What do Spaniards call the bathroom?

If you’re learning Spanish or traveling to a Spanish speaking country, it’s important that you know how to get simple information such as how to ask to use the bathroom. Since at some point they may find the need to pose this question, many Spanish students wonder how to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish. 

Depending on the situation, there are some different expressions that speakers use to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish:

  • ¿Me permite usar su baño?
  • Disculpa, ¿dónde están los baños?
  • ¿Puedo pasar a su baño?
  • ¿Puedo ir al baño?
  • Disculpe, ¿el baño?
  • ¿Me das chance de usar tu baño?

All these expressions are perfect for asking to use the bathroom in Spanish. However, depending on the situation you’re in, some phrases may be more or less appropriate than others. 

For that reason, in the following sections, we’ll provide you with some descriptions of when and how to use these expressions. Additionally, we’ll include some examples of how to apply these phrases into your real-life conversations.

By the end of this, you will know 6 different ways to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish. 

1. ¿Me permite usar su baño? – May I use your bathroom?

In Spanish, ¿me permite usar su baño? is one of the most standard, polite and formal ways to ask to use the bathroom. This expression is popularly used when you’re a guest in someone’s house and you want to use the bathroom. However, you can also use it in restaurants and other small businesses. 

As a standard phrase, you can use ‘¿me permite usar su baño?’ in different contexts. However, keep in mind that if you want to use it among your friends you will need to make some tweaks.

 Tiffani, ¿me permites usar tu baño?
Tiffani, may I use your bathroom?

Buenas tardes, ¿me permite usar su baño?
Good afternoon, may I use your bathroom?

Señor Ramírez, ¿me permite usar su baño?
Mr. Ramírez, may I use your bathroom?

Take Note: ‘¿Me permite usar su baño?’ is conjugated for the third singular person (usted). As a result, this expression is quite formal to use with your friends. Instead, you can use ‘¿me permites usar tu baño?’ which is still a polite and standard way to ask to use the bathroom. 

2. Disculpa, ¿dónde están los baños? – Excuse me, where is the bathroom?

As mentioned before, some expressions are more suitable for some contexts than others. So for instance, ‘Disculpa, ¿dónde están los baños?’ is an appropriate phrase to ask for the bathroom in Spanish when at a restaurant, bus/train station, or any public place where you’re receiving some kind of service. 

This Spanish expression is appropriate for casual conversations since it’s slightly more casual than ‘¿me permite usar su baño?’. Additionally, you can also use this expression in someone’s house. In this case, you can remove ‘disculpa’ and just ask your question. 

Disculpa, ¿dónde están los baños?
Excuse me, where is the bathroom?

Oye, David, ¿dónde está el baño?
Hey, David, where is the bathroom?

Disculpa, ¿me puede decir dónde están los baños?
Excuse me, can you tell me where the bathroom is?

If you travel to Spain, you may find that people replace the word ‘el baño/los baños’ for the following words. Keep in mind that these words are not used in Latin American Spanish speaking countries:

  • Los aseos – Toilets / Restrooms
  • Los servicios  – Bathroom / Lavatory

Disculpe, señorita, ¿dónde están los aseos?
Excuse me, miss, where are the toilets?

Take Note: When asking this question in a restaurant or other business, Spanish speakers may add further information that allows them to express that they’re looking for the ladies or men’s bathroom. Here are some options. 

  • Damas – Ladies
  • Mujeres – Women
  • Caballeros – Gentlemen
  • Hombres – Men

¿Dónde está el baño + de + [word]?

Señorita, ¿dónde está el baño de caballeros?
Miss, where is the gentlemen’s bathroom. 

3. ¿Puedo pasar a su baño? – Can I use your bathroom?

‘¿Puedo pasar a su baño?’ is another polite and more casual way to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish. This expression can be used either when you’re in someone’s house or when you’re in a restaurant or other type of business. 

Even though this phrase is popular in casual conversations, you can still use it in formal situations because it’s very polite.  ‘¿Puedo pasar a su baño?’ is addressing to ustedes (formal ‘you’), as a result, if you want to use it among your friends or in more informal situations, you just need to change the possessive pronoun ‘su’ for ‘tu’. 

Señora Adams, ¿puedo pasar a su baño?
Ms. Adams, can I use your bathroom?

Güey, ¿puedo pasar a tu baño?
Dude, can I use your bathroom?  

Joven, ¿puedo pasar a su baño?
Young man, can I use your bathroom?

‘¿Puedo pasar a su baño?’ also has a variation: ‘¿puedo usar su baño?’. This variation follows the same rules as ‘¿puedo pasar a su baño?’, as a result, using one or other depends on the speaker’s personal preferences. 

4. ¿Puedo ir al baño? – May I go to the bathroom? 

In Spanish, ‘¿puedo ir al baño?’ is a common and appropriate expression that people use when asking permission to go to the bathroom. Unlike other expressions from this list, this expression is perfect for school contexts or places where you need someone’s permission to leave the room and go to the bathroom. 

‘¿Puedo ir baño?’ can be translated either as ‘May I go to the bathroom?’ or ‘Can I go to the bathroom?’. 

[Poder conjugated] + ir + al baño

Maestra, ¿puedo ir al baño?
Teacher, may I go to the bathroom?

Mamá, ¿podemos ir al baño a lavarnos las manos?
Mom, can we go to the bathroom to wash our hands?

Doctor, ¿Iván puede ir al baño?
Doctor, can Ivan go to the bathroom?

5. Disculpe, ¿el baño? – Excuse me, the bathroom?

‘Disculpe, ¿el baño?’ is an informal and colloquial way to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish at the same time that you ask for its location. Even though it’s still polite, this expression tends to be more appropriate for casual conversations and contexts.

You can use ‘disculpe, ¿el baño?’ when at a train station, restaurant, supermarket or any place that offers you some type of service. 

Buenos días, disculpe, ¿el baño?
Good morning, excuse me, the bathroom?

Señorita, disculpe, ¿el baño?
Excuse me, miss, the bathroom? 

6. ¿Me das chance de usar tu baño? – Can I use your bathroom?

In Mexico, ¿me das chance de usar tu baño? is a popular and common informal expression that speakers use to ask to use the bathroom. Due to its informality, this expression can be only used among friends, acquaintances or casual situations where you can use slang and informal vocabulary. 

‘¿Me das chance de usar tu baño?’ can be translated as ‘can I use your bathroom?’. Mexican speakers also use this expression in small businesses; however, they do it as long as the other person is young and the place doesn’t require a lot of formality. 

Amigo, ¿me das chance de usar tu baño?
Buddy, can I use your bathroom?

Oye, Ulisses, ¿me das chance de usar tu baño?
Hey, Ulysses, can I use your bathroom

Amor, me quiero lavar las manos, ¿me das chance de usar tu baño?
Sweetie, I want to wash my hands, can I use your bathroom?

Wrapping Up

Knowing how to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish can be very useful even if you’re not learning this language. For that reason, we compiled different expressions that you can for this purpose. 

Most of these expressions are very polite and standard and, as a result, you will be able to use them in different contexts. Hopefully, now you know different expressions to ask to use the bathroom in Spanish. Good luck. 
Related Resource: Bathroom Vocabulary in Spanish

How do you say bathroom in Barcelona?

servicios seems to be the common/polite term for restroom/bathroom in each area of Spain I visit. " There are many ways and different people use different names. It is your choice: baño, servicio, lavabo, reservado (quite old style),... and the old Catalan version: "Can Felip", in "honour" of Philip V of Spain.

How do you ask for a bathroom in Spain?

Disculpe, ¿podría usar el baño? Polite way to ask for permission to use the restroom. I need to use the restroom. Necesito ir al baño.

What do they call bathroom in Europe?

Most European countries are short on public restrooms, but I can teach you how to sniff out a biffy in a jiffy. If you ask for a "restroom" or "bathroom," you'll get no relief. Instead, say "Toilet" or "WC" (short for Water Closet); these terms are direct, simple, and understood.