French course

Lesson 19 of 240

New here? This is lesson 19 of a free 240-lesson French course.

Start hereHow this works

Order breakfast in French

Sam is back at Café des Tilleuls, where breakfast orders happen at the counter. Gaspard thinks he can order for Sam.

Odile turns to Sam and waits. This time, he has to name the food and drink himself.

Learn a croissant, a tartine, coffee, and a small café order, then say you are done.

The exchange stays simple: order, answer, and stop.

By the end of this lesson

Order a breakfast item and a drink at the café, then say that is all.

  • Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.A croissant, please.
  • Une tartine, s'il vous plaît.A tartine, please.
  • Un café, s'il vous plaît.A coffee, please.
  • Ce sera tout, merci.That's all, thanks.
  • Un petit ___, s'il vous plaît.A small ___, please.
  • Pour moi.For me.

Scene — at the counter

At Café des Tilleuls, Sam and Inès stand at the zinc counter on a weekday morning. Odile is ready to take their orders.

Gaspard sits at the next table with his unfinished café crème. He starts to order a croissant for Sam, but Odile looks at Sam and waits.

Wide weekday-morning view of Sam and Inès at the zinc counter, with Odile waiting to take their orders.

Learn — a café breakfast

Order breakfast politely with short, ready-to-use phrases. Choose a croissant or a tartine, then ask for a drink.

One small frame helps you name a small order, and one phrase tells the server you are finished.

  1. Profile of Sam at the zinc indicating a croissant while Odile watches and waits.

    Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.

    A croissant, please.

    When to use it: Order a croissant at the café counter.

    Learn it as one piece for ordering a croissant.

    Say it: The an in croissant is a nasal vowel.

  2. Over-the-shoulder from Odile toward Inès pointing at a buttered tartine on the counter.

    Une tartine, s'il vous plaît.

    A tartine, please.

    When to use it: Order a tartine, bread with butter or jam, at breakfast.

    Learn it as one piece for ordering a tartine.

  3. Close-up of a small coffee cup as Odile reaches for it and Sam indicates the cup.

    Un café, s'il vous plaît.

    A coffee, please.

    When to use it: Order a coffee at the café counter.

    Learn it as one piece for ordering a coffee.

  4. Medium two-shot of Sam giving a small palms-down finished gesture to Odile, who nods.

    Ce sera tout, merci.

    That's all, thanks.

    When to use it: Use this to say you do not want anything else.

    Learn it as one piece to finish your order.

  5. High angle of Gaspard at the next table with an unfinished milky coffee, starting to order a croissant for Sam while Odile looks at Sam and waits.

    Un petit ___, s'il vous plaît.

    A small ___, please.

    When to use it: Use this frame to ask for a small item or drink.

    Learn it as one piece, and fill the blank with your order.

    Say it: The last t in petit is silent.

  6. Close-up of Sam with a hand on the chest, claiming the croissant on the counter.

    Pour moi.

    For me.

    When to use it: Use this to say an order is for you.

    Learn it as one piece when you clarify who the order is for.

Story — sam orders for himself

Gaspard starts choosing for Sam, but Odile gives Sam the chance to place his own order.

The highlighted phrases are the lines from this lesson. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Odile is at the counter. Inès is beside Sam, ready to order.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour.Hello.
  4. InèsUne tartine, s'il vous plaît.A tartine, please.
  5. InèsUn café, s'il vous plaît.A coffee, please.
  6. Gaspard starts to order a croissant for Sam. Odile looks at Sam and waits.
  7. GaspardUn croissant pour Sam, s'il vous plaît.A croissant for Sam, please.
  8. OdileEt pour toi, Sam ?And for you, Sam?
  9. SamPour moi.For me.
  10. SamUn croissant, s'il vous plaît.A croissant, please.
  11. OdileEt à boire ?And to drink?
  12. SamUn petit café, s'il vous plaît.A small coffee, please.
  13. SamCe sera tout, merci.That's all, thanks.

Practice — choose and order

Listen, choose an answer, fill a gap, and build a short order. You will also practice matching the food and drink to their meanings.

Keep the café scene in mind as you pick each phrase.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    At breakfast, you want bread with butter or jam rather than a croissant.

  3. Fill the gap

    A coffee, please.

    Un ____, s'il vous plaît.

  4. Build the line

    That's all, thanks.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  5. What do you say?

    Ask politely for a small coffee at the café counter.

  6. What do you say?

    A friend asks if the order is for you. Confirm that it is.

  7. Put the chat in order

    1. OdileWhat comes first?
    2. Sam…
    3. Odile…
    4. Sam…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  8. What does it mean?

    Ce sera tout, merci.

  9. Match the pairs

    French

    Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.Drop the English here
    Une tartine, s'il vous plaît.Drop the English here
    Un café, s'il vous plaît.Drop the English here
    Un petit ___, s'il vous plaît.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  10. Swap the word

    Order a croissant, not a chocolate drink.

    Un ____, s'il vous plaît.

  11. What does it mean?

    Merci.

Say it — breakfast at the café

Now you are Sam at the counter. Listen to each prompt, then say your order when it is your turn.

You can tap to hear a line first and record your own response. Speaking practice is for you to review.

  1. OdileBonjour, Sam. Tu prends quoi ?Hello, Sam. What are you having?
  2. Sam (you)Order a croissant, please.

    Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.

    A croissant, please.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.A croissant, please.
Une tartine, s'il vous plaît.A tartine, please.
Un café, s'il vous plaît.A coffee, please.
Ce sera tout, merci.That's all, thanks.
Un petit ___, s'il vous plaît.A small ___, please.
Pour moi.For me.
Next: lesson 20Eat here or take away

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.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these breakfast orders handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick daily round with the Yak Cards will keep these café phrases ready for breakfast.

Open Yak Cards