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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/es-que-desean

A waiter asks a table of guests, '¿Qué desean ustedes?' What does he mean?

¿Qué desean ustedes? asks what the group wants.

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  1. How many are you?
  2. What would you like? ✔
  3. Where are you from?

Why: Desean is the they or you-all form of desear, to want or wish. For one person the waiter says ¿Qué desea?

Huh, didn't know that: FSI also has ¿Qué desea? for 'What can I do for you?'

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References

Answer: What would you like?. Desean is the they or you-all form of desear, to want or wish. For one person the waiter says ¿Qué desea?

  1. FSI Spanish Basic Course, Volume 1 Student Text (US government, public domain) fsi-language-courses-media.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/languages/Spanish/Basic/Volume%201/Fsi-SpanishBasicCourse-Volume1-StudentText.pdf
    What will you have, gentlemen? ¿Qué desean ustedes, señores?
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. FSI Spanish Basic Course, Volume 1 Student Text (US government, public domain) fsi-language-courses-media.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/languages/Spanish/Basic/Volume%201/Fsi-SpanishBasicCourse-Volume1-StudentText.pdf
    Buenas tardes, ¿qué desea? [What can I do for you?]
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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