Dinner with friends (integrative lesson)

You already have all the pieces: types of restaurant, the menu, ordering, paying. Let’s put them together in a dinner with friends: arranging the date, ordering and wrapping up the evening.

1. Arranging to have dinner

— Aizue, ostiralean afaltzera joango gara? — Hey, shall we go out to 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? — All right. What time shall we meet?

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

— Ederki! — Perfect!

Phrases for excusing yourself when you can’t:

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

2. Making the 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! / To your health! (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

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

5. Wrapping up the evening

— 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. Arrange:     Etorri nahi duzu afaltzera?  →  Bai, ados!
2. Reservation: Erreserba egin nahi dut...   →  Noren izenean?
3. Order:       Hasteko... Bigarrenerako...  →  Postrerako...
4. Enjoy:       On egin! / Topa! / Goxoa zegoen!
5. Pay:         Kontua, mesedez. / Txartelaz ordain dezaket?

Cultural note: the phrase On egin! is also used when you walk past people who are eating in a public place (a terrace, a fruit shop, anywhere). It’s a very typical polite gesture worth hearing and returning: the natural reply is Eskerrik asko!.