You walk into a busy café, get on a crowded bus or arrive at a shared table.
There is an empty-looking seat, but you are not sure whether someone is using it.
One simple question solves the problem:
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
在咖啡馆、公交车或共用桌旁看到一个空座位时，
你可以简单地问：
“不好意思，这个座位有人吗？”
The important habit is:
ask before you sit down.
It is polite, quick and useful almost anywhere.
“No, it’s free.”
Great. You can answer:
“Thanks!”
and take the seat.
“Sorry, it’s taken.”
No problem. Say:
“Okay, thanks.”
and look for another seat.
10 useful phrases for finding a seat
| English | Chinese / 中文 |
|---|---|
| Is this seat taken? | 这个座位有人吗？ |
| Can I sit here? | 我可以坐这里吗？ |
| Is anyone sitting here? | 这里有人坐吗？ |
| Is this seat free? | 这个座位空着吗？ |
| Can I share this table? | 我可以和你们拼桌吗？ |
| Do you mind if I sit here? | 你介意我坐这里吗？ |
| Is someone using this chair? | 有人用这个椅子吗？ |
| Could you move your bag, please? | 可以请你把包挪一下吗？ |
| Is there another seat available? | 还有其他空座位吗？ |
| Thank you. That’s very kind. | 谢谢，你太好了。 |
A realistic café conversation
Fictional practice dialogue / 对话练习
Customer:
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
顾客：
“不好意思，这个座位有人吗？”
Other customer:
“No, it’s free. Go ahead.”
Customer:
“Thanks. Is anyone using the chair beside you?”
Other customer:
“No, that one’s free too.”
Customer:
“Perfect. Thank you.”
That is all you need.
Ask, understand the answer and respond politely.
What might you hear?
“No, it’s free.”
“Go ahead.”
“Yes, sorry. Someone’s sitting there.”
“I’m saving it for a friend.”
“There are some seats over there.”
Problem → Need → Request
Problem:
I need somewhere to sit, but I do not know whether the seat is available.
Need:
I need to check before I sit down.
Request:
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
问题： 我需要一个座位，但不知道这个座位有没有人。
需要： 我需要先确认一下。
询问： “不好意思，这个座位有人吗？”
Useful seating vocabulary
| English | Chinese / 中文 |
|---|---|
| seat | 座位 |
| table | 桌子 |
| empty | 空的 |
| taken | 有人使用的 / 已占用 |
| share a table | 拼桌 / 共用桌子 |
| queue / line | 排队 / 队伍 |
| window seat | 靠窗座位 |
| aisle seat | 靠过道座位 |
Different places, same useful question
At a café
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
On a bus
“Is anyone sitting here?”
At a shared table
“Do you mind if I sit here?”
If a bag is on the seat
“Sorry, is someone sitting here?”
Before you sit down
- Look for signs that the seat may already be reserved.
- Ask before moving someone’s belongings.
- Listen carefully to the answer.
- If the seat is taken, simply thank the person and move on.
- If you are sharing a table, respect the other person’s space.
- Keep the interaction simple and friendly.
Your four-round speaking mission
-
Ask:
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” -
Confirm:
“Can I sit here?” -
Shared table:
“Do you mind if I sit here?” -
Finish politely:
“Thank you. That’s very kind.”
Practise each question aloud.
Then repeat them without reading.
Surprise round:
The person says:
“Sorry, I’m saving it for a friend.”
Respond:
“No problem. Thanks.”
A few useful answers
What does “taken” mean?
When a seat is
taken,
someone is already using it or saving it.
Can I say “Is this free?”
Yes, especially when the situation is obvious.
But
“Is this seat taken?”
is extremely common and clear.
What if someone’s bag is on the seat?
Do not move it yourself.
Ask:
“Sorry, is someone sitting here?”
What if the answer is no?
Simply say:
“Okay, thanks.”
No explanation is necessary.
