A2Unit 7 of the A2 course · « Au restaurant »
In a French restaurant, the menu is la carte, the menu is a set meal, and the entrée is the starter. Here is the vocabulary and the polite phrases for ordering, asking and paying.
By the end of this unit you can: order a meal, ask for what you need and pay the bill.
In a French restaurant, la carte is the full list of dishes. Le menu is a set meal: two or three courses for one price. A meal goes entrée, plat, dessert.
In French, l'entrée is the first course. In American English an « entree » is the main course, so be careful! The main course is le plat, or le plat principal.
To order, say je vais prendre… (I'll have…) or je voudrais… (I'd like…). Je veux sounds bossy to a waiter. Use en entrée, comme plat and en dessert to say which course.
When you eat or drink part of something, French needs du (masculine), de la (feminine), de l' (before a vowel) or des (plural). English often says nothing at all.
After ne… pas, du, de la, de l' and des all become de (d' before a vowel).
En replaces de + a food (du pain, de la soupe, des frites…). It goes just before the verb. With a number or a quantity, the number stays at the end.
Say what you can't eat before you order. Sans means without, with no article after it. After allergique à, remember à + le = au and à + les = aux.
Start with excusez-moi, mais…, stay calm and say what's wrong. A little un peu softens it.
Julien, from Lyon, is in Dakar for work. His colleague Awa takes him to a small restaurant in the Plateau. Read the menu, follow the conversation and help Julien order.
Tap 🔊 to hear each one, recorded by a native-sounding French voice.
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| carte(feminine)On peut voir la carte, s'il vous plaît ? (Can we see the menu, please?) | menu (the list of dishes)La carte lists every dish. Le menu is a set meal at a fixed price. | |
| menu(masculine)Le menu du midi est à 15 euros. (The lunch set menu is 15 euros.) | set menuTwo or three courses for one price: le menu à 19 €. | |
| entrée(feminine) | starterCareful: in French it's the first course, not the main course. | |
| plat principal(masculine) | main courseUsually just le plat. | |
| dessert(masculine) | dessertEn dessert = for dessert. | |
| plat du jour(masculine) | dish of the dayOften written on a slate (une ardoise) and good value. | |
| boisson(feminine) | drink | |
| serveur / serveuse | waiter / waitressTo call them, say « S'il vous plaît ! » or « Excusez-moi ! ». |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît | a table for two, please | |
| vous avez choisi ? | are you ready to order?Literally « have you chosen? ». | |
| je vais prendre…Je vais prendre le plat du jour. (I'll have the dish of the day.) | I'll have…The most natural way to order. Je voudrais… works too; je veux sounds bossy. | |
| pour moi, …Pour moi, la salade, s'il vous plaît. (The salad for me, please.) | for me, … | |
| et comme boisson ? | and to drink?Comme here means « as », « for »: comme plat, comme dessert. | |
| carafe d'eau(feminine) | jug of tap waterTap water is free in French restaurants: just ask for une carafe d'eau. | |
| saignant / à point / bien cuit | rare / medium / well doneFor meat. The waiter asks: « Quelle cuisson ? » | |
| bon appétit ! | enjoy your meal! |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| pas de…Je ne mange pas de viande. (I don't eat meat.) | no… / not any…After a negative, du, de la, de l' and des all become de (d' before a vowel). | |
| un verre de…Un verre de jus d'orange, s'il vous plaît. (A glass of orange juice, please.) | a glass of… | |
| une tranche de… | a slice of…For bread, ham, cake: une tranche de pain. | |
| un morceau de…Un petit morceau de fromage ? (A little piece of cheese?) | a piece of… | |
| encore un peu de… ?Encore un peu de soupe ? (A bit more soup?) | a bit more…? | |
| j'en prends | I'll have someEn replaces de + a food: de la soupe ? → Oui, j'en prends. | |
| j'en veux deux | I want two (of them)With a number, en goes before the verb and the number stays at the end. | |
| je n'en veux plus, merci | I don't want any more, thanksNe… plus wraps en and the verb together. |
| Listen | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| végétarien / végétarienneJe suis végétarienne. (I'm vegetarian.) | vegetarian | |
| je suis allergique à… | I'm allergic to…À + le = au, à + les = aux: allergique au lait, aux arachides. | |
| sans… | without…No article after sans: un sandwich sans fromage. | |
| excusez-moi, mais… | excuse me, but…The polite way to start a complaint. | |
| ce n'est pas ce que j'ai commandé | this isn't what I ordered | |
| c'est trop salé | it's too saltyUn peu trop salé (a bit too salty) sounds softer. | |
| addition(feminine)L'addition, s'il vous plaît ! (The bill, please!) | bill / check | |
| je peux payer par carte ? | can I pay by card?In cash: en espèces. | |
| service compris | service includedIn France, service is always in the price. | |
| pourboire(masculine) | tipA few coins for good service. Nice, never required. |
This unit is part of French Ultimate's A2 course: 5 short lessons with an animated video each, speaking and listening practice, a reading and an end-of-unit test.
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