Confirming a Restaurant Order | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

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

   Could we review our order before the food comes out?

   Podríamos

   Could we

   revisar

   review; check

   nuestro

   our

   pedido

   order

   antes de que

   before

   salga

   comes out

   comida

   food

   More detail

   Podríamos is the first-person plural conditional of poder (“could”): podemos = “we can,” while podríamos presents something as a possible or polite proposal. The ending -íamos identifies “we” here; it does not mean that the action definitely happened. revisar is the infinitive “to review” or “to check.” After a conjugated form such as podríamos, Spanish uses the infinitive: Podríamos revisar = “We could review/check.” nuestro is a possessive adjective meaning “our.” It is masculine singular here because it agrees with pedido, not because of the people who possess it. Compare nuestro pedido (“our order”) with nuestra comida (“our food”) and nuestros pedidos (“our orders”). pedido is the masculine singular noun “order” in this context. It can also mean “request” in other contexts, so the surrounding restaurant context and the fixed translation select “order” here. The plural is pedidos. antes de que introduces a clause meaning “before.” When the clause after it describes an action that has not yet occurred relative to the main action, Spanish uses the subjunctive. This is why the sentence has salga, rather than the indicative form sale. salga is the third-person singular present subjunctive of salir, “to leave” or “to come out.” Its subject here is la comida, so it is singular. The same form can occur in other subjunctive contexts; here it is required by antes de que for the not-yet-realized event. For example: Antes de que salga el tren, compramos agua. — “Before the train leaves, we buy water.” comida is the feminine singular noun “food” here. The article la agrees with it: la comida. In other contexts, comida can refer to a meal, but “food” is the intended meaning in this sentence. Together, Podríamos revisar nuestro pedido means “Could we review our order,” and antes de que salga la comida adds “before the food comes out.” The whole utterance is therefore a polite proposal to check the order before the food comes out.

2. ¿Qué le gustaría confirmar?

   What would you like to confirm?

   Qué

   what

   le gustaría

   would you like

   confirmar

   to confirm

   More detail

   Qué means “what” here: it asks which thing the addressed person wants to confirm. The accent mark identifies interrogative qué, distinguishing it from unaccented que in other structures. Example: ¿Qué necesitas? — “What do you need?” Le gustaría is a polite “would like” construction. In this sentence, the fixed translation shows that le refers to the person being addressed. Gustaría is the conditional form of gustar, and le is the indirect-object pronoun for the person whose preference is being asked about. With gustar, the desired action or thing is commonly the grammatical subject: Le gustaría descansar means “You would like to rest” in a context where the listener is addressed. In other contexts, le can refer to a third-person singular person. The conditional makes the question less direct than ¿Qué quiere confirmar? — “What do you want to confirm?” Confirmar is an infinitive meaning “to confirm.” After gustaría, the infinitive names the action that would be pleasing or desired: Me gustaría llamar — “I would like to call.” Together, ¿Qué le gustaría confirmar? asks which thing the addressed person would like to confirm. The reusable pattern ¿Qué + indirect pronoun + gustaría + infinitive? asks politely about a desired action, as in ¿Qué le gustaría revisar? — “What would you like to review?”

3. Pedí la versión suave, no la picante.

   I asked for the mild version, not the spicy one.

   Pedí

   I asked for

   versión

   version

   suave

   mild

   no la picante

   not the spicy one

   More detail

   Pedí is the first-person singular preterite of pedir, “to ask for” or “to request.” The ending -í shows that the subject is “I” and that the completed request is in the past. The useful pattern is pedí + noun: Pedí agua. = “I asked for water.” versión is a feminine singular noun meaning “version.” Its gender is shown by the feminine article la; the noun itself does not change here. In this sentence, it identifies what was requested: a particular version of something. suave describes versión as “mild.” It is singular, and this adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine singular nouns: un sabor suave, una versión suave. Its meaning here is the milder option, not the spicy option. no la picante rejects the alternative. no supplies the negation, while la is a feminine singular direct-object form referring to the requested feminine noun understood from the sentence. picante means “spicy” here. The noun is omitted after la, so the adjective functions substantively: la picante means “the spicy one.” picante keeps the same form for masculine and feminine singular nouns, as in el plato picante and la salsa picante. Together, Pedí la versión suave means “I asked for the mild version.” The following no la picante contrasts it with the omitted but understood “spicy version”: “not the spicy one.” The complete utterance is therefore: “I asked for the mild version, not the spicy one.”

4. Permítame comprobarlo con la cocina.

   Let me check that with the kitchen.

   Permítame

   let me

   comprobarlo

   check it

   cocina

   kitchen

   More detail

   Permítame is the formal singular command form of permitir addressed to usted, with me attached: “allow me” or, naturally here, “let me.” The accent marks the resulting stress. For an informal singular listener, the corresponding form is permíteme; these forms should not be treated as interchangeable. comprobarlo combines the infinitive comprobar (“to check” or “to verify”) with the direct-object clitic lo. In this sentence, lo expresses “that” in the fixed translation. It identifies the object as a clitic of the relevant grammatical class, but the supplied sentence does not specify a concrete noun for it. A reusable pattern is comprobar + object clitic: comprobarla can refer to a feminine singular object, while comprobarlo is the form observed here. cocina is the noun cocina, “kitchen.” The source uses it after la, giving la cocina; cocina is feminine in this use, so the definite article is la, not el. Example: La cocina está limpia. — “The kitchen is clean.” Together, Permítame comprobarlo means “Let me check that,” and con la cocina adds the means or point of reference “with the kitchen.” Thus the complete utterance is: “Let me check that with the kitchen.”

5. La guarnición es lo que más me preocupa.

   The side dish is the part I am most worried about.

   guarnición

   side dish

   es

   is

   lo que

   what; the thing that

   más

   most

   me preocupa

   worries me

   More detail

   guarnición is a feminine noun meaning “side dish” here. Its gender is part of the noun’s grammar; it does not mean that the side dish is necessarily a female person. Example: La guarnición está fría. — “The side dish is cold.” es is the third-person singular present form of ser, “to be.” Here it links la guarnición with the identifying expression that follows: “The side dish is …” The subject is singular, so the form is es; plural subjects use son. lo que is a reusable neuter relative construction meaning “what” or “the thing that.” In this sentence, lo does not refer to a masculine noun; together with que, it introduces an idea or thing treated as a whole. Example: Eso es lo que necesito. — “That is what I need.” más means “most” in this structure. It marks the highest degree of concern: the side dish is the thing that causes the greatest worry among the relevant matters. The related comparative use is más ... que, “more ... than,” as in Me preocupa más la guarnición que el postre. — “The side dish worries me more than the dessert.” me preocupa uses preocupar, “to worry” or “to concern,” in the third-person singular present form preocupa, plus the object pronoun me, “me.” Spanish presents the source of concern as the grammatical subject: La guarnición me preocupa literally has the structure “The side dish concerns me.” The singular form preocupa agrees with la guarnición or, in the complete sentence, with the singular idea introduced by lo que; me identifies the person affected. Example: Me preocupa el horario. — “The schedule worries me.” Together, La guarnición es lo que más me preocupa means “The side dish is what worries me most.” The sentence identifies the side dish as the matter causing the greatest concern, matching the fixed translation “The side dish is the part I am most worried about.”

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

   I can add a clear note so the order is prepared correctly.

   Puedo

   I can

   añadir

   add

   nota

   note

   clara

   clear

   para que

   so that

   preparen

   prepare

   bien

   well; correctly

   pedido

   order

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder (“to be able to”): puedo, puedes, puede. With an infinitive, it expresses ability or possibility: Puedo ayudar. = “I can help.” añadir is an infinitive meaning “to add.” After a conjugated form of poder, the following verb stays in the infinitive: Puedo añadir ... = “I can add ...”. nota is a feminine singular noun meaning “note.” Its plural is notas. In this sentence it means a written note, not a grade or annotation. clara describes nota, so it is feminine singular as well. The adjective’s base form is claro; its forms include clara, claros, and claras. Here clara means easy to understand or unambiguous. para que introduces a purpose clause: “so that” or “in order that.” Unlike simple para + infinitive, para que is followed by a conjugated verb: Escribo una nota para que entiendan. = “I write a note so that they understand.” preparen is the third-person plural or ustedes present subjunctive form of preparar. The subjunctive appears here because para que introduces the intended result or purpose. The form itself does not identify a specific subject, and the fixed translation presents the order as being prepared without specifying an agent. bien is an adverb meaning “well” or, in this context, “correctly.” It modifies how the preparation is carried out; it does not describe the order as a noun. pedido is a masculine singular noun meaning “order” here, as in a food order. Its plural is pedidos. It is distinct in this sentence from comida (“food”): the note is added for the order to be prepared correctly. Together, Puedo añadir una nota clara means “I can add a clear note.” para que preparen bien el pedido gives the purpose: “so that the order is prepared correctly.” The complete utterance is therefore “I can add a clear note so the order is prepared correctly.”

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

   That helps. We just want the meal to match our order.

   Eso

   that

   ayuda

   helps

   Solo

   just; only

   queremos

   we want

   comida

   meal; food

   sea

   be

   como

   as; the way

   pedimos

   we ordered

   More detail

   Eso is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” Here it points to the preceding helpful idea or action, without identifying a new participant. Unlike a demonstrative adjective, it stands on its own. ayuda comes from ayudar (“to help”). It is present tense, third-person singular: “helps.” The subject is eso, so the singular form is used. Example: Esto ayuda mucho. — “This helps a lot.” Solo limits the following desire: “just” or “only.” In this sentence, it means that the speakers’ request is limited to the stated result; it does not exclude the meal from the request. It is not the inclusive pattern no solo ... sino también .... queremos comes from querer (“to want”). The form is present tense, first-person plural: “we want.” Querer que is a useful pattern for expressing what someone wants another situation or person to do: Queremos que todo esté listo. — “We want everything to be ready.” comida means “food” or, in this context, “the meal.” It is a feminine singular noun, shown by la comida. The article belongs with the noun; the noun itself is comida. sea comes from ser (“to be”). It is present subjunctive, third-person singular, agreeing with la comida: queremos que la comida sea ... — “we want the meal to be ...” After querer que, Spanish uses the subjunctive because the content is desired rather than presented as an independent fact. Sea is not a command here. como means “as” or “the way” in this sentence. It introduces the way the meal should be: sea como ... — “be as ...” Here it has no accent because it is not the question word cómo (“how?”). Example: Hazlo como te expliqué. — “Do it the way I explained it.” pedimos comes from pedir (“to ask for; to order”). It is first-person plural: “we order” or “we ordered.” The present and preterite forms are identical here; the fixed translation and context support the intended meaning of matching what the speakers ordered. Example: Pedimos una sopa. — “We ordered a soup.” In la pedimos, la is a feminine singular direct-object pronoun referring to la comida: literally, “we order it.” The feminine singular form is required for that noun; compare lo pedimos when the direct object is masculine singular, such as el plato. The pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb. Together, Eso ayuda means “That helps.” Solo queremos que introduces the speakers’ limited request, and la comida sea como la pedimos says that the meal should be the way they ordered it. The complete meaning is: “That helps. We just want the meal to match our order.”

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

   I understand. It is better to check before the food arrives.

   Entiendo

   I understand

   mejor

   better

   revisar

   to check

   pedido

   order

   antes de que

   before

   llegue

   arrives

   comida

   food

   More detail

   Entiendo means “I understand” here. It is the first-person singular present form of entender (“to understand”): entiendo, entiendes, entiende. Example: Entiendo la pregunta. — “I understand the question.” mejor means “better” in the expression es mejor. It is the comparative form related to bueno (“good”), not an inflection of the nearby noun: bueno → mejor. In es mejor + infinitive, Spanish presents an action as the preferable choice. Example: Es mejor esperar. — “It is better to wait.” revisar is the infinitive “to check” or “to review.” After es mejor, the infinitive names the action being recommended: Es mejor revisar... — “It is better to check...” Example: Es mejor revisar la lista. — “It is better to check the list.” pedido means “order” here, specifically the order being checked. As a noun, it comes from pedir (“to request” or “to order”), but pedido in this sentence is a noun, not a verb form. Example: El pedido está completo. — “The order is complete.” antes de que introduces a time clause meaning “before.” Because the clause after it describes an event that has not yet occurred relative to the checking, Spanish uses the subjunctive there. This is a time relation, not a replacement of one action by another. llegue means “arrives” here. It is the third-person singular present subjunctive form of llegar (“to arrive”): llegar → llegue. The form agrees with the singular subject la comida; antes de que llegue la comida means “before the food arrives.” Example: Salimos antes de que llegue el tren. — “We leave before the train arrives.” comida means “food” here, referring to the meal in the supplied translation and context. It is a feminine singular noun, as shown by la comida; that grammatical gender does not by itself state a quantity. Example: La comida está lista. — “The food is ready.” Together, Entiendo gives the speaker’s acknowledgment. Es mejor revisar el pedido says that checking the order is preferable, and antes de que llegue la comida places that checking before the food arrives. The whole utterance therefore means: “I understand. It is better to check the order before the food arrives.”

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

   Could you confirm the order before the food is served?

   Podría

   could

   confirmar

   confirm

   pedido

   order

   antes de que

   before

   sirvan

   serve

   comida

   food

   More detail

   Podría is the conditional form of poder for third-person singular. In this sentence, the omitted subject is the person being addressed, so ¿Podría ...? is a formal singular request equivalent to “Could you ...?” The conditional softens the request; it is not the simple present puede. confirmar is the infinitive “to confirm.” It follows podría: poder + infinitive is a reusable way to ask whether someone can or would do something. Example: ¿Podría esperar? — “Could you wait?” el pedido means “the order” here. pedido is a masculine noun, so the article is el; its plural is los pedidos. The form can refer to an order placed for goods or food, as it does here. antes de que means “before” and introduces an event that has not yet occurred at the relevant time. It is followed here by a verb in the subjunctive, rather than simply naming a completed fact. Example: Llámame antes de que salgas. — “Call me before you leave.” sirvan is the present subjunctive form of servir for third-person plural. The people who serve are understood as the grammatical subject, while la comida is what they serve. The translation presents the same event as “the food is served.” Compare the present indicative sirven (“they serve”) with the subjunctive sirvan after antes de que. la comida means “the food.” comida is a feminine noun, shown by la; its plural is las comidas. In this sentence it is the food that will be served, not the people serving it. Together, ¿Podría confirmar el pedido asks politely whether the listener can confirm the order. antes de que sirvan la comida sets the deadline: the confirmation should happen before the food is served. The complete meaning is: “Could you confirm the order before the food is served?”

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

    Let me check now and tell you if anything needs changing.

    Permítame

    let me

    comprobarlo

    check it

    ahora

    now

    le diré

    I’ll tell you

    si hay que

    if it is necessary to

    cambiar

    change

    algo

    something

    More detail

    Permítame is the formal singular command form of permitir (“to allow”) with me attached: “allow me.” The ending -me marks the person who is being allowed to do something. Because the exact form is permítame, this is addressed to one usted; the informal singular form would be permíteme. comprobarlo combines the infinitive comprobar (“to check”) with attached lo, a direct-object pronoun meaning “it.” Here, lo refers to the order from the preceding context. In Spanish, object pronouns can attach to an infinitive: Voy a comprobarlo means “I am going to check it.” ahora means “now” and places the checking in the present moment. For example, Lo reviso ahora means “I’ll review it now.” le diré contains diré, the first-person singular future of decir (“to say” or “to tell”), plus le, the indirect-object pronoun for the person being told. Thus, le diré means “I will tell you” here, with usted as the person addressed. The future form is decir → diré, not a regular form such as *deciré*. si hay que introduces a condition or question about necessity: “if it is necessary to.” The impersonal pattern hay que + infinitive expresses that something needs to be done without naming the person responsible. For example, Hay que esperar means “It is necessary to wait” or “We need to wait.” cambiar is the infinitive “to change.” After hay que, it remains in the infinitive: hay que cambiar means “it is necessary to change.” algo is an indefinite pronoun meaning “something.” In this clause, cambiar algo means “to change something”; in the fixed translation, the natural English wording is “anything needs changing.” For example, Si hay que cambiar algo, avísame means “If anything needs changing, let me know.” Together, Permítame comprobarlo ahora means “Let me check it now.” The coordinated clause y le diré adds “and I will tell you,” while si hay que cambiar algo specifies what will be reported: whether anything needs changing. The complete utterance therefore means: “Let me check it now and tell you if anything needs changing.”