Spanish restaurant words you'll actually hear

What the waiter is asking you, what's on the plate, and how the bill gets split.

con reserva / sin reserva

With / without a booking.

The first thing said to you at the door, often as a single word with a raised eyebrow.

Heard in¿Con reserva?

¿Cuántos sois?

How many of you are there?

Answered with 'somos' — 'somos dos'. Not 'vamos'.

Heard in¿Cuántos sois?

para empezar

To start.

Spanish meals get ordered in waves rather than as courses, so this opens the order rather than naming a starter.

Heard inPara empezar, __.

para compartir

To share.

The default assumption in Spain. The waiter asking this isn't being nosy — it changes how the food is plated.

Heard in¿Para compartir?

lo más típico

The most typical thing — the local speciality.

The single best question in the deck. It gets you what the place is actually good at.

Heard in¿Qué es lo más típico de aquí?

las croquetas

Croquettes — breadcrumbed béchamel, usually ham.

One of the three things named when you ask what's typical, alongside tortilla and pulpo.

Heard inLa tortilla / las croquetas / el pulpo…

sin

Without.

The whole allergy and preference conversation hangs off this one word: 'sin gluten', 'sin cebolla', 'sin lactosa'.

Heard in¿Me lo pones sin __?

está completo

It's full.

What you'll hear when there's no table. Not a negotiation.

Heard inEstá completo.

cobrar

To charge — the verb for taking payment.

Spanish uses 'cobrar' where English says 'take payment'. '¿Me cobras?' is how you flag for the bill.

Heard in¿Me puedes cobrar por separado?

por separado

Separately — split the bill.

Normal and unremarkable in Spain, though a big table may be asked to settle up together.

Heard in¿Me puedes cobrar por separado?

me he confundido

I've made a mistake / got mixed up.

What the waiter says when the plate was for another table. Recognising it saves the awkward pause.

Heard inUy, perdona, me he confundido de mesa.