Ordering Food at a Restaurant in Spanish: Phrases and Conversations - SpanishLearningLab (2024)

FAQs

How do you order food in Spanish dialogue? ›

In Spanish, the phrase buen provecho is used throughout the Spanish-speaking world. However, it is especially common in Mexico. In Mexico, it is our version of the French saying bon appetit or the German mahlzeit—and in my small state of Morelos, we take it very seriously. What does “buen provecho” mean in Spanish?

To order a rare steak, ask for it "poco hecho." A well-done steak would be "muy hecho." Keep in mind that waiters will typically only ask how you would like your meat cooked if you've ordered a beef steak. How to use it: El chuletón para mi en su punto, por favor. (I'd like my steak cooked medium rare, please.)

La cuenta literally means “the account”, but is translated in English as “the check”. (slow) La cu-en-ta. La cuenta. And after that we have por favor, an expression that you already know.

Smile and greet the customers when they first arrive.

Introduce yourself by name and let them know that you'll be serving them during the meal. Keep a conversational tone so you seem friendly and approachable. For example, you may say something like, “Hi, welcome to Sal's.

Sí, por favor.

Quisiera un bocadillo. – I would like a sandwich. Quería un bocadillo. – I want a sandwich.

For most other things, like ordering another drink or asking for another napkin, it's common to get a waiter's attention by waving (think half way between raising your hand and quickly reaching out to an invisible floating object). Many people also call the waiter over by saying perdón, which means "excuse me."

How to practice oral Spanish? ›

“Quien come con cordura, por su salud procura”, translates as “Who eats with sanity, provides for his health”, meaning “We are what we eat”, another saying that links your health to what you eat. “Caldo de gallina es reconocida medicina”, translates in English as “Chicken soup is a known medicine”.

This is the most common way of asking: Para llevar, for favor. = For takeout, please. If, on the contrary, you'd like to specify that you'll eat at the restaurant, then just say para comer aquí.

In Spain a tip is known as 'una propina' when it is given directly to a waiter/waitress or as 'el bote' when it is placed in a jar or bottle on a bar.

Let's say you want to order just one taco or quesadilla. Then, simply say “un taco” or “una quesadilla”. Use “un” for masculine nouns and “una” for feminine words. In Spanish, nouns that end in -o are usually masculine.

Ordering appetizers

El mesero regresa a la mesa (The waiter/waitress comes back to the table)… and you order appetizers: Para mí, un guacamole (For me, guacamole) Para él, una ensalada César (For him, a Cesar salad) Para ella, un queso fundido (For her, melted cheese)

Your basic answer choices are: rare (outside is cooked, but the inside is still partially raw), medium (outside is cooked more thoroughly and the inside is cooked, but still slightly red), and well done (outside is charred and the inside is completely cooked through).

Carne asada is grilled and sliced beef, usually chuck steak (known as Diezmillo in Spanish), though skirt steak, flap steak, or flank steak can also be used. It is usually marinated then grilled or seared to impart a charred flavor. Carne asada can be served on its own or as an ingredient in other dishes.

How do Mexicans ask for the check? ›

La cuenta, por favor.

Once you're done eating, some helpful Mexican food phrases to know is how to pay for your food. A good phrase to know to ask for the check is “La cuenta, por favor” (check please).

We use in order to with an infinitive form of a verb to express the purpose of something. It introduces a subordinate clause. It is more common in writing than in speaking: [main clause]Mrs Weaver had to work full-time [subordinate clause]in order to earn a living for herself and her family of five children.

actions or statements that are in order are suitable for a particular situation.

Waiter: 'Sure sir! Would you like to have any soft drink with your meal? ' Customer: 'Yes, I would like to have a chilled sprite!

The process generally consists of accepting the order; picking, packing, and shipping the items mentioned in the order; and finally tracking them until they get delivered. Read on to learn more about how order management works and how an efficient order management technique can help your business.

A torta is a Mexican sandwich served on a soft roll and filled with meat, sauce, and various toppings such as crema, avocado, salsa, and iceberg lettuce.

What is a Spanish sandwich called? ›

The bocadillo or bocata, in Spain, is a sandwich made with Spanish bread, usually a baguette or similar type of bread, cut lengthwise. Traditionally seen as a humble food, its low cost has allowed it to evolve over time into an iconic piece of cuisine. In Spain, they are often eaten in cafes and tapas bars.

¿Me traes … ? (Can you bring me … ?) Here's how it works: Me traes + (what you want) = the waiter will go get it for you.

The easiest way to flag the server that you are ready for a check is to lift your index finger or slightly wave your hand. Never snap your fingers, though. Because you are the one requesting the check, you can expect that the server may deliver the bill to you instead of your eating companions.

Put these words into practice next time you are eating at a Spanish-speaking friend's house or while trying a dish at a restaurant while traveling. ✅ ¡Qué rico! (Delicious!)

As you can see in the dialogue above, Spanish uses long dashes called rayas (—) as dialogue punctuation. Conversely, English uses double quotation marks. Some Spanish writers use double quotation marks or angular quotation marks (« and »), but the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) says it should be rayas.

In a Spanish sentence the verb comes before the subject, and the sentence takes the following form: object + verb + subject. On the contrary, in an English sentence, the verb comes after the subject. The English declarative sentence generally uses the following word order: subject + verb + object.

Dialogues in Spanish start with a long dash – (raya) not a short dash - (guión). In this article, we will simply call the long dash, a dash. Notice how there is no space between the dash and the first letter.