German Phrase
Hast du einen Tisch für zwei?
Meaning
You are asking the staff whether a table that can seat two people is available. It’s a polite, informal way to request a table in a café, restaurant or bar.
When to use
Use this sentence as soon as you enter a dining place and want to be seated, especially when you are not making a reservation. It works in casual settings and with waitstaff you address informally.
✦Grammar Breakdown
HastdueinenTischfürzwei?
Hast (haben)
‘Hast’ is the 2nd‑person singular present of ‘haben’. In yes/no questions the verb comes first.
du (personal pronoun)
Informal ‘you’. It follows the verb in a question because German uses V2 word order in statements and V1 in yes/no questions.
einen (accusative masculine)
‘ein’ changes to ‘einen’ in the accusative case for masculine nouns. ‘Tisch’ is the direct object, so it needs the accusative article.
Tisch (masculine noun)
‘Tisch’ (table) is masculine; its accusative form is identical to the nominative – only the article changes.
für (preposition)
‘für’ always governs the accusative case, which is why ‘zwei’ stays unchanged (numerals don’t decline).
zwei (numeral)
The number ‘two’ is used without a noun after ‘für’; you could also say ‘zwei Personen’ for extra clarity.
🗨In Conversation
Hast du einen Tisch für zwei?
Do you have a table for two?
Ja, bitte folgen Sie mir. Der Tisch ist gleich dort drüben.
Yes, please follow me. The table is right over there.
✕Common Mistakes
Hast du ein Tisch für zwei?
The noun ‘Tisch’ is accusative here, so the article must be ‘einen’, not ‘ein’.
Du hast einen Tisch für zwei?
In yes/no questions the verb precedes the subject; ‘du hast’ is a statement, not a question.
Hast du einen Tisch für zwei Personen?
‘für’ already takes the accusative; adding ‘Personen’ is fine but not necessary for the basic phrase.
↔Alternatives
Können wir einen Tisch für zwei bekommen?
Can we get a table for two?
Gibt es einen freien Tisch für zwei Personen?
Is there a free table for two people?
Haben Sie einen Tisch für zwei?
Do you have a table for two? (formal)
Cultural Tip
In Germany it’s common to ask for a table right after you’re seated or when you walk in. If you’re in a busy city restaurant, a reservation (Reservierung) is advisable. Waitstaff usually address you with ‘Sie’ (formal) unless the place is very casual, so you might hear the formal version ‘Haben Sie…’ instead of the informal ‘Hast du…’. Also, tipping (Trinkgeld) of about 5‑10 % is customary after a meal.