Cafe and restaurant in French
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten French words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 French phrases in this lesson
- Une table pour deuxoon TAB-luh poor DUH
- A table for two
- La carte, s'il vous plaîtlah KART, seel voo PLEH
- The menu, please
- Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez ?KES-kuh voo muh kohn-say-YAY
- What do you recommend?
- Je ne mange pas de...zhuh nuh MAHNZH pah duh
- I don't eat...
- Je suis allergique à...zhuh swee za-lair-ZHEEK ah
- I'm allergic to...
- La viandelah vee-AHND
- Meat
- Le pouletluh poo-LAY
- Chicken
- Le poissonluh pwah-SOHN
- Fish
- C'est délicieuxsay day-lee-see-UH
- It's delicious
- Santésan-TAY
- Cheers
Said on arrival. In smaller Parisian restaurants, particularly at lunch, you may be seated at a shared table (une table commune). This is normal.
Note: "la carte" means the à-la-carte menu. "Le menu" in French refers to a fixed-price set meal. Asking for "la carte" gets you the full menu.
Literally "what do you advise me?".
"Je ne mange pas de viande", I don't eat meat.
Steak comes rare unless you ask: "bien cuit" (byan KWEE) is well done.
A phrase that will always be appreciated. The French take food seriously and a genuine compliment to the cook or waiter goes a long way.
The universal toast in France, literally meaning "health." Make eye contact with each person when clinking glasses. Skipping eye contact is considered bad form.
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