Eating out
Ordering food and paying at a restaurant
Context
Listen to the dialogue. Tap the speaker to hear each line.
Mesero
Buenas noches, ¿tienen reservación?
Good evening, do you have a reservation?
Cliente
Sí, a nombre de González, para dos personas.
Yes, under the name González, for two people.
Mesero
Perfecto, su mesa está lista. ¿Desean algo de tomar?
Perfect, your table is ready. Would you like something to drink?
Cliente
Dos aguas minerales, por favor. ¿Qué nos recomienda de entrada?
Two mineral waters, please. What do you recommend for a starter?
Mesero
La sopa del día es excelente. De plato principal, el pescado a la plancha.
The soup of the day is excellent. For the main course, the grilled fish.
Cliente
Perfecto, entonces una sopa y el pescado. ¿Y el postre?
Perfect, then a soup and the fish. And dessert?
Mesero
Tenemos flan casero y helado de vainilla.
We have homemade flan and vanilla ice cream.
Cliente
¡Excelente! ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?
Excellent! Could you bring me the bill, please?
Practice the dialogue
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Vocabulary
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el mesero
El mesero nos trajo el menú.
La mesera = waitress. In Mexico: 'el mesero/la mesera'.
the waiter
Savela entrada
De entrada quiero una ensalada.
'El plato principal' = main course, 'el postre' = dessert.
the starter
Saveel plato principal
De plato principal, el pollo.
Also 'el segundo' in some countries.
the main course
Saverecomendar
¿Qué me recomienda?
Stem change e→ie: recomiendo, recomiendas, recomienda.
to recommend
Savela propina
Dejamos una propina del diez por ciento.
In many Latin American countries 10% is standard.
the tip
SaveGrammar in 1 minute
Direct object pronouns: lo, la, los, las
Pronouns replace the thing you order: 'la sopa → la quiero', 'el pescado → lo quiero', 'los postres → los quiero'. They go before the conjugated verb.
—¿Quiere la sopa? —Sí, la quiero. El flan, lo pruebo después.
With infinitive they can attach: 'quiero probarlo' = 'lo quiero probar'.
Imperatives for the waiter: traer, dar
Polite requests use '¿me trae...?', '¿me da...?', '¿me puede traer...?' — literally 'do you bring me...?'. This is more polite than 'dame'.
¿Me trae la cuenta? ¿Me da un vaso de agua?
¿Me + verb? = standard polite request at restaurants.
Interactive practice
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What does the customer order?
Listen and choose the correct option.
What does the customer order?
¿Me trae la …, por favor?
Write the missing word or words.
Accents optional: write "como estas" and it works.
matching
Connect each Spanish word with its English meaning.
Ask the waiter for the menu, order grilled fish, and ask fo…
Write your answer in Spanish.
Ask the waiter for the menu, order grilled fish, and ask for the bill.
Suggested answer: ¿Me trae el menú? Quiero el pescado a la plancha. ¿Me trae la cuenta?
¿Qué nos recomienda de entrada? La sopa del día es excelent…
Listen and repeat the sentence out loud.
¿Qué nos recomienda de entrada? La sopa del día es excelente.
What do you recommend for a starter? The soup of the day is excellent.
Listen, pause and repeat out loud. Repeat 3 times until it sounds natural.
Pronunciation trainer
Final quiz
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