Phrase guide

How to order food in Spanish: the phrases that work

To order food in Spanish, you need a handful of polite phrases: "Una mesa para dos, por favor" for a table, "Quisiera..." to order and "La cuenta, por favor" for the bill. Add "por favor" and "gracias" to everything and you'll manage in most restaurants. Here are the phrases in the order you'll use them.

  1. Una mesa para dos, por favor.

    A table for two, please.

    Tip: Change the number as needed: para uno, para tres, para cuatro.

  2. ¿Me trae la carta, por favor?

    Could you bring me the menu, please?

    Tip: In Latin America you'll also hear "el menú".

  3. ¿Qué me recomienda?

    What do you recommend?

    Tip: A good way to find the local specialty.

  4. Quisiera...

    I would like...

    Tip: Follow it with the dish: Quisiera la paella, por favor.

  5. Un agua sin gas, por favor.

    A still water, please.

    Tip: For sparkling water, say "con gas".

  6. Soy alérgico a... / Soy alérgica a...

    I'm allergic to... (alérgico if you're a man, alérgica if you're a woman).

    Tip: For example: Soy alérgica al marisco (I'm allergic to shellfish). Carry it on a card too.

  7. ¿Lleva...? / Sin..., por favor.

    Does it have...? / Without..., please.

    Tip: Check and adjust a dish: ¿Lleva cebolla? Sin cebolla, por favor.

  8. La cuenta, por favor.

    The bill, please.

    Tip: In Spain, the bill usually comes only when you ask for it.

  9. Para llevar, por favor.

    To go, please.

    Tip: Useful at cafés, bakeries and takeout counters.

  10. Talk it through when a phrase isn't enough

    Allergies and dishes you don't know often need a real conversation.

    Tip: Hearsay's restaurant card says common phrases out loud in Spanish, and table mode lets the waiter answer in Spanish while you read it in English. Set your table for Spanish

Talk across languages, both ways. Answer six quick questions and get a table plan for your language and the moments you need it for.

Get my table plan

Availability: Hearsay is an iPhone app on pre-order. Plans start on launch day, with a full refund any time before launch.

Questions

How do you ask for the bill in Spanish?

Say "La cuenta, por favor." In Spain, the bill usually comes only when you ask for it.

How do you say you have a food allergy in Spanish?

"Soy alérgico a..." if you're a man, "Soy alérgica a..." if you're a woman, followed by the food. For a serious allergy, carry it written on a card as well.

How do you order politely in Spanish?

Start with "Quisiera..." (I would like...) and end with "por favor." "Para mí..." (for me...) also works when ordering at a table.

More from Hearsay

How to communicate with someone who speaks a different languageHow to overcome language barriers when travelingBasic phrases to know when traveling abroadHow to handle a language barrier with your in-laws

Updated October 12, 2026