En el restaurante
Time for your first meal in a Spanish-speaking country. Here's everything you need.
Ordering
| Español | English |
|---|---|
| Una mesa para dos, por favor. | A table for two, please. |
| La carta / El menú | The menu |
| ¿Qué recomienda? | What do you recommend? |
| El plato del día | Today's special |
| Para mí, la paella. | For me, the paella. |
| Quisiera un vaso de agua. | I'd like a glass of water. |
| La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. |
Common dishes
| Español | English |
|---|---|
| la ensalada | salad |
| la sopa | soup |
| el arroz | rice |
| el pollo | chicken |
| el pescado | fish |
| las patatas / las papas | potatoes |
| el postre | dessert |
| el helado | ice cream |
Dietary needs
| Español | English |
|---|---|
| Soy vegetariano/a. | I'm vegetarian. |
| Soy alérgico/a a… | I'm allergic to… |
| Sin gluten | Gluten-free |
| ¿Es picante? | Is it spicy? |
Tipping
Tipping customs vary across the Spanish-speaking world. In Spain, rounding up or leaving small change is common but not expected. In Mexico and other Latin American countries, 10–15% is customary.
Check your understanding
Answer the questions below to mark this chapter as read.
How do you ask for the bill in Spanish?
"El plato del día" means ___.
Complete: ¿Qué ___?
"El pescado" means ___ in English.
How do you say "I'm allergic to…" in Spanish (masculine)?
In Spain, tipping 20% is expected.