I Have an Order in Spanish | Say It Right When Buying

In Spanish, “I have an order” is usually “Tengo un pedido,” while “Tengo una orden” points to an instruction or a formal written order.

“Order” feels straightforward in English. In Spanish, it splits into a few lanes. Are you talking about something you bought? A delivery you’re waiting for? A meal you requested? Or a command someone gave you? Each meaning pulls a different word, and picking the wrong one can make your message sound odd or unclear.

This article gives you natural ways to say “I have an order” in Spanish across real situations. You’ll get ready-to-use lines, common mix-ups, and small tweaks that make you sound normal and clear.

I Have an Order in Spanish With A Natural Buying Meaning

If you’re talking about a purchase, a delivery, or something you requested from a seller, start with pedido. The everyday line is Tengo un pedido. It fits online shopping, store pickup, delivery apps, and customer service chats.

If you mean an instruction, a command, or a formal directive, you’re in orden territory: Tengo una orden. Think doctor paperwork, legal documents, or a workplace task you’ve been assigned. That sense is tied to authority or procedure, not shopping.

The RAE definition of “pedido” includes the idea of a purchase request made to a seller, which matches how Spanish speakers use it for orders and deliveries.

When To Use Pedido Vs Orden

The trap is simple: English uses “order” for both “purchase order” and “command.” Spanish often keeps them apart. You can hear orden used for purchases in some places, but it can also read like “instruction,” and that can cause confusion in writing.

The RAE definition of “orden” shows how broad the word is: arrangement, sequence, rule, and more. That breadth is why “una orden” often sounds like an instruction unless you label it.

Use Pedido For Purchases, Deliveries, And Restaurant Items

Pick pedido when you can point to a transaction: you paid, you’re waiting, you want to track it, you want to change it, or you want to cancel it. It also works for what you asked for in a restaurant or on a delivery app.

• Tengo un pedido con ustedes. (I have an order with you.)
• Mi pedido aún no llega. (My order still hasn’t arrived.)
• Quiero cambiar mi pedido. (I want to change my order.)

Use Orden For Instructions, Authorizations, And Paperwork

Pick orden when “order” is closer to an instruction or an authorization. In medical or legal settings, Spanish commonly pairs it with a label.

• Tengo una orden médica. (I have a medical order.)
• Tengo una orden de arresto. (I have an arrest warrant.)
• Tengo una orden de trabajo. (I have a work order.)

When Orden Works For Purchasing In Business

In business and logistics, you’ll see clear phrases like orden de compra (purchase order). That’s standard and easy to read because the label removes doubt. If you write “una orden” by itself, some readers may think “instruction.”

Small Add-Ons That Make The Sentence Sound Normal

Spanish speakers often add one detail right after pedido to lock in the context. It keeps the line from sounding like a direct translation. You can add a store name, an order number, a date, or the delivery method.

With A Store Or Platform

• Tengo un pedido en Amazon.
• Tengo un pedido en la tienda.
• Tengo un pedido con su empresa.

With An Order Number

If you have a number, lead with it. It speeds things up in chats and calls.

• Tengo el pedido número 48219.
• Mi número de pedido es 48219.

With Pickup Or Delivery Details

• Tengo un pedido para recoger. (I have an order to pick up.)
• Tengo un pedido a domicilio. (I have a delivery order.)
• Tengo un pedido programado para mañana. (I have an order scheduled for tomorrow.)

If you want a clean verb to pair with these nouns, pedir is the safest choice across regions. The RAE definition of “pedir” ties it to expressing a desire or need so someone fulfills it, which matches ordering goods or food.

Polite Lines For Stores, Counters, And Customer Service

Spanish has plenty of polite tools, but you don’t need long sentences. A greeting plus one clear request works well. Keep it calm. Keep it direct.

At A Store Or Pickup Counter

• Hola, tengo un pedido para recoger.
• Hola, vengo por un pedido.
• Buenas, tengo el pedido a nombre de Marta López.

On The Phone Or In A Chat

• Hola, tengo un pedido y necesito ayuda.
• Tengo un pedido pendiente. ¿Me pueden decir el estado?
• Quiero saber dónde está mi pedido.

When Something Went Wrong

State the issue in one line, then ask what happens next. That rhythm sounds natural and gets you useful replies.

• Mi pedido llegó incompleto. ¿Qué hago?
• Recibí un pedido equivocado. ¿Pueden cambiarlo?
• Mi pedido aparece entregado, pero no lo tengo.

Common Mix-Ups And Clean Fixes

Most mistakes come from translating word by word. Fixing them is easy once you see the pattern.

Saying “Tengo una orden” For Online Shopping

If you’re talking about a purchase, switch to pedido. “Tengo una orden” can be understood in some places, but it can also sound like a command, especially without extra context.

Using “Ordenar” When You Mean “To Order”

Ordenar often means “to arrange” or “to put in order.” Some regions use it for ordering food, yet pedir travels better and avoids side meanings.

Mixing Up Pedido And Encargo

Encargo can also mean an order, but it often leans toward a commissioned item or a task you entrust to someone. It can feel more personal than a standard online purchase. In some countries, you’ll also hear the variant encargue. Fundéu notes that split in usage across regions in its note on “encargue/encargo”.

Quick Choose Table For Real Situations

Match your situation, then use the line as written. Add your details after it.

Situation	Best Spanish Line	Notes
Online purchase you’re waiting on	Tengo un pedido en camino.	Good for tracking and delivery updates.
Pickup at a store	Tengo un pedido para recoger.	Common at counters and lockers.
Customer service chat opener	Tengo un pedido y necesito ayuda.	Short opener that invites next steps.
Restaurant order you placed	Mi pedido todavía no sale.	Works with servers or delivery apps.
Wrong item arrived	Recibí un pedido equivocado.	Add the order number right after.
Missing items	Mi pedido llegó incompleto.	Then list what’s missing.
Medical paperwork	Tengo una orden médica.	Use orden with a label.
Company purchasing paperwork	Tengo una orden de compra.	Standard in procurement and invoices.

Region Notes That Keep Your Meaning Clear

Spanish changes by place, so you’ll hear more than one option. Still, you can choose a default that works widely, then adjust if you notice local habits.

Spain

For purchases, pedido is the usual word. In restaurants, pedido also works for what you asked for. Some venues use comanda for the staff ticket, yet you can still say pedido as a customer.

Mexico And Central America

Pedido works well for shopping and delivery. In restaurants, orden can also mean a portion in some regions, like “una orden de tacos.” Context makes that meaning clear, since it’s tied to food and portions, not commands.

South America

Pedido stays safe for purchases and deliveries. In business settings, you may hear orden used more often in labeled phrases like orden de compra, which keeps meaning stable in writing.

Mini Scripts You Can Copy And Paste

These are built for real messages: short, direct, polite. Swap the details in brackets.

Delivery Status Message

Hola. Tengo el pedido número [____]. ¿Me pueden decir el estado y la fecha de entrega?

Pickup Message

Hola. Tengo un pedido para recoger a nombre de [____]. ¿Qué documento necesitan?

Wrong Or Missing Items Message

Hola. Mi pedido llegó incompleto. Faltan [____]. ¿Pueden reenviarlo o reembolsarlo?

Business Purchase Order Message

Hola. Enviamos la orden de compra [____]. ¿Pueden confirmar recepción y plazo de envío?

Second Table For Time And Tone Options

Once you’ve picked pedido or orden, you can shift the time and the feel with small changes.

What You Mean	Spanish Option	Where It Fits
You placed an order	Hice un pedido.	Good when “tengo” feels too static.
You’re waiting on it	Tengo un pedido pendiente.	Calls, chats, tracking messages.
You received it	Ya me llegó el pedido.	Delivery confirmation.
You want to place one now	Quiero hacer un pedido.	Ordering by phone or in-store.
You need formal authorization	Tengo una orden firmada.	Medical, legal, workplace paperwork.
You have a written purchase order	Tengo una orden de compra.	Suppliers, invoices, procurement.

Pronunciation Notes That Help You Be Understood

Pedido is often pe-DEE-doh, with the stress on “DEE.” Orden is OR-den, two clean beats. Keep the vowels open and don’t swallow the middle consonants when you speak fast.

When you say an order number, group digits in twos or threes. It lands clearer: “cuarenta y ocho, dos, diecinueve.” If the agent repeats it back, let them, then confirm with a simple “sí.”

A Fast Check Before You Hit Send

• If money changed hands or items are being delivered, use pedido.
• If it’s an instruction, authorization, or formal document, use orden with a label.
• If it’s business purchasing paperwork, say orden de compra.

That’s it. With these patterns, you can say “I have an order” in Spanish in a way that reads clean, sounds natural, and avoids mixed meanings.