🙋📅🪑🙏

How to Say ‘I'd like to book a table, please.’ in Portuguese

Queria reservar uma mesa, por favor.

kuh-REE-uh hez-ehr-VAHR OO-muh MEH-zah poor fuh-VOR

[kuh-REE-uh hez-ehr-VAHR OO-muh MEH-zah poor fuh-VOR]

💬 Usage Tip: Queria literally looks like "I wanted", but it's the standard polite way to ask for something now. Swap the end: Queria um café, por favor. "I'd like a coffee, please."

🇵🇹 In Portugal: This is how most people open a booking call in Portugal. It sounds softer and more natural than Quero "I want".

Phrase Breakdown

Queria reservar

kuh-REE-uh hez-ehr-VAHR

I would like to book

'Queria' (kuh-REE-a) is the polite way to say 'I'd like'. In 'reservar' the initial 'r' is strong and throaty.

Example

Queria reservar um quarto.

I'd like to book a room.

Words in this phrase

Queria

[kuh-REE-uh]

I would like

A polite way to introduce what you want to say.

Example

Na frase «Queria» agradecer, o tom fica mais suave e profissional.

In the phrase “I would like” to thank, the tone becomes softer and more professional.

reservar

[hez-ehr-VAHR]

to reserve / book

Infinitive verb meaning to reserve, commonly used for tables and appointments.

Example

O verbo "reservar" aparece em contexto de restaurante: Vou reservar.

The verb "reservar" appears in a restaurant context: I am going to reserve.

uma mesa,

OO-muh MEH-zah

a table,

Keep the article with the noun: OO-ma MAY-za.

Example

Temos uma mesa livre.

We have a free table.

Words in this phrase

uma

[OO-muh]

Feminine singular indefinite article before 'família'.

Example

Uma empresa pode ter uma cultura muito acolhedora.

A company can have a very welcoming culture.

mesa

[MEH-zah]

Table

The word used for a restaurant table in a reservation context.

Example

A Mesa está reservada para as nove.

The table is reserved for nine o'clock.

por favor.

poor fuh-VOR

please.

Say poor-fa-VOR, with the stress on the last syllable.

Example

Um café, por favor.

A coffee, please.

Words in this phrase

por

[poor]

Preposition; with 'acaso' it forms 'by chance'.

Example

Encontrei-a por acaso.

I met her by chance.

favor

[fuh-VOR]

favor

With por, it forms please.

Example

Um momento, por "favor", enquanto verifico a data.

One moment, "please," while I check the date.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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