Learn French Fast: 10 French Phrases to use in a restaurant
84Eating out in France
When you travel in France one of the great pleasures is to eat out in a restaurant. Below you will find 10 useful phrases in French, with their English translations, and an explanation of when you would use them. You can also click on the link at the bottom of this page to go to a page with a podcast with these phrases so you can hear them spoken by a native French speaker. Follow along and practice. Learn basic French fast with these useful phrases.
Learn French Fast: Useful French Restaurant Phrases
- L'addition s'il vous plait?
- May I have the bill please?
- In France the bill is not given to you because you have finished eating, you must ask for the bill.
- Avez-vous une table s'il vous plait?
- Do you have a table please?
- In France reservations are often required at dinner time. If you don't have a reservation you can ask with this phrase.
- J'ai une reservation pour deux(2) sous le nom de Jones.
- I have a reservation for 2 under the name of Jones.
- It is a good idea to make reservations for dinner before you go. Tell the host at the restaurant if you have a reservation, otherwise they may ignore you. If you are staying at a hotel the concierge may be able to reserve for you.
- Nous prendrons deux (2) menus à quinze (15) euros.
- We'll take 2 15 Euro fixed price meals.
- At dinner time there are often more than one style of fixed price menu so be specific about the exact one you want.
- Nous commandons à la carte.
- We will order à la carte.
- If you don't want one of the menus you cannot usually substitute so you will have to order à la carte. The menu is usually much cheaper so look for a menu you will like.
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Learn French Fast: More French Phrases to use in restaurants
- Deux (2) cafés avec le dessert s'il vous plait.
- 2 coffees with the dessert please.
- Typically your menu will include a dessert but not coffee. You can order coffee but it will not come with coffee. If you want the coffee to come with your dessert you must ask for it. Otherwise your coffee will come after the dessert.
- Une bouteille de vin s'il vous plait.
- A bottle of wine please.
- If you would like to order wine by the bottle just ask and the server will bring the wine list.
- Un pichet de vin s'il vous plait.
- A pitcher of wine please.
- Most restaurants will serve inexpensive wine by the pitcher, half pitcher or quarter pitcher. This is a good option if you are trying to save money but would like some wine.
- Quel-ce qu'est le plat du jour aujourd'hui?
- What is the special of today?
- Generally there will be "one" special dish of the day. Often the fixed price menu will only include the plat du jour as the main course. If it sounds good order the menu, it will be cheaper.
- Qu'est-ce que la recommendation de la chef?
- What does the chef recommend?
- If you don't know what to order ask what the chef recommends. In "better" restaurants this is common.
- PODCASTS ARE COMING SOON, CHECK TOMORROW!
Learn French Fast with these links.
- Learn French Fast Podcasts
Here you will find our "Learn French Fast" podcast series. Listen to a native speaker and practice along. - French Language Software Program Reviews
If you want to learn more try out these language programs. I will be adding more as I use more and more. Give me your recomendations.
What other restaurant phrases would you like to know?
We plan on continuing with this series. We will cover other situations and add more phrases in each catergory. Are there more restaurant phrases you would like to know. Add the phrase in English in the comments below and we'll create a new Hub to address your questions. Join our fan club to see when new Hubs are written.
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Francetales, thank you for this nice, compact and very, very useful hub. France has always been the homeland of an exquisite cuisine and French Chef Masters in long white caps, who were performing their culinary art.
Handy stuff, Francetales. You should include the pronunciation, too. I'm betting those phrases aren't said the way they're spelled... sorta like english!
Well by tomorrow the podcast will be ready so I was thinking that instead of the pronounciation you can hear the phrases and then practice them with space inbetween.
Well, that WOULD be better...
"Nevermind."
In France we use le facture for bills from the phone company, gas and electric, l'addition is strictly for a restaurant bill, no idea why, though because facture would make sense. Maybe if you have a forfait, contract, then it is a facture.
Interesting!
Very interesting hub and comments. It's amusing that in France the "menu" means a fixed price meal not what Americans think of as the menu, which in France is "la carte"....leads to all kinds of confusion on both sides of the Atlantic:-)
"Une bouteille de vin s'il vous plait."
That and asking for the cheese plate must be my most used phrases around here!
I'm finishing up the podcasts right now, check back in about 20 minutes and you'll be able to hear them, amybe a tiny bit longer.
Francetales, you are a true master of design! I love your podcast! Keep going...will follow and spread the word...
p.s.
I was a wind in my previous life...i love all countries...i love all languages):
Well thanks but it was an iWeb template only slightly modified by me. I will be adding numerous ones over the next weeks so I am glad you like it.
Yugoslavia huh, I am dying to go to that region, Split, Dubrovnic, the Dalmation coast, it is much easier to do from France than it was from the US, I am going maybe this fall.
Just reading this hub makes me think of being in Paris! Heaven!
I'll recommend the "Learn French Fast" podcast to my English friends!
Thanks.
Oh yes, I know that, now Croatian cost and islands quite well. I even speak their language. There are so many gorgeous, very pristine places there. Sailing in the Adriatic sea is also very nice, because the sea and conditions are not so rough as in the ocean, and I haven't met any bad sharks there, as well):
I really like the template...
French is my favorite language and I have always wanted to learn it. This is a great hub. I am not sure how to pronounce some of the words, but still great, simple, and easy to understand.
If you click on the Learn French Poscasts link at the bottom you will hear a podcast with these phrases that you can practice with. Thanks
freach desserts rock
freach desserts rock
Les desserts français sont très cool! Voila, pour toi!
What a great hubpage - I reaaly liked the practical advice on it. Please write more :)
If you have a chance you might want to check my blog at http://www.howtospeakfrenchblog.com/ on how to speak French.
Merci Monsieur ! Vous aves visitez l'Indonesie ? Je suis Indonesien.
Wow, great information!
Wow, great information!
Great tips here. Very useful as we like to eat out a lot in France.
great information but i think you should add more phrases
Decent list, but many misspellings...
Nice hub. Compliments one of mine. :)
chantelg4 4 years ago
Interesting, here in Northern Ontario Canada, at the least the Francophone part we don't ask for "l'addition" we say "La facture", funny how one language can have so many dialects and renditions. I am French but I would probaly be lost in France, although someday I plan on going there since my roots are there. Nice Hub!