Chinese for Travel
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Unit 7 · Food Lesson 37 5 min Free in the app

Getting a table in Chinese

Ask for a table, say how many people, ask about waiting time, queue number, smoking area, and seating preferences. 7 p.m. at a packed hot pot place in Chengdu. You walk in without a booking.

入座

Key phrases

The 6 phrases this lesson is built around, with the words that make them up. Tap ▶ to listen, or the turtle to hear it slowly.

  • 您好，请问有座位吗？

    Nínhǎo, qǐngwèn yǒu zuòwèi ma?

    Hello, do you have a table available?

    • 您好Nínhǎo
    • 请问qǐngwèn
    • 有yǒu
    • 座位zuòwèi
    • 吗ma

  • 两位。

    Liǎng wèi.

    Two people.

    • 两Liǎng
    • 位wèi

  • 我们没有预约。

    Wǒmen méiyǒu yùyuē.

    We do not have a reservation.

    • 我们Wǒmen
    • 没有méiyǒu
    • 预约yùyuē

  • 大概要等多久？

    Dàgài yào děng duōjiǔ?

    About how long is the wait?

    • 大概Dàgài
    • 要yào
    • 等děng
    • 多久duōjiǔ

  • 可以帮我取个号吗？

    Kěyǐ bāng wǒ qǔ ge hào ma?

    Could you help me get a queue number?

    • 可以Kěyǐ
    • 帮bāng
    • 我wǒ
    • 取qǔ
    • 个ge
    • 号hào
    • 吗ma

  • 我们想坐禁烟区。

    Wǒmen xiǎng zuò jìnyān qū.

    We would like to sit in the non-smoking area.

    • 我们Wǒmen
    • 想xiǎng
    • 坐zuò
    • 禁烟jìnyān
    • 区qū

More phrases for this situation

Every other phrase from the lesson: 17 in all.

  • 您好，请问几位？

    Nínhǎo, qǐngwèn jǐ wèi?

    Hello, how many people?

  • 三位。

    Sān wèi.

    Three people.

  • 四位。

    Sì wèi.

    Four people.

  • 我们有五个人。

    Wǒmen yǒu wǔ ge rén.

    There are five of us.

  • 我们已经预约了。

    Wǒmen yǐjīng yùyuē le.

    We have already made a reservation.

  • 预约姓名是这个。

    Yùyuē xìngmíng shì zhège.

    The reservation name is this.

  • 现在需要等位。

    Xiànzài xūyào děngwèi.

    There is a wait for a table now.

  • 大概要等二十分钟。

    Dàgài yào děng èrshí fēnzhōng.

    The wait is about 20 minutes.

  • 这是我的排队号码吗？

    Zhè shì wǒ de páiduì hàomǎ ma?

    Is this my queue number?

  • 叫到我们了吗？

    Jiào dào wǒmen le ma?

    Has our number been called?

  • 可以坐靠窗的位置吗？

    Kěyǐ zuò kào chuāng de wèizhi ma?

    Can we sit by the window?

  • 可以坐安静一点的位置吗？

    Kěyǐ zuò ānjìng yìdiǎn de wèizhi ma?

    Can we sit somewhere quieter?

  • 有禁烟区吗？

    Yǒu jìnyān qū ma?

    Is there a non-smoking area?

  • 有儿童座椅吗？

    Yǒu értóng zuòyǐ ma?

    Do you have a child seat?

  • 可以坐这里吗？

    Kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma?

    Can we sit here?

  • 可以请您写下来吗？

    Kěyǐ qǐng nín xiě xiàlái ma?

    Could you please write it down?

  • 谢谢您的帮助。

    Xièxie nín de bāngzhù.

    Thank you for your help.

What you’ll hear, and how to answer

Staff won’t follow your script. These are things they are likely to say here, with a reply that works.

  1. Staff

    欢迎光临！请问几位？

    Huānyíng guānglín! Qǐngwèn jǐ wèi?

    Welcome! How many of you?

    You

    两位。

    Liǎng wèi.

    Two people.

  2. Staff

    有预约吗？

    Yǒu yùyuē ma?

    Do you have a reservation?

    You

    我们没有预约。

    Wǒmen méiyǒu yùyuē.

    We do not have a reservation.

Play the scene

7 p.m. at a packed hot pot place in Chengdu. You walk in without a booking.

成都·火锅店 · A hot pot restaurant, Chengdu

  1. Staff

    欢迎光临！请问几位？

    Huānyíng guānglín! Qǐngwèn jǐ wèi?

    Welcome! How many of you?

  2. You

    两位。

    Liǎng wèi.

    Two people.

  3. Staff

    有预约吗？

    Yǒu yùyuē ma?

    Do you have a reservation?

  4. You

    我们没有预约。

    Wǒmen méiyǒu yùyuē.

    We do not have a reservation.

  5. Staff

    现在没有空位，需要排队。

    Xiànzài méiyǒu kòngwèi, xūyào páiduì.

    There are no free tables right now; you'll need to queue.

  6. You

    大概要等多久？

    Dàgài yào děng duōjiǔ?

    About how long is the wait?

  7. Staff

    大概二十分钟。这是您的号。

    Dàgài èrshí fēnzhōng. Zhè shì nín de hào.

    About twenty minutes. Here's your number.

  8. You

    谢谢您的帮助。

    Xièxie nín de bāngzhù.

    Thank you for your help.

Culture tip

Keep your queue number

Keep the paper ticket, app page, or screen showing your queue number. You may need it when your table is ready.

Which phrase means “Two people” politely in a restaurant?

Show the answer

两位。 — Two people.

Go deeper

Background for this situation: key words, what to expect and a few more short dialogues.

Key Terms

座位 A seat or table in a restaurant. In casual Chinese, asking 有没有座位 usually means asking whether a table is available.

您好，请问有座位吗？ Nínhǎo, qǐngwèn yǒu zuòwèi ma? Hello, do you have a table available?

几位 A polite way to ask how many people are dining. 位 is a polite measure word for people.

您好，请问几位？ Nínhǎo, qǐngwèn jǐ wèi? Hello, how many people?

预约 A reservation. Some popular restaurants require or strongly recommend making a reservation in advance.

我们已经预约了。 Wǒmen yǐjīng yùyuē le. We have already made a reservation.

等位 To wait for a table when the restaurant is full. You may need to take a queue number.

现在需要等位。 Xiànzài xūyào děngwèi. There is a wait for a table now.

取号 To get a queue number, usually from staff or a queue machine. The restaurant calls numbers when tables are ready.

可以帮我取个号吗？ Kěyǐ bāng wǒ qǔ ge hào ma? Could you help me get a queue number?

禁烟区 A non-smoking area. Use this if you want to avoid smoke while eating.

我们想坐禁烟区。 Wǒmen xiǎng zuò jìnyān qū. We would like to sit in the non-smoking area.

Restaurant Entry Flow

Step 1: Ask if a table is available

Start with: 您好，请问有座位吗？ This is useful for walk-in restaurants.

Step 2: Say how many people

If staff asks 几位？ answer with 两位, 三位, 四位, or 我们有五个人.

Step 3: Confirm reservation or queue

If you have a reservation, show the reservation name. If not, ask about waiting time and queue number.

Step 4: Ask for seating preferences

You can ask for a window seat, a quieter seat, a non-smoking area, or a child seat.

Useful Question Patterns

请问有……吗？ Use this to ask whether something is available.

您好，请问有座位吗？ Nínhǎo, qǐngwèn yǒu zuòwèi ma? Hello, do you have a table available?

我们有……个人。 Use this to say how many people are in your group.

我们有五个人。 Wǒmen yǒu wǔ ge rén. There are five of us.

大概要……多久？ Use this to ask about approximate waiting time.

大概要等多久？ Dàgài yào děng duōjiǔ? About how long is the wait?

可以坐……的位置吗？ Use this to ask for a preferred seat.

可以坐靠窗的位置吗？ Kěyǐ zuò kào chuāng de wèizhi ma? Can we sit by the window?

我们想坐…… Use this to directly state where you would like to sit.

我们想坐禁烟区。 Wǒmen xiǎng zuò jìnyān qū. We would like to sit in the non-smoking area.

Queue and Waiting Tips

Ask before leaving the waiting area

Some restaurants call your number quickly. Ask whether you can leave briefly and come back.

Keep your queue number

Keep the paper ticket, app page, or screen showing your queue number. You may need it when your table is ready.

Ask if your number was called

If you are not sure, ask: 叫到我们了吗？ This is useful in noisy restaurants.

Seating Preference Tips

Window seat

Use 靠窗的位置 for a window seat. It may not always be available during busy hours.

Quieter seat

Ask for 安静一点的位置 if you want to avoid loud groups, kitchen areas, speakers, or busy aisles.

Non-smoking area

If smoke bothers you, ask for the non-smoking area before being seated.

Child seat

Ask 有儿童座椅吗？ if traveling with a small child. Some restaurants may have limited child seats.

Interactive Scenarios

Walk-in without reservation

  • Traveler您好，请问有座位吗？

    Nínhǎo, qǐngwèn yǒu zuòwèi ma?

    Hello, do you have a table available?

  • Traveler两位。

    Liǎng wèi.

    Two people.

  • Traveler我们没有预约。

    Wǒmen méiyǒu yùyuē.

    We do not have a reservation.

Waiting for a table

  • Traveler大概要等多久？

    Dàgài yào děng duōjiǔ?

    About how long is the wait?

  • Traveler可以帮我取个号吗？

    Kěyǐ bāng wǒ qǔ ge hào ma?

    Could you help me get a queue number?

  • Traveler叫到我们了吗？

    Jiào dào wǒmen le ma?

    Has our number been called?

Asking for a preferred seat

  • Traveler可以坐靠窗的位置吗？

    Kěyǐ zuò kào chuāng de wèizhi ma?

    Can we sit by the window?

  • Traveler可以坐安静一点的位置吗？

    Kěyǐ zuò ānjìng yìdiǎn de wèizhi ma?

    Can we sit somewhere quieter?

  • Traveler我们想坐禁烟区。

    Wǒmen xiǎng zuò jìnyān qū.

    We would like to sit in the non-smoking area.

Mini Quiz

How do you ask “Do you have a table available?”
  • 请问有座位吗？ ✓ Answer
  • 请问有发票吗？
  • 请问有热水吗？
Which phrase means “Two people” politely in a restaurant?
  • 两位。 ✓ Answer
  • 两个。
  • 两张。
What do you say to ask how long the wait is?
  • 大概要等多久？ ✓ Answer
  • 可以坐这里吗？
  • 我们已经预约了。
Which phrase asks for a non-smoking area?
  • 有禁烟区吗？ ✓ Answer
  • 有儿童座椅吗？
  • 有排队号码吗？

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