Chinese for English speakers Cafe · Lesson 4

General enquiries about food

Order food in Chinese — 我们想吃炒米饭和豆腐 (We'd like to eat fried rice and tofu) — with 想 + verb for desires.

Conversation

  1. Kyle Kyle

    您们想吃什么？

    nín men xiǎng chī shén me?

    What would you like to eat?

  2. Rocky Rocky

    我们想吃炒米饭和豆腐。

    wǒ men xiǎng chī chǎo mǐ fàn hé dòu fu.

    I'd like to have fried rice and tofu.

    Tip: 炒米饭 <chǎomǐfàn> = fried rice 豆腐 <dòufu> = tofu

  3. Kyle Kyle

    好的，慢慢看菜谱。

    hǎo de, màn màn kàn cài pǔ.

    Very well, please have a look at the menu.

    Tip: 慢慢 <mànmàn> = slowly, step by step 看 <kàn> = watch, read 菜谱 <càipǔ> = menu

  4. Kyle Kyle

    我马上回来。

    wǒ mǎ shàng húi lái.

    I'll be right back.

    Tip: 马上 <mǎshàng> = right away, soon 回来 <huílái> = come back, return here

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you say 'I'd like to ...' in Chinese?

想 + verb (modal). 我想吃 = 'I'd like to eat'. 我想喝 = 'I'd like to drink'. Polite preference.

Common Chinese dishes?

炒米饭 (fried rice), 炒面 (fried noodles), 饺子 (dumplings), 包子 (steamed buns), 麻婆豆腐 (mapo tofu), 宫保鸡丁 (kung pao chicken).

What does 和 mean?

'And' (between nouns). 米饭和面条 = 'rice and noodles'. Not used between verbs/clauses.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Chinese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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