Ordering drinks is one of the most useful real-life English skills. Whether you’re in a café, a coffee shop, a bar, or a restaurant, you’ll need the right phrases, sizes, questions, and polite expressions. This guide teaches you how to order coffee and other drinks in English clearly, confidently and naturally — Yak-Yacker style.
Common Coffee Shop Vocabulary
These words appear constantly when ordering drinks:
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
| menu | list of drinks available |
| barista | person who makes coffee |
| cup / mug | container for hot drinks |
| size | small / medium / large |
| iced | served with ice, cold |
| hot | heated, warm |
| decaf | without caffeine |
| dairy / non-dairy | milk options |
| syrup | flavor added to drinks |
Example: “The barista asked what size I wanted.”
Types of Coffee Drinks
Learn the basic coffee types you’ll see in English-speaking cafés.
| Drink | Description |
| espresso | strong shot of coffee |
| americano | espresso + hot water |
| latte | espresso + steamed milk |
| cappuccino | espresso + milk foam |
| mocha | chocolate + coffee |
| macchiato | espresso with a little milk |
| cold brew | slow-steeped cold coffee |
| iced latte | cold milk + espresso |
Example: “I ordered an iced latte with oat milk.”
How to Order Coffee in English
Here are the most natural, everyday patterns.
Basic Structure
- Greeting
“Hi!” / “Good morning!” - Size
small / medium / large - Drink
latte / cappuccino / iced coffee - Milk + sugar + extras
oat milk, no sugar, two pumps of vanilla - Takeaway or stay?
to go / for here
Example Orders
- “Hi, can I get a medium latte with oat milk, please?”
- “Good afternoon, I’d like a large iced americano, no sugar.”
- “Could I get a small cappuccino to go?”
Polite Phrases for Ordering
Using polite English makes every order smoother.
| Situation | Phrase |
| placing an order | “Can I get…?” / “I’d like…” / “Could I have…?” |
| asking about sizes | “What sizes do you have?” |
| asking about milk | “Do you have dairy-free options?” |
| clarifying | “What’s the difference between…?” |
| confirming | “That’s all, thank you.” |
| paying | “Can I pay by card?” |
Example: “Could I have a decaf latte, please?”
Milk & Non-Dairy Options
Common choices in English-speaking cafés:
- whole milk
- skim milk
- soy milk
- almond milk
- oat milk
- coconut milk
Example: “I prefer oat milk in my coffee.”
Sweeteners, Flavors & Extras
You can customize your drink using these words:
| Option | Example |
| syrups | vanilla, caramel, hazelnut |
| sugar levels | no sugar, less sugar, extra sweet |
| toppings | whipped cream, cinnamon, cocoa |
| temperature | extra hot, warm |
| strength | extra shot, weak |
Example: “Can you make it extra hot with one pump of vanilla?”
How to Order Tea in English
Tea orders are also very common.
| Drink | Example Order |
| black tea | “A cup of black tea, please.” |
| green tea | “Can I get a hot green tea?” |
| iced tea | “A large iced tea with lemon.” |
| herbal tea | “Do you have herbal tea?” |
You can say:
- with lemon
- with honey
- with milk
- no sugar
Ordering Juice, Soda & Other Cold Drinks
Useful vocabulary for non-coffee drinkers:
| Drink | Example |
| orange juice | “A fresh orange juice, please.” |
| lemonade | “A lemonade with ice.” |
| soda | “A small soda, no ice.” |
| smoothie | “A mango smoothie, please.” |
| milkshake | “A chocolate milkshake.” |
| sparkling water | “Sparkling water or still?” |
Common café question:
“Would you like ice with that?”
Bar Vocabulary: Ordering Drinks at Night
For learners who also need social or travel English.
| Phrase | Meaning |
| “Can I see the drinks menu?” | ask for options |
| “I’ll have a beer.” | basic order |
| “What cocktails do you recommend?” | ask bartender’s advice |
| “Neat / on the rocks” | neat = no ice, rocks = with ice |
| “A glass of red/white wine.” | wine order |
Example: “I’ll take a gin and tonic, please.”
Talking About Your Preferences
These phrases help you express your likes:
- “I usually drink black coffee.”
- “I prefer iced drinks.”
- “I don’t like sweet coffee.”
- “I love strong espresso.”
To ask someone else:
- “What do you normally order?”
- “How do you take your coffee?”
Common Mistakes Learners Make
- Saying “give me” → too direct; use polite forms.
- Forgetting “please.”
- Mixing up “for here” and “to go.”
- Saying “big coffee” instead of “large coffee.”
- Confusing “ice coffee” (wrong) → “iced coffee” (correct).
Practice Exercises
Exercise A: Fill in the blanks
- “Can I get a ______ latte, please?”
- “Do you have ______-free milk?”
- “A large iced ______, no sugar.”
- “Is this ______ or to go?”
- “Could I have an extra ______ of espresso?”
Exercise B: Make your own order
Write a full order using size, drink, milk, sweetness and to-go/for-here.
Yak’s Final Chewables
Learning how to order coffee and other drinks in English helps you survive everyday life — cafés, airports, meetings, dates, travel, everything. With these phrases and patterns, you can order politely, clearly and naturally. Even a yak knows how to walk into a café with confidence: “Large iced mocha, oat milk, please.”