Words & phrases
Model sentences
周末，我们一家去餐馆吃午饭。
zhōu mò， wǒ men yì jiā qù cān guǎn chī wǔ fàn。
At the weekend, our family goes to a restaurant for lunch.
爸爸打开菜单，请大家一起选菜。
bà ba dǎ kāi cài dān， qǐng dà jiā yì qǐ xuǎn cài。
Dad opens the menu and asks everyone to choose dishes together.
点菜以前，我们先问奶奶想吃什么。
diǎn cài yǐ qián， wǒ men xiān wèn nǎi nai xiǎng chī shén me。
Before ordering, we ask Grandma what she would like to eat.
妹妹要了一小碗米饭。
mèi mei yào le yì xiǎo wǎn mǐ fàn。
My younger sister orders a small bowl of rice.
服务员耐心地回答了我们的问题。
fú wù yuán nài xīn de huí dá le wǒ men de wèn tí。
The server answers our questions patiently.
服务员说这份菜的分量够三个人吃。
fú wù yuán shuō zhè fèn cài de fèn liàng gòu sān gè rén chī。
The server says this portion is enough for three people.
上餐馆
周末，小安一家到一家小餐馆吃午饭，服务员把菜单放在桌上。
zhōu mò， xiǎo ān yì jiā dào yì jiā xiǎo cān guǎn chī wǔ fàn， fú wù yuán bǎ cài dān fàng zài zhuō shàng。
At the weekend Xiao An's family has lunch at a small restaurant, where the server places a menu on the table.
爸爸没有马上点菜，而是先问大家想吃什么，还有没有需要提前说明的饮食要求。
bà ba méi yǒu mǎ shàng diǎn cài， ér shì xiān wèn dà jiā xiǎng chī shén me， hái yǒu méi yǒu xū yào tí qián shuō míng de yǐn shí yāo qiú。
Dad first asks what everyone wants and whether there are any dietary needs to explain before ordering.
妹妹想吃米饭，小安想吃蔬菜，奶奶希望菜不要太辣。
mèi mei xiǎng chī mǐ fàn， xiǎo ān xiǎng chī shū cài， nǎi nai xī wàng cài bú yào tài là。
Her younger sister wants rice, Xiao An wants vegetables and Grandma prefers food that is not too spicy.
他们看了菜单，又问服务员一份菜大约够几个人吃。
tā men kàn le cài dān， yòu wèn fú wù yuán yí fèn cài dà yuē gòu jǐ gè rén chī。
They read the menu and ask roughly how many people one portion serves.
服务员说明了分量，他们决定先点两道菜和米饭，不够再加。
fú wù yuán shuō míng le fèn liàng， tā men jué dìng xiān diǎn liǎng dào cài hé mǐ fàn， bù gòu zài jiā。
After the server explains the portions, they order two dishes and rice first, with the option to add more.
等菜的时候，小安练习说请问和谢谢，也帮妹妹摆好碗筷。
děng cài de shí hou， xiǎo ān liàn xí shuō qǐng wèn hé xiè xie， yě bāng mèi mei bǎi hǎo wǎn kuài。
While waiting Xiao An practises saying excuse me and thank you, and helps arrange her sister's bowl and chopsticks.
吃完以后，桌上没有剩下太多食物，大家都觉得分量选得合适。
chī wán yǐ hòu， zhuō shàng méi yǒu shèng xia tài duō shí wù， dà jiā dōu jué de fèn liàng xuǎn de hé shì。
After the meal little food is left, and everyone feels that the portions were appropriate.
小安发现，点菜不只是选自己喜欢的食物，还要听听一起吃饭的人的需要。
xiǎo ān fā xiàn， diǎn cài bù zhǐ shì xuǎn zì jǐ xǐ huan de shí wù， hái yào tīng tīng yì qǐ chī fàn de rén de xū yào。
Xiao An discovers that ordering involves considering fellow diners' needs as well as her own preferences.
Conversation
A 请问，这份菜够几个人吃？
qǐng wèn， zhè fèn cài gòu jǐ gè rén chī？
Excuse me, how many people does this portion serve?
B 通常够两三个人分享。
tōng cháng gòu liǎng sān gè rén fēn xiǎng。
Usually two or three people can share it.
A 这道菜可以做得不太辣吗？
zhè dào cài kě yǐ zuò de bù tài là ma？
Can this dish be made less spicy?
B 可以，我会告诉厨房。
kě yǐ， wǒ huì gào su chú fáng。
Yes. I will tell the kitchen.
A 我们先点两道菜，再要四碗米饭。
wǒ men xiān diǎn liǎng dào cài， zài yào sì wǎn mǐ fàn。
We will order two dishes first and four bowls of rice.
B 好的，我来确认一下你们的菜单。
hǎo de， wǒ lái què rèn yí xià nǐ men de cài dān。
All right. I will confirm your order.
