Chapter

2 At a restaurant

What you'll learn How to order at a restaurant, ask what things cost, and pay.

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2.1 Ordering

服务员fú wù yuán服務員fú wù yuán is the waiter or the waitress. It is also what you call out to them: 服务员fú wù yuán！服務員fú wù yuán！

服务员fú wù yuán，请qǐng给gěi我们wǒ men菜单cài dān。服務員fú wù yuán，請qǐng給gěi我們wǒ men菜單cài dān。

Excuse me, could we have the menu, please?

点diǎn點diǎn is to order. 点菜diǎn cài點菜diǎn cài is to order the dishes.

你们nǐ men想xiǎng点diǎn什么shén me？你們nǐ men想xiǎng點diǎn什麼shén me？

What would you like to order?

我们wǒ men点diǎn了le三sān个gè菜cài。我們wǒ men點diǎn了le三sān個gè菜cài。

We ordered three dishes.

To ask for something, say 我wǒ要yào, or 请qǐng给gěi我wǒ請qǐng給gěi我wǒ, please give me. 来lái來lái is said too, as English says we'll have: 来lái两liǎng碗wǎn米饭mǐ fàn來lái兩liǎng碗wǎn米飯mǐ fàn.

来lái两liǎng碗wǎn面条儿miàn tiáo r，一个yī ge汤tāng。來lái兩liǎng碗wǎn麵條兒miàn tiáo r，一個yī ge湯tāng。

Two bowls of noodles and a soup, please.

服务员fú wù yuán，我wǒ没有méi yǒu筷子kuài zi。服務員fú wù yuán，我wǒ沒有méi yǒu筷子kuài zi。

Excuse me, I haven't got any chopsticks.

请qǐng請qǐng is please, and also to treat someone, to pay for their meal: 今天jīn tiān我wǒ请qǐng你nǐ今天jīn tiān我wǒ請qǐng你nǐ, today it's on me.

我们wǒ men去qù那个nà ge饭店fàn diàn吧ba，我wǒ请qǐng你们nǐ men。我們wǒ men去qù那個nà ge飯店fàn diàn吧ba，我wǒ請qǐng你們nǐ men。

Let's go to that restaurant. It's on me.

2.2 Asking the price

多少duō shao钱qián？多少duō shao錢qián？ asks how much something costs. 块kuài塊kuài is how people say the yuan, China's money; menus and price tags write it 元yuán.

这个zhè ge菜cài多少duō shao钱qián？這個zhè ge菜cài多少duō shao錢qián？

How much is this dish?

一yī碗wǎn面条儿miàn tiáo r十五shí wǔ块kuài。一yī碗wǎn麵條兒miàn tiáo r十五shí wǔ塊kuài。

A bowl of noodles is fifteen kuai.

For things sold by the piece, the price comes first, then how many it buys: 三sān块kuài钱qián一个yī ge三sān塊kuài錢qián一個yī ge, three kuai each.

西瓜xī guā多少duō shao钱qián一个yī ge？西瓜xī guā多少duō shao錢qián一個yī ge？

How much is a watermelon?

苹果píng guǒ两liǎng块kuài钱qián一个yī ge。蘋果píng guǒ兩liǎng塊kuài錢qián一個yī ge。

Apples are two kuai each.

贵guì貴guì is expensive and 便宜pián yi is cheap. 太tài贵guì了le太tài貴guì了le is that's too dear.

这儿zhè r的de咖啡kā fēi太tài贵guì了le。這兒zhè r的de咖啡kā fēi太tài貴guì了le。

The coffee here is far too dear.

超市chāo shì的de水果shuǐ guǒ很hěn便宜pián yi，我们wǒ men去qù买mǎi一些yī xiē吧ba。超市chāo shì的de水果shuǐ guǒ很hěn便宜pián yi，我們wǒ men去qù買mǎi一些yī xiē吧ba。

Fruit at the supermarket is cheap. Let's go and buy some.

2.3 Paying

买单mǎi dān買單mǎi dān is to pay the bill. To ask for it, call the waiter: 服务员fú wù yuán，买单mǎi dān！服務員fú wù yuán，買單mǎi dān！

我们wǒ men吃饱chī bǎo了le。服务员fú wù yuán，买单mǎi dān！我們wǒ men吃飽chī bǎo了le。服務員fú wù yuán，買單mǎi dān！

We're full. Could we have the bill, please?

今天jīn tiān我wǒ买单mǎi dān。今天jīn tiān我wǒ買單mǎi dān。

I'm paying today.

一共yī gòng is altogether, in all.

一共yī gòng多少duō shao钱qián？一共yī gòng多少duō shao錢qián？

How much is that altogether?

两liǎng碗wǎn汤tāng，三sān碗wǎn米饭mǐ fàn，一共yī gòng四十sì shí块kuài。兩liǎng碗wǎn湯tāng，三sān碗wǎn米飯mǐ fàn，一共yī gòng四十sì shí塊kuài。

Two soups and three bowls of rice: forty kuai altogether.