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B1How to sayya khatél by zabranírovat stolík

How to say “I’d like to book a table” in Russian

The one sentence that makes a phone call in Russian possible — plus the three questions that follow it.

Quick answer

Я хоте́л бы заброни́ровать сто́лик.

ya khatél by zabranírovat stolík — the бы form is the polite one — and хоте́л agrees with your gender

The options

Я хоте́л бы заброни́ровать сто́лик.I’d like to book a table. — male speaker
Я хоте́ла бы заброни́ровать но́мер.I’d like to book a room. — female speaker
Мо́жно заброни́ровать сто́лик на двои́х?Can I book a table for two?
На сего́дня на семь ве́чера.For today at seven in the evening.
На и́мя Ма́ртин.Under the name Martin.

хоте́л бы

Хочу́ is direct — fine in a shop, blunt on the phone. Я хоте́л бы / хоте́ла бы is the polite version, and the past-tense form must match your gender.

The details they will ask for

На ско́лько челове́к? — for how many people. На како́е вре́мя? — for what time. На чьё и́мя? — in whose name. Numbers of people use the special forms на двои́х, на трои́х, на четверы́х.

What you hear back

На ско́лько челове́к?For how many people?
На како́е вре́мя?For what time?
Ваш телефо́н, пожа́луйста.Your phone number, please.
Всё, заброни́ровано.All done, it’s booked.

Typical mistakes

Я хоте́ла бы — said by a man

Я хоте́л бы

The бы form is a past tense and carries gender.

сто́лик для двух

сто́лик на двои́х

Bookings use на plus the collective numeral.

Check yourself

A woman booking a table says:

The бы form agrees with gender: хоте́ла.

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