Common Vocabularies

Vocabularies used in restaurants à la carte (adjective): ordered as a separate dish; not part of a set menu - Do you have à la carte dishes as well as set menus? appetizer (noun): a dish that's eaten before the main course - For an appetizer I'll have spring rolls, please. bill (also US "check") (noun): the written amount you must pay for a meal and drinks - Can we have the bill, please? café (also "coffee shop") (noun): an informal restaurant serving simple meals plus hot and cold drinks - Is there an all-night café around here? cafeteria (also "canteen") (noun): a place that sells low-cost meals in a school or work-place, usually from a self-service counter - What's the food in the school cafeteria like? cheese platter (noun): a selection of cheeses and crackers served on a large plate - After dessert, we had a cheese platter and some more wine. course (noun): one part of a meal - French meals usually include three or four courses. cuisine (noun): a country or region's style of cooking - There's more to Indian cuisine than curries, you know. dessert (noun): sweet food eaten at the end of a meal - You love desserts, don't you? eat out (phrasal verb): to go out to a restaurant, esp. at night - We usually eat out three or four nights a week. entrée (noun): 1. the main course of a meal 2. a course before the main course (Br English) - What are you having for your entrée? fast food (noun): quickly prepared food like hamburgers and French fries - I'll get some fast food on the way home. high-class (adjective): of high quality or high social status - We can't afford to go to those high-class restaurants. hors d’oeuvre (noun): a savoury food served as an appetizer before the main course - Let's order some hors d'oeuvres first. maitre d’ (also "head waiter") (noun): the person who supervises a restaurant's waiting staff - Good maitre d’s earn a lot of money these days. make a booking (also "book a table") (phrase): to contact a restaurant and reserve a table for a meal - It's a popular restaurant so we'd better make a booking. menu (noun): the list of foods and drinks served in a restaurant, café, hotel, etc. - Let's check the menu before deciding whether to eat here. pasta (noun): Italian food made from flour and water, such as spaghetti, ravioli, lasagne, etc. - You can order any of our pasta dishes as an appetizer if you want. pudding (noun): a soft sweet food eaten as a dessert - My grandma used to make the best chocolate pudding ever! restaurant (noun): a place with a kitchen and dining area where people pay to eat meals - There are lots of Thai and Japanese restaurants around here. savoury (adjective): (of food) salty or spicy rather than sweet - Most appetizers are savoury dishes. service charge (also "service") (noun): an extra amount added to a restaurant bill that's meant to be given to staff for their service - They've already added a 20% service charge. set menu (noun): a multi-course meal sold for a fixed price - Are the set menus good value? side dish (also "side order") (noun): an extra dish or serving that's ordered together with a main dish - I'll have the steak with a side dish of potato salad, please. sommelier (also "wine steward") (noun): a wine expert who advises guests on ordering or pairing wines - Our sommelier also developed our wine list and orders the wines. special (noun): a dish that's available sometimes, but isn't on the regular menu - Today's specials are grilled Hawaiian salmon and Australian tiger prawns. tip¹ (noun): extra money given by a guest to a waiter or other staff - If the service is great, leave a big tip. tip² (verb): to give extra money to a waiter or other staff member for their service - Waiters don't earn much, so I always tip them. vegetarian (adjective): of dishes or diets that don't include animal products, esp. meat - My doctor says I should switch to a vegetarian diet. waiter (male) or waitress (female) (noun): a person who takes orders from guests and brings their food - Have you ever been a waiter? wine list (noun): a printed list of all the wines available in a restaurant - Would you like to see the wine list, madam?

TAXI DRIVER Phrases that taxi drivers can use with English-speaking passengers. Welcome Hi / Hello Good morning Good afternoon Good evening How are you today? Hi. I can take 4 passengers. Destination Where can I take you? Where are you going? What's your destination? I don't know that place. Do you have a map? Can you show me on this map? Are you in a hurry? It is very close. It is pretty far away. It will take about 15 minutes. It takes about one hour to get there. It is faster to take the expressway but you have to pay the toll. Understanding the passenger Speak slowly, please. Sorry, I don't understand. Yes, I understand. I'll take you there. Please ask someone to write it in Thai / Chinese / etc. No problem. Special instructions / requests I'll put your luggage in the boot / trunk. Put on your seat belt, please. Is it okay if I open a window? Is the air-conditioning okay? Please don't eat in the car. No smoking, please. Do you want me to wait? I have to get some gas. Traffic conditions It's rush hour. There's a traffic jam. The traffic is bad over there. You'll get there faster if you walk from here. I think there's been an accident. I'll try a different way. Fare and fees The total price is $10. Thank you for the tip. Do you have smaller notes/bills? I don't have any change. The customer pays for the expressway, OK? You in a hurry? Take the expressway? There is a tollway fee. You pay the fee, ok? Goodbye Watch out for motorcycles before getting out! Don't forget your things. Thank you for your business. Hope to see you again. It's been nice chatting with you. Enjoy your stay in Thailand / China / etc. You're welcome. No service Sorry, that is out of my boundaries. I can't go there. I would have to come back without a fare. Sorry, I don't go to the airport. I'm all done for the day / night. I have to return the car on time. My car needs servicing. I'm sorry. Have a nice day. I can call another driver / company for you. Small talk Have you been here before? Are you from around here? How do you like Bangkok / Beijing / etc? Are you here on business? Are you staying long? Good weather, huh? Not too hot, not too cold. I hope the weather gets better for you. Things a passenger could say Can I get a ride? How many people can you fit? How long will it take? Please wait for me. You can keep the meter running. Do you have a flat fee to the airport? I'm in a bit of a rush. Can we get there by 10 o'clock / noon / 4pm / etc? Could you slow down, please? Is this the quickest way? Do you take credit cards? Do you have change? Keep the change. Thanks for the ride / lift.