Last updated: JULY 24, 2023
How to book a table in French? (with exercises)
The best way to book a table in French at a French restaurant is to be familiar with the relevant expressions, in other words, the restaurant vocabulary (une table (a table), réserver (to book), une réservation (a reservation), etc.), the grammar structures including questions, tenses and moods (present indicative tense « je mange » and conditional « je voudrais »).
But how to feel confident when booking a table in French? Here are the best tips to help you feel comfortable:
- Practice the vocabulary, the questions, the present tense and the conditional only related to the restaurant. You won’t discuss about planes or technology!
- For the speaking aspect, make sure you can pronounce words, then word groups, and finally the full sentence. Start small, then work your way up to bigger things.
- As far as the listening part is concerned, try your best to spot the key words in the other person’s speech. It’s called linguistic prediction.
But if we’re being realistic, booking a table in a foreign language seems intimidating, especially for both beginner and advanced learners of French, as the process takes place over the phone. Not everyone feels comfortable with speaking on the phone, even as a native speaker.
This article will guide you through the process on how to book a table in French with two dialogues. If you need to get back to the basics first, make sure to know how to say thank you in French and how to order in French.
STEP 1 · Booking a table in French
First, booking a table in French is choosing the right restaurant. When selecting a restaurant, consider the type of cuisine you prefer and the ambiance you’re looking for.
French cuisine is known for its rich flavours and elegant presentation, and Paris is home to some of the best restaurants in the world.
To find a restaurant that suits your taste, you can use online resources such as TripAdvisor or Yelp. These platforms offer reviews and ratings from previous customers, helping you make an informed decision.
Once you have selected your restaurant, you can move on to the next step.
STEP 2 · Making the Reservation
Making a reservation in French is an essential part of the booking process.
To make a reservation, you can call the restaurant directly or book online if they have a website.
It is essential to know some basic French phrases to ensure a smooth reservation process.
Here are two dialogues that you can learn or use when booking a table on the phone in French:
• The first dialogue is a simple conversation between a customer and a server, showcasing essential words and phrases to master.
• The second dialogue, designed for advanced learners, features more challenging terms and phrases that will help expand your French vocabulary and prepare you for servers who ask longer and more complex questions.
For those seeking further practice, our private French lessons for adults in Paris or online provide an exceptional language learning experience. Our intensive French lessons are specifically designed for learners who wish to acquire French fluency swiftly.
Dialogue 1 · for beginner learners to book a table in french
This dialogue includes frequent words and phrases that are useful to book a table in French. Only the essential has been kept. It’s a simple dialogue between the client (client) and the waiter (le serveur (masculine) / la serveuse (feminine)).
Serveur: Bonjour, restaurant Le Foie Gras, comment puis-je vous aider?
Client: Bonjour, je souhaiterais réserver une table pour ce soir.
Serveur: Bien sûr, pour combien de personnes?
Client: Pour quatre personnes, s’il vous plaît.
Serveur: Nous avons une table disponible à 20 heures, est-ce que cela vous convient?
Client: Oui, cela convient parfaitement.
Serveur: Très bien, je note une table à 20 heures pour quatre personnes. Pouvez-vous me donner votre nom, s’il vous plaît?
Client: Oui, Mike.
Serveur: Parfait. Nous vous attendons ce soir à 20 heures.
Client: Merci beaucoup.
Serveur: De rien, à ce soir.
Dialogue 1 · EXERCISE for beginnerS
Listen to the audio recordings and type your responses. Make sure to check your spelling carefully!
Listen to the recording and type your answer:
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Listen to the recording and type your answer:
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Listen to the recording and type your answer:
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Listen to the recording and type your answer:
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Dialogue 2 · for advanced learners to book a table in french
As opposed to the first dialogue, we have created a second dialogue that compounds more complex terms and structures. The overall dialogue remains easy to understand in case you need to book a table at a French restaurant on the phone.
Serveur: Bonjour, restaurant Le Martin, comment puis-je vous aider?
Cliente: Bonjour, je souhaiterais réserver une table pour ce soir.
Serveur: Bien sûr, Madame. Pour combien de personnes souhaitez-vous réserver une table?
Cliente: Pour quatre personnes, s’il vous plaît.
Serveur: Très bien. Je regarde nos disponibilités pour ce soir. Avez-vous une préférence concernant l’heure de votre réservation?
Cliente: Oui, nous aimerions dîner vers 19 heures 30.
Serveur: Parfait, j’ai une table disponible à 19 heures 30 ce soir. Est-ce que cela vous conviendrez?
Cliente: Oui, c’est parfait.
Serveur: Très bien, Madame, donc une table pour quatre personnes à 19 heures 30. La réservation, c’est à quel nom, s’il vous plait?
Cliente: Alors, Bonnie.
Serveur: Merci bien. Vous avez une préférence pour la vue ou le type de table que vous souhaiteriez?
Cliente: Une table près de la fenêtre avec une vue sur la ville serait parfait, si c’est possible bien sûr.
Serveur: Oui, nous avons une table de libre près de la fenêtre avec vue sur Paris. Je pense que cela vous plaira !
Cliente: J’en suis certaine ! Merci beaucoup.
Serveur: Avec plaisir, Madame, c’est noté. Nous nous réjouissons de vous accueillir ce soir à 19 heures 30.
Cliente: Merci encore et à ce soir.
Serveur: Bonne journée à vous et à ce soir.
Dialogue 2 · EXERCISE for ADVANCED LEARNERS
Listen to the audio recordings and type your responses. Make sure to check your spelling carefully!
Listen to the recording and type your answer:
"?"
Listen to the recording and type your answer:
"?"
Listen to the recording and type your answer:
"?"
Listen to the recording and type your answer:
"!"
Conclusion · how to order a table in french?
Learning how to book a table in French through dialogues is a good way to effectively remember new words and structures in context.
By practicing and repeating these phrases, you will familiarise yourself with this exercise.
If you need to practice your French, we offer private French lessons with a French tutor in Paris.
