How to Order at a Restaurant

Learn how to order at a restaurant

Dialogue

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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do French by FrenchPod101.com.

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

For example, "Excuse me, water, please." is

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s’il vous plaît.

Christophe Collin, is at a restaurant with his wife.

He orders a bottle of water.

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

bouteille d'eau

"bottle of water"

bouteille d'eau

immédiatement

"immediately"

immédiatement

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s’il vous plaît.

Oui, immédiatement.

Once more with the English translation.

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s’il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. A bottle of water, please."

Oui, immédiatement.

"Yes, immediately."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Christophe asks for a bottle of water?

"Excuse me. A bottle of water, please."

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

Let’s start with Excusez-moi. "Excuse me." Excusez-moi.

First is excusez, "Excuse." Excusez. Excusez.

Next is the word moi, meaning "me." Moi. Moi.

Together, Excusez-moi, "Excuse me." Excusez-moi.

Here, Christophe is using the expression to get someone’s attention. He uses the formal form since he’s speaking with someone he doesn’t know.

Note, this expression can also be used as a mild apology, but here Christophe uses it to get the attention of the waiter who is nearby.

Next is une bouteille d’eau, meaning "a bottle of water." Une bouteille d’eau.

Let’s start with the word bouteille, "bottle." Bouteille. Bouteille.

In French, all nouns have grammatical gender and are either singular or plural. Bouteille is feminine and singular — a fact which will determine the form of other words in the sentence.

Before this is une, "a," think of this like the English "a," as in "a bottle." Une. Une.

Une is also feminine and singular to agree with bouteille.

Next is d’eau, "of water." D’eau.

D’eau is a contraction of de, "of" and eau, "water."

De, "of." De. De.

Eau, "water." Eau. Eau.

Together, it’s une bouteille d’eau, "a bottle of water." Une bouteille d’eau.

Last is s’il vous plaît, "please." S’il vous plaît. S’il vous plaît.

All together, it’s Excusez-moi, une bouteille d’eau, s’il vous plaît. "Excuse me. A bottle of water, please."

Excusez-moi, une bouteille d’eau, s’il vous plaît.

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember the waiter’s response,

"Yes, immediately."

Oui, immédiatement.

First is the expression Oui, "yes." Oui. Oui.

Next is immédiatement, "immediately," Immédiatement. Immédiatement.

All together, it’s Oui, immédiatement, literally, "Yes, immediately," but in more natural English, "Yes, right away."

Oui, immédiatement.

Note, in place of Oui, immédiatement. you may hear Oui, tout de suite, "Yes, right away." Oui, tout de suite.

The pattern is

Excusez-moi. {ITEM}, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. {ITEM}, please."

Excusez-moi. {ITEM}, s'il vous plaît.

Make sure to include the appropriate article before the noun.

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the object you’re asking for.

Imagine you’d like to ask for “the menu.” La carte. La carte.

Carte. “Menu.” carte. carte.

Carte is feminine and singular.

Before this is la. “The.” La.

la is feminine singular to agree with carte.

Together, it’s la carte, “the menu.” La carte.

Say

"Excuse me. The menu, please."

Ready?

Excusez-moi. La carte, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. The menu, please."

Excusez-moi. La carte, s'il vous plaît.

To use the pattern with a specific item, you’ll need to know the number and gender of the thing you’re asking for. And also, whether you’re specifically referring to something.

The conversation introduces une. Think of it like the English “a” or “an,” as in Une bouteille d'eau, “a bottle of water.” It doesn’t refer to anything specifically. Here une agrees with the feminine singular noun bouteille; however, there is another form of this article.

For a masculine, singular noun, like thé, tea, use un. Un thé, "a tea." Un thé.

When specifically referring to something, use the definite article. It’s like "the" in English.

The pattern section introduces la, think of it like the English "the" as in la carte, "the menu." It refers to something specifically. Here la agrees with the feminine singular noun carte; however, there is another form of this article.

La carte

For a masculine, singular noun, like dessert, dessert , use Le. Le dessert, "the dessert." Le dessert.

For both masculine, singular and feminine, singular nouns starting with a vowel, and often "h," use l’.

Masculine, L’apéritif, "the appetizer." L’apéritif.

Feminine, L'addition, "the check." L'addition.

Again, the key pattern is

Excusez-moi. {ITEM}, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. {ITEM}, please."

Excusez-moi. {ITEM}, s'il vous plaît.

Let’s look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. A bottle of water, please."

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

Excusez-moi. La carte, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. The menu, please."

Excusez-moi. La carte, s'il vous plaît.

Excusez-moi. Un thé, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. A tea, please."

Excusez-moi. Un thé, s'il vous plaît.

Excusez-moi. L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. The check, please."

Excusez-moi. L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

Excusez-moi. Ceci, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. This one, please."

Excusez-moi. Ceci, s'il vous plaît.

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

Excusez-moi. Ceci, s'il vous plaît.

"Excuse me. This one, please."

The {ITEM} placeholder is replaced by the word ceci. "This." Ceci. Ceci.

This pattern can be used when you’re not sure how to pronounce something written in the menu. Simply point on the card and say excusez-moi. Ceci, s'il vous plaît.

Let’s review the key vocabulary.

Carte. "Menu."

Carte.

Thé. "Tea."

Thé.

Addition. "Check."

Addition.

Ceci, "this.

Ceci.

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 "please?"

S'il vous plaît.

And how to say "bottle of water?"

Bouteille d'eau.

Do you remember how to say "a bottle of water?"

Une bouteille d'eau.

Do you remember how Christophe says,

"Excuse me. A bottle of water, please."

Excusez-moi. Une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

Do you remember how to say "immediately?"

Immédiatement.

And how to say "yes?"

Oui.

Do you remember how the waiter says,

"Yes, immediately."

Oui, immédiatement.

Do you remember how to say "menu?"

Carte.

And how to say "the menu?"

La carte.

Do you remember how to say "tea?"

Thé.

And how to say "a tea?"

Un thé.

Do you remember how to say "check?"

Addition.

And how to say "the check?"

L'addition.

Let's practice.

Imagine you’re Constance Collin , and you’re at a restaurant. Get the waiter’s attention, and ask for the menu, or la carte.

Ready?

Excusez-moi. La carte, s’il vous plaît.

Oui, immédiatement.

Listen again and repeat.

Excusez-moi. La carte, s’il vous plaît.

Let’s try another.

Imagine you’re thirsty. Ask for a tea, or un thé.

Ready?

Excusez-moi. Un thé, s’il vous plaît.

Oui, immédiatement.

Listen again and repeat.

Excusez-moi. Un thé, s’il vous plaît.

Let's try one more.

Imagine you’re Christophe Collin , and you’d like to have the check, or l’addition.

Ready?

Excusez-moi. L’addition, s'il vous plaît.

Oui, immédiatement.

Listen again and repeat.

Excusez-moi. L’addition, s'il vous plaît.

Excusez-moi. L’addition, s’il vous plaît.

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

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

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

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