How to order in a French café: three short dialogues
“Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît” means “I’d like a coffee, please”. Add “sur place” for here or “à emporter” to go. Practise the order, a question about milk and the bill below.
1. Order a drink and say where you will have it
At the counter, you want a coffee to drink in the café.
You: “Bonjour. Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît.” — “Hello. I’d like a coffee, please.”
Staff: “Sur place ou à emporter ?” — “For here or to go?”
You: “Sur place, merci.” — “For here, thank you.”
Je voudrais means “I’d like”; s’il vous plaît means “please”. For takeaway, answer “À emporter, s’il vous plaît.” Use the drink name on the menu if you want a particular size or preparation.
2. Ask about milk and the price
You want tea with a little milk. Ask whether milk is available before ordering.
You: “Vous avez du lait ?” — “Do you have any milk?”
Staff: “Oui.” — “Yes.”
You: “Je voudrais un thé avec un peu de lait, s’il vous plaît. C’est combien ?” — “I’d like a tea with a little milk, please. How much is it?”
Staff: “Trois euros.” — “Three euros.”
Avec un peu de lait means “with a little milk”. The question asks about availability; it does not specify a milk type. The price is invented for practice.
3. Ask for the bill
You have finished your drink at a table and are ready to pay.
You: “Excusez-moi. L’addition, s’il vous plaît.” — “Excuse me. The bill, please.”
Staff: “Bien sûr. Voilà.” — “Of course. Here you are.”
You: “Merci.” — “Thank you.”
L’addition asks for the bill. C’est combien ? asks how much something costs. Choose the phrase that matches what you need.
Change one part of your order
Keep the polite frame and change the drink or quantity:
- “Je voudrais un thé, s’il vous plaît.” — “I’d like a tea, please.”
- “Je voudrais deux cafés, s’il vous plaît.” — “I’d like two coffees, please.”
- “À emporter, merci.” — “To go, thank you.”
Check 1: for here or to go?
Choose a reply, then open the answer notes to check it.
Answers and explanations
- Sur place, merci.: This says you will have it here.
- À emporter, merci.: Yes: this says you will take it away.
- L’addition, s’il vous plaît.: This requests the bill; it does not answer where you will have the drink.
Check 2: ask about milk
Choose the question about milk, then check the answer notes.
Answers and explanations
- C’est combien ?: This asks the price.
- Sur place ou à emporter ?: This asks where the order will be consumed.
- Vous avez du lait ?: Yes: this asks whether they have milk.
Try your own exchange
Cover the translations and read one exchange aloud. Change coffee to tea, or for here to takeaway, then check the meaning. These are original practice dialogues, not recordings of real conversations.