Which Spanish phrases matter most here?

“¿Para cuántas personas?” (For how many people); “Una mesa para dos, por favor.” (A table for two, please); “¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?” (Could you bring us the menu, please). 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 ordering food in a restaurant in Spain

Without a booking, answer “¿Tienen reserva?” with “No, no tenemos reserva” and ask for “Una mesa para dos, por favor”. Then ask for the menu: “¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?”. When the waiter asks “¿Ya saben qué van a pedir?”, try “¿Qué nos recomienda?”.

Try it · about two minutes

You arrive at a restaurant without a booking, get a table and ask the waiter what they recommend.

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?

Waiter
¿Tienen reserva?
Do you have a reservation?
You
No, no tenemos reserva. ¿Hay mesa libre?
No, we haven’t booked. Is there a free table?
Waiter
¿Para cuántas personas?
For how many people?
You
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
The waiter shows you to a table by the window. You sit down and would like to look at the menu.
You
¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?
Could you bring us the menu, please?
Waiter
¿Ya saben qué van a pedir?
Are you ready to order?
You
¿Qué nos recomienda?
What would you recommend?
Waiter
Hoy tenemos un solomillo muy bueno, y también cordero.
Today we have a very good sirloin steak, and lamb too.
You
Pues el solomillo, por favor.
Then the sirloin, please.
Waiter
¿Cómo quiere la carne?
How would you like your meat cooked?
You
Poco hecha, por favor.
Rare, please.

Which Spanish phrases do you need?

¿Para cuántas personas?
For how many people?
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?
Could you bring us the menu, please?
¿Ya saben qué van a pedir?
Are you ready to order?
¿Qué nos recomienda?
What would you recommend?
¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa?
What’s the house speciality?
¿Qué es el pisto?
What is pisto?
¿Cómo quiere la carne?
How would you like your meat cooked?
Poco hecha, por favor.
Rare, please.
La merluza se ha terminado, pero tenemos dorada.
We’ve run out of hake, but we have sea bream.

What is worth knowing in Spain?

Getting a table

1
At a sit-down restaurant, wait a moment by the door: someone often comes to show you to a table.
2
Say how many you are.
A table for two, please.
3
Ask for the menu and take your time; meals in Spain are unhurried.
Could you bring us the menu, please?

Usted with the waiter

At a restaurant

¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?

Could you bring us the menu, please?

Informal

¿Nos traes la carta, por favor?

Could you bring us the menu, please? (informal)

Waiters often use usted and ustedes with customers, so it is the safe choice from you too. If they use tú, you can follow.

When something has run out

The waiter may tell you a dish is finished and suggest another. “Se ha terminado” means it has run out.

La merluza se ha terminado, pero tenemos dorada.

We’ve run out of hake, but we have sea bream.

Questions about this situation

Which Spanish phrases matter most here?: “¿Para cuántas personas?” (For how many people); “Una mesa para dos, por favor.” (A table for two, please); “¿Nos trae la carta, por favor?” (Could you bring us the menu, please). 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.

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AI-generated. May be inaccurate.