Eating out vocabulary guide in Spanish. Covers ordering, dining, and paying at restaurants with essential phrases and menu terms.
Dining out is a common situation where having the right Spanish vocabulary can make all the difference. This guide covers essential words and phrases for ordering, understanding menus, and paying the bill in a Spanish-speaking restaurant.
These are the basic phrases and vocabulary you'll need to place your order confidently in Spanish.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| el menú | los menús | the menu | the menus | ¿Me trae el menú, por favor? | Could you bring me the menu, please? |
| el camarero / la camarera | los camareros / las camareras | the waiter / waitress | the waiters / waitresses | La camarera fue muy amable. | The waitress was very kind. |
| el pedido | los pedidos | the order | the orders | Ya hice mi pedido. | I already made my order. |
| la mesa | las mesas | the table | the tables | Tenemos una mesa para dos. | We have a table for two. |
| la bebida | las bebidas | the drink | the drinks | Quiero una bebida fría. | I want a cold drink. |
| la comida | las comidas | the food / meal | the foods / meals | La comida está deliciosa. | The food is delicious. |
| el plato | los platos | the dish | the dishes | Voy a probar un plato nuevo. | I’m going to try a new dish. |
| la sopa | las sopas | the soup | the soups | De entrada, quiero sopa. | For starters, I want soup. |
| el postre | los postres | the dessert | the desserts | ¿Tienen postre hoy? | Do you have dessert today? |
| la cuenta | las cuentas | the bill | the bills | ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor? | Can you bring us the bill, please? |
These sentences will help you communicate smoothly when placing your order, asking questions, or requesting something extra.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quisiera… | Quisiéramos… | I would like… | We would like… | Quisiera una ensalada. | I would like a salad. |
| ¿Qué recomienda? | — | What do you recommend? | — | ¿Qué recomienda hoy? | What do you recommend today? |
| ¿Tienen…? | — | Do you have…? | — | ¿Tienen jugo de naranja? | Do you have orange juice? |
| Sin… | — | Without… | — | Quiero el café sin azúcar. | I want coffee without sugar. |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | — | How much does it cost? | — | ¿Cuánto cuesta el postre? | How much does the dessert cost? |
| Está listo / listos | — | It’s ready | They’re ready | Nuestro pedido ya está listo. | Our order is ready. |
| Una mesa para uno / dos… | — | A table for one / two… | — | Una mesa para dos, por favor. | A table for two, please. |
| De postre… | — | For dessert… | — | De postre, quiero flan. | For dessert, I want flan. |
| ¿Me puede traer…? | — | Can you bring me…? | — | ¿Me puede traer más pan? | Can you bring me more bread? |
| La cuenta, por favor. | — | The bill, please. | — | La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. |
Understanding common menu categories and dish descriptions will help you know what to order and avoid surprises.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| entradas | — | appetizers / starters | — | Pedimos entradas para compartir. | We ordered appetizers to share. |
| platos principales | — | main courses | — | Los platos principales tardan 20 minutos. | The main courses take 20 minutes. |
| bebidas | — | drinks | — | ¿Qué bebidas tienen? | What drinks do you have? |
| postres | — | desserts | — | Me encanta el postre de chocolate. | I love chocolate dessert. |
| sopas | — | soups | — | Hoy hay sopa de pollo. | Today there is chicken soup. |
| ensaladas | — | salads | — | Quiero una ensalada mixta. | I want a mixed salad. |
| carnes | — | meats | — | Las carnes vienen con guarnición. | The meats come with a side. |
| pescados | — | fish | — | El pescado está al horno. | The fish is baked. |
| mariscos | — | seafood | — | Los mariscos están frescos. | The seafood is fresh. |
| vegetarianos | — | vegetarian | — | Tienen opciones vegetarianas? | Do you have vegetarian options? |
When it’s time to pay and leave, these phrases will help you wrap up your dining experience politely.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La cuenta, por favor. | — | The bill, please. | — | La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. |
| ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? | — | Can I pay with a card? | — | ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay with a card? |
| ¿Aceptan efectivo? | — | Do you accept cash? | — | ¿Aceptan efectivo? | Do you accept cash? |
| ¿Está incluido el servicio? | — | Is the tip included? | — | ¿Está incluido el servicio? | Is the tip included? |
| Gracias, todo estuvo muy bien. | — | Thank you, everything was very good. | — | Gracias, todo estuvo muy bien. | Thank you, everything was very good. |
| Hasta luego. | — | See you later. | — | Hasta luego. | See you later. |
| Que tenga buen día. | — | Have a good day. | — | Que tenga buen día. | Have a good day. |
| ¿Puede traer el recibo? | — | Can you bring the receipt? | — | ¿Puede traer el recibo? | Can you bring the receipt? |
| Voy a pagar ahora. | — | I’m going to pay now. | — | Voy a pagar ahora. | I’m going to pay now. |
| ¿Me puede envolver esto? | — | Can you wrap this up for me? | — | ¿Me puede envolver esto? | Can you wrap this up for me? |
If you have allergies, dietary restrictions, or other special needs, these phrases will help you communicate them clearly in Spanish.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soy alérgico / alérgica a… | — | I’m allergic to… | — | Soy alérgica a los frutos secos. | I’m allergic to nuts. |
| ¿Tiene opciones sin gluten? | — | Do you have gluten-free options? | — | ¿Tiene opciones sin gluten? | Do you have gluten-free options? |
| ¿Es vegetariano / vegetariana? | — | Is it vegetarian? | — | ¿Es vegetariana esta sopa? | Is this soup vegetarian? |
| Sin… | — | Without… | — | Sin cebolla, por favor. | Without onion, please. |
| ¿Puedo cambiar… por…? | — | Can I change… for…? | — | ¿Puedo cambiar arroz por ensalada? | Can I change rice for salad? |
| No como… | — | I don’t eat… | — | No como carne. | I don’t eat meat. |
| ¿Este plato lleva…? | — | Does this dish have…? | — | ¿Este plato lleva huevo? | Does this dish have egg? |
| ¿Tiene opciones veganas? | — | Do you have vegan options? | — | ¿Tiene opciones veganas? | Do you have vegan options? |
| Sin azúcar | — | Without sugar | — | Quiero el café sin azúcar. | I want coffee without sugar. |
| Ingredientes | — | ingredients | — | ¿Cuáles son los ingredientes? | What are the ingredients? |
With this vocabulary, you’ll be well-equipped to enjoy dining out in any Spanish-speaking country. ¡Buen provecho!
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- English Singular: the menu
- English Plural: the menus
- English Example: Could you bring me the menu, please?
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
