Spanish Phrase
¿Tienes señal de Wi‑Fi?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether the person you’re speaking to currently has a Wi‑Fi signal, i.e., if they can connect to the internet wirelessly. It’s a direct, informal way to check connectivity in a given location.
When to use
Use this question when you’re in a café, hotel lobby, coworking space, or any public area and need to know if the Wi‑Fi is working for you or someone else. It’s appropriate in informal settings with friends, family, or staff you address with ‘tú’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿TienesseñaldeWi‑Fi?
Tener (present 2nd person singular)
‘Tienes’ is the present indicative form of ‘tener’ for ‘tú’, used to ask if someone possesses or experiences something.
Señal (noun)
‘Señal’ means ‘signal’; it is a feminine noun, so any adjectives would agree in gender (e.g., ‘buena señal’).
de + noun (prepositional phrase)
The preposition ‘de’ links ‘señal’ with the type of signal – here ‘de Wi‑Fi’, meaning ‘Wi‑Fi signal’.
Wi‑Fi (loanword)
‘Wi‑Fi’ is an English loanword adopted unchanged in Spanish; it is treated as a masculine noun when used alone (el Wi‑Fi).
Question marks
Spanish uses an opening ‘¿’ and a closing ‘?’ for all questions.
🗨In Conversation
¿Tienes señal de Wi‑Fi?
Do you have Wi‑Fi signal?
Sí, pero está muy débil. ¿Quieres que te pase la contraseña?
Yes, but it’s very weak. Do you want me to give you the password?
✕Common Mistakes
¿Tienes Wi‑Fi señal?
The correct order is ‘señal de Wi‑Fi’; the preposition ‘de’ must link the noun ‘señal’ with ‘Wi‑Fi’.
¿Tienes señal del Wi‑Fi?
‘Del’ (de + el) is unnecessary because ‘Wi‑Fi’ is used as a proper name, not a common noun.
¿Tienes señal de wifi?
Capitalize ‘Wi‑Fi’ and keep the hyphen; it’s the standard spelling in Spanish.
↔Alternatives
¿Hay Wi‑Fi aquí?
Is there Wi‑Fi here?
¿Puedes conectarte al Wi‑Fi?
Can you connect to the Wi‑Fi?
¿Tienes buena conexión a internet?
Do you have a good internet connection?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, Wi‑Fi passwords are often shared verbally or written on a small card. It’s polite to ask ‘¿Me puedes dar la contraseña, por favor?’ rather than demanding it. Also, note that in some regions people refer to Wi‑Fi as ‘internet inalámbrico’ or simply ‘el Wi‑Fi’. Using the informal ‘tú’ form is common in cafés and hotels, but switch to ‘usted’ if you’re speaking with staff you don’t know well.