Wait tables Meaning in English
expression
ˈweɪt/ /ˈteɪbəɫz
WAYT TAY-buhlz
wˈeɪt/ /tˈeɪbəlz
WAYT TAY-buhlz
Definition
To serve food and drinks to customers in a restaurant as a job; to work as a waiter or waitress.
Usage & Nuances
Informal and mostly American English. Used to describe working as a waiter/waitress. Common phrase in job and college contexts: 'wait tables to pay for college.' Not used for working in fast food or just cleaning tables.
Spanish: trabajar de camarero - servir mesasPortuguese (BR): ser garçom - trabalhar como garçomPortuguese (PT): ser empregado de mesa - servir às mesasChinese (Simplified): 当服务员 - 端盘子 (餐厅工作)Chinese (Traditional): 當服務員 - 端盤子 (餐廳工作)Hindi: वेटर का काम करना - मेज़ों पर खाना परोसनाArabic: يعمل كنادل - خدمة الطاولاتBengali: টেবিল সার্ভ করাRussian: официантом работать - обслуживать столикиJapanese: ウェイターとして働く - ウェイトレスをするVietnamese: phục vụ bànKorean: 서빙하다Turkish: garsonluk yapmakUrdu: ویٹر کا کام کرناIndonesian: menjadi pelayan
Example Sentences
She waits tables at a local café after school.
basic
My brother used to wait tables during college.
basic
Many students wait tables for extra money.
basic
I had to wait tables all summer, but the tips were good.
natural
He’s been waiting tables at that new Italian place downtown.
natural
If you’ve ever waited tables, you know how tough it can be on your feet.
natural