Phrases that help when ordering in another language
A short set of useful phrases for greeting staff, ordering food, asking for recommendations, quantities and the bill, and closing a meal politely in another language.
A small set of phrases covers most restaurant orders: a greeting, a way to say what you want, a question about recommendations, a request for the bill and a polite goodbye. Staff usually respond warmly to a clear attempt, even when pronunciation is rough, so the goal is clarity rather than fluency.
The phrases below are standard in their languages and suitable for ordinary restaurant settings. Read them aloud a few times before the meal, and keep the key ones in a note on your phone so you can show them if your voice fails. Learning the pattern matters more than memorizing every line.
Greetings and getting attention
Start with a greeting, and choose one that fits the time of day. "Bonjour" in French, "buenos días" in Spanish and "Guten Tag" in German are the daytime choices, but Spanish "buenos días" is used only until about lunchtime. From early afternoon until dark, "buenas tardes" is the Spanish form, so a traveler arriving for a 2 p.m. lunch in Spain should say "buenas tardes". In the evening, use "bonsoir" in French and "Guten Abend" in German, and once it is dark, "buenas noches" is the Spanish form. To get a server's attention without shouting, a gentle "excuse me" works in most languages. In Japanese, "sumimasen" is the standard phrase for this, and it is used at counters and tables alike. A calm, clear delivery with a smile is understood more readily than a fast sentence, and a nod or thank-you after each answer keeps the exchange friendly. Greeting first, before asking for anything, sets a warm tone for the rest of the order.
Saying what you want and counting
Begin with a phrase meaning would like, then name the item or point to it. In French, "Je voudrais" is the polite form, in Spanish "quisiera" is the courteous equivalent, and in German "Ich hätte gern" carries the same meaning. Numbers help with quantities. One to three in French are "un", "deux" and "trois", in Spanish "uno", "dos" and "tres", and in German "eins", "zwei" and "drei". Holding up fingers works just as well when a number is unclear. Adding "please" to the end of a request keeps it polite, and a point at the menu covers much of what a short phrase cannot. If the server asks a question in reply, a simple yes or no is often enough to continue.
The table below gathers the core phrases from this article in three languages. Use it as a reference rather than a script, since restaurant staff adapt to what they hear.
Scroll sideways to see the full table →
| Situation | French | Spanish | German |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning or daytime greeting | Bonjour | Buenos días | Guten Tag |
| Excuse me, to get attention | Excusez-moi | Perdone | Entschuldigung |
| Ordering an item | Je voudrais ... | Quisiera ... | Ich hätte gern ... |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît | La cuenta, por favor | Die Rechnung, bitte |
| What do you recommend? | Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez ? | ¿Qué me recomienda? | Was empfehlen Sie? |
| Two, please | Deux, s'il vous plaît | Dos, por favor | Zwei, bitte |
| Thank you, goodbye | Merci, au revoir | Gracias, adiós | Danke, auf Wiedersehen |
Asking for recommendations
Questions about recommendations open a useful conversation with staff. Once you have asked what is good, follow up with a question about heat, since spiciness is one of the most common surprises at a table. The question "Is this spicy?" becomes "C'est piquant ?" in French, "¿Es picante?" in Spanish and "Ist das scharf?" in German. A yes or no is easy to understand even with limited vocabulary, so a simple question like this is worth asking before you order. A recommendation question also works best with a category in mind. Naming a type of dish, such as a fish course or something light, gives staff a clear way to answer and makes the exchange quicker.
Paying and the bill
In many European countries, including France, Italy and Spain, staff bring the bill only when you ask for it, so a diner who waits for it may wait a long time. Ask clearly, and ask early if you want to pay separately. "Separately, please" is "Séparément, s'il vous plaît" in French, "Por separado, por favor" in Spanish and "Getrennt, bitte" in German. Before you pay, it also helps to ask whether you can pay by card: "Je peux payer par carte ?" in French, "¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?" in Spanish and "Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?" in German.
Closing the meal politely
A closing phrase leaves a good impression. "It was delicious" is "C'était délicieux" in French, "Estaba delicioso" in Spanish and "Es war sehr lecker" in German. Pair it with the thank-you and goodbye from the table above. In Japanese, "gochisousama deshita" is said after a meal to thank the people who prepared it, and it is widely understood in restaurants.
If a server answers in a language you do not understand, point to what you want, smile and try a short question again. Brief, friendly and clear communication works better in a busy restaurant than long sentences delivered with hesitation. Keep your phrase note handy at the table if you need it, and use the menu, gestures and numbers alongside the words you have.