Dialogues in Chinese: learning how to make an order in a cafe
Let’s learn how to order food in a Chinese café. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of traveling. To order confidently, it’s important not only to memorize words, but also to understand how they are used in real conversations.
Try practicing the key phrases in a dialogue — this will help you speak more naturally and feel more comfortable in a Chinese restaurant.
Vocabulary
Calling the waiter
• Waiter! — 服务员！(Fúwùyuán!)
• Excuse me! — 对不起！(Duìbuqǐ!)
Placing an order
• I want… — 我要… (Wǒ yào…)
• Can I have the menu? — 可以给我菜单吗？(Kěyǐ gěi wǒ càidān ma?)
• I’ll take this — 我要这个 (Wǒ yào zhège)
• Without / with … — 不要… / 加… (Bùyào… / Jiā…)
• Not spicy, please — 不辣，谢谢 (Bù là, xièxiè)
Popular dishes
• Noodles — 面条 (Miàntiáo)
• Dumplings / Dim sum — 饺子 (Jiǎozi)
• Rice — 米饭 (Mǐfàn)
• Fried rice — 炒饭 (Chǎofàn)
• Chicken — 鸡肉 (Jīròu)
• Beef — 牛肉 (Niúròu)
• Pork — 猪肉 (Zhūròu)
• Duck — 鸭子 (Yāzi)
• Fish — 鱼 (Yú)
• Vegetables — 蔬菜 (Shūcài)
• Crab — 螃蟹 (Pángxiè)
• Shrimp — 虾 (Xiā)
• Wontons — 馄饨 (Húntun)
• Peking duck — 北京烤鸭 (Běijīng kǎoyā)
• Kung Pao chicken — 宫保鸡丁 (Gōngbǎo jīdīng)
• Sweet and sour pork — 糖醋里脊 (Tángcù lǐjí)
• Spicy hot pot — 麻辣香锅 (Málà xiāngguō)
Drinks
• Americano — 美式咖啡 (Měishì kāfēi)
• Espresso — 浓缩咖啡 (Nóngsuō kāfēi)
• Cappuccino — 卡布奇诺 (Kǎbùqínuò)
• Latte — 拿铁 (Nátiě)
• Hot water — 热水 (Rè shuǐ)
• Ice water — 冰水 (Bīng shuǐ)
• Tea (hot) — 茶 (Chá)
• Iced tea — 冰茶 (Bīng chá)
• Juice — 果汁 (Guǒzhī)
• Coca-Cola — 可乐 (Kělè)
Don’t forget to say thank you
• Thank you! — 谢谢！(Xièxiè!)
• Thank you very much! — 非常感谢！(Fēicháng gǎnxiè!)
Asking for the bill
• The bill, please — 买单, 请！(Mǎidān, qǐng!)
Dialogue in a Chinese Café
－ 服务员！对不起！[Fúwùyuán! Duìbuqǐ!]
Waiter! Excuse me!
－ 您好。可以给我菜单吗？[Nín hǎo. Kěyǐ gěi wǒ càidān ma?]
Hello. Can I have the menu?
－ 当然。请看。[Dāngrán. Qǐng kàn.]
Of course. Please take a look.
－ 谢谢！我要… 这个面条加鸡肉。不要虾。不辣，谢谢！[Xièxiè! Wǒ yào… zhège miàntiáo jiā jīròu. Bùyào xiā. Bù là, xièxiè!]
Thank you! I would like… these noodles with chicken. No shrimp. Not spicy, please!
－ 好的。鸡肉面条，不要虾，不辣。您要喝什么？[Hǎo de. Jīròu miàntiáo, bùyào xiā, bù là. Nín yào hē shénme?]
Okay. Chicken noodles, no shrimp, not spicy. What would you like to drink?
－ 我要冰水。还有… 可乐。[Wǒ yào bīng shuǐ. Hái yǒu… kělè.]
I would like ice water. And… Coca-Cola.
－ 一杯冰水和一杯可乐。请稍等。[Yì bēi bīng shuǐ hé yì bēi kělè. Qǐng shāo děng.]
One ice water and one Coca-Cola. Please wait a moment.
(After the meal)
－ 非常感谢！买单, 请！[Fēicháng gǎnxiè! Mǎidān, qǐng!]
Thank you very much! The bill, please!
－ 不客气。一共四十五元。[Bù kèqì. Yígòng sìshíwǔ yuán.]
You’re welcome. The total is 45 yuan.