How to Order at a Restaurant

Learn how to order at a restaurant

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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Chinese by ChineseClass101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to order at a restaurant in Chinese.

For example, "Waiter, I'd like some water, thanks." is

服务员，我要水，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

Xianwen Xu, is at a restaurant with his wife.

He orders a water.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

水 (shuǐ)

"water"

水

好 (hǎo)

"okay"

好

Listen to the conversation.

服务员，我要水, 谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

Once more with the English translation.

服务员，我要水, 谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

"Waiter, I'd like some water, thanks."

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

"Okay. Coming right away."

Let’s break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Xianwen asks for water?

"Waiter, I'd like some water, thanks."

服务员，我要水，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxiè.)

First is 服务员 (fúwùyuán), meaning, "waiter" or "waitress," depending on the context. 服务员 . 服务员.

In this case, Xianwen Xu is calling Han Hu, so 服务员 (fúwùyuán) will translate as “waiter.”

Next is 我 (wǒ), "I." 我 .我.

After that is 要 (yào), "would like," in this context. 要 . 要.

Translation note, 要 (yào), can also translate as "to want.” We’ll use “would like” for this conversation.

Next is 水 (shuǐ), "water." 水 . 水.

Last is 谢谢 (xièxie), "thanks." 谢谢 . 谢谢.

All together, 服务员，我要水, 谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.) "Waiter, I'd like [some] water, thanks."

服务员，我要水, 谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember the waiter’s response,

"Okay. Coming right away."

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

First is 好 (hǎo), "okay," in this context. It's used to show agreement to the speaker’s request. 好. 好.

The second part of the response is 马上来 (mǎshàng lái).

It can be divided into two parts.

First is 马上 (mǎshàng), "right away" or "immediately." 马上 . 马上.

Next is 来 (lái), "to come". 来 . 来.

Together, 马上来 (mǎshàng lái) literally means "right away come," but translates as "coming right away." 马上来.

Altogether, 好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.) "Okay. Coming right away."

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

The pattern is

我要 {ITEM}，谢谢。(Wǒ yào {ITEM}, xièxie.)

"I'd like {ITEM}, thanks."

我要 {ITEM}，谢谢。

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the object you are requesting.

Imagine you'd like some coffee. 咖啡 (kāfēi). 咖啡 . 咖啡.

Say: "I'd like some coffee, thanks."

Ready?

我要咖啡，谢谢。(Wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

"I'd like some coffe, thanks."

我要咖啡，谢谢。(Wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

Again, the key pattern is

我要 {ITEM}，谢谢。(Wǒ yào {ITEM}, xièxie.)

"I'd like {ITEM}, thanks."

我要 {ITEM}，谢谢。

Let’s look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

我要水，谢谢。(Wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

“I’d like some water, thanks.

我要水，谢谢。(Wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

我要咖啡，谢谢。(Wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

“I’d like some coffee, thanks.”

我要咖啡，谢谢。(Wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

我要炒饭，谢谢。(Wǒ yào chǎofàn, xièxie.)

“I’d like some fried rice, thanks.”

我要炒饭，谢谢。(Wǒ yào chǎofàn, xièxie.)

我要菜单，谢谢。(Wǒ yào càidān, xièxie.)

“I’d like a menu, thanks.”

我要菜单，谢谢。(Wǒ yào càidān, xièxie.)

我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yí ge sháozi.)

“I would like a spoon.”

我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yī ge sháozi.)

Did you notice how the native speaker used a different pattern?

我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yí ge sháozi.)

"I would like a spoon." 我要一个勺子。

First is 我 (wǒ), "I." 我.

After that is 要 (yào), "would like." 要.

Translation note, 要 (yào), can also translate as "to want.” We’ll use “would like” for this conversation.

Let’s move to the end of the sentence, 勺子 (sháozi), spoon. 勺子.勺子.

Before this is 一个 (yí ge), meaning "one” of something." 一个. 一个.

In this case, 一个勺子 (yí ge sháozi), “one spoon.” 一个勺子

一个 (yí ge) has two parts. First is the number 1. 一 (yī). 一 .一.

After that is the general measure word, 个 (ge). 个 . 个.

In Chinese, you'll need a measure word after the number, and before the noun when talking about a certain number of things. The measure word varies depending on the type of object. For this lesson, we'll use the general measure word, 个 (ge).

Together 一个 (yí ge), "one” of something". 一个.一个.

Pronunciation note: when 一 (yī) is followed by a fourth tone, it changes from the first tone to the second tone. Listen to the pronunciation again. 一个 (yí ge).一个.

All together, 我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yí ge sháozi.) "I’d like one spoon," but in more natural English, “I’d like a spoon.” 我要一个勺子。

Let's review the new words.

咖啡 (kāfēi). “coffee.”

咖啡.

炒饭 (chǎofàn). “fried rice.”

炒饭.

菜单 (càidān). “menu.”

菜单.

勺子 (sháozi). "spoon."

勺子.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say “waiter" or "waitress?"

服务员 (fúwùyuán)

And how to say "water?"

水 (shuǐ)

Do you remember how to say "I"?

我 (wǒ).

我 (wǒ)

And how to say "thanks?"

谢谢 (xièxie)

Do you remember how Xianwen says,

"Waiter, I'd like some water, thanks."

服务员，我要水，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

Do you remember how to say “come”?

来 (lái)

And how to say "coming right away?"

马上来 (mǎshàng lái)

Do you remember how the waiter says, "Okay. Coming right away."

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

Do you remember how to say "coffee?"

咖啡 (kāfēi)

And how to say "fried rice?"

炒饭 (chǎofàn)

Do you remember how to say "menu?"

菜单 (càidān)

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Anna Xu , and you’re at a restaurant. Get the waiter’s attention, and order a coffee, or 咖啡 (kāfēi)

Ready?

服务员，我要咖啡，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

Listen again and repeat.

服务员，我要咖啡，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

Let's try another.

Ask the waiter for some fried rice, or 炒饭 (chǎofàn).

Ready?

服务员，我要炒饭，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào chǎofàn, xièxie.)

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

Listen again and repeat.

服务员，我要炒饭，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào chǎofàn, xièxie.)

Let's try one more.

Imagine you're Xianwen Xu , and you'd like a menu, or 菜单 (càidān).

Ready?

服务员，我要菜单，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào càidān, xièxie.)

好。马上来。(Hǎo. Mǎshàng lái.)

Listen again and repeat.

服务员，我要菜单，谢谢。(Fúwùyuán, wǒ yào càidān, xièxie.)

In this lesson, we used 服务员 (fúwùyuán) to get the waiter's attention. It's not rude to address waiters or waitresses this way, although it may be considered old-fashioned. Another polite way to get the waiter or waitress's attention is simply to say 你好 (nǐhǎo), "hello." 你好.

For example, if you're ready for the bill, you can start with 你好 (nǐhǎo), then add 买单 (Mǎi dān.), “bill.” Together, 你好，买单。(Nǐhǎo, mǎi dān.) It literally means "Hello, buying the bill." but translates as "Hello, bill please." 你好，买单。

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to order at a restaurant in Chinese, an essential skill for dining at a restaurant.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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