Speaking: Functional Language A2 - Lesson 3: Ordering Food & Drinks

Speaking: Functional Language A2

Function: Ordering Food & Drinks

Listen to the example conversation.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to perform the complete function of ordering a meal at a restaurant, from asking for a table to paying the bill, using polite English phrases.

Conversation Scenario: At a Restaurant 🍽️ (Click 🔊)

Using polite, standard phrases makes ordering food easy. Listen to the conversation (audio player above) and read along. Click 🔊 to hear individual lines.

Waiter: Hello, welcome.

You: Hi. A table for two, please.

Waiter: Of course, right this way... Are you ready to order?

You: Yes. What do you recommend?

Waiter: The beef lok lak is very popular.

You: Okay, I'll have the beef lok lak, please. And an iced tea.

Waiter: And for your friend?

Friend: I'd like the fried noodles, please.

Waiter: Excellent. I'll be right back with your drinks.

You: Excuse me, could we have the bill, please?

Your Functional Toolkit: Step-by-Step 🛠️ (Click 🔊)

Here are the key phrases you need for each step of the ordering process. Click 🔊 to hear them.

• Step 1: Arriving (Asking for a table)

  "A table for [two], please."

  "Could we have a table for [three], please?"

• Step 2: Ordering (Choosing food/drinks)

  "What do you recommend?"

  "I'd like the [beef lok lak], please."

  "I'll have the [iced tea], please."

  "Can I have [water], please?"

• Step 3: Paying (Asking for the bill)

  "Could we have the bill, please?"

  "Check, please." (More informal)

Tips for Sounding Polite and Natural

From "I want" to "I'd like"

How you ask for food is important. Using polite phrases makes you sound more fluent and respectful. Click 🔊 to hear the difference.

❌ Direct / Can be Rude "I want fried noodles."

👍 Good & Polite "I'll have fried noodles."

✨ Best & Very Polite "I'd like fried noodles."

🗣️ Polite Question Intonation

Your intonation (the 'music' of your voice) should be friendly. Use a rising tone ↗ for checking questions and a falling tone ↘ for statements and information questions.

• "Could we see the menu, please? ↗"
• "What do you recommend? ↘"
• "I'll have the lok lak, please. ↘"

Practice Ordering 🎯

Activity 1: Put the Conversation in Order

Drag and drop these sentences into the correct logical order (1-4). Click "Check Order" when done.

1. ☰Are you ready to order?
2. ☰Yes, I'll have the chicken with rice, please.
3. ☰A table for one, please.
4. ☰Certainly. Right this way. Here is the menu.

Activity 2: Restaurant Role-Play

Work with a partner. One person is the customer, one is the waiter. The customer should use a menu (real or imaginary) to perform a full conversation: ask for a table, ask for a recommendation, order a main course and a drink, and then ask for the bill. Use the phrases from the Toolkit!

Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)

• Recommend | ណែនាំ
  To suggest something good.
• Order | កុម្ម៉ង់
  To ask for food or drinks in a restaurant.
• Bill | វិក្កយបត្រ
  The piece of paper that shows how much you need to pay.
• Menu | មេនុយ
  The list of food and drinks at a restaurant.
• Please | សូម
  A polite word used when asking for something.
• Thank you | អរគុណ
  A polite way to show you are grateful.

Your Functional Mission ⭐

This week, your mission is to practice ordering in English. The next time you are at a café, look at the menu, choose an item, and say the polite sentence to yourself: "I'd like the iced coffee, please." This private practice will build your confidence for the real thing!