A2-32 / CEFR A2 / EPISODE 32

Changing a Reservation

Changing a restaurant reservation

SceneFrank phones a restaurant to change a booking.

Frank points to a seating plan while on the phone, as Tina gazes at a cake.
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STORY English with optional Japanese translations

Narrator

Frank made a dinner reservation but needs to change the date, and he's invited two more friends.

フランクは夕食の予約をしたが、日付を変更する必要があり、友達を2人追加で招いた。

Frank01

Hi, could I change the reservation I made yesterday?

こんにちは、昨日した予約を変更できますか?

Host02

Of course. What's the confirmation number?

もちろんです。確認番号は?

Frank03

It's A-547, under Frank.

A-547、フランクの名前です。

Host04

Got it. A table for two at seven.

確認できました。7時から2名様ですね。

Frank05

Could you move it to next Saturday? And I've invited two more friends, so there will be four of us.

来週土曜に変更できますか?それと、友達を2人追加で招いたので、合計4人になります。

Host06

No problem — a table for four. Anything else?

問題ありません。4名様のお席ですね。ほかに何かございますか?

Frank07

Yes. My friend Tina is coming. Please don't seat her near the dessert station.

はい。友達のティナが来ます。デザートコーナーの近くには座らせないでください。

Host08

...May I ask why?

…理由を伺っても?

Frank09

Last time she went back four times. I'd like the other guests to have some dessert, too.

前回4回も取りに行ったんです。ほかのお客さんの分のデザートも残しておきたいので。

Host10

Far from the dessert station, then. See you Saturday at seven.

では、デザートコーナーから遠いお席にしましょう。土曜7時にお待ちしています。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“It's A-547, under Frank.”

For reservations, under introduces the booking name: The reservation is under Frank. The reference number is A-547 and the booking is in Frank's name.

“Could you move it to next Saturday?”

Move something to … changes a booking or event to a different time. Frank asks to reschedule it for next Saturday.

“Please don't seat her”

As a verb, seat means to lead a customer to a seat or have them sit somewhere. Please don't seat her near … requests a particular seating arrangement, a common restaurant use.

“Last time she went back four times.”

Here go back means to return for more food. See A2-05: Tina went back four times on the previous visit.

“Far from the dessert station, then.”

Far from ... means at a distance from something, and here then means "in that case." Accepting Frank's explanation, the host agrees: "A table far from the dessert station, then." The punchline is that the host responds seriously to Frank's exaggerated worry that Tina might eat the other guests' share. The table is not just at the back of the restaurant; it is specifically away from the desserts.

“two more friends” / “four of us”

Two more friends means two additional friends, and four of us means the four of us in total. Frank adds two friends to the original reservation for two, making it four. The next line, My friend Tina is coming., simply mentions that Tina will be there; it does not say she is one of the two new guests.