New here? This is lesson 35 of a free 240-lesson English course.
Coffee your way in English
Ana is back at the Blue Plate. Dee pours coffee before she even sits down.
Ana starts a long, careful sentence about cream. Dee has already left space in the cup.
By the end, you'll order coffee your way: black, with cream, no sugar, iced, or decaf.
You'll also ask for room for cream, so you can add milk yourself.
By the end of this lesson
Order coffee black, with cream, no sugar, iced, or decaf, and ask for room.
- Black, please.coffee without milk or cream
- With cream, please.add milk or cream to the coffee
- No sugar, thanks.do not put sugar in it
- Iced, please.cold coffee with ice
- Decaf, please.coffee with no caffeine
- Room for cream, please.leave space in the cup for milk
Scene — she pours first
Same diner on Larch Street. Ana still has a hand on the door. Dee is already pouring, coffee pot in hand.
Murray sits on two stools with a black coffee he has not finished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.
Learn — coffee your way
Six short lines cover coffee your way: black, cream, sugar, ice, and decaf.
You'll also ask for room in the cup, so you can add milk.
Black, please.
coffee without milk or cream
When to use it: Say this when you want coffee without milk or cream.
Learn it as one piece for coffee without milk or cream.
With cream, please.
add milk or cream to the coffee
When to use it: Say this when you want milk or cream in the coffee.
Learn it as one piece when you want cream.
No sugar, thanks.
do not put sugar in it
When to use it: Say this when you do not want sugar in the drink.
Learn it as one piece to skip the sugar.
Iced, please.
cold coffee with ice
When to use it: Say this when you want the coffee cold.
Learn it as one piece for cold coffee.
Say it: The last sound is a t.
Decaf, please.
coffee with no caffeine
When to use it: Say this when you want coffee with no caffeine.
Learn it as one piece for coffee with no caffeine.
Say it: The stress is on the first part.
Room for cream, please.
leave space in the cup for milk
When to use it: Say this when you will add the milk yourself.
Learn it as one piece when you add milk later.
Say it: Stress room and cream, not for.
Story — room in the cup
Watch Ana order coffee at the counter. Dee pours first and waits for a short line.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.
- Ana still stands at the door. Dee pours anyway.
DeeA cup of coffee, hon?she offers one coffee in a cup
AnaCould I get cream, if there is room?She asks for cream in a polite way, and she talks about room.- DeeAny milk? I left room.She asks about milk, and she already left space.
- AnaA room? With cream, please.She thinks room is a room, then she asks for cream.
- DeeSpace in the cup, hon.She means empty space in the cup.
- AnaRoom for cream, please.leave space in the cup for milk
MurrayBlack, please. No sugar, thanks.He wants coffee without milk or cream, and he does not want sugar.- Danny leans in from the door.
DannyIced, please.cold coffee with ice- DeeDecaf, sweetie?She asks if he wants coffee with no caffeine.
- DannyDecaf, please.coffee with no caffeine
Practice — black or cream
A short set of items waits here. You'll listen, pick, match, swap a word, and build a line.
They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
English
Black, please.Drop the Simple English hereWith cream, please.Drop the Simple English hereIced, please.Drop the Simple English hereDecaf, please.Drop the Simple English hereSimple English
What do you say?
What do you say?
Dee holds the pot. You want her to put cream in now.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
No sugar, thanks.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Say the word for coffee served with ice.
Build the line
Build the line
leave space in the cup for milk
, .
Tap the words in order.
Pick the reply
Dee says:
Pick the reply
Would you like regular coffee or decaf?
she asks if you want coffee with caffeine or without it
And you reply with:
True or false?
True or false?
This line asks the price of the coffee.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Dee asks what you want. Name one coffee served in a cup, not its style.
Swap the word
Swap the word
You want cream in the coffee, not sugar.
With ____, please.
True or false?
True or false?
This line is a polite way to ask for something.
Say it — say your coffee
Now you're Ana at the Blue Plate counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak.
Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.
- DeeCoffee, hon?she offers you coffee
- Ana (you)You want coffee with no caffeine.
You want coffee with no caffeine.
Decaf, please.
coffee with no caffeine
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| English | Simple English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Black, please. | coffee without milk or cream | |
| With cream, please. | add milk or cream to the coffee | |
| No sugar, thanks. | do not put sugar in it | |
| Iced, please. | cold coffee with ice | |
| Decaf, please. | coffee with no caffeine | |
| Room for cream, please. | leave space in the cup for milk |
Save your progress — it’s free
Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.
Want the next lesson in your inbox?
Get the next lesson by email, one a day.
Join the newsletterDaily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.
Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Want to keep these coffee lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.
A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your coffee order ready.
Open Yak Cards