BASIC ENGLISH FOR WAITERS

Here is a guide to help you do your job better, to be confident when interacting with the
guest and to offer a service that exceeds their expectations.

As a waiter you always bring your complete work equipment with you:

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

calculator calculator calculeiror
matches matches matches
check check(s) chek

commander order form, order pad order form, order pad

corkscrew corkscrew cork scru
lighter lighter lairer
flashlight flashlight, light flachlait, lait
pen(s) pen(s) pen(s)
checkbook holder check carpet, chek carpet
check carrier chek carrier
check folder chef fòlder
menu menu meniu

These are some words referring to utensils and furniture that you use in your job

SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
Bar items
ashtray ashtray achtrei
tray tray trei
cup glass glas
glass of wine wine glass uain glas
pitcher pitcher pitcher
glass glass glas
sugar sugar chugar

brown or chewing sugar brown sugar braun chugar

beverage(s) drink(s), beverage(s) drink(s), bèverach (yes)

ice ice ais
salt salt salt
sauce willow sos
sugar substitute chugar substitut suit-
sugar substitute sweetlow lou
 $_
La (J)c/ec Vt
ORistovante GSax Italian

napkin napkin napkin

straw straw stro

General vocabulary
garbage can / trash can bin, garbage can, bin, garbech can, trach
trash can can
cigar (s) cigarette (s) cigaret (s)
staircase stairs steirs
step step step
table table teibol
chair chair cheir
phone telephone, phone telefon, fon
public telephone public telephone, public telefon
phone pay telephone, fon pei telefon
phone fon
terrace terrace terras
candle candle candl
special of the day today's special tudeis spechial
pure cigar (s) cigar (s)
bathroom restroom rest-rum
bathroom (with
shower) bad-rum
w.c. dobl yu si
bar bar bar
right right rait
right straight streit
right later straight ahead streit ajed
parking parking lot parkin lot
date date deit
left left left
waitress waitress ueitres
waiter waiter ueirer
name name neim
tip(s) tip(s), gratuity tip (s), gratuiti
reservation reservation reserveichion
salon salon salon
supervisor supervisor supervaisor

As a professional waiter it is your responsibility to know the restaurant's MENU, this implies
knowing:

- ingredients
- preparation
 • how it is served: temperature, flavor, etc.
• presentation
• in the case of wines, it is necessary to know their origin and properties.
•
Normal Interaction

When you have a meeting with any guest, we greet them in a friendly manner and serve
them with a smile.

It is advisable to always greet in Spanish to confirm the language spoken by the customer.

Hello !!! Good _______________________(days, afternoons or evenings).

Welcome to la dolce vita__________________________________________________

SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
good morning good morning gud morning
Good morning Sir,
Madam morning Sir, Madame morning ser, madam

good afternoon (after good afternoon gud afternun

12 pm)

good afternoon (after good evening gud ivning

5 or 6 pm
good evening (used
alone good night gud nait
when the customer
leaves)
welcome(s) welcome uelcom
welcome to the welcome to uelcom tu

hello hello jelou

We introduce ourselves

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

my name is my name is __ i will mai neim is ____ uil bi

_____________ I will be be your waiter /
your waiter (a) waitress today yor ueirer/ ueitres tudei
My name
is_____________I mai neim is ____uil
'll take care of you! taque quer of iu
SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
I will bring you the menu I'll bring you the menu
ail bring yu de meniu

The basic courtesies are:

• The guest is assisted by pulling the chair.

• Provide you with the menu (price list)
• "Assemble (napkins) according to services."

Remember: All services on the right side.

NOTE: WHENEVER YOU ADDRESS THE GUEST DO NOT FORGET TO DO IT WITH

RESPECT Sir, Madam. If you know his or her name, do not hesitate to use it when
addressing him or her.

Watch your guests, try to sell them what they need. Help them make a decision.

Whenever you give service, take the order and serve, you shall do so in this order: women
from oldest to youngest, and men likewise from oldest to youngest.

We offer the beverage:

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

May I offer you a
I can offer you a me ai ofer yu a_
I can bring you a May I bring you a
me ai bring yu a
What can I bring from the what can I get you from uat ken ai guet yu from
bar? the bar ? de bar ?
Today's special drink is
today's special drink is tudeis spechial drink is

—
Would you like to drink a Would you like to drink gud yu laik tu drink a
__________________? a _______________? ________________?
Would you like to try our gud yu laik tu trai auer
__________________? would you like to try our _______________?
________________?
 Would you like your Would you like your
__________with or without _______with or without gud yu laik yor_ _uid or
__________? _______? uidaut_____?
Would you like your Would you like your gud yu laik yor
__________mixed? ___________mixed? _________mixd ?
Would you like your ___ Would you like your gud yu laik yor uid
with ice ? __________with ice? ais?
Would you like your__at Would you like your gud yu laik yor on
the rocks? _______on the rocks? de roks?
Would you like your right?
gud yu laik yor
Would you like your _____________streit?
________straight?
without alcohol we have
ui jav ___________ol
the We have _____all drinks uidaut alcojol
— drinks without alcohol
What would you like to What would you like to uat gud yu laik tu drink?
drink? drink ?
our non-alcoholic aur drinks uit aut alcojol
beverages are ____y Our drinks without ar ____________and
alcohol are ____ and
would like to confirm your I would like to confirm ai gud laik tu confirm
order your order yor order
You asked for you asked for a
yu askd for a _______
____________is for you The ________if for from _______is for yu
you

When the drinks are brought to the table, each drink is mentioned by name as it is served to
the guest. If something is not right, you do NOT discuss it with the guest, you tell him/her
that there is no problem and you change it.

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

I am sorry I am sorry ai em sorri
There is not a
No problem Mr., Mrs., der is not a problem
problem Mr, Miss,
Miss. Sir, mis, mises
Misses
I take it back and I will
I return it and bring back bring what you ai teik it bak and ai uil
what you ordered. ordered bring uat yu order

When drinks are served the food order is taken

 $_
La (J)c/ec Vt
ORistovante GSax Italian

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

Are you ready to order? are you ready to
order? ar yu reri tu order?
please let me know when Please, whenever
you are ready. you`re ready, let me plis, uenever yur redi,
let mi nou
know
Please let me know
plis, let mi nou uen yu
please let me know when when you are ready to
ar redi tu order
you are ready to order order
The special of the day is tudeis espechial is de
Today`s special is the
What would you like to What would you like uat gud yu laik tu
order? to order? order?
Should I bring you a chud ai bring yu a or
I bring you a _______o
__________or a a
a______

I would like to tell Let me tell you we let mi tel yu ui jav

you that we have have

Would you like your

___________with or Would you like your gud yu laik yor uid
without ____? ___with or without ? or uidaut____?

If the glasses with the beverages are less than a quarter full, something more should be
offered.

SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
can I bring you another May I bring you me ai bring yu anoder
___________? another ________? ______________?

can I offer you a ? May I offer you a ? me ai ofer yu a ?

I can offer you ? May I offer you ? me ai ofer yu ?

can I bring you ? May I bring you ? me ai bring yu ?

As with the beverages, upon completion of the order, ........ is confirmed. If you notice
problems, come forward and ask.

SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
 Is it the way you is it de uei yu orderd it?
Is it as ordered? ordered it ?
no problem, I'll change it No problem, I`ll no problem, ail cheinch
for you change it it

Before leaving the table, you can ask if there is anything else you would like.....
SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
Would you like gud yu laik somting
Anything else?
something more? mor?
Is there anything else I is der enithin els dat ai
Is there anything else
can bring you? ken guet yu?
that I can get you?
Can I offer you anything May I offer you me ai ofer yu somting
else? something else? els?

The dead retire when ...

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

Can I (withdraw)? May I ? I would like to

When removing dead from the tables................ only drinks, ashtray and centerpiece are left
on the table
Ashtrays are changed when they have two cigarette butts.

Desserts / Desserts
Digestives/ Digestives

SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
would like to try______ gud yu laik tu trai____
Would you like to try

Some useful phrases

SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
 What can I do for you? What can I do for
you? uat ken ai du for yu?
How are you doing? how are you? jao ar yu?
Are you enjoying your Are you enjoying your
stay? stay? ar yu enyoing yor stei?
I suggest you ai suyest yu
I suggest __________

The account is delivered ONLY AT THE REQUEST OF THE GUEST. Before presenting it,
the consumer is asked what he/she thought of its consumption, in this way faults can be
detected.

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

Did you enjoy your stay? Did you enjoy your di yu enyoi yor stei?
stay?

Upon presentation of the bill, the sales receipt must be presented and you must be close by
to pick it up.

In cases of cash payments. (Always try to discreetly check the tickets that are given to you
so that if there is any error you can tell the GUEST immediately).

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

Allow me, in a moment I
will give you the change. I will bring the change a uil bring the cheinch

It is important to say goodbye to the GUEST with kindness and courtesy AND INVITE THE
GUEST TO RETURN.

- You can mention upcoming events

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

thank you for coming Mr., Mrs., Thank you for coming Sr, tenk yu for coming sir, mis,
Ms., Ms. Guys Miss Misses Guys______ mises, guys_________

we look forward to seeing

See you tomorrow ! Se iu tomorrou !
you tomorrow !

The customer may request (what is in bold would be the possible answers)
SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
can you charge it (the Can you charge it to ken yu charch it tu mai
payment) to my account? my bill? bil?
the account is charged ui charch it tu yor
to the We charge it to your
How much does it
How much does it cost? jao much das it cost?
cost?
The price is
the price is _______ de prais is_______

can I see the menu? May I see the menu? me ai si de meniu?

immediately Right away rait ouei

do you add taxes? Do you add any
taxes? du yu ad eni taxes?
Are taxes included in ar taxes included in de
the price? prais?
Already included Yes its included ies its includ
Do I have any du ai jav eny discaunt?
do i get a discount? discount?
are tips included in the Are tips included in Ar tips included in
check? the check? check?
let me see/review it Let me check it let me check it

How can I pay? How can I pay? jao ken ai pei?

What time is it? What time is it? uat taim is it?

are the_______ It`s _____ its______

How much time does jao mach taim das it
How long does it take/How it take? teik?
long does it take?
please visit
it teiks ____minuts
____________minutes It takes minutes
Where is___________? uers of _________?
Where`s the ?
there it is ____ It's right there____ is rait der
Where can I find a uer ken ai faind a
Where can I find a phone? telephone? telefon?
Telephones are
telefons ar ______
the telephones are in
can i have the account? Can I have the bill? ken ai jav de bil?
 the bill please ! The bill please! de bil plis
Just a moment
one moment please yost a moment plis
please
please wait Please wait plis ueit

this is your account This is your bill dis is yor bil

Could you sign this
could you sign this?
please? cud yu saign dis plis?
just sign here? Just sign here yos saign jir
May I have your May I have your me ai ujav yor
signature? signature please? signatur plis?
it is a pleasure My pleasure mai plechur

Customer responds

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

that's fine That's fine dats fain

thank you Thank you tenk yu

thank you Thanks tenks

Great! Great! greit !!!

Perfect! Perfect! perfect!

well Good gud

We bid farewell to the guest

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

thank you Thank you tenk yu

There it is It's right there its rait der

enjoy Please enjoy plis enyoi

Have fun! jav fan!
have fun
Enjoy yourself Enyoi yorself
you are welcome You`re welcome yor uelcom
it is a pleasure to serve Happy to serve you japi tu serv yu
you
 goodbye Good bye gud bai

have a nice day Have a nice day jav a nais dei

Enjoy your stay! Have enyoi yor stei ! jav a
Enjoy your stay!
a great time! greit taim !

In the food and beverage area, the French term "Mise in Place" (pronounced "Mis en plas")
is used, which means "to put things in their place". Refers to the organization of food,
ingredients, utensils, etc. that facilitate work processes.

ANNEX 1
CARDINAL NUMBERS
NUMBER NUMBER PRONUNCIATION
0 Zero, Oh sirou, ou
 $_
La (J)c/ec Vt
ORistovante GSax Italian

1 one uan
2 two your
3 three tri
4 four for
5 five faiv
6 six six
7 seven seven
8 eight eit
9 nine nain
10 ten ten
11 eleven ileven
12 twelve tuelv
13 thirteen tirtin
14 fourteen fortin
15 fifteen fiftin
16 sixteen sicstin
17 seventeen seventin
18 eighteen eitin
19 nineteen naintin
20 twenty tuenty
21 twenty-one tuenty-uan
30 thirty tirtin
40 forty forti
50 fifty fifti
60 sixty sicsti
70 seventy seventi
80 eighty eiti
90 ninety nainti
100 one hundred uan jandred
one hundred and one
101 uan jandred and uan
200 two hundred your jandred
1000 one thousand uan tausen
uan tausen tri jandred
1345 one thousand three and forti faiv
hundred and forty-five
 ANNEX 2
DAYS, MONTHS, SEASONS, HOLIDAYS

DIAS
WORD IN
ENGLISH ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
days days deis
Monday Monday mondei
Tuesday Tuesday tusdei
Wednesday Wednesday uendsdei
Thursday Thursday turstei
Friday Friday fraidei
Saturday Saturday sarurdei
Sunday Sunday sandei
week Week uik
week-end Weekend uikend

Months
WORD IN
ENGLISH ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
month(s) month(s) mond (s)
January January yanuari
February February februari
March March march
April April eipril
May May mei
June June yun
July July yulai
August August ogost
September September september
October October october
November November november
December December december

Stations
 WORD IN
ENGLISH ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
station (es) season(s) sison (s)
spring spring spring
summer summer somer
autumn autumn otom
winter winter uinter

Festivities
DATE FESTIVITY FESTIVITY PRONUNCIATION
January 01 New Year New Year a yier
love and friendship
February 14th Valentine's Day valentains dei
day
March 17 saint patrician's day Saint Patrick's Day sant patriks dei
April easter Easter ister
May 05 battle of puebla Puebla's battle batle villages
Mother's Day Mother's day moders dei
May 10 (2nd Saturday)
3rd Sunday of June FATHER'S DAY Father's day faders dei
United States
July 4 Independence Day Independence day independens dei

Mexican mecsican independes

September 15
independence day Independence day dei
Halloween
October 31 Halloween jalouin
(Halloween)
November 2 day of the dead dead day ded dei
mecsican revoluchion
November 20 mexican revolution Mexican Revolution
3rd Thursday of Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving tenksguiving
November
December 25th christmas Christmas chrysmas
 ANNEX 3
VARIOUS

Various

SPANISH WORD ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION

clam clam clam
milk milk milk
condensed milk condensed milk condens milk
cream cream crim
olive (s) olive (s) oliv (s)
celery celery celeri
peanut (s) peanut (s) pinut (s)
coffee coffee cofi
cinnamon cinnamon cinamon
onion chive chaiv
cherry (s) cherry (ies) cherri (s)
chocolate (s) chocolate (s) cocolat (s)
plum (s) plumb (s) plomb (s)
coconut (s) coconut (s) coconot (s)
peach peach (s) pich (s)
raspberry (s) raspberry (ies) rasberri (s)
strawberry (s) strawberry (ies) stroberri (s)
fruit(s) fruit(s) frut (s)
guava (s) guaba (s) guaba (s)
kiwi (s) kiwi (s) kiwi (s)
lime (s) sour (s) lemon(s) lemon(s)
mandarin (s) tangerine (s) tanyerin (s)
handle(s) handle(s) handle(s)
apple(s) apple(s) apl(s)
passion fruit (s) passion fruit (s) pachion frut (s)
chinese melon(s) cantaloupe (s) cantalup (s)
melon(s) valencian(s) melon (s) melon (s)
mint mint mint
blackberry (s) berry (ies) berri (s)
orange(s) orange (s) oranch (en)
walnut (ces) walnut (s) pecan (s) ualnot(s) pecan(s)
cucumber (s) cucumber (s) cucumber (s)
pear (s) pear (s) pir (s)
pineapple (s) pineapple (s) painapl (s)
banana (s) banana (s) banana (s)
watermelon (s) watermelon (s) uarermelon (s)
tomato (s) tomato (en) tomero (s)
grapefruit (s) grapefruit (s) greipfrut (s)
vanilla (s) vanilla vanila
 APPENDIX
4
TIME
O`clock ...

5 after /past ....

5 to....
10 after /past

10 to .....

A quarter
after/past...
A quarter to

20 to
20 after/past...

25 to
20 after/past

Half (past)....
SPANISH PHRASE FRASE ESPAÑOL PRONUNCIATION
then after after
past past past
a quarter after a quarter after a cuarer after
half half jalf
for to your
a room for a quarter to a cuarer tu
on the dot O`clock O`clock
a.m. a.m ei em
in the morning in the morning in da morning
p.m. p.m. pi em
in the afternoon in the afternoon in da afternun
at night in the night in da nait
Examples: 2:15 = two fifteen / a quarter after two
8:50 = eight fifty / ten to nine
7:40 = seven forty / twenty to eight
7:15 a.m. = seven fifteen a.m. / seven fifteen in the morning/ a quarter after seven in the
morning.

ANNEX 5 ADJECTIVES
WORD IN
ENGLISH ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
bittersweet sweet sour suitsaur
sour sour saur
bitter bitter birer
sweet sweet suit
delicious delicious delichius
fresh fresh frech
cold cold cold
juicy juicy yusi
salty salty salti
soft soft / smooth sof / smud
cold/cooling chill
cold chilly

BASIC ENGLISH
CONJUGATION, VERBS

Personal pronouns
SPANISH WORD
ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
YO I ai
TU/USTED You yu
EL He ji
SHE She chi
ESO/ THIS It it
WE We ui
YOU You yu
THEY They dei
AUXILIARY VERBS
Ser / Estar = TO BE
PRONOU N PRESENT E PAST GERUNDI O
PAST PARTICIPLE
 I Am Was Been Being
You Are Were Been Being
He/She/It Is Was Been Being
We Are Were Been Being
They Are Were Been Being

Haber / Tener = TO HAVE

PRONOU N PRESENT E PAST GERUNDI O
PAST PARTICIPLE
I Have Had Had Having
You Have Had Had Having
He/She/It You Had Had Having
We haveHave Had Had Having
They Have Had Had Having

VERBS
WORD IN
ENGLISH ENGLISH WORD PRONUNCIATION
drink to drink (i) your drink
buy to buy (i) tu bai
place (set the table) to set (i) your set
say to tell (i) your phone
wish to wish tu uich
like to like your laik
go to to go (i) to go
mix to mix your mix
offer to offer your offer
order to order order
pay to pay (i) tu pei
want to want your uant
serve to serve your serv
suggest to suggest your suyest
have/have to have (i) your jav
bring to bring (i) your bring
sell to sell (i) your sel

Irregular verbs (i)

Regular Verbs
PRESENT E PAST GERUNDI O
VERB PAST PARTICIPLE
 to wish turn (s) turned turned turning
to turn wish (es) wished wished wishing
to like like(s) liked liked liking
to mix mix (es) mixed mixed mixing
to offer offer(s) offered offered offering
to order order(s) ordered ordered ordering
to want want(s) wanted wanted wanting
to serve serve(s) served served serving

to suggest suggest(s) suggeste d suggested suggesting

In the present tense, the third person singular (he, she, it = he, she, it) is conjugated by
adding an s/es at the end.

The Past Participle is used with the compound tenses, which are formed as follows:
Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle

Irregular Verbs
PRESENT E PAST GERUNDI O
VERB PAST PARTICIPLE
to drink drink(s) drank drunk drinking
to set set(s) set set setting
to eat eat(s) ate eaten eating
to buy buy (s) bought bought buying
to tell tell(s) told told telling
to go go (en) went gone going
to pay pay(s) paid paid paying
to have have (has) had had having
to bring bring(s) brought brought bringing
to sell seal(s) sold sold selling