Dinner with friends (integrating lesson)

You now have all the pieces: types of restaurants, menu, ordering, paying. Let’s integrate them into a dinner with friends: arranging to meet, ordering, and ending the night.

1. Meeting for dinner

— Aizue, ostiralean afaltzera joango gara? — Hey, shall we go for dinner on Friday?

— Bai, ideia ona! — Yes, good idea!

— Nik ezin dut ostiralean. Larunbatean ondo? — I can’t on Friday. Is Saturday okay?

— Ados. Zer ordutan geratuko gara? — Okay. What time shall we meet?

— Bederatzi eta erdietan, taberna ondoan? — At half past nine, next to the bar?

— Ederki! — Perfect!

Phrases to make excuses when you can’t make it:

• Ezin dut, beste plan bat dut. — I can’t, I have other plans.
• Ezin dut, bihar lan egin behar dut. — I can’t, I have to work tomorrow.
• Beste egun batean izan beharko du. — It will have to be another day.

2. Making a reservation

— Egun on! “Kutixi” jatetxea al da?

— Bai, esan.

— Erreserba egin nahi dut, larunbat gauerako.

— Zenbat lagunentzat?

— Lau lagun izango gara.

— Zer ordutan?

— Bederatzi eta erdietan.

— Noren izenean?

— Mikelen izenean.

— Oso ondo. Larunbat arte!

3. At the table

Greetings when sitting down:

• On egin! — Enjoy your meal!
• Topa! — Cheers! (when toasting)

Ordering, now with all the pieces:

— Hasteko, niretzat entsalada mistoa, mesedez.

— Eta niretzat arrain-zopa.

— Bigarrenerako, niretzat legatza saltsan.

— Niri, txuleta. Eta edateko, ardo gorria botila bat, mesedez.

4. Commenting on the food

Basque	English
Oso goxoa zegoen!	It was very good!
Hau betekada!	I’m so full!
Beste botila bat ardo, mesedez.	Another bottle of wine, please.
Postrerako, izozkia hartuko dut.	For dessert, I’ll have ice cream.
Nik ez dut postrerik nahi.	I don’t want dessert.

5. Ending the night

— Aizu, kobratuko al diguzu?

— Bai, oraintxe. Berrogeita hamabi euro eta hogeita bost zentimo.

— Txartelaz ordain dezakegu?

— Bai, noski.

— Eskerrik asko! Oso ondo zegoen.

— Zuri! Hurrengora arte!

Visual summary

1. Meeting:      Etorri nahi duzu afaltzera?  →  Bai, ados!
2. Reservation:     Erreserba egin nahi dut...   →  Noren izenean?
3. Ordering:       Hasteko... Bigarrenerako...  →  Postrerako...
4. Enjoying:   On egin! / Topa! / Goxoa zegoen!
5. Paying:       Kontua, mesedez. / Txartelaz ordain dezaket?

Cultural note: the phrase On egin! is also used if you walk past people who are eating in a public place (a terrace, a greengrocer’s, anywhere). It’s a very typical polite gesture that’s good to hear and return: the natural response is Eskerrik asko!.