Making a Reservation
Reserve a table by phone or online and confirm details like time and party size.
Scenario Goal
You will be able to book, change, and confirm reservations.
Practice Flow
Start with the keywords that show up most often in this situation.
Learn the core phrase patterns before you try to respond on your own.
Then move into a dedicated practice session for scenario-specific feedback.
Keywords
The words most worth learning first for this situation.
💡Click a card to flip it and see more details
How To Say It
Use these natural phrases to sound confident in real situations.
Why it works
"I'd like" is polite and natural for requests — more native-sounding than "I want to".
More ways to say it
- Can I reserve a table for four tonight?
- We'd like a table for four at 7.
- Do you have availability for four at 7pm?
Don't Say This
Common mistakes and how to sound more natural.
I want to reserve a table for four persons.
Say instead
I'd like to book a table for four.
Native insight
"Persons" is formal and uncommon here. "Book" is the standard verb for reservations, and "I'd like" is more polite than "I want".
Can I booking for 7?
Say instead
Can I book a table for 7?
Native insight
Use the verb "book", not the noun "booking". Also say what you're booking — always include "a table".
We are eight peoples.
Say instead
We are eight people.
Native insight
"People" is already plural — never add an "s". Think of it like "information" — no plural form.
Put us on wait list please.
Say instead
Can you put us on the waitlist?
Native insight
"Waitlist" is one word. Starting with "Can you" makes it a polite request — far more natural than a bare imperative.
Quick Recap
Keep these points in mind before you start.
Key Takeaways
Book early
Popular restaurants fill up fast — call or reserve online 2–3 days ahead for weekends.
Confirm the details
Always repeat the time, party size, and name at the end of the call to avoid mix-ups.
Modify gracefully
If plans change, call ahead — "Could we push our booking back 30 minutes?" goes a long way.
Key Phrases to Know
- 1
I'd like to book a table for four
- 2
Can you put us on the waitlist?
- 3
Can you hold a table under the name...
Cultural Note
在英语国家订餐时，餐厅可能会要求信用卡担保大型聚会或热门时间段；如果迟到，餐厅常会在一个宽限时间后将桌位释放，所以最好提前通知改时间或取消以避免 no-show 罚款。
Practice mode
Ready to use what
you just learned?
Scenario practice turns passive reading into active fluency. Pick a role, start talking, and get real feedback on every response.
AI conversation partner
Practice this scenario in real back-and-forth exchanges with an AI that responds like a native speaker.
Instant phrase feedback
Get corrections, natural alternatives, and explanations right after each message you send.
Track your progress
See which phrases you've mastered across scenarios and revisit the ones that need more practice.
Get started
Log in to practice
Create a free account to unlock scenario practice, AI feedback, and progress tracking.
Log in to StartFree to sign up — no credit card required.