English for hospitality
English for hospitality
It seems easy to work as a waiter, but those who work in the sector will be able to confirm that many times it is more complicated than appearances show. If we add to that doing it in English, we can make our working hours very long and heavy.
For this reason, we want to give you a hand in this English for hospitality post focused on people who work in the hospitality industry, which, although it seems very complicated, mastering a certain and repetitive vocabulary, and some phrases, it will all be much more bearable and you will feel more professionally performed.
This post on English for hospitality is not only aimed at people who want to go abroad, or who are already there, but for people from Spanish-speaking countries that receive tourism from anywhere in the world to be able to communicate and provide a top service and why not for all the other people who go as clients sometimes to a restaurant where Spanish is not spoken. Let’s start with:
Useful expressions and vocabulary:
- Good morning: Buenos días
- Hi: Hola (informal)
- Breakfast: desayuno
- Lunch: comida, almuerzo
- Good afternoon: Buenas tardes (hasta las 18h)
- Dinner: cena
- Good evening: Buenas tardes- noches (desde las 18h)
- Full: complete
- Beverage: bebida
- Ice: hielo
- Coke: coca cola
- Lemonade: limonada (también se usa a veces para sprite)
- Orange: naranja
- Lemon: limón
- Waiter/waitress: camarero/camarera
- Head waiter: jefe de sala
- Barman/bartender: camarero de barra
- Client/costumer/guest: cliente, invitado
- Sir: caballero, señor
- Madam: dama, señora
- It´s a pleasure to see you again: es un placer verle de nuevo
- Can I help you?: ¿en qué puedo ayudarle?
- What can I get you?: ¿qué le pongo?
- Do you have…?: ¿tiene…?
- Reservation/booking: reserva
- Would you like…?: ¿le gustaría…?
- Table: mesa
- In the shade: a la sombra
- In the sun: al sol
- Come this way: venga por aquí, acompáñeme
- Over there: por allí
- Sure: claro, por supuesto
- Certainly: por supuesto, desde luego
- That´ll be fine: eso está bien
- Great: estupendo, genial
Useful expressions and vocabulary. Advise and recommend:
- Are you ready to order?: ¿sabe ya lo que desea? ¿está listo para pedir?
- I can recommend: puedo recomendar
- May i suggest…?: ¿puedo sugerirle…?
- Have you tried…?: ¿ha probado…?
- Typical: típico
- Dish: plato
- Tasty: sabroso
- Delicious: delicioso
- It goes well with: va bien con
- I´d like… : me gustaría…
- Indeed: efectivamente, de verdad, realmente
- The best: lo mejor, el mejor
- Speciality: especialidad
- Excellent: excelente
- Here you are: aquí tiene
- Here it is: aquí está
- I´m afraid: me temo que…
- Fully booked: al completo
Useful expressions and vocabulary. Preparation of dishes and drinks
- Chef/cook: cocinero
- Meat: carne
- Fish: pescado
- Fruit: fruta
- Vegetable: verdura
- Aperitif: aperitivo
- Snack: tentempié
- Starter: entrante
- Main course: plato principal
- Dessert: postre
- Crushed ice: hielo picado
- Juice: zumo
- I´ll have that: tomaré eso
- Creamy: cremoso
Table accessories and kitchenware:
- Set up the table: montar la mesa
- Fork: tenedor
- Knife: cuchillo
- Spoon: cuchara
- Dessert spoon: cucharilla de postre
- Glass: vaso
- Napkin: servilleta
- Table cloth: mantel
- Dinner plate: plato llano
- Soup plate: plato hondo
- Dessert plate: plato de postre
- Tea pot: tetera
- Jug: jarra
- Pan: sartén
- Bowl: bol, cuenco
- Oven: horno
- Pot: olla
- Strainer: colador
- Blender: batidora
- Cocktail shaker: coctelera
- Toothpick: palillo de dientes
Cooking modes:
- Grill: a la plancha
- Boil: hervir
- Roast: asar
- Fry: freír
- Poach: escalfar, pasar por agua
- Stew: guisar
- Bake: cocer al horno
- Steam: cocer al vapor
- Smoked: ahumado
- Tinned: enlatado, en conserva
- Raw: crudo
- Rare: poco hecho
- Medium rare: medio hecho
- Médium: en su punto
- Well done: muy hecho
- Burnt: quemado
Herbs and seasonings:
- Garlic: ajo
- Parsley: perejil
- Thyme: tomillo
- Rosemary: romero
- Oregano: oregano
- Salt: sal
- Oil: aceite
- Vinegar: vinagre
- Sugar: azúcar
- Mint: menta
- Basil: albahaca
- Cinnamon: canela
- Nutmeg: nuez moscada
- Saffron: azafrán
- Pepper: pimienta
- Paprika: pimentón
- Mustard: mostaza
- Chilli pepper: guindilla
- Sauce: salsa
- Dressing: condimento para ensalada
- Gravy: salsa para carne
- Mayonnaise: mayonesa
Vegetables:
- Artichoke: alcachofa
- Asparagus: espárragos
- Aubergine: berenjena
- Avocado: aguacate
- Beans: judías
- Beetroot: remolacha
- Brussels sprouts: coles de Bruselas
- Cabbage: col, repollo
- Caper: alcaparra
- Carrots: zanahorias
- Cauliflower: coliflor
- Celery: apio
- Chickpeas: garbanzos
- Chive: cebolleta
- Courgette: calabacín
- Cucumber: pepino
- Leek: puerro
- Lentils: lentejas
- Mushrooms: champiñones
- Onion: cebolla
- Peas: guisantes
- Pepper: pimiento
- Potatoes: patatas
- Pumpkin: calabaza
- Radish: rábano
- Spinach: espinacas
- Sweet potato: batata
- Tomato: tomate
- Turnip: nabo
Payment and dismissal:
- Bill: cuenta
- To settle the bill: pagar la cuenta
- Can we split the bill?: ¿Podemos pagar por separado?
- By credit card: con tarjeta de crédito
- Expired: caducada
- To sign: firmar
- Receipt: recibo, ticket, cuenta
- Check: también usada para cuenta
- Cange: cambio
- No longer: ya no
- I hope you´ve enjoyed your meal: espero que haya disfrutado su comida
- Instead: en vez de
- Tax: tasa, impuesto
- Keep the change: quédese el cambio
- Tip: propina
- Amount: cantidad
- To include: incluir
- Service: servicio
- To charge: cobrar
- To owe: deber
- It´s on me: pago yo, corre de mi cuenta
- It´s on the house: invita la casa
- Have a nice day/evening: que tenga un buen día/ que pase una buena noche
- I´m glad to hear that: me alegra escuchar eso
- See you soon: hasta pronto
- To come back: regresar
- My pleasure: un placer
- Let us know: hágnos saber
Apologies, complaint management:
- Complain: queja
- There must be: debe haber
- Make sure: asegurarse
- To check: comprobar
- I´ll change it for you: se lo cambiaré
- My apologies: acepte mis disculpas
- I am extremely sorry: lo lament muchísimo
- I´ll see what I can do: veré qué puedo hacer
- We´ve been waiting for: llevamos esperando
- Complaint form: hoja de reclamaciones
- Mistake: error
Allergies:
- I’m allergic to …: soy alérgico a …
- Wheat: el trigo
- Dairy products: productos lácteos
- I’m severely allergic to …: soy severamente alérgico a …
- Nuts: las nueces
- Shellfish: los mariscos
- I’m a vegetarian: soy vegetariano/a
- I am celliac: soy celíaco
Further…
The English are generally very polite people, so never forget to treat them with courtesy or you could run the risk that they will complain to your boss or, worse, the place will lose customers. Remember to say thank you for everything (Many thanks or Thanks Sir) and complement it with Madam (madam) or Sir (sir) when you refer to them.
¿Puedo ayudarle? / Can I help you?
¿Han decidido? / Have you decided?
¿Necesita algo más? / Do you need anything else?
¿Cómo puedo ayudarles? / How can I help you?
¿Agua mineral? / Mineral Water?
¿Sin gas o con gas? (aquí se refiere al agua) / Still or sparkling?
¿Me puede traer la cuenta? / Can I have the bill?
¿Está todo bien? / Is everything fine?
¿Con qué viene? (acompañamiento)/ What does it come with?
We hope that we have helped you and above all that you put it into practice without fear or shame, that speaking and making mistakes is the best way to learn! 🙂
Also, if you have been motivated by this content and want to obtain an official English degree here we leave you the closest options .
Until the next post, don’t forget to give us your comments, suggestions and share so that it will be useful to other people!
