Dialogue · A2 · on the phone
Booking a restaurant table by phone in French
A complete phone call, from the greeting to the read-back. Read it with the English under each line, then hide your part and say it from the English prompt.
- A2
- 16 lines
- Practice mode
- Useful phone French
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
- Restaurant
Restaurant Le Cèdre, bonjour !
English
Le Cèdre restaurant, hello!
- You
Bonjour, je voudrais réserver une table pour samedi soir, s’il vous plaît.
Say hello and ask to book for Saturday evening.
English
Hello, I’d like to book a table for Saturday evening, please.
- Restaurant
Oui, pour combien de personnes ?
English
Yes, for how many people?
- You
Pour quatre personnes.
Say: for four people.
English
For four people.
- Restaurant
À quelle heure ?
English
At what time?
- You
Vers vingt heures, c’est possible ?
Ask for around 8 pm.
English
Around eight o’clock, is that possible?
- Restaurant
Vingt heures, c’est complet, je suis désolé. J’ai une table à vingt heures trente.
English
Eight is fully booked, I’m sorry. I have a table at half past eight.
- You
D’accord, vingt heures trente, ça nous va.
Accept 8.30 and say it suits you.
English
Fine, half past eight suits us.
- Restaurant
C’est à quel nom ?
English
What name is it under?
- You
Au nom de Delmas. D-E-L-M-A-S.
Give the name Delmas and spell it.
English
Under the name Delmas. D-E-L-M-A-S.
- Restaurant
Très bien. Vous préférez une table en terrasse ou à l’intérieur ?
English
Very good. Would you prefer a table outside or inside?
- You
En terrasse, si possible.
Ask to sit outside if possible.
English
Outside, if possible.
- Restaurant
Je le note. Je peux avoir un numéro de téléphone ?
English
I’ll note that. Can I have a phone number?
- You
Oui, c’est le 06 12 34 56 78.
Give your number.
English
Yes, it’s 06 12 34 56 78.
- Restaurant
Parfait. Alors, samedi, vingt heures trente, quatre personnes, au nom de Delmas.
English
Perfect. So: Saturday, 8.30, four people, under Delmas.
- You
Merci beaucoup. Au revoir !
Thank them and say goodbye.
English
Thank you very much. Goodbye!
What to notice
Four things that make this call work
Je voudrais is the polite way to ask for something, here je voudrais réserver une table.
Times on the phone use the 24-hour clock. Vingt heures trente is 8.30 pm; in conversation you will also hear huit heures et demie.
Phone numbers are read in pairs: 06 12 34 56 78 is zéro six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit.
Ça nous va means “that suits us”; c’est complet means fully booked. Both come up in any booking, from hotels to train seats.
Original dialogue written for this page. The restaurant, name and phone number are invented examples.