Confirming a Reservation in Spanish

jsalt

Jill

Time of past OR future Camino

Portugués, Francés, LePuy, Rota Vicentina, Norte, Madrid, C2C, Salvador, Primitivo, Aragonés, Inglés

• Mar 23, 2017

• #1

Hi, I would like some help please in confirming a reservation in Spanish by cellphone. I wish to say something along the lines of:

“I have a reservation for two beds for tomorrow. I would like to confirm the reservation. We will arrive at about six o’clock.”

If I run that through Google Translate I get:

“Tengo una reserva para dos camas para mañana. Me gustaría confirmar la reserva. Llegaremos a eso de las seis en punto.”

Does that sound correct to you? Or is there a better way to confirm the reservation, and be sure they hold it until 6pm?

Thanks!
Jill

 

trecile

Moderator

Staff member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Francés, Norte, Salvador, Primitivo, Portuguese

• Mar 23, 2017

• #2

That sounds about right. I would leave off the en punto, and add de la tarde instead.

 

alaskadiver

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

May 2017-Camino Primitivo
April 2019-Camino de Invierno

• Mar 23, 2017

• #3

trecile said:

That sounds about right. I would leave off the en punto, and add de la tarde instead.

Click to expand...

I agree. "en punto" means "sharp" or "on the nose". You don't expect to be late or very early.

 

tillyjones

Active Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Frances June 2015
VDLP May 2017
del Norte Sept 2018

• Mar 23, 2017

• #4

My two cents would be that as much as you might prepare the right thing to say, how will you understand the answer? I would always do that, figure out just the right to say, but it was irrelevant because I had no clue what they responded and I didn't have a subsequent thing to say anyway. Perhaps have 'I don't speak Spanish, could you say that very slowly' ready as well. Or email so you can just paste it into Translate?

 

jsalt

Jill

Time of past OR future Camino

Portugués, Francés, LePuy, Rota Vicentina, Norte, Madrid, C2C, Salvador, Primitivo, Aragonés, Inglés

• Mar 23, 2017

• #5

Hi Tilly, you are so right, I won’t understand the reply (unless it is “Si! Perfecto!”), so that it why I want to make sure that what I say first is understood.

I could try speaking in English, but I would like to have Plan B in case that fails. I have already emailed (in Spanish, using Google Translate), to reserve the beds.

They want me to call the day before I arrive. I am mostly offline while on the camino (I’m just not into “internetting” on a pilgrimage), so I do not email if I can help it, and besides, they want me to phone, not email (albergues are busy; they do not look at their emails every day). Thanks for your reply!
Jill

 

notion900

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

>

• Mar 23, 2017

• #6

Easier to ask the person running the albergue you are in to phone the next one, using your phone. A lot of them know each other anyway, and will end up having a chin wag.

 

Hiawatha

Active Member

Time of past OR future Camino

St Jean Pied de Port - Finisterra 2017
GR70 France 2018
Via Francigena 2019

• Mar 23, 2017

• #7

My favourite phrase .
''No entiendo castiliano muy bien ''

 

Greig

Queuejumper

Time of past OR future Camino

CF 25th Aug to 25th Sept( 2017 )

• Mar 24, 2017

• #8

Definitely agree with what Tilly has posted. Im not going to engage in phone conversations.....it will only end in tears. Goole translate is not a true friend to me either as i keep discovering.
So i thought i would rehearse a simple sentence or two in English translated to Spanish to say in a cafe or arriving at a albergue.
1) A milk coffee please...my Spanish came back as
Im never with milk please
OR
A coffee and more stuff please
2) Is there a bed available for tonight
Yunaica undresses me father tonight

I imagined making my statements with confidence and purpose.....im dead in the water !

 

november_moon

Veteran Member

• Apr 3, 2017

• #9

Yes, having someone call for you is good - and people will, no problem. But if you are speaking, when you aren't good at a language, I find that short sentences are better. leave out all the extra words - stick to nouns, verbs, days and times, maybe some adjectives - but keep it simple. This is more simple for you and also makes sure that the other person knows he or she is not speaking to a fluent speaker and will probably speak more slowly.

"Tengo una reservacion manana - dos camas" - I have a reservation tomorrow - 2 beds
"Mi nombre es......." - My name is......
"me gustaria confirmar" - I would like to confirm

 

notion900

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

>

• Apr 4, 2017

• #10

'Busco' is the best, most useful word ever for the beginner at Spanish. It means 'I search for.. [insert item of your choice - bed, water, sandwich, alcohol, Camino de Santiago etc]'
I once went into a bar and said 'Busco sopa' so pitifully that when they didn't have any, a customer got up from her drink, took me off to her own family's bar and cooked some for me.
It was lush.

 

Last edited: Apr 4, 2017