Basic café/restaurant interaction: dialogue + practice.

Bonjour! Here's a French lesson for beginners, as part of our "survival guide to traveling in France/at the café" series.

Une table pour deux (Paris, 1920)

Here are two short exercises to practice the vocabulary of two previous lessons (this one and that one) and prepare you for interactions/dialogues you will have in France at a café/restaurant. The format is question/answer: find which question (multiple choice) goes with its answer ("R"= Réponse) below.... Enjoy!
(If you forgot the vocab, you can review the previous lessons)

Numéro 1
a-

... Voici le menu. Vous voulez boire quelque chose? Où sont les toilettes? Pour manger: vous avez choisi? Vous parlez français? Bonsoir Messieurs Dames! Vous êtes combien? C’est pour manger?

R- Les toilettes sont à gauche.
b-

... Voici le menu. Vous voulez boire quelque chose? Où sont les toilettes? Pour manger: vous avez choisi? Vous parlez français? Bonsoir Messieurs Dames! Vous êtes combien? C’est pour manger?

R- On est deux. On voudrait dîner.
c-

... Voici le menu. Vous voulez boire quelque chose? Où sont les toilettes? Pour manger: vous avez choisi? Vous parlez français? Bonsoir Messieurs Dames! Vous êtes combien? C’est pour manger?

R- Merci! On voudrait une carafe d’eau et une bouteille de vin.
d-

... Voici le menu. Vous voulez boire quelque chose? Où sont les toilettes? Pour manger: vous avez choisi? Vous parlez français? Bonsoir Messieurs Dames! Vous êtes combien? C’est pour manger?

R- Excusez-moi, je ne parle pas bien français. Et vous: vous parlez anglais?
e-

... Voici le menu. Vous voulez boire quelque chose? Où sont les toilettes? Pour manger: vous avez choisi? Vous parlez français? Bonsoir Messieurs Dames! Vous êtes combien? C’est pour manger?

R- Oui. Je voudrais une salade.

Numéro 2
a-

... Vous avez une table pour une personne? (C’est pour) combien de personnes? C’est combien? Qu’est-ce que vous voulez boire? Bonjour! C’est pour déjeuner?

R- Je voudrais un verre de vin rouge.
b-

... Vous avez une table pour une personne? (C’est pour) combien de personnes? C’est combien? Qu’est-ce que vous voulez boire? Bonjour! C’est pour déjeuner?

R- Une table pour une personne? Oui. Par ici. A droite.
c-

... Vous avez une table pour une personne? (C’est pour) combien de personnes? C’est combien? Qu’est-ce que vous voulez boire? Bonjour! C’est pour déjeuner?

R- C’est 5 euros 50, s’il vous plaît.
d-

... Vous avez une table pour une personne? (C’est pour) combien de personnes? C’est combien? Qu’est-ce que vous voulez boire? Bonjour! C’est pour déjeuner?

R- Oui, on voudrait déjeuner. Vous avez une table?
e-

... Vous avez une table pour une personne? (C’est pour) combien de personnes? C’est combien? Qu’est-ce que vous voulez boire? Bonjour! C’est pour déjeuner?

R- (C’est pour) deux personnes.

Correction : click here!

At the café (beginner's survival guide to travelling in France -part 2: exercises)

This lesson is for beginners. It's a continuation on this lesson, and part of a set of lessons geared towards acquiring basic communication skill for your travels.

"Table pour une!" (table for one!)

"Bijou" of the Montmartre cabarets, 1933, by Brassai

Now that you have learned some vocabulary with this lesson, you are ready to practice with real-life sentences.
Here are two exercises for you, in which you must:
A- listen to the audio (the vocab was all part of the aforementioned lesson.) and see what you can make of it... FUN!
B- find the meaning of each sentence (multiple choice).

Allons-y! (Let's go!)

Numéro 1
a- Les toilettes sont à gauche.

... We are two. we would like to dine. A table for one? Yes, over here. On/to the right. the restroom's on the left thank you! We would like a carafe of water and a bottle of wine I would like a glass of red wine

b- On est deux. On voudrait dîner.

... We are two. we would like to dine. A table for one? Yes, over here. On/to the right. the restroom's on the left thank you! We would like a carafe of water and a bottle of wine I would like a glass of red wine

c- Merci! On voudrait une carafe d’eau et une bouteille de vin.

... We are two. we would like to dine. A table for one? Yes, over here. On/to the right. the restroom's on the left thank you! We would like a carafe of water and a bottle of wine I would like a glass of red wine

d- Je voudrais un verre de vin rouge.

... We are two. we would like to dine. A table for one? Yes, over here. On/to the right. the restroom's on the left thank you! We would like a carafe of water and a bottle of wine I would like a glass of red wine

e- Une table pour une personne? Oui. Par ici. A droite.

... We are two. we would like to dine. A table for one? Yes, over here. On/to the right. the restroom's on the left thank you! We would like a carafe of water and a bottle of wine I would like a glass of red wine

Les toilettes ? Non, l'art!
Fontaine, Marcel Duchamp, 1917

Numéro 2
a- Excusez-moi, je ne parle pas bien français. Et vous: vous parlez anglais?

... Yes, we would like to have lunch. Do you have a table ? (It's for) two people Sorry/Excuse-me, I don't speak French well. And you: do you speak English? It's 5 euros 50, please. Yes. I would like a salad.

b- Oui. Je voudrais une salade.

... Yes, we would like to have lunch. Do you have a table ? (It's for) two people Sorry/Excuse-me, I don't speak French well. And you: do you speak English? It's 5 euros 50, please. Yes. I would like a salad.

c- C’est 5 euros 50, s’il vous plaît.

... Yes, we would like to have lunch. Do you have a table ? (It's for) two people Sorry/Excuse-me, I don't speak French well. And you: do you speak English? It's 5 euros 50, please. Yes. I would like a salad.

d- Oui, on voudrait déjeuner. Vous avez une table?

... Yes, we would like to have lunch. Do you have a table ? (It's for) two people Sorry/Excuse-me, I don't speak French well. And you: do you speak English? It's 5 euros 50, please. Yes. I would like a salad.

e- (C’est pour) deux personnes.

... Yes, we would like to have lunch. Do you have a table ? (It's for) two people Sorry/Excuse-me, I don't speak French well. And you: do you speak English? It's 5 euros 50, please. Yes. I would like a salad.

Correction: click here!

There will be a follow up on these exercises, in which you get to practice question and answer... Stay tuned! A bientôt...

Travel vocabulary for beginners: at a restaurant/café (part 1)

II Memorization!
1- Désirer (deh-zee-reh) =

... to eat and to drink to speak/talk to have dinner and to have lunch to choose to wish/want/desire

Dîner et déjeuner (dee-neh eh deh-juh-neh) =

... to eat and to drink to speak/talk to have dinner and to have lunch to choose to wish/want/desire

Manger et boire (mã-jeh-eh-bwahr) =

... to eat and to drink to speak/talk to have dinner and to have lunch to choose to wish/want/desire

Choisir (shwah-zeer) =

... to eat and to drink to speak/talk to have dinner and to have lunch to choose to wish/want/desire

Parler =

... to eat and to drink to speak/talk to have dinner and to have lunch to choose to wish/want/desire

2- Le menu =

... good evening thank you the menu the dinner and the lunch good morning/day

Le dîner et le déjeuner =

... good evening thank you the menu the dinner and the lunch good morning/day

Merci =

... good evening thank you the menu the dinner and the lunch good morning/day

Bonjour =

... good evening thank you the menu the dinner and the lunch good morning/day

Bonsoir =

... good evening thank you the menu the dinner and the lunch good morning/day

Un verre et une bouteille de vin.
Bernard Buffet, Femme au Verre de Vin, 1955

3- Monsieur (Muh-ssyuh) =

... Madam 2 people it is the restroom Mr/sir

Madame =

... Madam 2 people it is the restroom Mr/sir

deux personnes (duh pehr-sun) =

... Madam 2 people it is the restroom Mr/sir

les toilettes (twah-lett) =

... Madam 2 people it is the restroom Mr/sir

C’est (seh) =

... Madam 2 people it is the restroom Mr/sir

C'est une salade!

4- Vous =

... a salad a bottle of wine a carafe of water a glass of wine you/y’all

Un verre de vin =

... a salad a bottle of wine a carafe of water a glass of wine you/y’all

Une bouteille de vin =

... a salad a bottle of wine a carafe of water a glass of wine you/y’all

Une salade =

... a salad a bottle of wine a carafe of water a glass of wine you/y’all

Une carafe d'eau =

... a salad a bottle of wine a carafe of water a glass of wine you/y’all

5- Pour =

... on the right on the left for/in order to over here something

Quelque chose =

... on the right on the left for/in order to over here something

à gauche =

... on the right on the left for/in order to over here something

à droite =

... on the right on the left for/in order to over here something

Par ici =

... on the right on the left for/in order to over here something

6- Les questions ("kess-t-yõh")
Vous voulez…? =

... How much/how many ? Do you have ? Where are…? Where is…? Do you want…?

Vous avez? =

... How much/how many ? Do you have ? Where are…? Where is…? Do you want…?

Où sont …? =

... How much/how many ? Do you have ? Where are…? Where is…? Do you want…?

Où est …? =

... How much/how many ? Do you have ? Where are…? Where is…? Do you want…?

Combien =

... How much/how many ? Do you have ? Where are…? Where is…? Do you want…?

7- On peut ? =

... Do you speak Can we/May we? Do.../does… ? What …? Can I/May I?

Je peux ? =

... Do you speak Can we/May we? Do.../does… ? What …? Can I/May I?

Vous parlez? =

... Do you speak Can we/May we? Do.../does… ? What …? Can I/May I?

Qu’est-ce que que…? =

... Do you speak Can we/May we? Do.../does… ? What …? Can I/May I?

Est-ce que que…? =

... Do you speak Can we/May we? Do.../does… ? What …? Can I/May I?

8- Affirmations
Je parle =

... We would like I don't want I speak I don’t speak I would like

Je ne parle pas =

... We would like I don't want I speak I don’t speak I would like

Je voudrais =

... We would like I don't want I speak I don’t speak I would like

On voudrait =

... We would like I don't want I speak I don’t speak I would like

Je ne veux pas =

... We would like I don't want I speak I don’t speak I would like

Bravo!
La correction : this page.