¡Buenas noches!
I'm trying to find out why "we don't have a fixed-price menu" is translated as "no tenemos menú" without the article ("un"?) and I can't find this out anywhere online! Would you be able to explain if there is a rule? Also, why is the title given as "reservar mesa" rather than "reservar una mesa"?
Many thanks!
Hola J. R.
In Spanish, the article un is often omitted when referring to something in a general or abstract sense. In the case of "No tenemos menú", this phrase is commonly used in restaurants to indicate that they do not offer a fixed-price menu, rather than saying they don’t have any kind of menu at all. If you were to say "No tenemos un menú", it could imply that the restaurant lacks any type of menu, which is less common.
As for "reservar mesa", this follows a pattern in Spanish where articles are often omitted in set expressions, especially in contexts related to restaurants or services. Saying "reservar mesa" sounds more general and natural, meaning 'to book a table' in a broad sense. On the other hand, "reservar una mesa" is also correct but emphasizes a specific table.
I hope this clears it up!
Saludos
Silvia
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