Spanish Phrase
¿Qué puedo comprar en el duty‑free?
Meaning
The speaker is asking what items are available for purchase in the duty‑free shop, usually located at airports or border crossings. The question implies the speaker is interested in tax‑free options but may not know the product range.
When to use
Use this sentence while waiting at the gate, on a cruise ship, or after clearing customs when you see a duty‑free area and want to know what you can buy without paying local taxes.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quépuedocomprarenelduty‑free?
¿Qué
Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what'. It always carries an accent to differentiate it from the conjunction 'que'.
puedo
First‑person singular present of the modal verb poder, used to express ability or permission.
comprar
Infinitive verb meaning 'to buy'. After poder, the infinitive follows directly without 'a' or 'de'.
en
Preposition that indicates location; here it introduces the place where the action can happen.
el duty‑free
A loanword from English; treated as masculine singular, so it takes the article 'el'.
Question marks
Spanish uses an opening (¿) and closing (?) question mark for all interrogative sentences.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué puedo comprar en el duty‑free?
What can I buy in the duty‑free?
Hay perfumes, licores, chocolates y gadgets electrónicos sin impuestos.
There are perfumes, liquors, chocolates and electronic gadgets tax‑free.
✕Common Mistakes
Que puedo comprar en el duty‑free?
Missing accent; 'Que' without accent is a conjunction, not the interrogative pronoun.
¿Qué puedes comprar en el duty‑free?
The subject is 'yo' (I), so the verb must be 'puedo', not 'puedes'.
¿Qué puedo comprar en duty‑free?
The noun is masculine, so it needs the article 'el' before it.
¿Qué puedo comprar a en el duty‑free?
After poder, the infinitive goes directly without a preposition.
↔Alternatives
¿Qué hay para comprar en el duty‑free?
What is there to buy in the duty‑free?
¿Qué productos puedo adquirir en el duty‑free?
What products can I acquire in the duty‑free?
¿Qué tipo de cosas venden en el duty‑free?
What kind of things do they sell in the duty‑free?
Cultural Tip
Duty‑free shops are popular in Spanish‑speaking countries, especially in large international airports like Madrid‑Barajas or Mexico City. While the items are tax‑free, there are still limits on quantities (e.g., 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes). Prices can be lower than in the city, but not always – compare before you buy. Remember to keep the receipt for customs declarations if you exceed the allowance.