French I
Lesson 3 of 4 6 min +30 XP

At the Café: Ordering

Order food and drink politely in French.

What you'll learn

  • Order with 'je voudrais'
  • Use 's'il vous plaît' and 'merci'
  • Recognize common café words
A table for two

You slide into a Paris café and say 'Un café, s'il vous plaît' — ordering politely is the moment your French leaves the textbook and buys you an actual coffee.

Au café

To order politely, start with 'Je voudrais…' (I would like…) and end with 's'il vous plaît' (please). Useful words: un café (a coffee), un thé (a tea), une eau (a water), l'addition (the bill).

Politeness matters

In France, greeting with 'Bonjour' and adding 's'il vous plaît' and 'merci' is expected — politeness is part of the language.

Simulation · Vocabulary flashcards
card 1 / 6

Practice the café vocabulary until the phrases come easily.

Knowledge Check

+10 XP / correct

1. How do you politely say 'I would like a coffee'?

2. What does 'l'addition' mean in a café?