So, if you are expecting to travel soon, here are some tips on how to read a Spanish menu and talk to a waiter in Spanish. We hope that it gets you fed promptly.
Ordering food in Spanish
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Can you give us ___? | ¿Nos pones __? |
| Could you please bring ___? | ¿Me puedes traer __? |
| I’m going to have a ___. | Yo voy a tomar un ___. |
| Do you have any vegetarian options? | ¿Vegetariano no tenéis nada? |
| What do you recommend? | ¿Qué me recomiendas? |
| I will have ___. | Para mí, ___. |
| We are going to order ___. | Vamos a pedir ___. |
| Bring the bill when you can. | La cuenta cuando puedas. |
| Can I take this to go? | ¿Me podrías poner esto para llevar? |
| Ready to close the tab | ¿Nos cobras? |
| Do you have ___? | ¿Tienen ___? |
| Ready (to order) | Listo |
| A table for two (three, etc.) | Una mesa para dos (tres, etc) |
| I would like ___. | Quisiera or me gustaria ___. |
| Half-portion | Media porción |
| ___ to go, please. | ___ para llevar, por favor. |
| How much does it cost? | ¿Qué precio tiene? |
| I’ll have ___. | Voy a querer ___. |
| What a great meal! | ¡Qué rica comida! |
| I don’t know what I want to order | No sé qué pedir |
| Can you bring us the menu? | ¿Nos traes la carta,? |
| Is there a special today? | ¿Hay algún plato especial hoy? |
Besides how to actually order food in Spanish, don’t forget to learn the things the waiter will ask you, as well. Otherwise you might find yourself armed with a bunch of food-related Spanish vocabulary and have no idea when to say it!
Things the waiter might ask you
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Would you like something to drink? | ¿Gustan algo de tomar? |
| What would you like to order? | ¿Qué vas a querer? |
| Enjoy your meal | ¡Buen provecho! |
| I'll get you a table ready | Os preparo una mesita |
| Coming right up! | ¡Marchando! |
| What are you going to have? | ¿Qué vais a tomar? |
| You’re going to love it. | Os va a encantar. |
| And for you? | ¿Y para ti? |
| I'm going to bring you ___ right now | Ahora mismo os traigo ___. |
| Do you need anything? | ¿Les falta alguna cosita? |
| Of course | Claro que sí |
| Here is the check | Aquí está la cuenta |
| With pleasure | ¡Con gusto! |
| What else can I offer you? | ¿Les puedo ofrecer algo más? |
| Would you like anything else? | ¿Desea algo más? |
Here is a list of some of the most common food items that you might want to order off of a Spanish menu.
Common foods in English and Spanish
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| pork | puerco |
| chicken | pollo |
| turkey | pavo |
| fish | pescado |
| ham | jamón |
| fries | papas fritas |
| chips | papitas |
| potatoes | papas |
| vegetables | verduras |
| rice | arroz |
| salad | ensalada |
| soda | refresco |
| juice | jugo |
| wine | vino |
| red wine | vino tinto |
| white wine | vino blanco |
| beer | cerveza |
| water | agua |
| beans | frijoles |
| brussel sprouts | coles de Bruselas |
| butter | mantequilla |
| carrot | zanahoria |
| casserole | estofado |
| cheesecake | tarta de queso |
| clams | almejas |
| cold tomato soup | gazpacho |
| cookie | galleta |
| dessert | postre |
| egg | huevo |
| fried | frito |
| fruit | fruta |
| green beans | habichuelas |
| green pepper | pimiento verde |
| hot dog | perrito caliente |
| hamburger | hamburguesa |
| lamb | cordero |
| lemon | limón |
| lentils | lentejas |
| lettuce | lechuga |
| lime | lima |
| main course | segundo plato |
| mint | menta |
| mushroom | champiñón |
| mussels | mejillones |
| mustard | mostaza |
| olive oil | aceite de oliva |
| olive | aceituna |
| oxtail | rabo de buey |
| pasta | pasta |
| pepper | pimienta |
| salt | sal |
If you’re anything like me, you know that half the joy of visiting someplace new is the opportunity to take advantage of a new style of cooking and experience all of the culinary customs of that place. One of the best things to do while traveling is to sample a local cuisine; the last thing you want is to go hungry in a foreign land. Take our advice: learn to order food off a Spanish menu! You might also want to learn how to order a beer in Spanish.
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