The Lingo: Getting to grips with the menu

Dialogue to get you through those daily frustrations, like ordering in a restaurant:

Waitress says:

Huānyíng guānglín. Jǐ wèi?

欢迎光临。几位？

Welcome. How many people?

Maria says:

Sì wèi. Qǐng gěi wǒmen càidān.

四位。请给我们菜单。

Four. Could you give us the menu please?

Waitress says:

Wǒmen de càidān zài qiáng shàng, nǐ kànkan. Nǐmen xiǎng chī shénme ne?

我们的菜单在墙上，你看看。你们想吃什么呢？

Our menu is on the wall, you can have a look. What would you like to eat?

Maria says:

Yígè gōngbǎojīdīng, yígè xīhóngshì chǎo jīdàn, yígè dìsānxiān háiyào yígè yúxiāngròusī.

一个宫保鸡丁，一个西红柿炒鸡蛋， 一个地三鲜还要一个鱼香肉丝。

One spicy diced chicken with peanuts, tomatoes fried with eggs, sautéed potatoes with green pepper and eggplants, and shredded pork with garlic sauce.

Waitress says:

Nǐmen chī shénme zhǔshí?

你们吃什么主食？

What would you like to go with it?

Maria says:

Sì wǎn mǐfàn, háiyào sì píng píjiǔ, bīngde. Xièxiè.

四碗米饭，还要四瓶啤酒，冰的。谢谢。

Four bowls of rice and four bottles of beer, cold ones. Thanks.

Waitress says:

Hǎo de. Qǐng shāoděng.

好的。请稍等。

OK. Please wait a moment.

Dialogue provided by TailorMade Chinese Center at Shangdu SO¬HO. Contact them on (+8610) 5900-5420 or visit tailormadechinese.com.

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