¿podemos pedir?
¿podemos pedir? is the Spanish way to say 'can we order'.
This phrase is used to signal to a waiter that your group has finished looking at the menu and is ready to make a selection.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb poder (to be able to) in the first-person plural and the verb pedir (to ask for/order).
Which one should you use?
While pedir is the most common way to say 'to order' food, ordenar is a cognate that is also used in some Latin American contexts, though pedir is more standard for requesting items.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, the expression ¿Podemos pedir algo, por favor? is widely used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb pedir is a stem-changing verb, meaning the 'e' changes to 'i' in many conjugations, though it remains pedir in the infinitive used here.
Did you know?
- The Spanish verb pedir is a direct ancestor of the English word 'petition'. Both come from the Latin root petere, which means to seek or request.
- In Spain, it is often considered rude to call a waiter's attention by shouting. Instead, diners frequently make eye contact and give a small, subtle nod to signal ¿podemos pedir?
- In many Spanish-speaking restaurants, rather than asking ¿podemos pedir?, customers often use the phrase ¿Nos toma nota? to ask the waiter to 'take our note' or 'take our order'.
Examples in context
- Nos gustaría realizar un pedido. ¿Nos podría traer la carta, por favor?We would like to order. Could you please bring us the menu?
- ¿Podemos pedir algo rápido?Can we order something quick?
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are sitting at a restaurant table.
- JavierElena, ¿ya sabes qué quieres comer?Elena, do you already know what you want to eat?
- ElenaSí, estoy lista.Yes, I am ready.
- JavierEntonces, ¿podemos pedir?In that case, can we order?
- ElenaSí, llama al camarero.Yes, call the waiter.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pedir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
