Check with service staff before clearing plates in German

The idea

Fertig sein means to have finished. Abräumen (separable) means to clear the table; as a noun after vor it becomes “vor dem Abräumen”. “An etwas essen” describes eating something that is not finished yet: “isst noch an seinem Hauptgericht”. Die Beilage is a side dish; “stehen lassen” means to leave in place. Dagegen means by contrast. In many restaurants staff ask guests directly: “Darf ich abräumen?”

Other ways to say it

“Darf ich schon abräumen?” – Polite question to guests; the standard phrase.

“Hat es Ihnen geschmeckt?” – Polite; often asked while clearing finished plates.

“Ist die Acht durch?” – Informal staff jargon: is table eight done?

Examples

• Sind die Gäste an Tisch acht schon fertig?Have the guests at table eight finished yet?
• Ein Gast isst noch an seinem Hauptgericht.One guest is still eating the main course.
• Dann frage ich vor dem Abräumen nach.Then I will ask before clearing away.
• Bitte lassen Sie die gemeinsame Beilage noch stehen.Please leave the shared side dish there for now.
• Die Teller am Nebentisch sind dagegen frei.The plates at the next table are ready to clear, though.
• Gut, ich unterscheide die beiden Tische.Good; I will distinguish between the two tables.

Watch out

“Haben die Gäste an Tisch acht schon fertig?” → “Sind die Gäste an Tisch acht schon fertig?”: Fertig is an adjective and combines with sein. Learners copy English “have finished” and use haben, but German says someone is finished.

Try it yourself

1. Translate into German: Have the guests at table eight finished yet?

   Show answer or example answer

   Sind die Gäste an Tisch acht schon fertig?

   Yes-no question with sind first. The subject is die Gäste, an Tisch acht (no article) says where, and schon fertig asks about completion.

2. Put the words in order: Abräumen / Dann / dem / frage / ich / nach / vor

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   Dann frage ich vor dem Abräumen nach.

   Nachfragen splits: frage second, nach at the end. “Vor dem Abräumen” nominalises the verb abräumen after vor plus dative.

3. Write this sentence in German: Good; I will distinguish between the two tables.

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   Gut, ich unterscheide die beiden Tische.

   Gut accepts the instruction. Unterscheiden means to tell apart, and die beiden Tische is accusative plural.

Use it today

At table four, three guests have finished and one is still eating dessert. Write what you ask your colleague and what you say to the guests.