Mein Glas ist nicht sauber. Könnten Sie es bitte auswechseln?
My glass isn’t clean. Could you change it, please? See 39.3d (p. 95) for the subjunctive of modal verbs.
(d) Alternatively, reference may need to be made to the menu again:Bitte bringen Sie mir nochmal die Speisekarte.
Could I see the menu again, please.(e) If the bill is not what was expected, say:Ich glaube, die Rechnung stimmt nicht.
I think the bill is wrong.Könnten Sie bitte gerade noch einmal die Rechnung durch*gehen/
prüfen.
Could you just go through/check the bill again, please?See also 94.1 (p. 339) for putting someone right.
63.5 Paying the bill
(a) To attract the waiter’s attention at the end of the meal, call:(Wir möchten) zahlen bitte!/Die Rechnung bitte!
We would like to pay, please!/The bill, please!Könnten Sie uns bitte die Rechnung bringen!
Could you bring us the bill, please!(b) If there are two or more at the table, the waiter/waitress is likely to ask:(Geht das) zusammen oder getrennt?
Is the bill for everyone or is it to be paid separately?To identify what you have to pay for, say:Ich bezahle den Salatteller und zwei Bier.
I’m paying for the salad and two beers.If feeling flush, you might then offer:Zusammen./Ich bezahle.
All together./I’ll pay.(c) Leaving a tipTo find out if service is extra, ask:Ist die Bedienung/der Service inbegriffen?
Is service included (in the price)?The waiter will say what the bill comes to:Das macht 37 Euro 50.
That’s/ comes to 37.50.The normal method of tipping is to pay a slightly larger amount and round the bill
up. For example, if the bill comes to 37.50:63
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