Lay My Hat

We're updating our site making it mobile friendly. Our Dutch site is ready to go but on the English version we have difficulties translating and I need your help.

If a potential client would like to rent but needs some time to book the flights we give him the possibility to block a period for 3 days, until he has the travel arrangements done.

How would you call this in proper English? "You can take an option on a period"? "You could have an option for a period"?

All help is very much appreciated

Of the two your first is best. "You can take an option on a period"
It's difficult to say for sure without seeing the rest of how you discuss it.
I would normally put, "We can hold your booking provisionally for 3 days" or "you can make a provisional booking which we will hold for 3 days"

I think I would call that a 'provisional booking'. You could say something like 'we will hold your dates provisionally for up to 3 days. If we haven't heard from you by Wednesday we will make the dates available to other guests again'. That way you don't have to chase them if you don't hear anything after 3 days (we do something similar and sometimes people change their minds and forget to tell us).

Neither sound correct to me. We would say "hold the dates for 3 days" or "tentatively/provisonally book the period/dates" pending payment ...

I'm sure there are other ways to say the same thing in English.

Crossed with Costa brava! Great minds and all that

4 posts in just 3 minutes all answering a post made 4 hours ago

Adding 'pending payment' is a good idea to make it extra clear that you're only doing it because you're expecting them to go ahead and book. Maybe 'pending payment and completed booking form' (if that's relevant).

FWIW, this is what we put on our site:

A temporary hold for 48 hours can be placed on a proposed reservation if requested. This allows guests time to book flights, check other details, etc.

I am not sure that "option" is the right word for use in this context for English speakers. Also, "taking an option" has a specific legal meaning in the UK; it refers to a right in your favour which you buy.

First comment is if you cannot respond in a language then please do not have your website in that language.
It will make you sound like van Gaal.
The Dutch word you are looking for is gereserveerd you can then add the appropriate words for days or whatever. Please use the formal "you" when adding this to the website.

Examples of Duglish
http://stuffdutchpeoplelike.com/2015/04 ... -out-loud/

casasantoestevo wrote:First comment is if you cannot respond in a language then please do not have your website in that language.

I think their English is pretty damn good already and way better than my command of the few languages I know, advertise in and communicate to guests in. I don't think mother tongue skill level is required for a response to an enquiry.

casasantoestevo wrote:First comment is if you cannot respond in a language then please do not have your website in that language.
It will make you sound like van Gaal.

Examples of Duglish
http://stuffdutchpeoplelike.com/2015/04 ... -out-loud/

Normally I would agree, but judging from his post, I suspect that Iforro can converse pretty well in English, certainly to the extent that he (she?) won't make any off-putting errors when taking an English speaker's booking. Also, if you're going to have your website in any language other than Dutch, English is probably the most wide reaching. Speaking from the other side (as a non native Dutch speaker) I have to check all my written Dutch advertising with native speakers as my syntax and grammar is appalling, however I have no problem conversing in Dutch face to face.

Oh, and those dunglish examples are hilarious!

As you might guess English is not my native language.

Your help is very much appreciated!

Andrew H suggested:
"A temporary hold for 48 hours can be placed on a proposed reservation if requested. This allows guests time to book flights, check other details, etc. "
I think this is just about perfect. I would recommend that you take up his suggestion.

casasantoestevo wrote:... The Dutch word you are looking for is gereserveerd ...

I can't speak Dutch at all, but the dictionary tells me that "gereserveerd" means in English: "reserved", "setaside", "kept for", "put aside", so it's spot on. But I think Iforro is looking for an English translation which won't read as Duglish! Reading his posts, I can see that Iforro's command of English is excellent, so one has no doubt about his abilities in the Dutch language.