70 Making an offer or invitation and accepting or declining
This chapter considers the main expressions used by Spanish speakers to make offers or
invitations and to accept or decline them.70.1 Making an offer or invitation
To make an offer or invitation, Spanish, like English, uses a range of constructions,
depending on the type of offer or invitation and the degree of formality involved.
Below you will find a list of the most common, including formal and informal
forms.70.1.1 Te invito...
Invitations, especially informal ones, may be made with the verb invitar.
Te invito a tomar un café.
Let me invite/buy you a coffee.
Vamos a comer algo. Invito yo.
Let’s go and have something to eat. My treat.
¿Os apetece beber una cerveza? Os invito. (Spain)
Would you like to have a beer? I’ll treat you.70.1.2 Imperative
Remember that the imperative has polite and familiar forms, so you will need to use the
appropriate form according to the situation. The imperative is usually associated with
informal invitations, so you will normally need to use the familiar form. But a word like
por favor, or an additional polite phrase can make the imperative perfectly suitable for
a formal invitation.
Ven a cenar con nosotros mañana.
Come and have dinner with us tomorrow. (fam.)
Me gustaría mucho que conociera a mi familia. Venga a cenar con
nosotros mañana.
I’d very much like you to meet my family. Come and have dinner with
us tomorrow. (pol.)