Spanish phrases for getting a table on a café terrace in Spain
Ask “¿Hay mesa en la terraza?” or, if you see a free one, “¿Está libre esta mesa?”. Staff may mention that “en la terraza las consumiciones son un poco más caras”. For a group, ask “¿Podemos juntar estas dos mesas?”. Once you’ve ordered, ask “¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?”.
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.
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
¿Dentro o fuera?
Inside or outside?
You¿Hay mesa en la terraza?
Is there a table free on the terrace?
- Waiter
En la terraza las consumiciones son un poco más caras.
Drinks are a bit more expensive on the terrace.
YouNo pasa nada.
That’s fine.
- Waiter
¿Qué te pongo?
What can I get you?
You¿Tenéis zumo de naranja natural?
Do you have freshly squeezed orange juice?
- Waiter
Ahora mismo te lo traigo.
I’ll bring it right over.
You¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?
What’s the wifi password?
- Waiter
¿Algo más?
Anything else?
You¿Podemos juntar estas dos mesas?
Can we push these two tables together?
- Waiter
Si queréis cenar, tenéis que esperar a que abra la cocina.
If you want dinner, you’ll have to wait until the kitchen opens.
You¿A qué hora cerráis?
What time do you close?
Which Spanish phrases do you need?
¿Hay mesa en la terraza?
Is there a table free on the terrace?
¿Está libre esta mesa?
Is this table free?
¿Dentro o fuera?
Inside or outside?
En la terraza las consumiciones son un poco más caras.
Drinks are a bit more expensive on the terrace.
¿Podemos juntar estas dos mesas?
Can we push these two tables together?
¿Te importa si me llevo esta silla?
Do you mind if I take this chair?
¿Cuál es la contraseña del wifi?
What’s the wifi password?
¿A qué hora cerráis?
What time do you close?
Si queréis cenar, tenéis que esperar a que abra la cocina.
If you want dinner, you’ll have to wait until the kitchen opens.
¿Podemos tomar algo en la barra mientras esperamos mesa?
Can we have a drink at the bar while we wait for a table?
What is worth knowing in Spain?
Taking a table outside
- 1
At most cafés you can pick a free table and sit down; the waiter comes to you.
Is this table free? - 2
Catch the waiter’s eye when you’re ready to order.
- 3
Ask for the wifi password when you order.
What’s the wifi password?
Terrace prices
Drinks on a terrace often cost a little more than at the bar, and some menus list both prices. Staff may mention it before you order.
En la terraza las consumiciones son un poco más caras.
Drinks are a bit more expensive on the terrace.
Moving the furniture
Pushing tables together or borrowing a spare chair is normal on a terrace, as long as you ask first.
¿Podemos juntar estas dos mesas?
Can we push these two tables together?
Questions about this situation
- Which Spanish phrases matter most here?
- “¿Hay mesa en la terraza?” (Is there a table free on the terrace); “¿Está libre esta mesa?” (Is this table free); “¿Dentro o fuera?” (Inside or outside). 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
- Booking a table at a restaurant
- Politely complaining about your order
- Ordering drinks and small plates with friends
- Ordering the lunch menu of the day
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.