At a restaurant table, the waiter comes to you. A few set phrases take you from the door to the check.
The waiter asks this as soon as you sit down. What does he want to know?
¿Qué van a tomar?
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Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
What you'd like to drink. In Latin America, tomar (to take) is the everyday verb for drinks.
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The main idea
At the table, order with Para mí… and ask the waiter for things with ¿Me trae…? ("Could you bring me…?"): the menu, the check.
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
¿Me trae la carta, por favor?
Could I have the menu, please?
Para mí, las enchiladas.
The enchiladas for me.
Y para tomar, un agua de jamaica.
And to drink, a hibiscus water.
La cuenta, por favor.
The check, please.
Lunch with Sofía
Ben and Sofía go out for lunch.
Ben: Buenas tardes. Una mesa para dos, por favor.
Good afternoon. A table for two, please.
Mesero: Claro, pasen por aquí. ¿Qué van a tomar?
Sure, this way. What would you like to drink?
Sofía: Un agua de jamaica, por favor.
A hibiscus water, please.
Ben: Para mí, un agua mineral.
Sparkling water for me.
Mesero: ¿Y para comer?
And to eat?
Sofía: Para mí, las enchiladas verdes.
The green enchiladas for me.
Ben: Y para mí, los tacos de pescado.
And the fish tacos for me.
After the meal:
Ben: Disculpe, ¿me trae la cuenta, por favor?
Excuse me, could you bring me the check, please?
Mesero: Claro. ¿Todo junto o por separado?
Sure. All together or separately?
Sofía: Por separado, por favor.
Separately, please.
Ben: ¿Aceptan tarjeta?
Do you take cards?
Mesero: Sí, claro.
Yes, of course.
The waiter is el mesero , the waitress la mesera . To get their attention, say Disculpe .
English says what you can get or have :
Can I get the check?
Spanish asks the waiter to bring it, or just names it:
¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?
Can I get the check, please?
La cuenta, por favor.
The check, please.
In Mexico a tip (la propina ) of about 10 to 15 percent is usual in restaurants. You can add it when you pay by card or leave it in cash.
Quick check
The waiter asks ¿Qué van a tomar? You'd like sparkling water. Answer:
Un agua mineral, por favor.
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
La cuenta, por favor.
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
¿Qué van a tomar? asks what you'd like to drink: tomar is the everyday verb for drinks.
Order the fish tacos for yourself:
Check
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Para mí, los tacos de pescado.
How do you ask for the check?
La cuenta, por favor.
El cheque, por favor.
La carta, por favor.
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
la cuenta is the check. la carta is the menu, and el cheque is a bank check.
The waiter asks ¿Todo junto o por separado? You and your friend each want to pay for your own meal.
Todo junto, por favor.
Por separado, por favor.
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
por separado : separately.
Putting it all together
A Saturday eating out in Mexico City. Answer each turn.
At a café counter, the barista asks ¿Qué va a querer? Order a coffee with milk to go.
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Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Quisiera un café con leche para llevar, por favor.
¿Me da un café con leche? Para llevar, por favor.
Quisiera… or ¿Me da…? , then para llevar .
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At the market, ask how much the mangoes are.
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Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
¿A cómo están los mangos?
¿Cuánto cuestan los mangos?
Several mangoes: cuestan .
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At lunch the menu says Sopa de tortilla . Ask what's in it and whether it's spicy.
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Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
¿Qué lleva la sopa de tortilla? ¿Pica?
Disculpe, ¿qué lleva la sopa? ¿Pica mucho?
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After lunch, ask for the check and whether they take cards.
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Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
La cuenta, por favor. ¿Aceptan tarjeta?
¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor? ¿Aceptan tarjeta?
La cuenta, por favor or ¿Me trae la cuenta? , then ¿Aceptan tarjeta?
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Take with you
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
¿Me trae la carta, por favor?
Could I have the menu, please?
Para mí, los tacos de pescado.
The fish tacos for me.
Y para tomar, un agua de jamaica.
And to drink, a hibiscus water.
¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?
Could you bring me the check, please?
La cuenta, por favor.
The check, please.
¿Aceptan tarjeta?
Do you take cards?
Por separado, por favor.
Separately, please.
Para mí… to order, ¿Me trae…? to ask for something, and La cuenta, por favor to finish.
