¿Cuál es tu restaurante favorito?

[Jessica]

Originally Posted by Rusty

There is another thread that spells out the differences between ahí, allí and allá. The first two are pronounced nearly the same, so there may be some confusion as to which one was intended.


there is / there are = hay
mainly / chiefly / principally = principalmente
restaurant dish/course = platillo

Given these hints, are you able to write the sentence above?

Let me try.

Hay principalmente platillos chino, pero hay platillos americanas también.

??

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by jchen

Hay principalmente platillos chino, pero hay platillos americanas también.

Very close. Match gender and number in two words and you've got it!

[Jessica]

Hay principalmente platillos chinos, pero hay platillos americanos también.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by jchen

Hay principalmente platillos chinos, pero hay platillos americanos también.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Hay principalmente platillos chinos, pero hay platillos americanos también

Principalmente hay platillos chinos y tambien hay platillos americanos.



Corrections above.

[Jessica]

Can't it be both?

[laepelba]

I have a (mildly) related question. When you want to order at a restaurant, is the word "ordenar"? Por ejemplo: "En el restaurante, ordeno (?) paella con marisco."

[Jessica]

no you would use pedir.

yo - pido
tú - pides
él, ella, Ud. - pide
nosotros, nosotras - pedimos
Uds, ellos, ellas - piden

That's the present form. Here's the preterite.

pedí
pediste
pedió
pedimos
pedieron


Mi hermana pedió los tacos. My sister ordered tacos.
Yo pido las enchiladas. I order enchiladas.


If there are any errors, please check. But otherwise, order would be pedir.

we learned it in class

[laepelba]

Thanks, Jessica!!

[Jessica]

you're welcome ^_^

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by jchen

Can't it be both?

Yes. But the second choice is more acceptable than the first.

Anyway you can use them without problem.

I do.

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I have a (mildly) related question. When you want to order at a restaurant, is the word "ordenar"? Por ejemplo: "En el restaurante, ordeno (?) paella con marisco."

Where I live ordenar is gaining ground rather rapidly. I always use pedir (from habit, I guess), but I hear ordenar all of the time in restaurants and bars. You will be understood no matter which one you use.

From Larousse:

-5. Am (pedir) to order; acabamos de ordenar el desayuno (we've just ordered breakfast).

[Jessica]

Originally Posted by tacuba

Where I live ordenar is gaining ground rather rapidly. I always use pedir (from habit, I guess), but I hear ordenar all of the time in restaurants and bars. You will be understood no matter which one you use.

From Larousse:

-5. Am (pedir) to order; acabamos de ordenar el desayuno (we've just ordered breakfast).

interesting.....

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by tacuba

Where I live ordenar is gaining ground rather rapidly. I always use pedir (from habit, I guess), but I hear ordenar all of the time in restaurants and bars. You will be understood no matter which one you use.

From Larousse:

-5. Am (pedir) to order; acabamos de ordenar el desayuno (we've just ordered breakfast).

Thanks for that culturally up-to-date information, Tacuba. I'm sure that it will come in helpful. I'm also going to check the RAE.....

[laepelba]

I have recently returned to Tomisimo from the RAE. (I'm getting more and more comfortable with RAE, by the way.)

Here is what I think is applicable:

On "ordenar":
1. tr. Colocar de acuerdo con un plan o de modo conveniente.
2. tr. Mandar que se haga algo.
3. tr. Encaminar y dirigir a un fin.

On "pedir":
1. tr. Rogar o demandar a alguien que dé o haga algo, de gracia o de justicia.
3. tr. Dicho del vendedor: Poner precio a su mercancía.

Actually, it sounds like RAE agrees with Jessica and her Spanish teachers. But if the colloquial usage is what is going on in Tacuba's town, I'm all for being aware of both terms.

Thanks, all!!

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by jchen

pedí
pediste
pidió
pedimos
pedisteis
pidieron

Mi hermana pidió unos tacos. My sister ordered tacos.
(Yo) Pido unas enchiladas. I order enchiladas.

Hmmm. Allow me a few thoughts.

Jessica, your sentences are relating a story (they're a narrative), so it's OK to use the verb pedir in this case. I changed your sentences to use the indefinite articles because the definite articles are used for a specific item. If the menu had only one type of taco on it, then it would be OK to say los tacos.

If you're commanding or putting something in order, use ordenar.
If you're requesting something, use pedir.

When you're in a restaurant, however, and ordering food, I've never heard anyone use pedir, although I wouldn't rule out something like pido que me traiga. I prefer to use quiero or tráigame.

That being said, if you visit a restaurant the waiter will often ask ¿Están listos para ordenar? This is because s/he is waiting for a command. Your answer could be 'Sí, quiero (menu item)' or 'Sí, tráigame (menu item).' The latter is a command, but may be considered a bit presumptious. Listen to what others are saying around you to get a feel for the proper tone to use with the waiter.

[sosia]

Person A waiting at a table
The waiter comes:
-Buenos días, ¿Qué desea el caballero?
-Buenos días, por favor traigame/quiero unas aceitunas y un vino.
-Enseguida
Then comes A's wife B.
A-Hola cariño. ¿quieres algo? Acabo de pedir/encargar/ordenar unas aceitunas.
B-Si, pídeme una Coca Cola
The waiter comes
A- Por favor, una CocaCola para ella

You can use all the verbs (pedir/encargar/ordenar) but speaking directly to the waiter you must (as Rusty suggested) say "quiero/traigame" or simple "una cerveza, por favor"
Saludos

[poli]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I have gone to many restaurants in Mexico and my state. And the only restaurant that makes me happy is the named El Portón. Because I have gone some restaurants where the waiters are very loutish and the service is slow. And then, the food is nasty. I'm sorry for my rant. But I believe that if you go to restaurant it's because you wanna eat well.

I have gone to the restaurant Sanborns. And I tell you that restaurant gives bad service to it's clients.

------------------------------------------
Lo peor es cuando atienden mal, el precio es alto, y la comida es mala.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by poli

------------------------------------------
Lo peor es cuando atienden mal, el precio es alto, y la comida es mala.

Yes. Mate and those restaurants are of quality but anyhow it has a slow service with its clients.

[Jessica]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Hmmm. Allow me a few thoughts.

Jessica, your sentences are relating a story (they're a narrative), so it's OK to use the verb pedir in this case. I changed your sentences to use the indefinite articles because the definite articles are used for a specific item. If the menu had only one type of taco on it, then it would be OK to say los tacos.

If you're commanding or putting something in order, use ordenar.
If you're requesting something, use pedir.

When you're in a restaurant, however, and ordering food, I've never heard anyone use pedir, although I wouldn't rule out something like pido que me traiga. I prefer to use quiero or tráigame.

That being said, if you visit a restaurant the waiter will often ask ¿Están listos para ordenar? This is because s/he is waiting for a command. Your answer could be 'Sí, quiero (menu item)' or 'Sí, tráigame (menu item).' The latter is a command, but may be considered a bit presumptious. Listen to what others are saying around you to get a feel for the proper tone to use with the waiter.

wait, I used those as an example. I'm not really using them. I'm just talking about my favorite restaurant.