¿Me puede dar…?
polite, restaurant
When ordering in Spanish, a polite way to say "can I have" is ¿Me puede dar…? followed by the item. Quisiera… means "I would like" and sounds a little more formal. It is also called ¿Me trae…?
Meaning: asking for food or drink politely (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿Me puede dar…? | polite, restaurant |
| Quisiera… | formal, polite |
| ¿Me trae…? | everyday, waiter |
Say the dish after the phrase, then add por favor. With a waiter, ¿Me trae…? ("will you bring me…?") is also very common.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Puede is the polite usted form, which fits restaurants and shops. With friends you can say ¿Me das…?
Did you know?
- Por favor can come at the start or the end of an order and sounds equally polite.
Examples in context
- ¿Me puede dar un café, por favor?Can I have a coffee, please?
- Quisiera la sopa del día.I would like the soup of the day.
- ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?Can you bring me the bill, please?
Example conversation
A customer orders at a small café and the waiter Pablo takes the order.
- PabloBuenas tardes. ¿Qué desea?Good afternoon. What would you like?
- Cliente¿Me puede dar un café con leche?Can I have a coffee with milk?
- PabloClaro. ¿Algo más?Of course. Anything else?
- ClienteQuisiera también un pan tostado, por favor.I would also like a piece of toast, please.
