The purpose of this document is to provude guidance for Maps Search and Autocomplete rating within the Spain market. These guidelines are supplemental to the global MS and AC 2.0 guidelines.
It is common for users to omit the street type and/or articles/prepositions in their query. The opposite might also be true and the name present in the result might contain fewer articles and prepositions than what the user entered. As long as the street name is the same that the user entered in Search, or there is a match through the street name in AC, User Intent is considered satisfied.
Maps Search (MS) | ||
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[Lehendakari Aguirre] | Avenida del Lehendakari Aguirre 48015 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Navigational: User omitted the street type and the preposition in the query. |
[calle colon madrid] | Calle de Colón 28004 Madrid España | Navigational: User omitted the preposition in the query. |
[calle de las huertas de la villa] | Calle Huertas de la Villa 48007 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Navigational: User query has more prepositions than the name that appears in the result. |
Autocomplete | ||
User Query | Result | Rating |
[Lehendak] | Avenida del Lehendakari Aguirre, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España | Match: User omitted the street type and the preposition in the query. |
[calle co] | Calle de Colón, Madrid, España | Match: User omitted the preposition in the query. |
[calle de las h] | Calle Huertas de la Villa, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España | Match: User query has more prepositions than the name in the result. |
Users might occasionally type in a wrong street type. E.g. they might use “Calle” instead of “Avenida” for a given road. If a result with a different street type exists close to a fresh viewport or user location, while the closest result with the exact same street type is considerably further away, then the closer result with a different road type would be the likeliest user intent.
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[calle de la castellana] (Fresh VP in Madrid) | Paseo de la Castellana 28046 Madrid España | Excellent: The road type of the result (“Paseo”) does not match the query (“Calle”), however, the road name does (“Castellana”). Since this result is within a fresh Viewport and the closest road named “Calle de la Castellana” is 60 miles away, this road is the likeliest intent. |
It should be noted that even some components of the road name might be dropped (for instance, a road named after a person or the person’s title) when querying roads and addresses:
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[calle ledesma] | Calle del Músico Ledesma 48001 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Navigational: User omitted in the query the preposition (“del”) as well as the title (“Músico”) of the person that the road is named after. |
[newton 5 madrid] | Calle de Isaac Newton, 5 28760 Tres Cantos Madrid, España | Navigational: User omitted in the query the street type, the preposition and the first name of the person that the road is named after. |
Street Numbers might come with a suffix (often used for infill buildings). The most common suffixes are letters A, B, C, etc. or Bis.
Suffixes are an integral part of the street number as they help differentiate a given street number from others. As a result, two street numbers where the suffix is the only difference (e.g. 26A Vs 26B, 3 Vs 3 Bis) must be considered entirely different street numbers.
Calle Tetuán, 27 Bis 41001 Sevilla | Street Type Street Name, Street Number Suffix Postal Code Locality |
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[Calle Tetúan, 27 Bis 41001 Sevilla] | Calle Tetúan, 27 41001 Sevilla Madrid, España | Bad: 27 and 27 Bis are two different street numbers. 27 could only satisfy the user intent if 27 Bis did not exist. |
[Calle del Roble, 2B] | Calle del Roble, 2A 48001 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Bad: 2B and 2A are two different street numbers. 2A could only be considered to satisfy the user intent if 2B did not exist. |
Some residential address queries might include a unit/apartment number. Even though for this type of queries the result address might omit the unit/apartment, the result is still considered to fully satisfy the user intent.
User Query | Result | Rating |
[Calle Ruda, 3, 4ºA 28005 Madrid] | Calle Ruda, 3 28005 Madrid España | Navigational: The unit number for this residential address is included in the query. It is not expected that the unit number is returned. |
As mentioned in a previous section, queries and results in Spain can be written in many different ways by adding/removing prepositions and articles. These have cosmetic value and should not be taken into consideration to determine whether a result satisfies the user intent.
The order of the words is often altered, but should not be a factor when assessing whether the result satisfies the intent of the user. This is especially common for POIs that have a name composed of several words.
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[Hortaleza Polideportivo] | Polideportivo Municipal de Hortaleza Carretera de la Estación de Hortaleza, 11 28033 Madrid España | Navigational: Even though the suggestion has more articles and the words have a different order, this result clearly satisfies the user intent. |
[amigos opera y arte comunidad valenciana] | Amigos de la Ópera y de las Artes de la Comunidad Valenciana Plaça Major, 4 46200 Paiporta Valencia, España | Navigational: The user dropped every single preposition and article in the query, but the user intent is still clearly satisfied. |
Besides the official names of teams and stadiums, users may try to look for a team by typing the name of their home stadium.
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[estadio real madrid] | Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Avenida de Concha Espina, 1 28036 Madrid España | Navigational: Santiago Bernabéu is the stadium where Real Madrid FC plays. |
[estadio barça] | Camp Nou Carrer d’Aristides Maillol, 12 08028 Barcelona, España | Navigational: Camp Nou is the stadium where Barcelona FC (commonly known as “Barça”) plays. |
Some queries might contain an indicator like “Ltd.” (Limited) to refer to a given brand. Assume that the primary intent of these queries is the headquarters of the company. Among the most common indicators for this in Spain are “SA” (Sociedad Anónima), “SL” (Sociedad Limitada).
User Query | Result | Relevance Rating |
[Abercrombie & Fitch Spain SL] | Abercrombie & Fitch SL Spain Headquarters Calle de Velázquez, 51, 4º 28001 Madrid España | Excellent: The primary intent of this query is the company’s headquarters. |
[Abercrombie & Fitch Spain SL] | Abercrombie & Fitch Plaza del Marqués de Salamanca, 5 28006 Madrid España | Good/Acceptable: This result is a regular store branch located in Madrid. It should be considered secondary intent. |
Spanish users often drop special characters and diacritics when they type. As a result, consider a result matching the query even when the latter does not contain the special character that the intended result has.
The Viewport for the following examples would cover the whole of Spain
User Query | Result | Rating |
[cor] | Córdoba, Spain | Match: The correct spelling of the result has a diacritic, but we’d still consider it a match. |
[leo] | León, Spain | Match: The correct spelling of the result has a diacritic, but we’d still consider it a match. |
The opposite is not true: if a user inputs a query that contains a special character, results that complete the query based on the special character are likely to be more relevant. Hence, any possible results that do contain the special character present in the query should be considered the likeliest match. The reasoning is that if a user actively made an effort to enter a special character, the special character should be considered a strong signal of what the user intent is.
User Query | Result | Rating |
[Calle tulipán, mó] | Calle Tulipán Móstoles, Madrid, España | Match: The result matches the query, including the special character that the user entered. |
[Calle tulipán, mó] | Calle Tulipán, Moraleja de Enmedio, Madrid, España | No match: The query entered contains a diacritic that the result does not. Other results that match the query (including the diacritic) exist and are likelier. |
[lé] | León, España | No match: The query entered contains a diacritic that the result does not. Other results that match the query (including the diacritic) exist and are likelier. |
Nevertheless, the possibility of a typo should always be considered: if the query has a special character and there are no possible/likely results that match it, results that ignore the query’s diacritics should be considered a match through autocorrect.
User Query | Result | Rating |
[Jáen] | Jaén, España | Match: The user placed the diacritical accent on the wrong letter (typo). |
While it is true that many users will search for transit POIs by using transit-related words like “Estación” (Station) or “Metro” (Subway), many other users also search for these features by just typing the name of the station without including any such terms.
Consider such transit stations as possible primary intent in Spain.
The following results are within fresh viewports:
User Query | Result | Rating |
[Salou] | Estación de Salou Carrer de Carles Roig, s/n, Tarragona | Match: We are returning the rail station that matches the query. |
[piramides] | Estación de Pirámides Madrid | Match: The “Pirámides” rail station in the city of Madrid is returned. The station’s name matches the query and is considered with the locality itself primary intent. |
[Abando] | Metro Abando Bilbao | Match: The “Abando” subway station in the city of Bilbao is returned. The station’s name matches the query and is considered with the locality itself primary intent. |
Urban areas in Spain are very dense and users in this market are expected to travel less for distances than in other countries, such as the United States.
Outside of urban areas, distances that users in Spain are willing to drive are greater, but are still significantly shorter than what users in other markets like North America might be used to.
Remember that the best, closest suggestion should not be demoted for being far away. In order to demote a given result for distance, a closer matching result must exist.
As per the Global Guidelines document, minor spelling mistakes should be marked as Partially Correct. A lack of a mandatory diacritical accent in Spanish should be considered a minor spelling mistake.
Unexpected use of lower/upper case should also be considered a minor name error. Note, however, that in Spanish language capitalizing the first letter of all the important elements (nouns and adjectives) of a name is common practice; no demotion should be applied for that matter.
Result Name | Correct Name | Explanation & Rating |
Mezquita de Cordoba Calle del Cardenal Herrero, 1 14003 Córdoba España | Mezquita de Córdoba Calle del Cardenal Herrero, 1 14003 Córdoba España | Partially correct: The word “Cordoba” is missing a diacritical accent. It should be “Córdoba”. |
Estación de Madrid- atocha Plaza Emperador Carlos V 28045 Madrid España | Estación de Madrid- Atocha Plaza Emperador Carlos V 28045 Madrid España | Partially correct: It is expected that “Atocha” would be capitalized. |
Estadio De San Mamés Calle Rafael Moreno Pichichi, s/n 48013 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Estadio de San Mamés Calle Rafael Moreno Pichichi, s/n 48013 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Partially correct: The preposition “De” should not be capitalized. |
Centro Polideportivo de Hortaleza Carretera de la Estación de Hortaleza, 11 28033 Madrid España | Centro polideportivo de Hortaleza Carretera de la Estación de Hortaleza, 11 28033 Madrid España | Correct : Capitalizing nouns and adjectives of a name is common practice in Spain. Writing “polideportivo” with small case would also be correct. |
Sometimes results are shown under their legal or owner name instead of the commercial name. Such names are rated Partially Correct or Incorrect depending on how recognizable the name is in context with the particular business. In order for a name to be considered Partially Correct, it needs to be recognizable to users.
Result Name | Commercial Name | Explanation & Rating |
Carburantes Gesa S.L. Calle de Alberto Aguilera, 18 28015 Madrid España | Repsol Calle de Alberto Aguilera, 18 28015 Madrid España | Name Accuracy: Incorrect. The result name is the name used by the owner to register the gas station but not its commercial name or a name recognized by users. |
Repsol Rivaser S.L. Calle Silvano, 88 28043 Madrid España | Repsol Calle Silvano, 88 28043 Madrid España | Name Accuracy: Partially Correct The result name is the name of the gas station and the name used by the owner to register the gas station that can be verified in company’s website |
3.3. Tobacco-selling Stores and Pharmacies
In Spain tobacco can be bought in a state-monopoly store called Estanco. When it comes to determining the accuracy of the result name, the words “Tabaco” or “Estanco” should be present in the result name. The expendeduría (store number) code is always optional, but if present in the result name it must be correct.
When it comes to determining the accuracy of the result name of a Pharmacy, the word “Farmacia” must be part of the result name.
As per Global Guidelines, adding a location modifier to the business name (such as the road, neighborhood, or larger POI where the store is located) can be considered Correct.
Any other information added to the name (e.g. the name of the owner) should be considered Incorrect, if it is not present on the storefront.
Result Name | Official Name | Explanation & Rating |
Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Correct. The name of the result matches exactly what is seen on the storefront. |
Tabacos Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Correct. The “expendeduría” is optional. |
Estanco Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Correct. The words “Estanco” and “Tabacos” are interchangeable. |
Estanco Mayorazgo Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | The estanco does not show the road name on the storefront, but the location modifier is correct and the business name therefore rated Correct. |
Estanco Ana Ríos Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Incorrect. The name of a person, presumably the owner, appears on the result name, but it is nowhere to be found on the storefront. |
Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Tabacos Exp. Nº 14 Calle Mayorazgo, 5 28915 Leganés Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Incorrect. The word Estanco/Tabacos is not present in the result name. This result name would prevent the user from recognizing the business. |
Dabrio Diego Polo Calle de las Infantas, 42, 28004 Madrid, España | Farmacia Calle de las Infantas, 42, 28004 Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Incorrect. The owner name is in the result name and the word “Farmacia” is missing. |
Farmacia Velázquez Calle de Velázquez, 70, 28001, Madrid, España | Farmacia Calle de Velázquez, 70, 28001, Madrid, España | Name Accuracy: Correct. Per Global Guidelines, having a location modifier (street where the pharmacy is located) in the name of the result is considered correct. |
Departamento Puerta Oficina Local Nave | Department Door Office Suite Warehouse | Note: for address queries, even if the query does include an unit/apt component, the result is not expected to return it. This box should only be used for addresses of POIs where the official address does include a unit/apt but the address returned for that POI does not, unless the intended POI is at street level. |
Nombre de la vía | Street Name | S’ Street Name |
Localidad Pueblo Ciudad Lugar | Locality Town City Place | s Locality |
Provincia | Province | s Region/State |
Código Postal | Postal Code | s Postal Code |
País | Country | s Country |
|
| s Address does not exist |
High level – In dept in 7 |
| s Language/Script issue |
|
| s Country Specific issue |
|
| s Other Issue |
The standard format used for postal addresses in Spain is the following:
Spain address – Essential elements only | |
Calle Huertas, 18 29400 Marbella (Málaga) España | Street Type Street Name, Street Number Postal Code Locality (Province) Country |
4.2. POI/Business
As in most Western European countries, a significant number of businesses keep an active online presence. Official websites and claimed social media pages should be considered as the most trustable sources to determine whether a business is in operation or not.
All addresses of POIs must follow the standard address format introduced in section 4.1.
Result | Official Business Website | Real World Address | Rating & Explanation |
Mercadona Calle Marie Curie, 5 28521 Rivas- Vaciamadrid Madrid, España | Mercadona Calle Marie Curie, 5 28521 Rivas- Vaciamadrid Madrid, España | Mercadona Calle Marie Curie, 4 28521 Rivas- Vaciamadrid Madrid, España | Incorrect: The official business site returns the wrong street number. While checking the pin you can verify the street number is incorrect as odd numbers fall on the opposite side of the street. Also, in this case you can check the Spanish cadaster to verify the accuracy of the address. |
Mercadona Calle Secoya, 6 28054 Madrid España | Mercadona Calle Secoya, 6 – Calle Reus Madrid | Mercadona Calle Secoya, 6 28054 Madrid España | Correct: The official business site returns an intersection. This does not follow the standard postal format. The correct address can be found by searching the web; it matches the result address. |
Some addresses might contain no numbering information at all. This tends to happen when no other buildings have their address on that same road. The address component “s/n” (“Sin Número”, Unnumbered) is then used. s/n should be treated as the street number:
Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona, s/n 08039 Barcelona | POI Name Street Type Street Name, Street Number Postal Code Locality |
Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona, s/n 08039 Barcelona España | Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona, s/n 08039 Barcelona España | Correct: s/n is present in the result, matching the official address. |
Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona 08039 Barcelona España | Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona, s/n 08039 Barcelona España | Incorrect: Street Number: s/n (equivalent to street number) is missing. |
Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona, 5 08039 Barcelona España | Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Moll de Barcelona, s/n 08039 Barcelona España | Incorrect: Street Number: Street number is wrong. |
4.4. Street Number with a Suffix
Street Numbers might sometimes come with a suffix.
Suffixes are an integral part of the street number as they help differentiate a given street number from a different one. As a result, two street numbers where the suffix is the only difference (e.g. 26A Vs 26B ; 3 Vs 3 Bis) must be considered entirely different street numbers
Result | Correct Address | Explanation & Rating |
Hotel Jacinto Calle Tetúan, 27 Bis 41001 Sevilla España | Hotel Jacinto Calle Tetúan, 27 41001 Sevilla España | Incorrect: Street Number: 27 and 27 Bis are two different street numbers |
Restaurante La Pared Calle del Roble, 2B 48001 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Restaurante La Pared Calle del Roble, 2A 48001 Bilbao Vizcaya, España | Incorrect: Street Number: 2B and 2A are two different street numbers |
As explained further above, the Spanish language makes use of articles (el, la, los, las) and prepositions (de/del, a, etc.) to link words within a name (e.g. Calle de los Heros). These articles and prepositions have a purely cosmetic value.
If the number of articles/prepositions in the result address is different to the address shown on an official site and/or street imagery, mark it as Incorrect – Street Name only if the difference would be grammatically inaccurate (e.g. repeating a preposition twice or using a masculine article for a feminine noun), such as repeating an article twice:
Street Sign | ||
Calle Santa María, 28014 Madrid España | Calle de Santa María, 28014 Madrid España | Correct: Even though on some official signage the name appears as “Calle de Santa María”, prepositions have a cosmetic value. We do not consider this to be mistake. |
Calle de de Santa María, 28014 Madrid España | Calle de Santa María, 28014 Madrid España | Incorrect – Other: The preposition “de” is repeated twice. This is obviously a mistake and would be noticed by a user. |
Addresses in Spain contain a comma between the name of the road and the street number. If the comma is missing, it should be rated Correct with formatting issues.
Result Address | Correct Address | Explanation & Rating |
Calle de Santa María 1 28014 Madrid España | Calle de Santa María, 1 28014 Madrid España | Correct with formatting issues: The comma between the street name and the street number is missing |
If the street name of the result is missing the graphic accent, the address should be rated Incorrect Street Name
Result | Correct Address | Explanation & Rating |
Calle de Bailen, 8, 28013 Madrid, Spain | Calle de Bailén, 8, 28013 Madrid, Spain | Incorrect_Street Name as the street name is missing the graphic accent |
In some instances (mostly rural areas) roads can be unnamed. For addressing purposes in such cases the sub-locality/neighborhood is used together with the building number, i.e. the sublocality is treated as a street. Any issues with the sub-locality when it acts as a street in the address should be marked as Incorrect => Street Name.
Barrio La Iglesia, 18 39715 Entrambasaguas (Cantabria) | Sub-locality Type Sub-locality Name, House Number Postal Code Locality (Province) | |||
Mazas Fontanería Barrio Padierne, 27, 39715 Navajeda Cantabria, España | Mazas Fontanería Barrio Mazas, 27, 39715 Navajeda Cantabria, España | Incorrect – Street Name: The sublocality is used as the street name in the address of this POI. Since the one returned in the result is wrong, this should be marked Incorrect – Street Name. | ||
4.7. Provinces and Regions
For any addresses within Spain, the province is a mandatory component. It is expected that the province will be included in full. Abbreviations are not used for provinces in Spain.
Most provinces take the name after their capital city (i.e. the city and the province will be homonymous). For postal addresses within those cities, the province name should not be repeated. If it were repeated, it should be rated as Incorrect – Other as per section Address Accuracy: Components & Issues_Other Issue of the Global Guidelines document.
The region (Autonomous Communities) is not part of the postal address in Spain. If it were to appear within an address it should be considered a formatting issue and should be rated Correct with formatting issues.
Calle José Abascal, 47 28003 Madrid | Street Type Street Name, Street Number Postal Code Locality ( |
Result | Correct Address | Explanation & Rating |
Avenida del Puerto, 190 46023 Valencia Valencia, España | Avenida del Puerto, 190 46023 Valencia España | Incorrect – Other: The province should not appear in the address, as it’s homonymous to the locality. |
Some buildings are located at milestones (kilometer stones) on a road and do not have street numbers. The milestones are the equivalent of a street number.
Carretera N-634, km | Street Type Street Name, Kilometer Stone | This address is |
If the milestone is missing or is wrong, mark as Incorrect – Street Number. Use this option also if the word “km” is missing since it would imply the number present in the address is a regular street number and not a milestone. Also note that km (kilometer) is a symbol and not an abbreviation so it does not accept plural or endpoint forms. If the kilometer symbol carries an endpoint, the rating should be Correct with formatting issues.
14,6 39738 Islares (Cantabria) | Postal Code Locality (Province) | located at the kilometer stone 14,6 on road N-634) |
Result | Official Address | Explanation & Rating |
Pensión Prada Carretera N-632, km. 16 33158 Santa Marina, Asturias, España | Pensión Prada Carretera N-632, km 16 33158 Santa Marina, Asturias, España | Correct with formatting issues: The kilometer stone of the result should be “km 16”. |
Pensión Prada Carretera N-632, 16 33158 Santa Marina, Asturias, España | Pensión Prada Carretera N-632, km 16 33158 Santa Marina, Asturias, España | Incorrect – Street Number: The indication “km” for the milestone is missing. |
The following components are mandatory for POI/ Business results in Search: o Business Name
o Street Name
o Street Number
o Unit/Apartment Number (if applicable)
o Locality
o Province
o Postal Code
Mandatory Components | Example | Comments | |
Result Name | [Result Name] | Marieta | |
Address Details | [Street Name] [Street Number] | Paseo de la Castellana, 44 | |
[Postal Code] [Locality] | 28046 Madrid | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. | |
[Province] [Country] | España |
The following components are mandatory for Residential Address results in Search: o Street Name
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Street Name] [Street Number] | Calle Luarca, 13 | |
[Postal Code] [Locality] | 33207 Gijón | ||
[Province] [Country] | Asturias, España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
The following components are mandatory for Street results in Search:
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Street Name] | Carrer de Finestrat | |
[Postal Code] [Locality] [Province] | 08026 Barcelona | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. | |
[Country] | España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
Barrio/Distrito
The following components are mandatory for Sub-Locality results in Search: o Neighborhood / District
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Neighborhood / District] | Legazpi | |
[Province] | Madrid | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. | |
[Province] [Country] | España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
The following components are mandatory for Postal Code results in Search: o Locality o Province o Postal Code
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Postal Code] [Locality] | 30310, Cartagena | |
[Province] [Country] | Murcia, España | Country is optional for results within test locale | |
Localidad / Municipio / Lugar / Parroquia
The following components are mandatory for Locality results in Search: o Locality o Province
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Locality] | Sodupe | |
[Province][Country] | Vizcaya, España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
Province / Autonomous Community
The following components are mandatory for Province / Autonomous Community results in Search:
o Province / Autonomous Community
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Province] | Asturias | |
[Country] | España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
The following components are mandatory for POI/ Business results in AC: o Business Name o Street Name
o Street Number
o Unit/Apartment Number (if applicable)
o Locality
Mandatory Components | Example | Comments | |
Result Name | [Result Name] | Marieta | |
Address Details | [Street Name] [Street Number] | Paseo de la Castellana, 44 | |
[Locality] | Madrid | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. |
The following components are mandatory for Residential Address results in AC: o Street Name
o Street Number
o Locality
o Province
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Street Name] [Street Number] | Calle Luarca, 13 | |
[Locality] | Gijón | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. | |
[Province] [Country] | Asturias, España | Country is not expected for results within test locale |
The following components are mandatory for Street results in AC: o Street Name o Locality o Province
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Street Name] | Carrer de Finestrat | |
[Locality] [Province] | Barcelona | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. | |
[Country] | España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
Barrio/Distrito
The following components are mandatory for Sub-Locality results in AC: o Neighborhood / District
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Neighborhood / District] | Legazpi | |
[Locality] [Province] | Madrid | When the province name is the same as the locality name, the province name is omitted. | |
[Country] | España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
The following components are mandatory for Postal Code results in AC: o Locality o Province o Postal Code
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Postal Code] | 30310 | |
[Locality] [Province] [Country] | Cartagena Murcia, España | Country is optional for results within test locale | |
Localidad / Municipio / Lugar / Parroquia
The following components are mandatory for Locality results in AC: o Locality o Province
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Locality] | Sodupe | |
[Province][Country] | Vizcaya, España | Country is optional for |
Province / Autonomous Community
The following components are mandatory for Province / Autonomous Community results in AC:
o Province / Autonomous Community
Mandatory Components | Result Expectation – Example | ||
Address Details | [Province] | Asturias | |
[Country] | España | Country is optional for results within test locale |
Confirming addresses is not always an easy task in Spain. The following resources should be use to verify the validity of a road or an address:
Aside from Castilian Spanish, several other languages are spoken in Spain: Catalan/Valencian, Galician, Basque, and other non-official regional languages/dialects.
POI names in regional languages
POI names in the es_ES scrape might be returned in any language that is official/recognized at the location where the POI is located. This follows the Global Guidelines, as using a local language for a POI name is considered correct.
User Query | Result | Explanation & Rating |
[Barcelona sants] | Estació de Sants Plaça dels Països Catalans, 1- 7 08014 Barcelona España | The POI name in the suggestion appears in Catalan. As Catalan is one of the official languages in Barcelona, returning the POI name in Catalan is fine. |
[Aeropuerto Barcelona] | Aeropuerto de Barcelona – El Prat 08820 El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona España | The POI name in the suggestion appears in Spanish. As Spanish is one of the official languages in the area where the POI is located, returning the POI name in Spanish is fine. |
If the suggestion is a road/address or a territory name (locality, sub-locality, etc), it must use the official form of it. If any names appear in Spanish when only the version in the regional language is official, the address accuracy of results using the Spanish names should be considered Incorrect. Even though the language is not unexpected (Spanish is official everywhere in Spain), address components that appear in an unofficial form should be marked Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue.
Take a look at this flowchart to determine the correct language of the street address:
The resources below are valid sources that can be used to determine if a name is official. When trying to determine if a road or territory name that appears in Spanish is official or not, finding the Spanish version of the name in any one of the resources below is enough to consider that the name is official:
*Note: The Spanish Postal Services and Cadaster sites translate the street type (“Calle”, “Avenida”, etc) within road names into Spanish. These two sites can be used to verify the rest of the name, but should not be used as a resource to verify the official language of the street type.
The place names below are an exception; given their prominence they can appear either localized in Spanish or in the regional language, regardless of their official form:
In many instances, a territory or a road might have an officially bilingual name (Spanish + regional language). In that case, for test locale es_ES, the road name in a result must be in Spanish. If the address/territory appears in a regional language when an official Spanish version of the name exists, it should also be marked Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue.
Result | Official Road/Territory Name | Rating & Explanation |
Calle de Valencia 08015 Barcelona España (Road Name is in Spanish) | Carrer de València 08015 Barcelona España (Road Name is Catalan) | Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue: The result returns the road name in Spanish. Nevertheless, the only official name of roads in Barcelona is in Catalan; hence, the road suggestion should be returned in Catalan. |
Calle de los Reyes Católicos 03003 Alicante España (Road Name and Locality are in Spanish) | Calle de los Reyes Católicos 03003 Alicante España (Spanish) Carrer dels Reis Catolics 03003 Alacant España (Valencian) | Address Accuracy – Correct: This road has an official bilingual name (Spanish + Valencian), as can be seen in street imagery. |
Carrer dels Reis Catolics 03003 Alacant España (Road Name and Locality are in Valencian) | Calle de los Reyes Católicos 03003 Alicante España (Spanish) Carrer dels Reis Catolics 03003 Alacant | Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue: This road has an official bilingual name (Spanish + Valencian), as can be seen in street imagery. The result is in Valencian. Returning it in Valencian is |
España (Valencian) | considered Incorrect. This contradicts the Global Guidelines, where it is said that any local language would be OK. | |
Avenida Linares Rivas 15005 La Coruña España (Locality is in Spanish) | Avenida Linares Rivas 15005 A Coruña España (Locality is in Galician) | Address Accuracy – Correct: Although the locality name appears in Spanish (non-official), this city appears in the list of exceptions above due to its prominence. Showing the unofficial Spanish name is OK. |
Paseo de Sant Nicolau 07760 Ciutadella Baleares, España (Road Name mixes Spanish and Catalan) | Passeig de Sant Nicolau 07760 Ciutadella Baleares, España (Road Name is integrally in Catalan) | Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue: The result has a road name that contains a mix of Spanish and Catalan: the road type appears in Spanish. The name should be fully in Catalan, as this is the only official name of the road. This mix should be considered Incorrect. |
When validating addresses, be mindful of businesses that use unofficial languages in the address components on their websites as only official languages are accepted
Result | Official Website | Official Road/Territory Name | Rating & Explanation |
Teleppiza Avenida de Barcelona, 239 08222 Terrasa, Barcelona España (Road Name is in Spanish) | Teleppiza Avenida de Barcelona, 239 08222 Terrasa, Barcelona España (Road Name is in Spanish) | Telepizza Avinguda de Barcelona, 239 08222 Terrasa, Barcelona España (Road Name is Catalan) | Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue: Even though the result returns the road name in Spanish as per official website, the only official name of roads in Barcelona is in Catalan; hence, the road suggestion should be returned in Catalan. |
The address of any results should only show official address components. If unofficial address components are used in the result they must be marked as Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue even if the site of a business uses them.
Result | Official Business Website | Official Address Provider | Rating & Explanation |
Estació de Salou Calle Carles Roig, s/n 43840 Tarragona (Road Name is in Spanish) | Estació de Salou Calle Carles Roig, s/n 43840 Tarragona (Road Name is in Spanish) | Estació de Salou Carrer Carles Roig, s/n 43840 Tarragona (Road Name is in Catalan) | Address Accuracy – Incorrect – Language/Script Issue: The result returns the road name in Spanish. This is also the name that appears on the POI’s website. Nevertheless, the only official name of roads in this town is in Catalan. Hence, the address should appear in Catalan. |
The table below is a complete list of expected address components to be provided by result type in Spain. Results outside of Spain will have different expectations for which components should be provided for each result type. Note that if optional components are present they must be accurate.
Result | Essential Address Components | ||||||
Type | Street # | Unit/Apt | Street Name | Locality | Region/State | Postal Code | Country |
Full Address | Yes | Not expected: Search & AC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes: Search Not expected: AC | Optional: Search Not expected: AC |
Street | Not Expected | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (unless several postal codes exist for that street): Search Not expected: AC | Optional: Search Not expected: AC | |
SubLocality | Not Expected | Yes | Yes | Not Expected | Optional: Search Not expected: AC | ||
Locality | Not Expected | Yes | Yes | Not Expected | Optional: Search Not expected: AC | ||
Province | Not Expected | Yes | Not Expected | Yes | |||
Postal Code | Not Expected | Yes | Yes | Yes | Optional: Search Not expected: AC | ||
Country | Not Expected | Yes | |||||
POI | Yes (per official address) | Yes (per official address) | Yes | Yes | Yes (not expected for AC) | Yes (not expected for AC) | Optional: Search Not expected: AC |
POI with no expected address | As per Global Guidelines | Yes | Yes (not expected for AC) | Not Expected | Optional: Search Not expected: AC | ||
Natural Feature | Not expected – rated as incorrect Other Issue if included | Optional (as long as the feature falls within the area) | |||||
Use this table to check the accuracy of the language used in the address of the result. Please note that all street names in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands should be in Catalán.
