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Portuguese phrases for getting a table on a café terrace in Portugal

At most Portuguese cafés you can take a free table on the esplanada and a waiter comes to you. Ask “A mesa da esplanada está livre?” if you’re unsure, order from your seat, and ask “Tem wi-fi?” or “A que horas fecha?” if you plan to stay. Pay at the end: “Paga com cartão ou em dinheiro?”.

Try it · about two minutes

On a sunny afternoon you look for a free table outside a café and ask about the wifi and how late they’re open.

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

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. It’s a warm afternoon. The café has tables outside, and a waiter is wiping one by the wall.

    You

    A mesa da esplanada está livre?

    Is the terrace table free?

  2. Waiter

    Sente-se onde quiser.

    Sit wherever you like.

    You

    Obrigado, fico aqui ao sol.

    Thanks, I’ll sit here in the sun.

  3. Waiter

    Aqui está a ementa.

    Here is the menu.

    You

    Uma bica, por favor.

    An espresso, please.

  4. Waiter

    O pedido fica pronto em poucos minutos.

    Your order will be ready in a few minutes.

    You

    Tem wi-fi?

    Do you have wifi?

  5. Waiter

    Temos wi-fi, sim. E fechamos às dez.

    Yes, we have wifi. And we close at ten.

    You

    Qual é a palavra-passe do wi-fi?

    What’s the wifi password?

  6. Waiter

    Paga com cartão ou em dinheiro?

    Card or cash?

    You

    Com cartão, por favor.

    By card, please.

Which Portuguese phrases do you need?

  • A mesa da esplanada está livre?

    Is the terrace table free?

  • Podemos sentar-nos na esplanada?

    Can we sit on the terrace?

  • Sente-se onde quiser.

    Sit wherever you like.

  • Este lugar está livre?

    Is this seat free?

  • O que vai ser?

    What will it be?

  • Tem wi-fi?

    Do you have wifi?

  • Qual é a palavra-passe do wi-fi?

    What’s the wifi password?

  • A que horas fecha?

    What time do you close?

  • Posso carregar o telemóvel aqui?

    Can I charge my phone here?

  • Paga com cartão ou em dinheiro?

    Card or cash?

What is worth knowing in Portugal?

How a terrace works

  1. 1

    Pick a free table, or ask if one is free.

    A mesa da esplanada está livre?Is the terrace table free?
  2. 2

    A waiter usually comes to you, so you can order from your seat.

  3. 3

    Pay when you’re ready to go, at the table or at the counter.

    Paga com cartão ou em dinheiro?Card or cash?

Wifi and plugs

Many cafés have wifi. Ask staff for the password, and check before you plug in a phone charger.

Qual é a palavra-passe do wi-fi?

What’s the wifi password?

Staying a while

On a terrace, staff don’t usually hurry you, and one coffee can last a good while. If you plan to stay late, check the closing time.

Posso carregar o telemóvel aqui?

Can I charge my phone here?

Questions about this situation

Which Portuguese phrases matter most here?
“A mesa da esplanada está livre?” (Is the terrace table free); “Podemos sentar-nos na esplanada?” (Can we sit on the terrace); “Sente-se onde quiser.” (Sit wherever you like). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Not yet: this page has no recordings so far. Each phrase comes with its meaning in English.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Portugal. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

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Practise 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.