Here are the reserved keywords for Embedded SQL for C (ESQL/C). Keywords reserved for Transact-SQL are also reserved for ESQL/C. The application can use these keywords in string literals in SQL statements if the literal is enclosed in single quotes.
| APPLICATION | FETCH | OPTCCVAL |
| CALL | FETCHBUFFER | OPTION |
| CLOSE | FOUND | QUERYTIME |
| CONCURRENCY | GET | READONLY |
| CONNECT | HOST | SCROLLOPTION |
| CONNECTION | IMMEDIATE | SECTION |
| CUR_BROWSE | INCLUDE | SQLCA |
| CUR_STANDARD | INDICATOR | SQLDA |
| CURRENT | KEYSET | SQLERROR |
| CURSOR | LOCKCC | SQLWARNING |
| CURSORTYPE | LOGINTIME | USER |
| DESCRIBE | MIXED | USING |
| DESCRIPTOR | NOT | WHENEVER |
| DISCONNECT | OF | WORK |
| DYNAMIC | OPEN | |
| FORWARD | OPTCC |