If you've ever been through the gauntlet of ordering dinner in China, you'll know that picking your way through a menu (while avoiding the tripe) can be a challenge at the best of times. What you may not have been expecting is the added pressure of having nearly half the serving staff hover over your shoulder while you decide.This podcast goes out to all those Chinese learners among us who prefer the sullen and unresponsive service of the average American diner. You can use the words and phrases we'll teach today whenever you want the waitress to leave you alone for a few minutes while you figure out what you want to eat. This is very useful stuff. And when you're done listening, you've got a great excuse to head out for dinner and put it all into practice. Bon appétit!
xiaoxin
said on March 30, 2009
I find your dialogues are all very useful. I use this sentence“等一下，我先看看” everyday.
trevelyan
said on March 30, 2009
Aren't you Chinese? I always thought that from the name, although I suppose that doesn't make much sense given what we do here.
xiaoxin
said on March 30, 2009
I am Chinese, but I use this sentence“等一下，我先看看” everyday as well.
hotpotmike
said on March 31, 2009
Good line to know. Definitely prefer the service in China.
Echo
said on March 31, 2009
@hotpotmike,
Although sometimes, it's a bit "热情过火". Once I was in a shopping mall and looked for some eye cream. A sales assistant kept following me and saying things like: Look at your eyes, the dark pouches, the wrinkles! You gotta try our product!
--Echo
echo@popupchinese.com
strstrckndisasterr
said on March 6, 2010
To say where would you like to eat tonight, would it be 今晚你喜欢吃哪儿？
trevelyan
said on March 6, 2010
@strstrckndisasterr,
You should use the verb 想 ("to wish") rather than 喜欢 ("to like") in this sentence. Also, while 今晚你想吃哪儿 is correct the sentence is also very, very colloquial. The reason is that 吃 is usually followed by an object like 饭 (food) or 什么 ("what"). It's a bit strange to put 哪儿 there since you can't eat a place. But Chinese people do this when speaking casually.
I think the most natural and mainstream way to ask this is either:
你今晚想吃什么? ("What do you want to eat tonight")
你今晚想去哪儿吃饭？ ("Where do you want to go to eat tonight")
--dave
strstrckndisasterr
said on March 6, 2010
Ahh, I see. It all makes very much sense to me now. 非常感谢！
walid.shaari
said on September 1, 2010
how do you say the followings:
do you have vegetarian dishes only?
你有只蔬菜吗？
I do not eat such and such
我不吃 东西 东西 什么的
what's your house speciality?
您们饭馆的菜是什么？
您们的拿手菜是什么？
安迪
said on September 1, 2010
@walid.shaari I'll give it a try...>how do you say the followings:>do you have vegetarian dishes only?>你有只蔬菜吗？My suggestion: 你只有蔬菜，对吗？>I do not eat such and such>我不吃 东西 东西 什么的My suggestion: 那些东西，我都不会吃。>what's your house speciality?>您们饭馆的菜是什么？>您们的拿手菜是什么？I like the second one better...I'm sure there are better ways than my above attempts, but then perhaps Echo or someone will add a comment and you and I will both learn something. :-)
Echo
said on September 1, 2010
@walid & awarmack,
I think awarmack has already given out some very good answers. 非常好！
For sentence 2, you can say 那些东西我都不吃 or XX,XX,XX 我都不吃。
Last sentence, you can say 你们的拿手菜是什么 or 你们的招牌菜是什么？
--Echo
echo@popupchinese.com
Greg.croisetiere
said on August 29, 2014
Echo,I am going to China soon and I need to know how to say "I am allergic to shellfish". Google offers this translation - "我是对贝类过敏" (Wǒ shì duì bèi lèi guòmǐn) Would that be an accurate translation? Can you think of a better translation? Thank you!-Greg
trevelyan
said on August 31, 2014
@Greg.croisetiere,That works, but the more common way at least in northern China is for wait staff to ask if you have 忌口 (ji4kou3) when they take your order. This can mean an allergy, but it can also involve dietary prohibitions, such as if you don't eat eggs or pork or anything.If the wait staff doesn't understand the 过敏 bit you can tell them you have 忌口 and go into detail that way.... That said, I'd be careful with any restaurant that is going to handle shellfish as kitchens tend to reuse pots and pans and it is not unlikely there will be cross contamination.
Grace Qi
said on September 4, 2014
@Greg.croisetiere,"我对贝( 壳 ké)类海鲜(hai3xian1)过敏" would work. Usually in a restaurant, you can simply tell the wait staff "我吃不了(liao3)" 贝类海鲜" or "我不能吃贝类海鲜", they will understand. If not, just add"我过敏":)
Greg.croisetiere
said on September 8, 2014
Thank you very much Trevelyan and Grace Qi. That is very helpful! You may have saved me a lot of pain! Luckily, I am not very allergic so my food does not need to be separated but it is important for me to be able to have my waiter understand what I am saying. Thank you!
