindness
Gracias por su amabilidad. — Thank you for your kindness (formal).
respetuoso — respectful
Mi jefa es muy respetuosa con todos. — My boss (female) is very respectful toward everyone.
a su disposición — at your service, at your disposal
Quedo a su disposición para cualquier duda. — I remain at your disposal for any questions (formal).
¡faltaría más! — of course, don't mention it
—Muchas gracias por su ayuda. —¡Faltaría más! — —Thank you very much for your help. —Don't mention it! (formal)
rentable — profitable, worth it
Esta inversión es muy rentable. — This investment is very profitable.
detallar — to explain in detail, to itemize
Voy a detallar los gastos. — I'm going to list the expenses in detail.
oportuno — appropriate, right, timely
Es el momento oportuno para pedir un préstamo. — It's the right moment to ask for a loan.
previo — prior, previous
No se puede cancelar sin aviso previo. — You can't cancel without prior notice.
remitir — to send, to forward, to refer
Le remito los documentos por correo. — I'm sending you the documents by mail (formal).
acreditar — to prove (with documents), to certify
Tengo que acreditar mis ingresos. — I have to prove my income.
Learn these words with flashcards
In the app, the unit’s words come to your flashcards a few at a time and repeat until they stick, and the texts show them in use. 15 minutes a day.
Start for freeEverything is open for free. No card needed to sign up.