Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| camarero | /kamaˈɾeɾo/ | Spain, masculine |
| garzón | /ɡaɾˈθon/ /ɡaɾˈson/ |
Chile, masculine |
| mesero | /meˈseɾo/ | Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, masculine |
| mesonero | /mesoˈneɾo/ | Venezuela, masculine |
| mozo | /ˈmoθo/ /ˈmoso/ |
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, masculine |
All provided forms of the word refer to a person who serves food and drinks in a restaurant or similar establishment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word you use depends on where you are. camarero is used especially in Spain. In Chile, you can use garzón or mozo. In Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico, mesero is common. In Venezuela, mesonero is used. In Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, mozo is the standard term.
How does it change in a sentence?
These nouns are masculine. To refer to a waitress, use the feminine forms: camarera for camarero, mesera for mesero, moza for mozo and mesonera for mesonero.
How do you pronounce it?
/kamaˈɾeɾo/
When do people say it?
When you want to get a waiter's attention, it is more polite to say ¡Perdone! (Excuse me!) rather than shouting their job title.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word camarero shares the same root as the word for a bedroom, cámara, because a waiter was historically a person who served in a private chamber.
- In Argentina and Uruguay, the word mozo is the standard term, but in other contexts it can simply mean 'young man'.
Examples in context
- Mary insultó al mesero.Mary insulted the waiter.This sentence shows the use of mesero.Tatoeba #1713644 by marcelostockle, translation #1397735 by Spamster
- Aquí viene el camarero.Here comes the waiter.This sentence shows the use of camarero.Tatoeba #1938618 by teskmon, translation #1850973 by Dottyeyes
- Mozo, este vaso está roto.Waiter, this glass is broken.This sentence shows how to address a mozo.Tatoeba #2445405 by hayastan, translation #10684764 by sangelo
- Perdón, mesero, ¿nos puede traer la carta, por favor?Excuse me, waiter, could you bring us the menu, please?
- Buenos días, camarero, ¿me podría sugerir algún plato típico de la casa?Good morning, waiter, could you suggest a traditional dish of the house?
- ¡Oye, camarero! Necesitamos más agua, por favor.Hey, waiter! We need more water, please.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are sitting in a busy cafe in Madrid.
- JavierSofía, ¿puedes llamar al camarero?Sofía, can you call the waiter?
- SofíaSí, Javier, ya lo estoy haciendo.Yes, Javier, I am doing it now.
- JavierEl camarero viene hacia nosotros.The waiter is coming towards us.
- SofíaPerfecto, vamos a pedir la comida.Perfect, let's order the food.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “waiter” translations and entries camarero, garzón, mesero, mesonero, mozo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camarero, garzón, mesero, mesonero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
