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Chapter 5 of 10

Food and Drink: Ordering Confidently and Respectfully

Focus on restaurant, café, and street‑food situations. Learn how to read or ask about menus, order politely, handle the bill, and express basic dietary needs.

15 min readen

New Words and Phrases (in English)

Core food-and-drink phrases to order politely, ask about ingredients, and handle the bill in Spanish, French, and Mandarin.

WordPronunciationTranslationExample
Spanish: Me gustaría agua / French: Je voudrais de l’eau / Mandarin: 我想要水 (wǒ xiǎng yào shuǐ)Spanish: meh goo-STAH-ree-ah AH-gwah; French: zhuh voo-DREH duh LOH; Mandarin: wo SHYANG yow shwayI would like water.Spanish: Me gustaría agua sin gas, por favor. / French: Je voudrais de l’eau plate, s’il vous plaît. / Mandarin: 我想要一杯水，谢谢。 (wǒ xiǎng yào yì bēi shuǐ, xièxie)(I would like still water, please. / I would like still water, please. / I would like a glass of water, thank you.)
Spanish: Quisiera un café / French: Je voudrais un café / Mandarin: 我想要咖啡 (wǒ xiǎng yào kāfēi)Spanish: kee-SYER-ah oon kah-FEH; French: zhuh voo-DREH uh kah-FEH; Mandarin: wo SHYANG yow kah-FAYI would like a coffee.Spanish: Quisiera un café con leche. / French: Je voudrais un café au lait. / Mandarin: 我想要一杯咖啡。 (wǒ xiǎng yào yì bēi kāfēi)(I would like a coffee with milk. / I would like a coffee with milk. / I would like a cup of coffee.)
Spanish: ¿Tiene opciones vegetarianas? / French: Vous avez des options végétariennes ? / Mandarin: 有素食的选择吗？(yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé ma?)Spanish: TYEH-neh op-SYOH-nes beh-he-tah-ryAH-nas; French: voo zah-VAY day zop-SYON vay-zhay-tah-RYENN; Mandarin: yo SOO-shrr duh shwen-ZUH maDo you have vegetarian options?Spanish: Disculpe, ¿tiene opciones vegetarianas? / French: Excusez-moi, vous avez des options végétariennes ? / Mandarin: 请问，有素食的选择吗？(qǐngwèn, yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé ma?)(Excuse me, do you have vegetarian options? (Spanish/French/Mandarin).)
Spanish: ¿Es picante? / French: C’est épicé ? / Mandarin: 辣吗？(là ma?)Spanish: ess pee-KAN-teh; French: say ay-pee-SAY; Mandarin: LAH maIs it spicy?Spanish: Perdón, ¿este plato es picante? / French: Pardon, ce plat, c’est épicé ? / Mandarin: 请问，这个菜辣吗？(qǐngwèn, zhège cài là ma?)(Excuse me, is this dish spicy? (Spanish/French/Mandarin).)
Spanish: Soy alérgico/a a… / French: Je suis allergique à… / Mandarin: 我对…过敏 (wǒ duì … guòmǐn)Spanish: soy ah-LER-hee-koh/ah ah…; French: zhuh sweez ah-ler-ZHEEK ah…; Mandarin: wo DWAY … gwoh-MEENI am allergic to…Spanish: Soy alérgica a los frutos secos. / French: Je suis allergique aux fruits à coque. / Mandarin: 我对花生过敏。 (wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn)(I am allergic to nuts. (Spanish/French/Mandarin).)
Spanish: La cuenta, por favor. / French: L’addition, s’il vous plaît. / Mandarin: 买单，谢谢。 (mǎidān, xièxie)Spanish: lah KWEEN-tah por fah-VOR; French: lah-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH; Mandarin: my-DAHN, shyeah-shyeahThe bill, please.Spanish: Cuando pueda, la cuenta, por favor. / French: Quand vous pouvez, l’addition, s’il vous plaît. / Mandarin: 服务员，买单，谢谢。 (fúwùyuán, mǎidān, xièxie)(When you can, the bill, please. (Spanish/French/Mandarin).)
Spanish: ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? / French: On peut payer par carte ? / Mandarin: 可以刷卡吗？(kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?)Spanish: seh PWEH-deh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah; French: on puh pay-YAY par KART; Mandarin: kuh-YEE shwah-KA maCan I pay by card?Spanish: Disculpe, ¿se puede pagar con tarjeta? / French: Excusez-moi, on peut payer par carte ? / Mandarin: 请问，可以刷卡吗？(qǐngwèn, kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?)(Excuse me, can I pay by card? (Spanish/French/Mandarin).)
Spanish: Para llevar / French: À emporter / Mandarin: 打包 (dǎbāo)Spanish: PAH-rah yeh-BAR; French: ah ahm-por-TAY; Mandarin: dah-BAOTo take away / to go.Spanish: Quisiera un café para llevar. / French: Je voudrais un café à emporter. / Mandarin: 我想要一杯咖啡打包。 (wǒ xiǎng yào yì bēi kāfēi dǎbāo)(I would like a coffee to go. (Spanish/French/Mandarin).)

Language Pattern (in English)

1. Polite “I would like…” pattern

All three languages use a soft, polite form to order.

  • Spanish pattern: “Me gustaría / Quisiera + [item]”
  • Example: Me gustaría agua. = I would like water.
  • Example: Quisiera un café. = I would like a coffee.

This sounds more polite than just saying the noun alone.

  • French pattern: “Je voudrais + [item]”
  • Example: Je voudrais de l’eau. = I would like some water.
  • Example: Je voudrais un café. = I would like a coffee.

This is the standard polite way to order.

  • Mandarin pattern: “我想要 + [item] (wǒ xiǎng yào …)”
  • Example: 我想要水。 (wǒ xiǎng yào shuǐ) = I would like water.
  • Example: 我想要咖啡。 (wǒ xiǎng yào kāfēi) = I would like coffee.

You can reuse this pattern with many nouns: breakfast, tea, beer, etc.

2. Yes/no question pattern for checking things

To ask about vegetarian options or spiciness, each language has a simple pattern.

  • Spanish: Use rising intonation or add question marks.
  • Statement: Es picante. = It is spicy.
  • Question: ¿Es picante? = Is it spicy?
  • Statement: Tiene opciones vegetarianas. = You have vegetarian options.
  • Question: ¿Tiene opciones vegetarianas? = Do you have vegetarian options?
  • French: Often keep the same word order, just use a rising tone or add “est-ce que”.
  • Statement: C’est épicé. = It is spicy.
  • Question: C’est épicé ? = Is it spicy?
  • Statement: Vous avez des options végétariennes. = You have vegetarian options.
  • Question: Vous avez des options végétariennes ? = Do you have vegetarian options?
  • Mandarin: Add 吗 (ma) at the end of a statement to make a yes/no question.
  • Statement: 这个菜辣。 (zhège cài là) = This dish is spicy.
  • Question: 这个菜辣吗？(zhège cài là ma?) = Is this dish spicy?
  • Statement: 有素食的选择。 (yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé) = There are vegetarian options.
  • Question: 有素食的选择吗？(yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé ma?) = Are there vegetarian options?

3. Expressing allergies and restrictions

You can plug different foods into a simple pattern.

  • Spanish: “Soy alérgico/a a + [food].”
  • Soy alérgico a los frutos secos. = I am allergic to nuts. (male speaker)
  • Soy alérgica al marisco. = I am allergic to seafood. (female speaker)
  • French: “Je suis allergique à + [food].”
  • Je suis allergique aux fruits à coque. = I am allergic to nuts.
  • Je suis allergique aux fruits de mer. = I am allergic to seafood.
  • Mandarin: “我对 + [food] + 过敏 (wǒ duì … guòmǐn).”
  • 我对花生过敏。 (wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn) = I am allergic to peanuts.
  • 我对海鲜过敏。 (wǒ duì hǎixiān guòmǐn) = I am allergic to seafood.

These patterns, plus “The bill, please” and “Can I pay by card?”, cover most polite restaurant interactions.

Practice Dialogue (in English)

You are at a small café/restaurant. You ask about vegetarian options and spiciness, order a drink and a dish, then ask for the bill and how to pay.

At a casual restaurant or café

Customer

Spanish: Buenas tardes. ¿Tiene opciones vegetarianas? / French: Bonjour. Vous avez des options végétariennes ? / Mandarin: 你好，请问，有素食的选择吗？(nǐhǎo, qǐngwèn, yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé ma?)

Good afternoon. Do you have vegetarian options?

Server

Spanish: Sí, tenemos una ensalada y una pasta vegetariana. / French: Oui, nous avons une salade et des pâtes végétariennes. / Mandarin: 有，我们有素食沙拉和素食意面。 (yǒu, wǒmen yǒu sùshí shālā hé sùshí yìmiàn)

Yes, we have a salad and vegetarian pasta.

Customer

Spanish: Gracias. ¿La pasta es picante? Soy alérgico a los frutos secos. / French: Merci. Les pâtes, c’est épicé ? Je suis allergique aux fruits à coque. / Mandarin: 谢谢。这个意面辣吗？我对坚果过敏。 (xièxie. zhège yìmiàn là ma? wǒ duì jiānguǒ guòmǐn)

Thank you. Is the pasta spicy? I am allergic to nuts.

Server

Spanish: No, no es picante y no lleva frutos secos. / French: Non, ce n’est pas épicé et il n’y a pas de fruits à coque. / Mandarin: 不辣，而且里面没有坚果。 (bú là, érqiě lǐmiàn méiyǒu jiānguǒ)

No, it is not spicy and it does not contain nuts.

Customer

Spanish: Perfecto. Quisiera la pasta y me gustaría agua, por favor. / French: Parfait. Je voudrais les pâtes et je voudrais de l’eau, s’il vous plaît. / Mandarin: 太好了。我想要这个意面，还想要水，谢谢。 (tài hǎo le. wǒ xiǎng yào zhège yìmiàn, hái xiǎng yào shuǐ, xièxie)

Perfect. I would like the pasta and I would like water, please.

Later – Customer

Spanish: La cuenta, por favor. ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? / French: L’addition, s’il vous plaît. On peut payer par carte ? / Mandarin: 服务员，买单，谢谢。可以刷卡吗？ (fúwùyuán, mǎidān, xièxie. kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?)

The bill, please. Can I pay by card?

Server

Spanish: Claro, puede pagar con tarjeta. / French: Bien sûr, vous pouvez payer par carte. / Mandarin: 当然可以，可以刷卡。 (dāngrán kěyǐ, kěyǐ shuākǎ)

Of course, you can pay by card.

Check Your Understanding (in English)

Test your understanding of a key ordering phrase and a question about dietary needs.

You want to politely ask if the dish is spicy. Which option correctly means “Is it spicy?” in Spanish, French, and Mandarin?

  1. Spanish: ¿Es picante? / French: C’est épicé ? / Mandarin: 辣吗？(là ma?)
  2. Spanish: Me gustaría picante. / French: Je voudrais épicé. / Mandarin: 我要辣。 (wǒ yào là)
  3. Spanish: ¿Tiene opciones vegetarianas? / French: Vous avez des options végétariennes ? / Mandarin: 有素食的选择吗？(yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé ma?)
  4. Spanish: La cuenta, por favor. / French: L’addition, s’il vous plaît. / Mandarin: 买单，谢谢。 (mǎidān, xièxie)
Show Answer

Answer: A) Spanish: ¿Es picante? / French: C’est épicé ? / Mandarin: 辣吗？(là ma?)

Option 1 uses the correct yes/no question forms: “¿Es picante?” (Spanish), “C’est épicé ?” (French), and “辣吗？(là ma?)” (Mandarin), all meaning “Is it spicy?”. The other options either state a preference, ask about vegetarian options, or ask for the bill.

Key Terms

Para llevar / À emporter / 打包 (dǎbāo)
Phrase used when you want food or drink to take away / to go.
¿Es picante? / C’est épicé ? / 辣吗？(là ma?)
Question to check if a dish is spicy.
Me gustaría agua / Je voudrais de l’eau / 我想要水 (wǒ xiǎng yào shuǐ)
Polite way to say “I would like water.” Very common when ordering.
Quisiera un café / Je voudrais un café / 我想要咖啡 (wǒ xiǎng yào kāfēi)
Polite way to order coffee in each language.
Soy alérgico/a a… / Je suis allergique à… / 我对…过敏 (wǒ duì … guòmǐn)
Pattern to express food allergies. Add the food after the phrase.
La cuenta, por favor. / L’addition, s’il vous plaît. / 买单，谢谢。 (mǎidān, xièxie)
Standard way to ask for the bill politely.
¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? / On peut payer par carte ? / 可以刷卡吗？(kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?)
Question to ask if you can pay by card.
¿Tiene opciones vegetarianas? / Vous avez des options végétariennes ? / 有素食的选择吗？(yǒu sùshí de xuǎnzé ma?)
Question to ask if vegetarian options are available.