Common Mandarin phrases for ordering food
Learn Essential Chinese Travel Phrases for a Seamless Adventure: Common Mandarin phrases for ordering food
Here are some common Mandarin phrases for ordering food that cover typical situations in a restaurant:
- 请给我…… (qǐng gěi wǒ…) — Please give me…
- 我要这个。 (wǒ yào zhège) — I want this one.
- 你推荐什么？ (nǐ tuījiàn shénme?) — What do you recommend?
- 有没有素的？ (yǒu méiyǒu sù de?) — Do you have vegetarian options?
- 不要辣。 (bú yào là) — No spice, please.
- 结账。 (jiézhàng) — The check, please.
- 可以打包吗？ (kěyǐ dǎbāo ma?) — Can I get this to go?
- 我要 + number + 份 + dish。 (wǒ yào + number + fèn + dish) — I want [number] orders of [dish].
- 能给我一杯水吗？ (néng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ ma?) — Can I have a glass of water?
- 服务员，买单。 (fúwùyuán, mǎidān) — Waiter, the bill please.
You can also politely ask about spice level or special dishes:
- 这有多辣？ (zhè yǒu duō là?) — How spicy is this?
- 你们有什么特色菜？ (nǐmen yǒu shénme tèsè cài?) — What are the specialty dishes?
If you don’t know the name of the food, you can point to the menu or dish and say:
- 我要一份这个。 (wǒ yào yí fèn zhè ge) — I want one order of this.
These phrases should be useful for most situations when ordering food in Mandarin-speaking restaurants.