Booking a Table in Mandarin Chinese: Reserve for Two at Seven
Learn to call or ask in person for a restaurant table in Mandarin. Practise booking a table for two at 7 p.m. with polite, natural phrases.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
This lesson teaches you how to reserve a restaurant table in Mandarin Chinese, either by phone or in person. Booking is different from ordering: you are not choosing dishes yet. Instead, you give the restaurant three key pieces of information: how many people, what time, and sometimes your name or phone number. The core sentence is 我想订一张两个人的桌子，晚上七点 (Wǒ xiǎng dìng yì zhāng liǎng ge rén de zhuōzi, wǎnshang qī diǎn). In this lesson you will learn the verb 订 (dìng, to book), how to say numbers of people, how to give a time, and how to ask politely whether a table is available.
By the end, you can…
- book a table for two at 7 p.m. in Mandarin.
- ask whether a table is available and give my name or phone number.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我想订一张桌子。
I'd like to book a table.
Wǒ xiǎng dìng yì zhāng zhuōzi.
A simple opening line for booking. 想 (xiǎng) makes it polite, like 'I'd like to'.
两个人的桌子。
A table for two people.
Liǎng ge rén de zhuōzi.
Change 两 (liǎng) for other numbers: 三个人 (sān ge rén, three people). Use 两, not 二, before a measure word like 个.
晚上七点。
7 p.m. / seven in the evening.
Wǎnshang qī diǎn.
晚上 (wǎnshang) means evening. 点 (diǎn) means o'clock. For 7 a.m., say 早上七点 (zǎoshang qī diǎn).
还有位子吗？
Do you still have a table/seat?
Hái yǒu wèizi ma?
位子 (wèizi) means a seat or table space. 吗 (ma) turns the sentence into a yes/no question.
我姓王，手机号是……
My surname is Wang, and my mobile number is...
Wǒ xìng Wáng, shǒujīhào shì...
Use 姓 (xìng) for your surname. 手机号 (shǒujīhào) means mobile number. Give the number digit by digit.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The main pattern is 我想订 + [number of people] + 的桌子 + [time]. For example: 我想订一张两个人的桌子，晚上七点 (Wǒ xiǎng dìng yì zhāng liǎng ge rén de zhuōzi, wǎnshang qī diǎn). Here 一张 (yì zhāng) is the measure word phrase for one table. 两个人的 (liǎng ge rén de) means 'for two people'. You can also put the time first: 晚上七点，我想订一张两个人的桌子. Both orders are natural. To ask a question, add 吗 (ma): 还有位子吗？(Hái yǒu wèizi ma?).
When to use it
Use these phrases when you arrive at a restaurant or call ahead. If you are calling, start with 你好 (nǐ hǎo), then say 我想订一张桌子 (Wǒ xiǎng dìng yì zhāng zhuōzi). If you are standing at the door, you can ask 还有位子吗？(Hái yǒu wèizi ma?) first. If the restaurant is full, you may hear 不好意思，没有位子了 (Bù hǎoyìsi, méiyǒu wèizi le), meaning 'Sorry, there are no tables left.' You can then ask 那明天呢？(Nà míngtiān ne?), meaning 'What about tomorrow?'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，我想订一张两个人的桌子。
Hello, I'd like to book a table for two.Nǐ hǎo, wǒ xiǎng dìng yì zhāng liǎng ge rén de zhuōzi.好的。几点？
Okay. What time?Hǎo de. Jǐ diǎn?晚上七点。还有位子吗？
7 p.m. Do you still have a table?Wǎnshang qī diǎn. Hái yǒu wèizi ma?有。请问您贵姓？
Yes. May I ask your surname?Yǒu. Qǐngwèn nín guìxìng?A little context goes a long way
In mainland China, booking by phone is common for popular restaurants, especially at weekends. 您 (nín) is a polite 'you' and 请问 (qǐngwèn) means 'may I ask'. 贵姓 (guìxìng) is a polite way to ask someone's surname; answer with 我姓…… (Wǒ xìng...). In Taiwan, 訂位 (dìngwèi) is also common, and 晚上七點 is written with traditional characters. Keep your tone friendly and direct; long apologies are not needed.
One thing to watch for
Saying 二个人 (èr ge rén) for 'two people'.
Try this instead: Use 两 (liǎng) before a measure word: 两个人 (liǎng ge rén). 二 (èr) is used for counting, such as 一、二、三 (yī, èr, sān), or in numbers like 十二 (shí'èr, twelve). So say 我想订一张两个人的桌子 (Wǒ xiǎng dìng yì zhāng liǎng ge rén de zhuōzi).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I'd like to book a table for two at 7 p.m.'?
Show a sample answer
我想订一张两个人的桌子，晚上七点。
This uses 我想订 (I'd like to book), 两个人的桌子 (a table for two), and 晚上七点 (7 p.m.). You can also put the time first: 晚上七点，我想订一张两个人的桌子。
2A restaurant is full. What can you ask to see if tomorrow is possible?
Show a sample answer
那明天呢？
那 (nà) means 'then' or 'in that case', and 呢 (ne) asks 'what about...?'. You could also ask 明天有位子吗？(Míngtiān yǒu wèizi ma?), which is equally correct.
3How do you give your surname and mobile number when booking?
Show a sample answer
我姓王，手机号是……
我姓 (wǒ xìng) means 'my surname is'. 手机号是 (shǒujīhào shì) introduces your mobile number. Give the digits one by one. In Taiwan, you might say 手機號碼是 instead.
To book a table, remember three pieces: 我想订 (I'd like to book), the number of people with 两 for two, and the time with 点. Then ask 还有位子吗？ if you need to check availability.
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