Dialogue
Resto or restaurant: invite a friend, then book a table
Practise resto in a friendly invitation and restaurant in a booking call. Explore the restaurant vocabulary and check gender, plurals and tone.
- A2
- 12 lines
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In short
Resto is a familiar short form of restaurant: On va au resto ? Both words are masculine: un resto, un restaurant. Use resto with friends and the full word for a straightforward booking call or information notice.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
| Form | Familiar | Full word |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | un resto | un restaurant |
| Plural | des restos | des restaurants |
| Going there | aller au resto | aller au restaurant |
Au combines à and le. The short form keeps the same gender and adds -s in the plural. It changes the tone of your words; a resto can be expensive, small, busy or quiet. The adjective supplies that detail: un resto cher, un petit resto tranquille.
Is resto informal French?
- Camille
Ça te dit d’aller au resto vendredi ?
English
Fancy going to a restaurant on Friday?
- You
Avec plaisir ! Tu connais un bon resto près de la gare ?
Accept and ask about a good restaurant near the station.
English
I’d love to! Do you know a good restaurant near the station?
- Camille
Oui, un restaurant italien. On peut manger en terrasse.
English
Yes, an Italian restaurant. We can eat outside.
- You
Bonne idée. On y va à vingt heures ?
Suggest eight o’clock.
English
Good idea. Shall we go at eight?
- Camille
Plutôt à vingt heures trente, si ça te va.
English
Half past eight would be better, if that suits you.
- You
Ça me va. Je réserve une table.
Accept the alternative and offer to book.
English
That suits me. I’ll book a table.
- Restaurant
Restaurant des Tilleuls, bonjour !
English
Restaurant des Tilleuls, hello!
- You
Bonjour, je voudrais réserver une table pour deux, vendredi à vingt heures trente.
Greet them and book for two on Friday at 8.30 pm.
English
Hello, I’d like to book a table for two on Friday at half past eight.
- Restaurant
Très bien. À quel nom ?
English
Very good. Under what name?
- You
Au nom de Martin. Est-ce qu’on peut être en terrasse ?
Give the name Martin and ask to sit outside.
English
Under Martin. Could we sit outside?
- Restaurant
Oui. Une table pour deux en terrasse, vendredi à vingt heures trente.
English
Yes. A table for two outside, Friday at half past eight.
- You
Parfait, merci. Au revoir !
Thank them and say goodbye.
English
Perfect, thank you. Goodbye!
At the restaurant: learn the words, then find them
Find:
