Can I take your plate?

Question

Can I take your plate?

¿Me lo retira? Or is it ¿se lo retiro?

Or some other way altogether?

Cheers, you are very cool if you answer this.

Answer 1

I think that it would sound more mannerly to say:

• ¿Podría retirar mi plato, por favor? = May you take the plate, please? or
• ¿Puedo retirar su plato? = May I take your plate?

However, both constructions (¿Me lo retira? and ¿Se lo retiro?) are valid in Spanish.

I am supposing that it is a question that a waiter might ask to a client, and that "take" is a valid verb for that purpose. In other context, you could use "tomar", for example if a magician needs your plate for a trick.

yes I was after what a waiter might say to a customer. thanks. - teasip, Nov 20, 2012

Answer 2

In most restaurants you will hear "¿Se lo retiro?" , "¿Retiro su plato?" , or when the waitperson is more talkative "¿Puedo retirar su plato?"

Answer 3

First of all, you should say, "May I take your plate. - ¿Puedo tomar su plato?