How to book a table at a restaurant in Spanish
Quería reservar una mesa para dos a las nueve.
“I'd like to book a table for two at nine.”
When: Your opening line on the phone or at the door
The moment
You call a busy restaurant in Madrid on a Friday to book a table for two at nine. You would rather sit outside on the terrace, and they may already be full.
A2 · Unit 1 · Eating out
The lines
Quería, not quiero
Spaniards soften a request with the imperfect: 'Quería reservar una mesa para dos a las nueve.' Saying 'quiero' on the phone sounds blunt and demanding.
Quería reservar una mesa para dos a las nueve.
“I'd like to book a table for two at nine.”
When to use it: Your opening line on the phone or at the door
What you’ll hear back: ¿A nombre de quién? (Under what name?)
Inside or on the terrace
Add your seating preference as a short question right after the time: '¿Puede ser en la terraza?' Swap in 'dentro' when you want to sit inside.
¿Puede ser en la terraza?
“Could it be on the terrace?”
When to use it: Just after they confirm the time
What you’ll hear back: Sí, sin problema. (Yes, no problem.) or Lo siento, la terraza está completa. (Sorry, the terrace is full.)
Words for this scene
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| a nombre de | ah NOM-breh deh | under the name of |
La reserva está a nombre de David. The booking is under the name David. Tip: They ask '¿A nombre de quién?' — your first name is enough. | ||
| estamos completos | es-TAH-mos kom-PLEH-tos | we are fully booked |
Lo siento, estamos completos hasta las nueve y media. Sorry, we are fully booked until half past nine. Tip: Do not hang up — ask '¿Y más tarde?' first. | ||
| somos cuatro | SOH-mos KWAH-troh | there are four of us |
Somos cuatro, pero a lo mejor viene uno más. There are four of us, but one more might come. Tip: Answer '¿Cuántos sois?' with a bare 'Somos cuatro' — no need for 'personas'. | ||
Your objective
Book a table for tonight: give the number of people, a time and your name, and take another time if yours is full.
- the number of people
- a time
- your name
Lines that get it done
- Quería reservar una mesa para dos a las nueve.
- La reserva está a nombre de David. · The booking is under the name David.
- Somos cuatro, pero a lo mejor viene uno más. · There are four of us, but one more might come.
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You phone a restaurant to reserve. What is the most natural opening line?
- Quería reservar una mesa para dos a las nueve.
- Quiero una mesa para dos a las nueve ahora.
- Necesito reservar mesa para dos personas a nueve.
- Reservaría una mesa de dos a las nueve horas.
Show the answer
Quería reservar una mesa para dos a las nueve.
The imperfect 'quería' is the standard polite way to open a reservation in Spain.
2. The restaurant says 'Estamos completos hasta las nueve y media.' What does that mean?
- They have no free table until 9:30.
- They close at 9:30.
- The kitchen is backed up, so food will be slow.
- They only seat large groups until 9:30.
Show the answer
They have no free table until 9:30.
'Estar completo' means fully booked, so the first free slot is at 9:30.
3. The host asks '¿A nombre de quién?' What do you reply?
- A nombre de Ana.
- Me llamo a nombre de Ana.
- Con el nombre Ana, por favor.
- Soy de nombre Ana.
Show the answer
A nombre de Ana.
You mirror their phrase and simply add the name: 'A nombre de Ana.'