German · Restaurant
You phone a restaurant and book a table for Saturday evening: what to say in German
You phone a restaurant and book a table for Saturday evening.
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How it's done. At weekends it is wise to book a restaurant ahead: you give the day, time, number of people and name; if you are late, phone and say so.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
Restaurant Zum Löwen, guten Tag.Res-toh-RAHN tsoom LYOH-vayn, GOO-tayn tahk.
Restaurant Zum Löwen, good day.
They might also say:
Guten Tag, Restaurant Zum Löwen. Was kann ich für Sie tun?
GOO-tayn tahk, res-toh-RAHN tsoom LYOH-vayn. Vahs kahn eekh fyoor zee toon?
Good day, Restaurant Zum Löwen. What can I do for you?
YOU REPLY
Guten Tag. Ich möchte einen Tisch für vier Personen reservieren.
GOO-tayn tahk. Eekh MYOKH-teh IGH-nayn teesh fyoor feer pehr-ZOH-nayn reh-zehr-VEE-rayn.
Good day. I'd like to reserve a table for four people.
Or say:Guten Tag. Haben Sie am Samstagabend einen Tisch für vier Personen?
GOO-tayn tahk. KHAH-bayn zee ahm ZAHMS-tuh-kuh-baynt IGH-nayn teesh fyoor feer pehr-ZOH-nayn?
THEY SAY
Für welchen Tag und welche Uhrzeit?Fyoor VEL-khayn tahk oont VEL-kheh OOR-tsight?
For which day and what time?
They might also say:
Für wann denn?
Fyoor vahn dayn?
For when?
2
YOU REPLY
Für Samstag um neunzehn Uhr.
Fyoor ZAHMS-tuhk oom NOYN-tsayn oor.
For Saturday at seven p.m.
THEY SAY
Ja, das geht. Auf welchen Namen darf ich reservieren?Yah, dahs get. Owf VEL-khayn NAH-mayn dahrf eekh reh-zehr-VEE-rayn?
Yes, that works. In what name may I reserve?
They might also say:
Gern. Wie ist Ihr Name, bitte?
Gehrn. Vee eest eer NAH-meh, BEE-teh?
Gladly. What is your name, please?
3
YOU REPLY
Auf den Namen Kovalenko, mit K.
Owf dayn NAH-mayn koh-VAH-layn-koh, meet k.
In the name of Kovalenko, with a K.
THEY SAY
Gut, Samstag um neunzehn Uhr, vier Personen, Kovalenko. Bis Samstag!Goot, ZAHMS-tuhk oom NOYN-tsayn oor, feer pehr-ZOH-nayn, koh-VAH-layn-koh. Bees ZAHMS-tuhk!
Good, Saturday at seven p.m., four people, Kovalenko. See you on Saturday!
4
YOU FINISH
Vielen Dank, bis Samstag! Auf Wiederhören!
FEE-layn dahnk, bees ZAHMS-tuhk! Owf VEE-dehr-khyoh-rayn!
Thank you very much, see you on Saturday! Goodbye!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Restaurant
Res-toh-RAHN
noun
restaurant
Löwen
LYOH-vayn
noun
lion
guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
möchte
MYOKH-teh
verb
would like
Tisch
teesh
noun
table
30 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Können Sie das bitte aufschreiben?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh OWFSH-righ-bayn?
Can you write it down, please?
Similar situations
You ask the waiter what they recommend todayRestaurant · A1 in the app
→You ask for the bill and the waiter asks if you are paying togetherRestaurant · A2 in the app
→You do not eat meat and ask if there is something vegetarianRestaurant · A2 in the app
→Your food arrives cold and you politely say soRestaurant · A2 in the app
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