camarera
/kamaˈɾeɾa/feminine
The English phrase waitress means camarera in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists mesera.
Meaning: female waiter (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| camarera | /kamaˈɾeɾa/ | feminine |
| mesera | /meˈseɾa/ | feminine |
The word camarera refers to a female waiter. Depending on the context, it can also mean 'room attendant' or 'chambermaid'.
Which one should you use?
The term camarera is the standard way to say waitress in Spain, while mesera is commonly used in many parts of Latin America.
Is it said differently in some regions?
mesera is used in Latin America, whereas camarera is more common in Spain.
How do you pronounce it?
/kamaˈɾeɾa/
Did you know?
- The word camarera comes from cámara, meaning 'room'. Originally, it referred to a person who looked after the private chambers of a household rather than someone serving food in a public space.
- While camarera is used for the profession, calling a waitress guapa or cariño is a common, though debated, way to get their attention in some Spanish bars.
- In many parts of Latin America, calling out ¡Mesera! is a standard way to get attention, whereas in Spain, using the person's title or simply saying Perdone is more common.
Examples in context
- Mary era una camarera.Mary was a waitress.The sentence is useful for stating a person's former profession using camarera.Tatoeba #4503550 by cueyayotl, translation #4502794 by CK
- Pídale el menú a la camarera.Ask the waitress for the menu.The sentence is useful for practicing how to ask a camarera for a menu.Tatoeba #2258125 by hayastan, translation #2258124 by _undertoad
- Este es tu uniforme de camarera.This is your waitress uniform.The sentence is useful for describing an object belonging to a camarera.Tatoeba #691766 by hayastan, translation #705284 by Zifre
- Por favor, camarera, ¿podría traerme la carta de vinos?Excuse me, waitress, could you bring me the wine list, please?
- Disculpe, camarera, ¿me puede traer una servilleta?Excuse me, waitress, could you bring me a napkin?
- Oye, mesera, ¿nos traes dos cafés, por favor?Hey, waitress, could you bring us two coffees, please?
- Hola, mesera, ¿podría recomendarme algún postre?Hello, waitress, could you recommend me a dessert?
- Mesera, ¿me puedes traer otra botella de agua?Waitress, can you bring me another bottle of water?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are sitting at a cafe in Madrid.
- DanielLa camarera nos trae la cuenta.The waitress is bringing us the bill.
- MaríaEspero que sea rápida, Daniel.I hope she is quick, Daniel.
- DanielEsa camarera trabaja muy bien.That waitress works very well.
- MaríaSí, es muy amable.Yes, she is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “waitress” translations and entries camarera, mesera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
