You must write addresses in the correct format to ensure your mail arrives in Spain. This guide explains how to write a Spanish address and decodes common abbreviations.
Standard Spanish address format
Spanish addresses have a specific layout. The national postal service reads this format automatically.
Write the recipient’s full name on the first line. Write the street type, street name, and building number on the second line.
Include the staircase, floor, and door details on the same line if they exist. Write the postal code and the city on the third line.
Finally, write the country name on the bottom line for international mail. The Spanish term for postal code is código postal.
Decoding street abbreviations
You will see many abbreviations in Spanish addresses. These short forms represent different street types.
- Calle (street) - Abbreviated as C/ or Cl.. This is the most common street type.
- Avenida (avenue) - Abbreviated as Av. or Avda.. Used for wider main streets.
- Paseo (promenade) - Abbreviated as Pº. Used for tree-lined avenues.
- Plaza (square) - Abbreviated as Pl. or Pza.. Used for public plazas.
- Carretera (highway) - Abbreviated as Ctra.. Used for regional roads.
Apartment, floor, and staircase details
Apartment buildings in Madrid require extra details. You must include the floor and door numbers.
The Spanish word for floor is piso. The word for door or apartment is puerta.
Floors are written with ordinal numbers. For example, 1º means first floor, and 2º means second floor.
Doors are often labeled with letters or directions. Common directions include izquierda (left, abbreviated as Izqda. or Izq.) and derecha (right, abbreviated as Dcha. or Der.).
You can also see centro (center, abbreviated as Ctro. or Cn.). The staircase is called escalera and is abbreviated as Esc..
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Address formatting examples
You can study these examples to format your envelope correctly. Make sure you use capital letters.
Standard street address
Juan Pérez
C/ de Serrano 45, 3º A
28001 Madrid
SPAIN
Address with a staircase
Ana Gómez
Av. de América 12, Esc. B, 2º Izq.
28028 Madrid
SPAIN
You should write the sender’s details on the back of the envelope. The Spanish word for sender is remitente.
Questions and answers
What do the numbers in the Madrid postal code mean?
They indicate the district. Postal codes in Madrid always start with 28. The last three digits show the specific neighborhood.
Where should I write the sender’s address?
On the back of the envelope. Write the return details under the word remitente. This ensures the letter returns to you if undelivered.
Do I need to write the country in Spanish?
No. You can write the country name in English or Spanish. Capital letters are preferred for international mail.
What does “s/n” mean in a Spanish address?
Without a number. It stands for sin número (without number). This is common for buildings in small villages or large public parks.
How do I write an address for a housing estate?
Use the abbreviation Urb. It stands for urbanización (housing estate). Write this abbreviation before the name of the estate.
