Lunch at a restaurant in Spanish, from table to bill
Para mí, el pollo asado, por favor
“For me, the roast chicken, please”
When: The moment the waiter comes with his notepad
The moment
It is 2 p.m. in Madrid and you walk into a packed neighbourhood restaurant for lunch. Get a table, ask what one dish contains, order a main and a drink, answer the waiter's follow-up question, and ask for the bill.
A1 · Unit 2 · Café & food · Checkpoint
This is the unit’s checkpoint: one roleplay that puts the unit’s scenes together.
The lines
Placing your order
Name your dish with "Para mí, el pollo asado, por favor" and the waiter will immediately ask what you want to drink. Have your drink ready.
Para mí, el pollo asado, por favor
“For me, the roast chicken, please”
When to use it: The moment the waiter comes with his notepad
What you’ll hear back: ¿Y para beber? (And to drink?)
Checking the dish first
Before you commit, ask "¿Qué lleva este plato?" — "what is in this dish?". It is the one question that saves you from onion, ham or shellfish.
¿Qué lleva este plato?
“What is in this dish?”
When to use it: While you still have the menu in hand
What you’ll hear back: Lleva pollo, arroz y verduras. (It has chicken, rice and vegetables.)
Words for this scene
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Hay mesa para dos? | eye MEH-sah PAH-rah dohs | Is there a table for two? |
Hola, ¿hay mesa para dos? Hi, is there a table for two? Tip: Wait by the door — in Spain the waiter seats you. | ||
| el menú del día | el meh-NOO del DEE-ah | the set lunch menu |
Para mí, el menú del día, por favor. I'll have the set lunch, please. Tip: Lunchtime only, roughly one to four in the afternoon. | ||
| ¿Nos traes la cuenta? | nohs TRAH-ehs lah KWEN-tah | Can you bring us the bill? |
¿Nos traes la cuenta, por favor? Can you bring us the bill, please? Tip: Nobody brings it unasked — the table is yours until you say it. | ||
Your objective
Ask for a table, ask what one dish has in it, order a main and a drink, and ask for the bill at the end.
- a table
- your main and your drink
- the bill
Lines that get it done
- ¿Hay mesa para dos? · Is there a table for two?
- Para mí, el pollo asado, por favor
- ¿Nos traes la cuenta? · Can you bring us the bill?
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. Lunch is over and you want to pay. What do you say to the waiter?
- ¿Nos traes la cuenta?
- ¿Nos traes la carta?
- ¿Hay mesa para dos?
- Para mí, el pollo asado.
Show the answer
¿Nos traes la cuenta?
"La cuenta" is the bill; "la carta" would only bring the menu back.
2. The waiter asks "¿Y para beber?". What is a natural answer?
- Una caña, por favor
- Sí, muy bien
- La carta, por favor
- Soy vegetariano
Show the answer
Una caña, por favor
He is asking for your drink, so name one: a caña is the standard lunch beer.
3. How do you tell the waiter you are allergic to nuts?
- Soy alérgico a los frutos secos
- No me gustan los frutos secos
- Quiero frutos secos, por favor
- Los frutos secos llevan sal
Show the answer
Soy alérgico a los frutos secos
"Soy alérgico a..." is the phrase that gets the kitchen's attention.