Au Restaurant

[Clair]

[quote user="Opalienne"]A useful way to distinguish between amener and emmener is to think of the 'a' as 'to'.   So you would amene someone to the shops, for example, if you were making a special journey for that purpose, but if you said that you were going to the shops and would take someone with you (as an extra, almost an afterthought) you would emmene them.   Is this correct , Clair?[/quote]

Ye, that's a good way of looking at it.

Am other way is to think of amener and apporter as to bring along with you (generally speaking)

bring your friends with you on Sunday = amène tes amis quand tu viens dimanche

bring me the suitcases when you drive down = apporte-moi les valises quand tu viens

and emmener as to take away with you (as in to go away with...)

I'm going to town, dou you want to come? = je vais en ville, j't'emmène?

I'm going to the tip, shall I take your papers too? = je vais au dépotoir, j'emporte tes journaux?

but emmener is also to bring along in a more familiar way of talking:

take the bread as well, as you're going to the kitchen = emmene le pain, puisque tu vas dans la cuisine

which should really be emporte le pain...

I hope this doesn't make things more confusing...!