Chapter 18 — Invites
Coffee, wine, walk, or later.
Inviting her to do something is the natural next step. Keep it simple. Coffee, a walk, a drink, or something you mentioned in conversation. Be specific about time and place. Don't be vague. "Sometime" doesn't work—"tomorrow at 3pm" does.
Coffee Invite
Spanish: ¿Te apetece tomar un café mañana?
Word-by-word: To-you it-appeals to-take a coffee tomorrow?
Natural English: Do you feel like getting coffee tomorrow?
When to use: Simple, low-pressure invite. Works well.
Her possible replies:
- "Sí, me encantaría" (Yes, I'd love to) → You: "Perfecto, ¿a qué hora te viene bien?" (Perfect, what time works for you?)
- "Tal vez" (Maybe) → You: "Vale, ¿qué día te viene mejor?" (Okay, what day works better for you?)
- "No estoy segura" (I'm not sure) → You: "Sin problema, piénsalo y me dices." (No problem, think about it and let me know.)
Specific Coffee Invite
Spanish: ¿Quieres tomar un café mañana a las 3 en [lugar]?
Word-by-word: Do-you-want to-take a coffee tomorrow at the 3 in [place]?
Natural English: Do you want to get coffee tomorrow at 3 at [place]?
When to use: Specific time and place. Shows you're serious.
Her possible replies:
- "Sí, perfecto" (Yes, perfect) → You: "Genial, nos vemos ahí." (Great, see you there.)
- "A las 3 no puedo" (I can't at 3) → You: "¿Qué hora te viene mejor?" (What time works better for you?)
- "Ese lugar no me gusta" (I don't like that place) → You: "Vale, ¿dónde prefieres?" (Okay, where do you prefer?)
Walk Invite
Spanish: ¿Te apetece dar un paseo por [lugar]?
Word-by-word: To-you it-appeals to-give a walk through [place]?
Natural English: Do you feel like taking a walk through [place]?
When to use: Low-pressure, active. Good for daytime.
Her possible replies:
- "Sí, suena bien" (Yes, sounds good) → You: "¿Cuándo te viene bien?" (When works for you?)
- "No me apetece caminar" (I don't feel like walking) → You: "Vale, ¿qué prefieres hacer?" (Okay, what do you prefer to do?)
- "Tal vez otro día" (Maybe another day) → You: "Vale, sin problema." (Okay, no problem.)
Drink Invite (Evening)
Spanish: ¿Te apetece tomar algo esta noche?
Word-by-word: To-you it-appeals to-take something this night?
Natural English: Do you feel like getting a drink tonight?
When to use: Evening invite. More casual than dinner.
Her possible replies:
- "Sí, vale" (Yes, okay) → You: "¿A qué hora?" (What time?)
- "Esta noche no puedo" (I can't tonight) → You: "¿Mañana?" (Tomorrow?)
- "No bebo" (I don't drink) → You: "Vale, ¿qué prefieres hacer?" (Okay, what do you prefer to do?)
Wine Invite
Spanish: ¿Te gusta el vino? Conozco un lugar bueno.
Word-by-word: To-you it-likes the wine? I-know a place good.
Natural English: Do you like wine? I know a good place.
When to use: When wine comes up naturally or you want something more intimate than coffee.
Her possible replies:
- "Sí, me encanta" (Yes, I love it) → You: "¿Quieres ir algún día?" (Do you want to go some day?)
- "No mucho" (Not much) → You: "Vale, ¿qué prefieres?" (Okay, what do you prefer?)
- "Sí, pero no bebo mucho" (Yes, but I don't drink much) → You: "Vale, podemos tomar solo una copa." (Okay, we can just have one glass.)
Activity-Based Invite
Spanish: Mencionaste que te gusta [actividad]. ¿Quieres ir juntos algún día?
Word-by-word: You-mentioned that to-you it-likes [activity]. Do-you-want to-go together some day?
Natural English: You mentioned you like [activity]. Do you want to go together some day?
When to use: When she mentioned something she likes doing. Shows you listened.
Her possible replies:
- "Sí, me encantaría" (Yes, I'd love to) → You: "¿Cuándo te viene bien?" (When works for you?)
- "Tal vez" (Maybe) → You: "Vale, piénsalo." (Okay, think about it.)
- "Prefiero hacerlo sola" (I prefer to do it alone) → You: "Vale, sin problema." (Okay, no problem.)
Key Points
- Be specific—time and place matter
- Start with low-pressure invites—coffee or a walk
- If she says maybe, give her space—don't pressure
- If she suggests a different time/place, that's a good sign—be flexible
- Don't invite her to your place on the first invite—keep it public
- If she says no, accept it gracefully
- If she says yes, confirm logistics clearly
- Follow up the day before to confirm