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Portuguese · Cafés & restaurants · Elementary

How to book a table in Portuguese

Phone and say “Boa tarde, queria reservar uma mesa para sábado à noite”. Expect “Para quantas pessoas?” and “A que horas?”, then give a name. To change it later, call back with “Tenho uma reserva para sábado” and say what’s different.

Try it · about two minutes

You phone a restaurant to book a table for Saturday night, then call back to change the number of guests.

You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

The conversation

  1. Restaurant staff

    Boa tarde, diga.

    Good afternoon, how can I help?

    You

    Boa tarde, queria reservar uma mesa para sábado à noite.

    Good afternoon, I’d like to book a table for Saturday night.

  2. Restaurant staff

    Para quantas pessoas?

    For how many people?

    You

    Uma mesa para quatro pessoas, por favor.

    A table for four, please.

  3. Restaurant staff

    A que horas?

    What time?

    You

    Às oito e meia, se possível.

    At half past eight, if possible.

  4. Restaurant staff

    Em nome de quem é a reserva?

    What name is the booking under?

    You

    Em nome de Clarke.

    Under Clarke.

  5. Restaurant staff

    Qual é o seu número de telefone?

    What’s your phone number?

    You

    É nove, um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, seis, sete, oito.

    It’s nine, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

  6. On Thursday you call back: two more friends want to come.

    You

    Tenho uma reserva para sábado. Dá para mais duas pessoas?

    I have a booking for Saturday. Is there room for two more?

Key phrases

  • Queria reservar uma mesa para hoje à noite.

    I’d like to book a table for tonight.

  • Uma mesa para duas pessoas às oito horas, por favor.

    A table for two at eight o’clock, please.

  • Para quantas pessoas?

    For how many people?

  • A que horas?

    What time?

  • Em nome de quem é a reserva?

    What name is the booking under?

  • Deixe-me soletrar o meu nome.

    Let me spell my name.

  • Qual é o seu número de telefone?

    What’s your phone number?

  • Há mesa na esplanada?

    Is there a table on the terrace?

  • Queria mudar a minha reserva para sexta-feira.

    I’d like to change my booking to Friday.

  • Infelizmente temos de cancelar a reserva.

    Unfortunately we have to cancel the booking.

Good to know in Portugal

How a phone booking goes

  1. 1

    Say you’d like to book, and for which day.

  2. 2

    Give the number of people and a time.

    Uma mesa para duas pessoas às oito horas, por favor.A table for two at eight o’clock, please.
  3. 3

    Give a name, and spell it if needed.

    Deixe-me soletrar o meu nome.Let me spell my name.

Queria, not quero

Polite

Queria reservar uma mesa para hoje à noite.

I’d like to book a table for tonight.

Blunt

Quero reservar uma mesa para hoje à noite.

I want to book a table for tonight.

“Queria” (literally, I wanted) is how people ask politely in Portugal. “Quero” (I want) is fine with friends but can sound blunt.

Dinner is later

Restaurants usually start serving dinner around seven or half past, and eight or nine is a normal time to book. At weekends, booking ahead is wise.

“Estou?” on the phone

People often answer the phone with “Estou?” or “Estou sim?”. Restaurants usually answer with their name.

Estou? Quem fala?

Hello? Who’s speaking?

More situations in Portuguese

All situations in Portuguese

Keep these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.