How to Order Multiple Items From a Menu

Learn how to order multiple items from a menu

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 two or more of something at a restaurant in French.

For example, "Two of these, please." is

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Constance Collin is at the restaurant with her husband.

The server is ready to take their order, and approaches them.

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

ça

"this"

ça

deux

"two"

deux

Vous avez choisi ?

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Once more with the English translation.

Vous avez choisi ?

"Have you decided?"

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

"Two of these, please."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how the waiter says,

"Have you decided?"

Vous avez choisi ?

First is vous, the plural form of "you," as in "you all." Here it's being used as the formal way to address a single person. Vous. Vous.

Next is avez, "have." Think of It as a helping verb here. Avez. Avez.

Avez is from the verb, avoir, meaning “to have.” Avoir.

Finally, choisi. "Decided” or “chosen." Choisi. Choisi.

Choisi is from the verb choisir, "to choose." Choisir.

All together, it’s Vous avez choisi ? ”Have you decided?”

Vous avez choisi ?

This phrase is often used in restaurants or shops to ask the customers if they’ve made their choice and are ready to order.

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Constance says,

"Two of these, please?"

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

First is deux, "two." Deux. Deux.

Next is de, "of." De. De.

After this is ça, "this." Ça. Ça.

Note that ça is a singular pronoun and can be used when you don’t know the name of something you’re pointing to. Constance uses it here because she’s pointing at something on the menu and doesn’t know the French word for it.

Note: Ça can be used for both masculine and feminine nouns.

Together, deux de ça literally means “two of this,” but it translates as “two of these.” Deux de ça.

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

All together, Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît. "Two of these, please."

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

The pattern is

NUMBER de ça, s'il vous plaît.

NUMBER of these, please.

NUMBER de ça, s'il vous plaît.

To use this pattern, simply replace the {NUMBER} placeholder with the number of the item you're requesting.

Imagine you’d like three of a thing you don’t know the French word for.

Trois, three. Trois. Trois.

Say

"Three of these, please."

Ready?

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

"Three of these, please."

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

The pattern, {Number} de ça, s'il vous plaît can be used to order an item without knowing its name, and consequently its gender, in French.

Again, the key pattern is

NUMBER de ça, s'il vous plaît.

NUMBER of these, please.

NUMBER de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Let’s look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

"Two of these, please."

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

"Three ofthese, please."

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Quatre de ça, s'il vous plaît.

"Four of these, please."

Quatre de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Un de ça, s'il vous plaît.

"One of this, please."

Un de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Deux de ceci et un de cela.

"Two of this, and one of that."

Deux de ceci et un de cela.

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

Deux de ceci et un de cela.

"Two of this and one of that."

Deux de ceci et un de cela.

First is deux, "two." Deux.

Next is de, "of." De.

After this is ceci, "this." ceci. Ceci.

Note, the item is located near the speaker.

Next is et, meaning "and." Et. Et.

When pointing out multiple items, you can join them with this conjunction.

Next is un, "one." Un. Un.

Note, un is masculine. The feminine form is une and is usually pronounced the same.

Next is de, "of." De.

After this is ceci, "this." ceci. Ceci.

Note, the item is located a short distance from the speaker.

All together, Deux de ceci et un de cela. "Two of this and one of that." Deux de ceci et un de cela.

You should be aware of this pattern, but you won’t need it for this lesson.

Let's review the key vocabulary.

Trois, "three." trois , trois.

Quatre, "four." quatre , quatre.

Un. “One,”. Un. Un.

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.

When you don't know the French word for something, do you remember how to say "this?"

ça

Do you remember how to say "two?"

Deux.

And do you remember how Constance Collin says,

"Two of these, please."

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Do you remember how the waiter says,

"Have you decided?"

Vous avez choisi ?

Do you remember how to say "three?"

Trois.

And how to say "four?"

Quatre.

Let's practice.

Imagine you’re Corentin Collin , and you’re at the coffee shop with two friends. Order "three of these."

Ready?

Vous avez choisi ?

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Listen again and repeat.

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're Coralie Collin , and you’re at the coffee shop with three friends. Order for all four people.

Vous avez choisi ?

Quatre de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Listen again and repeat.

Quatre de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Christophe Collin , and you’re with a friend.

Order two of something by saying, "Two of these, please."

Ready?

Vous avez choisi ?

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Listen again and repeat.

Deux de ça, s'il vous plaît.

In this lesson, you learned how to order two or more of something at a restaurant. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of dining at the restaurant. Let’s review.

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 to say,

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

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

And do you remember how to say,

"Yes, immediately."

Oui, immédiatement.

Imagine you're Jack Jones and you're at a restaurant with your friends, and you'd like to ask for the menu.

Do you remember how to say "the menu" in French?

la carte

Now ask for the menu.

Ready?

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

Oui, immédiatement.

Listen again and repeat.

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

You're ready to make your order. You'd like to order three of one item.

Do you remember how to say "three" in French?

trois

Respond to the server's approach.

Vous avez choisi ?

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Listen again and repeat.

Trois de ça, s'il vous plaît.

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can order at a restaurant unit of this course.

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

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