Phrase · 🙄 Colloquial reactions
¿Cómo que no hay mesa? ¡Si reservé ayer!
What do you mean, no table? I booked yesterday!
C2indignant disbeliefinformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
¿Cómo1adverbwhat do you mean (lit. how)que1conjunction(that)noadverbnohayverbthere ishaber · present · 3rd sing.mesanountablefem. · sing.?¡Si2conjunctionbut (lit. if)reservé3verbI bookedreservar · past · 1st sing.ayer3adverbyesterday!
- Cómo → que: ¿Cómo que…?: what do you mean
- Si → reservé: protesting si + indicative
- hay → mesa: hay + bare noun
Word for word: “How that there is no table? If I booked yesterday!”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1¿Cómo que + echoed words? = what do you mean…?: repeats what you've just heard, with indignation. Lexicalised imperatives and pragmatic particles →
- 2Exclamatory si opening a protest = but…!: ¡Si reservé ayer! = but I booked yesterday! It is not a condition. Advanced emphatic and exclamative structures →
- 3Preterite with ayer in every variety: reservé. Preterite I: regular verbs, ser/ir, dar, ver →
Variations
- ¿Cómo que no hay mesa? ¡Pero si reservé ayer!
- ¿Cómo que no tienen mesa? ¡Si hice la reserva ayer!
- ¿Que no hay mesa? ¡Si reservé ayer!