¿Qué le gustaría pedir?
To ask "What would you like to order?" in Spanish, a waiter says ¿Qué le gustaría pedir?
It is the polite question waiters ask customers in restaurants and cafes.
What does it mean word for word?
Qué means what, le means to you, gustaría means would please and pedir means to order or ask for. Literally it says what would it please you to order.
How does it change in a sentence?
le is the formal you. Between friends, the informal pronoun replaces it while the rest stays the same.
Did you know?
- Depending on the country, a waiter might avoid the phrase ¿Qué le gustaría pedir? and instead use ¿Desea algo más?, which literally asks if you 'desire' something more.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the waiter will not interrupt you to ask ¿Qué le gustaría pedir? until you have physically closed your menu or signaled that you are finished looking.
- The verb pedir shares an ancestor with the English word 'petition', which is why a 'petition' is a formal request for something.
Examples in context
- Buenas tardes, ¿qué le gustaría pedir?Good afternoon, what would you like to order?
Example conversation
A waiter approaches a woman at a restaurant table.
- JavierBuenas noches, ¿qué le gustaría pedir?Good evening, what would you like to order?
- ElenaQuisiera la sopa de tomate, por favor.I would like the tomato soup, please.
- JavierMuy bien, ¿y para beber?Very well, and to drink?
- ElenaUn agua mineral, por favor.A mineral water, please.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries le, pedir, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
