Cafe and restaurant in Ukrainian
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Ukrainian 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 Ukrainian phrases in this lesson
- Столик на двохSTO-lyk na dvokh
- A table for two
- Меню, будь ласкаme-NYU bud LAS-ka
- The menu, please
- Що ви рекомендуєте?shcho vy reh-koh-men-DOO-yeh-teh
- What do you recommend?
- Я не їм...ya neh yeem
- I don't eat...
- У мене алергія на...oo MEH-neh ah-LEHR-hee-ya na
- I'm allergic to...
- М'ясоMYA-soh
- Meat
- Курятинаkoo-RYA-ty-na
- Chicken
- РибаRY-ba
- Fish
- Дуже смачноDU-zhe SMACH-no
- It's delicious
- Будьмо!BUD-mo
- Cheers
Столик is a small table, the diminutive form and the standard word in restaurant contexts. For one: "столик на одного" (STO-lyk na od-NO-ho). In casual places you often seat yourself; this phrase is for busier restaurants where a host greets you.
Many restaurants in tourist areas have English menus; ask "меню англійською, будь ласка". Elsewhere the pointing phrase from lesson two is your best tool. QR code menus are now very common in Ukrainian cafes.
Say it to the waiter when they check on you or clear your plate. Ukrainians take great pride in their food and this is always warmly received. "Смачного" (smach-NO-ho) said to someone who is eating means "enjoy your meal", like bon appétit.
The classic Ukrainian toast, literally "let us be". Always look people in the eye when clinking glasses; looking away is considered bad manners and bad luck. "На здоров'я" (na zdo-RO-vya) is also used, meaning "to health", closer to the Russian form.