Which Spanish phrases matter most here?

“Llevamos media hora esperando el segundo plato.” (We’ve been waiting half an hour for the main course); “Esto no es lo que he pedido.” (This isn’t what I ordered); “Perdone, la carne está muy hecha y la pedí poco hecha.” (Excuse me, the meat is overdone and I asked for it rare). The full list is above.

Can I hear how they sound?

Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.

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 Spain. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Spanish phrases for complaining politely about your order in Spain

Stay calm and start with “Perdone”. For a long wait, say “Llevamos media hora esperando el segundo plato”. If the dish is wrong, try “Esto no es lo que he pedido” or “La carne está muy hecha y la pedí poco hecha”. Check the bill before paying: “Nos han cobrado dos postres y solo pedimos uno”.

Try it · about two minutes

Your main course arrives late and cooked the wrong way, and you raise it without making a scene.

Sound on: the waiter speaks Spanish. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

You ordered your main course a long time ago and it still hasn’t come. The waiter passes your table.
You
Llevamos media hora esperando el segundo plato.
We’ve been waiting half an hour for the main course.
Waiter
Disculpen la espera, ya casi está.
Sorry for the wait, it’s almost ready.
You
No pasa nada.
It’s no problem.
Waiter
¡Que aproveche!
Enjoy your meal!
You
Perdone, la carne está muy hecha y la pedí poco hecha.
Excuse me, the meat is overdone and I asked for it rare.
Waiter
Ahora mismo se lo cambio, disculpe las molestias.
I’ll change it for you right away, sorry for the trouble.
You
Muchas gracias.
Thank you very much.
Waiter
¿Qué tal estaba todo?
How was everything?
You
Todo muy rico, gracias.
Everything was delicious, thank you.
Waiter
¿Van a pagar con tarjeta o en efectivo?
Are you paying by card or in cash?
You
Perdone, nos han cobrado dos postres y solo pedimos uno.
Excuse me, you’ve charged us for two desserts and we only had one.

Which Spanish phrases do you need?

Llevamos media hora esperando el segundo plato.
We’ve been waiting half an hour for the main course.
Esto no es lo que he pedido.
This isn’t what I ordered.
Perdone, la carne está muy hecha y la pedí poco hecha.
Excuse me, the meat is overdone and I asked for it rare.
Ahora mismo se lo cambio, disculpe las molestias.
I’ll change it for you right away, sorry for the trouble.
Perdone, nos han cobrado dos postres y solo pedimos uno.
Excuse me, you’ve charged us for two desserts and we only had one.
¿Qué tal estaba todo?
How was everything?
¿Van a pagar con tarjeta o en efectivo?
Are you paying by card or in cash?
Todo muy rico, gracias.
Everything was delicious, thank you.
¡Que aproveche!
Enjoy your meal!
Muchas gracias.
Thank you very much.

What is worth knowing in Spain?

How to raise it

1
Catch the waiter’s eye with a nod or a raised hand, and wait for them to come over.
2
Start with “Perdone”, then say what’s wrong, calmly.
Excuse me, the meat is overdone and I asked for it rare.
3
Thank them when they put it right.
Thank you very much.

“Perdone”, not a shout

Polite

Perdone, ¿puede venir un momento?

Excuse me, could you come over a moment?

Abrupt

¡Camarero!

Waiter!

A wave and a polite “perdone” work best. Calling out “camarero” across the room can sound abrupt.

Check the bill

It’s normal to look over la cuenta before you pay and mention anything that looks off.

Perdone, nos han cobrado dos postres y solo pedimos uno.

Excuse me, you’ve charged us for two desserts and we only had one.

Questions about this situation

Which Spanish phrases matter most here?: “Llevamos media hora esperando el segundo plato.” (We’ve been waiting half an hour for the main course); “Esto no es lo que he pedido.” (This isn’t what I ordered); “Perdone, la carne está muy hecha y la pedí poco hecha.” (Excuse me, the meat is overdone and I asked for it rare). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?: Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
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 Spain. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Spanish

All situations in Spanish

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.

Try free on the App Store (opens the App Store in a new tab)

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.