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Lesson 196 of 238

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Free Spanish CourseLesson 196 of 238

This isn't what I asked for in Spanish

Sometimes the wrong plate lands on your table, and shouting fixes nothing.

Today you'll complain calmly in Spanish: say what's wrong, ask for it to be changed, and ask for the person in charge if you have to.

You'll also learn how to accept a fix and close the matter politely. Justin tries all of it at a busy restaurant down the street.

By the end of this lesson

Complain calmly about a service and say what would fix it.

  • Esto no es lo que pedíThis isn't what I asked for
  • ¿Me lo puede cambiar?Can you change it for me?
  • Quisiera hablar con el encargadoI'd like to speak to the manager
  • Con eso está bienThat'll do
  • Lamento el inconvenienteSorry about the trouble
  • Gracias por resolverloThanks for sorting it

Scene — the wrong plate

A busier restaurant two streets from Café Laurel, Saturday afternoon. The kitchen is slammed and the tickets are piling up.

Justin ordered enchiladas verdes. Yako is at the table with him, spread over two chairs, quietly supervising.

A busy restaurant where a waiter brings Justin the wrong dish while Yako supervises from two chairs.

Learn — a calm complaint

Six lines that take you from the first complaint to a polite close.

Notice how soft words like quisiera keep the whole exchange friendly, even when the order is wrong.

  1. Justin points at the wrong plate and complains that this isn't what he asked for.

    Esto no es lo que pedí

    This isn't what I asked for

    When to use it: Say this when you receive something different from what you ordered.

    Pedí is the preterite of pedir: I ordered.

    Say it: peh-DEE, stress on the last syllable.

  2. Justin politely asks the waiter to change the dish.

    ¿Me lo puede cambiar?

    Can you change it for me?

    When to use it: Ask this to have the wrong item exchanged for the right one.

    This is the usted form, the polite one to use with staff.

    Say it: kam-BYAR

  3. Justin calmly asks to speak with the manager.

    Quisiera hablar con el encargado

    I'd like to speak to the manager

    When to use it: Use this when the problem needs someone with authority.

    Quisiera softens the request, like I'd like rather than I want.

    Say it: kee-SYEH-rah

  4. Justin smiles and accepts the corrected dish, saying that'll do.

    Con eso está bien

    That'll do

    When to use it: Say this to accept a fix or an offer and close the matter.

    Eso points back at the thing that was just offered.

  5. The manager apologizes for the trouble while Justin listens.

    Lamento el inconveniente

    Sorry about the trouble

    When to use it: Staff say this to apologize for the trouble caused.

    Lamento is more formal than lo siento; you'll hear it from staff.

    Say it: in-kon-ve-NYEN-teh

  6. Justin thanks the manager for sorting out the problem.

    Gracias por resolverlo

    Thanks for sorting it

    When to use it: Say this once the problem has actually been solved.

    Resolverlo is resolver plus lo: to sort it out.

Story — the fix

Watch how Justin complains without raising his voice: he states the problem, asks for a change, and only then asks for the manager.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Saturday afternoon, and the restaurant is packed.
  2. DependienteBuenas tardes. ¿Qué les sirvo?Good afternoon. What can I get you?
  3. JustinBuenas tardes. Quisiera pedir enchiladas verdes, por favor.Good afternoon. I'd like to order green enchiladas, please.
  4. DependienteEn seguida les traigo su pedido.I'll bring your order right away.
  5. The plate arrives fast, but it is not what he ordered.
  6. DependienteAquí tiene. Milanesa con papas.Here you go. Milanesa with potatoes.
  7. JustinDisculpa.Excuse me.
  8. JustinEsto no es lo que pedí.This isn't what I asked for.
  9. Dependiente¿No? Perdón, anoté milanesa por error.It isn't? Sorry, I wrote down milanesa by mistake.
  10. Justin¿Me lo puede cambiar?Can you change it for me?
  11. DependienteSí, claro. Un momento.Yes, of course. One moment.
  12. Ten minutes pass. Yako watches the kitchen door like a hawk.
  13. YakoLlevan comida a la mesa ocho. Tampoco era suya.They're taking food to table eight. It wasn't theirs either.
  14. DependienteFue un error del sistema. Van a tardar diez minutos más.It was a system error. They'll take ten more minutes.
  15. JustinQuisiera hablar con el encargado.I'd like to speak to the manager.
  16. DependienteSoy el encargado de la tarde. Lamento el inconveniente.I'm the evening manager. Sorry about the trouble.
  17. JustinSolo quiero mis enchiladas.I just want my enchiladas.
  18. DependienteTiene razón. Van ya, y el flan va por la casa.You're right. They're on their way, and the flan is on the house.
  19. The enchiladas finally arrive, green and steaming, with a flan beside them.
  20. JustinCon eso está bien.That'll do.
  21. Yako¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?Can I get the check, please?
  22. DependienteClaro, en un momento.Of course, in a moment.
  23. JustinGracias por resolverlo.Thanks for sorting it.
  24. DependienteGracias a usted. Buen proveche.Thank you. Enjoy your meal.

Practice — wrong order

Ten exercises: listen, fill, match, and rebuild the lines of a calm complaint.

Each one puts you back at the table with the wrong plate in front of you.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Fill the gap

    Can you change it for me?

    ¿Me lo puede ____?

  3. What do you say?

    The waiter keeps apologizing, but nothing changes and you want someone in charge.

  4. What does it mean?

    Disculpa

  5. Swap the word

    You were annoyed, but the free flan settled it.

    Con eso está ____

  6. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    ¿Me lo puede cambiar?Drop the English here
    Quisiera hablar con el encargadoDrop the English here
    Gracias por resolverloDrop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  7. Pick the reply

    Dependiente says:

    Ya están sus enchiladas, y el flan va por la casa.

    Here are your enchiladas, and the flan is on the house.

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    Everything's settled, you ate the flan, and now you want the check.

  9. Build the line

    Sorry about the trouble

    Tap the words in order.

  10. Find the mistake

Say it — you do the talking

Now you're Justin, and the waiter is back with the wrong plate again.

When it's your turn, tap the microphone and say your line. Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the model. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DependienteAquí tiene. Milanesa con papas.Here you go. Milanesa with potatoes.
  2. Justin (you)Tell him calmly that the plate isn't what you ordered.

    Esto no es lo que pedí

    This isn't what I asked for

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Esto no es lo que pedíThis isn't what I asked for
¿Me lo puede cambiar?Can you change it for me?
Quisiera hablar con el encargadoI'd like to speak to the manager
Con eso está bienThat'll do
Lamento el inconvenienteSorry about the trouble
Gracias por resolverloThanks for sorting it
Next: lesson 197I should have

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these complaint lines handy for the next wrong order? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your calm complaint ready when you need it.

Open Yak Cards