Confirming a Restaurant Order | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: At a restaurant, a customer asks staff to confirm a mild order and side dish before the food is served..

EN → ES / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Confirming a Restaurant Order to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

¿Podríamos revisar nuestro pedido antes de que salga la comida?

poh-DREE-ah-mohs reh-bee-SAR noo-ES-troh peh-DEE-doh AN-tes deh keh SAL-gah lah koh-MEE-dah? Could we review our order before the food comes out?
B

¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?

keh leh goos-tah-REE-ah kohn-feer-MAR? What would you like to confirm?
A

Pedí la versión suave, no la picante.

peh-DEE lah behr-SYON SWAH-beh, noh lah pee-KAN-teh. I asked for the mild version, not the spicy one.
B

Permítame comprobarlo con la cocina.

pehr-MEE-tah-meh kohm-proh-BAR-loh kohn lah koh-SEE-nah. Let me check that with the kitchen.
A

La guarnición es lo que más me preocupa.

lah gwahr-nee-SYON es loh keh mahs meh proh-oh-KOO-pah. The side dish is the part I am most worried about.
B

Puedo añadir una nota clara para que preparen bien el pedido.

PWEH-doh ahn-yah-DEER OO-nah NOH-tah KLAH-rah PAH-rah keh preh-PAH-ren byen el peh-DEE-doh. I can add a clear note so the order is prepared correctly.
A

Eso ayuda. Solo queremos que la comida sea como la pedimos.

EH-soh ah-YOO-dah. SOH-loh keh-REH-mohs keh lah koh-MEE-dah SEH-ah KOH-moh lah peh-DEE-mohs. That helps. We just want the meal to match our order.
B

Entiendo. Es mejor revisar el pedido antes de que llegue la comida.

en-tee-EN-doh. es meh-HOR reh-bee-SAR el peh-DEE-doh AN-tes deh keh YEH-gheh lah koh-MEE-dah. I understand. It is better to check before the food arrives.
A

¿Podría confirmar el pedido antes de que sirvan la comida?

poh-DREE-ah kohn-feer-MAR el peh-DEE-doh AN-tes deh keh SEER-bahn lah koh-MEE-dah? Could you confirm the order before the food is served?
B

Permítame comprobarlo ahora y le diré si hay que cambiar algo.

pehr-MEE-tah-meh kohm-proh-BAR-loh ah-OH-rah ee leh dee-REH see eye keh kahm-BYAR AL-goh. Let me check now and tell you if anything needs changing.

Word by Word

Podríamos In “Podríamos revisar nuestro pedido”, it politely proposes that the speakers review their order. It is used before an infinitive, as in “Podríamos revisar”. New example: “Podríamos hablar mañana.”
revisar In “Podríamos revisar nuestro pedido”, it means to review or check the order. It follows “Podríamos” and stays in this infinitive form. New example: “Necesito revisar la reserva.”
nuestro In “nuestro pedido”, it means “our” and refers to something belonging to the speakers together. Its form matches the masculine singular noun “pedido”. New example: “nuestro plan”.
pedido In “nuestro pedido”, it means the order placed at the restaurant. It is commonly used with “el” or a possessive such as “nuestro”. New example: “Quiero confirmar el pedido.”
antes In “antes de que salga la comida”, it means “before” and places the checking earlier than the food coming out. A common reuse pattern is “antes de que” followed by an event. The dialogue also uses “antes de que llegue la comida”.
de In “antes de que salga la comida”, “de” completes the time expression “antes de que”. It connects “antes” with the following clause. A common reuse pattern is “antes de que” plus an event.
que In “antes de que salga la comida”, “que” introduces the clause describing the event that has not happened yet. It is part of the reusable pattern “antes de que” plus a clause. The same pattern appears in “antes de que llegue la comida”.
salga In “antes de que salga la comida”, it describes the food coming out. After “antes de que”, this form refers to an event that has not happened yet. New example: “antes de que salga el tren”.
la In “la comida”, “la” means “the” before a feminine singular noun. At the beginning of a sentence, the same form appears capitalized in “La guarnición”. Use “la” before a feminine singular noun in a definite reference.
comida In “la comida”, it means the food or meal being served at the restaurant. It commonly appears with “la” when referring to a specific meal. New example: “La comida está lista.”
Qué In “¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?”, it asks what the customer would like to confirm. The accent is part of this question form. A common reuse pattern is “¿Qué ...?” when asking for specific information.
le In “¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?” and “le diré”, “le” points to the person being addressed. Here, it refers to the customer receiving the question or information. A common reuse pattern is “¿Qué le gustaría...?”
gustaría In “¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?”, it expresses what the customer would like in a polite question. It is used with “le” and an infinitive, as in “le gustaría confirmar”. New example: “¿Qué le gustaría pedir?”
confirmar In “¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?” and “Podría confirmar el pedido”, it means to confirm or check that something is correct. It follows expressions such as “le gustaría” and “Podría”. A common reuse pattern is “confirmar el pedido”.
Pedí In “Pedí la versión suave”, it says that the speaker asked for or ordered the mild version. It is placed before the item that was requested. A common reuse pattern is “Pedí” followed by the requested item.
versión In “la versión suave”, it means a particular version of the dish, here the mild option. It commonly appears with “la” and an adjective describing the option. A useful pattern is “la versión” plus a description.
suave In “la versión suave”, it means mild and identifies the requested option. It describes “versión” in the restaurant order. A common reuse pattern is “versión” followed by a descriptive adjective.
no In “no la picante”, it rejects the spicy option and creates a contrast with “la versión suave”. It is placed before the part being rejected. New example: “No quiero la salsa picante.”
picante In “la picante”, it identifies the spicy option that the customer does not want. It distinguishes that option from the mild one in the order. New example: “salsa picante”.
Permítame In “Permítame comprobarlo”, it politely asks the customer to allow the speaker to check something. It is used before an infinitive, as in “Permítame comprobarlo”. New example: “Permítame revisar el pedido.”
comprobarlo In “Permítame comprobarlo”, it means to check it, with “lo” referring to the order or matter under discussion. The same form appears in “comprobarlo ahora”. A common reuse pattern is “comprobarlo” followed by a time expression.
con In “comprobarlo con la cocina”, “con” means “with” and connects the checking to the kitchen. It shows who or what the speaker will consult. A common restaurant pattern is “comprobar algo con la cocina”.
cocina In “con la cocina”, it means the kitchen involved in preparing the order. It appears after “con” in the phrase about checking the order. A common restaurant reuse pattern is “consultar con la cocina”.
guarnición In “La guarnición”, it means the side dish included with the meal. It identifies the part of the order that worries the customer most. New example: “La guarnición está incluida.”
es In “La guarnición es lo que más me preocupa”, “es” links the side dish with what worries the speaker most. It also appears capitalized as “Es” in “Es mejor revisar el pedido”, where it introduces a recommendation. In both uses, it means “is”.
lo In “comprobarlo”, “lo” refers to the order or matter being checked. In “lo que más me preocupa”, it means “what” or “the thing that” worries the speaker most. A useful reuse pattern is “lo que” plus a clause.
más In “lo que más me preocupa”, “más” marks the greatest degree: the part that worries the speaker most. It is used before the verb in this pattern. New example: “Lo que más necesito es tiempo.”
me In “me preocupa”, “me” identifies the speaker as the person affected by the worry. The phrase means that something causes concern to the speaker. New example: “Me preocupa el retraso.”
preocupa In “lo que más me preocupa”, it means “worries” or “concerns”. The thing causing the concern is “lo que”, while “me” identifies the person who feels it. A common reuse pattern is “me preocupa” followed by a noun or clause.
Puedo In “Puedo añadir una nota”, it means “I can” and offers the speaker’s ability or willingness to add a note. It is followed by an infinitive. New example: “Puedo revisar el pedido.”
añadir In “Puedo añadir una nota”, it means to add a note to the order. It follows “Puedo” in the infinitive form. A useful reuse pattern is “añadir una nota”.
una In “una nota”, it introduces one non-specific feminine noun and means “a” or “one”. Its form matches the feminine singular noun “nota”. A common reuse pattern is “una nota clara”.
nota In “una nota clara”, it means a note or written instruction added to the order. It is the information the staff member will add so the order is prepared correctly. A useful reuse pattern is “añadir una nota”.
clara In “una nota clara”, it means clear and describes the note as easy to understand. Its form matches the feminine noun “nota”. A common reuse pattern is “una nota clara”.
para In “para que preparen bien el pedido”, “para” expresses purpose: the note is added so that the order will be prepared correctly. It is used here in the pattern “para que” plus a clause. New example: “Lo escribo para que lo entiendan.”
preparen In “para que preparen bien el pedido”, it describes the preparation of the order as the intended result of the note. The people responsible for the order are the ones who prepare it. A useful pattern is “para que preparen” followed by the item being prepared.
bien In “preparen bien el pedido”, “bien” means well or correctly and describes how the order should be prepared. It follows the preparation verb. A useful reuse pattern is “preparar bien el pedido”.
el In “el pedido”, “el” means “the” before a masculine singular noun. It identifies the specific restaurant order under discussion. Use “el” before a masculine singular noun in a definite reference.
Eso In “Eso ayuda”, “Eso” means “that” and refers to the clear note or checking just mentioned. It points back to an already discussed action or result. A common reuse pattern is “Eso ayuda” when acknowledging useful assistance.
ayuda In “Eso ayuda”, it means that the preceding action is useful or helps the speakers. It describes the effect of the staff member’s offer. New example: “Eso ayuda mucho.”
Solo In “Solo queremos”, “Solo” means “just” or “only” and limits what the speakers want. It shows that they are making a simple request rather than asking for something extra. New example: “Solo quiero confirmar el pedido.”
queremos In “Solo queremos que la comida sea como la pedimos”, it expresses what the speakers want. It introduces the desired result with “que”. A common reuse pattern is “queremos que” followed by the result being requested.
sea In “que la comida sea como la pedimos”, it describes the desired state of the meal. It follows “queremos que” and connects the meal with the way it was ordered. A useful pattern is “queremos que” plus “sea” and a description.
como In “sea como la pedimos”, “como” means “as” or “like” and connects the meal with the way the speakers ordered it. It helps express that the result should match a previous request. New example: “Hazlo como te expliqué.”
pedimos In “como la pedimos”, it refers to the way the speakers asked for or ordered the meal. It identifies the speakers’ earlier request as the standard for comparison. A common reuse pattern is “Pedimos” followed by the item ordered.
Entiendo In “Entiendo”, it means “I understand” and acknowledges the customer’s concern. It can stand alone as a complete response. A common reuse is “Entiendo” before offering a solution.
mejor In “Es mejor revisar el pedido”, “mejor” means “better” and presents checking as the preferable action. It is used in the pattern “Es mejor” followed by an infinitive. New example: “Es mejor confirmar el pedido.”
llegue In “antes de que llegue la comida”, it describes the food arriving. After “antes de que”, it refers to an event that has not happened yet. A useful reuse pattern is “antes de que llegue” followed by the arriving item.
Podría In “¿Podría confirmar el pedido?”, it makes a polite formal request meaning “could you”. It is followed by an infinitive and the requested object. New example: “¿Podría revisar el pedido?”
sirvan In “antes de que sirvan la comida”, it describes the serving of the food. After “antes de que”, it refers to the serving event before it happens. A useful reuse pattern is “antes de que sirvan” followed by the food or dish.
ahora In “comprobarlo ahora”, “ahora” means “now” and places the checking at the present time. It commonly follows the action it specifies. A useful reuse pattern is “hacer algo ahora”.
y In “comprobarlo ahora y le diré”, “y” means “and” and links the checking with the later act of telling the customer. It joins two related actions in the same statement. A common reuse pattern is “A y B” for connected actions.
diré In “le diré si hay que cambiar algo”, it means “I will tell” and promises to give the customer information. It is used before “si” and the information that will be reported. A useful reuse pattern is “le diré” followed by a statement or question.
si In “si hay que cambiar algo”, “si” means “if” and introduces the condition being checked. It connects the checking with the possible need for a change. A common reuse pattern is “si” followed by a clause.
hay In “hay que cambiar algo”, “hay” forms the expression that says something needs to be changed. The complete reusable pattern is “hay que” followed by an infinitive. Here, the needed action is “cambiar algo”.
cambiar In “hay que cambiar algo”, it means to change something in the order. It follows “hay que” and takes “algo” as its object. A useful reuse pattern is “hay que cambiar” followed by the item needing a change.
algo In “cambiar algo”, “algo” means “something” or “anything” and refers to an unspecified part of the order. It functions as the object of “cambiar”. A common reuse pattern is “cambiar algo”.

Grammar Points

antes de que + subjuntivo

Antes de que llegue la comida, hay que revisar el pedido.

AN-tes deh keh YEH-gheh lah koh-MEE-dah, eye keh reh-bee-SAR el peh-DEE-doh.

Before the food arrives, the order has to be checked.

Use the subjunctive after antes de que because the later action has not happened yet.

para que + subjuntivo

Hay que revisar el pedido para que la versión sea clara.

eye keh reh-bee-SAR el peh-DEE-doh PAH-rah keh lah behr-SYON SEH-ah KLAH-rah.

The order has to be checked so that the version is clear.

Use the subjunctive after para que to express the purpose or intended result of an action.

Spanish Vocabulary

cocina noun
koh-SEE-nah kitchen
comprobar verb
kohm-proh-BAR to check; to verify comprobarlo
confirmar verb
kohn-feer-MAR to confirm
guarnición noun
gwahr-nee-SYON side dish
pedido noun
peh-DEE-doh order

nuestro pedido

pedir verb
peh-DEER to ask for; to order pedí
permitir verb
pehr-mee-TEER to allow; let me permítame
picante adj
pee-KAN-teh spicy
preocupar verb
preh-oh-koo-PAR to worry; to concern preocupa

lo que más me preocupa

revisar verb
reh-bee-SAR to review; to check
suave adj
SWAH-beh mild
versión noun
behr-SYON version

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What would you like to confirm?

Show Answer¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?

Let me check that with the kitchen.

Show AnswerPermítame comprobarlo con la cocina.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to allow; let me

Show Answerpermítame

to ask for; to order

Show Answerpedí

version

Show Answerversión

spicy

Show Answerpicante