How to Order at a Restaurant - Examples and Variations

Master how to order at a restaurant with the key pattern

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Let's look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

我要水，谢谢。(Wǒ yào shuǐ, xièxie.)

我要咖啡，谢谢。(Wǒ yào kāfēi, xièxie.)

我要炒饭，谢谢。(Wǒ yào chǎofàn, xièxie.)

我要菜单，谢谢。(Wǒ yào càidān, xièxie.)

我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yí gè sháozi.)

Did you notice I used a different pattern?

我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yí gè sháozi.)

"I'd like a spoon."

First is 我 (wǒ), "I." 我.

After that is 要 (yào), "would like." 要.

Let's move to the end of the sentence, 勺子 (sháozi), "spoon." 勺子.勺子.

Before this is 一个 (yī ge), meaning "one" of something." 一个. 一个.

In this case, 一个勺子 (yí gè sháozi), "one spoon." 一个勺子.

一个 (yī ge) has two parts. First is the number one.

一 (yī). 一.一.

After that is the general measure word, 个 (gè). 个. 个.

In Chinese, you'll need a measure word after the number, and before the noun when talking about a certain number of things. The measure word varies depending on the type of object. For this lesson, we'll use the general measure word, 个 (gè).

Together 一个 (yī ge), "one" of something". 一个.一个.

Pronunciation note: when 一 (yī) is followed by a fourth tone, it changes from the first tone to the second tone. Listen to the pronunciation again. Yí gè, yí ge.

All together, 我要一个勺子。(Wǒ yào yí gè sháozi.) "I'd like one spoon," but in more natural English, "I'd like a spoon." 我要一个勺子。

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