Chinese for English speakers Cafe · Lesson 5

Place you order

Call a waiter in Chinese — 服务员! (Waiter!) — and ask 可以点菜吗? (Can we order?).

Conversation

  1. Bob Bob

    服务员！

    fú wù yuán!

    Waiter!

    Tip: 服务员 <fúwùyuán> = waiter, waitress

  2. Bob Bob

    可以点菜吗？

    kě yǐ diǎn cài ma?

    Can we order?

    Tip: 点菜 <diǎncài> = to order food

  3. Kyle Kyle

    好的。你们喝点什么？

    hǎo de. nǐ men hē diǎn shén me?

    Very well, what can I get you to drink?

    Tip: 和 <hé> = preposition or conjunction to link two nouns ( = and), NOT two verbs

  4. Yennifer Yennifer

    请来一杯咖啡和一瓶可乐。

    qǐng lái yì bēi kā fēi hé yì píng kě lè.

    A cup of coffee and a can of cola.

    Tip: 来 <lái> = come (but here bring over) 一杯 <yìbēi> = one glass 咖啡 <kāfēi> = coffee 一瓶 <yìpíng> = one bottle 可乐 <kělè> = cola

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you call a waiter?

服务员 (fúwùyuán) — waiter/server. Acceptable to call out 服务员 in restaurants. Also: 你好 to get attention.

What does 可以 ... 吗 mean?

Permission/ability question: '可以 + verb + 吗?' = 'can/may I ...?'. 可以点菜吗? = 'can we order?'.

What does 点菜 mean?

'To order food'. 点 = to choose/order, 菜 = dish. Restaurant terminology.

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.

Next lesson in Cafe Steamed or fried →