German - Cafe and Restaurant Phrases

Lesson 103 of 158

Learner at a cozy café counter practicing German cafe and restaurant phrases for ordering and paying.

Goal: Ordering, asking about ingredients, and paying — Level A2

Free German lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome to Lesson 103 — a short, useful practice for cafés and casual restaurants. We'll hear common phrases, practice with quick quizzes, and then you say them aloud.

Level A2: In this lesson you will practice polite, everyday phrases for ordering, asking about ingredients, taking food to go, and handling the bill in a café or small restaurant. This CEFR-aligned pack focuses on questions like “Ist da ___ dabei?”, asking about contents, asking for more time, and asking for the Rechnung.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Ask whether something is included with a dish and ask about ingredients.
  • Request more time to order, take food to go, and ask where to pay.
  • Politely point out a bill error and finish an order.
  • Practice saying each phrase out loud (speaking-focused).
Two people at a cafe looking at a menu while practicing German phrases about ingredients, take-away, and the bill.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Ist da ___ dabei?

Does it come with ___?

Meaning: Does it come with ___?

When to use: Use this to ask if a dish or menu item includes something (a side, sauce, or drink).

Tip: Beginners sometimes say ‘mit dabei’ — just use ‘dabei’ after the thing you ask about.

Ist da Brot dabei?
Does that come with bread?
Ist da eine Beilage dabei?
Does it come with a side dish?

Ist da ___ drin?

Is there ___ in this?

Meaning: Is there ___ in this?

When to use: Ask this when you want to know if a dish contains a specific ingredient (useful for allergies or preferences).

Tip: Don’t confuse word order — keep the verb (‘ist’) at the start for a yes/no question.

Ist da Nüsse drin?
Are there nuts in it?
Ist da Milch drin?
Is there milk in this?

Das war’s erstmal, danke.

That's all for now, thanks.

Meaning: That's all for now, thanks.

When to use: Say this when you're finishing an order but might order more later.

Das war’s erstmal, danke. Ich nehme den Kaffee.
That's all for now, thanks. I'll take the coffee.
Das war’s erstmal, danke. Bitte bringen Sie das Wasser.
That's all for now, thanks. Please bring the water.

Ich glaube, auf der Rechnung ist ein Fehler.

I think there's a mistake on the bill.

Meaning: I think there's a mistake on the bill.

When to use: Use this politely if you see a wrong charge or an error on the Rechnung.

Entschuldigung, ich glaube, auf der Rechnung ist ein Fehler.
Excuse me, I think there's a mistake on the bill.
Auf der Rechnung ist ein Fehler — können Sie das prüfen?
There's a mistake on the bill — can you check it?

Wir brauchen noch ein paar Minuten.

We need a few more minutes.

Meaning: We need a few more minutes.

When to use: Say this when the server asks if you're ready and you need more time to decide.

Wir brauchen noch ein paar Minuten, bitte.
We need a few more minutes, please.
Noch ein paar Minuten, wir sind gleich so weit.
A few more minutes, we'll be ready soon.

Könnten wir bitte die Rechnung bekommen?

Could we get the check, please?

Meaning: Could we get the check, please?

When to use: Use this when you are ready to pay and want the bill brought to your table.

Könnten wir bitte die Rechnung bekommen?
Could we get the bill, please?
Könnten wir bitte die Rechnung haben? Danke.
Could we please have the bill? Thanks.

Was ist in ___ drin?

What's in the ___?

Meaning: What's in the ___?

When to use: Use this to ask what an item contains (e.g., ‘Was ist in der Suppe drin?’). Remember to adjust the article for the noun.

Tip: Remember to include the correct article (der/die/das) before the food noun when needed.

Was ist in der Suppe drin?
What's in the soup?
Was ist in dem Salat drin?
What's in the salad?

Zum Hieressen oder zum Mitnehmen?

For here or to go?

Meaning: For here or to go?

When to use: The server asks this when you order; answer if you will eat at the café (hier) or take it away (mitnehmen).

Zum Hieressen oder zum Mitnehmen?
For here or to go?
Zum Mitnehmen, bitte.
To go, please.

Wo bezahle ich?

Where do I pay?

Meaning: Where do I pay?

When to use: Ask this if the café has a separate register or if you're not sure where to pay.

Wo bezahle ich? An der Kasse?
Where do I pay? At the register?
Entschuldigung, wo bezahle ich?
Excuse me, where do I pay?

Können wir das mitnehmen?

Can we take this to go?

Meaning: Can we take this to go?

When to use: Use this to ask if an item can be packed to take away, or to confirm takeaway packaging.

Können wir das mitnehmen? Ich brauche eine Tüte.
Can we take this to go? I need a bag.
Können wir das mitnehmen oder nur hier essen?
Can we take this to go or is it only for eating here?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends ordering and checking the bill

A short dialogue in a café where one person asks about ingredients and later asks for the Rechnung.

Are they asking to eat here or taking the food to go?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Zum Hieressen oder zum Mitnehmen?

For here or to go?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Zum Hieressen. Und ist da Brot dabei?

For here. And does it come with bread?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Ich glaube, auf der Rechnung ist ein Fehler.

I think there's a mistake on the bill.

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Könnten wir bitte die Rechnung bekommen?

Could we get the bill, please?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase asks if the dish includes a side or item?

Which phrase politely asks for a few more minutes to decide?

Which phrase is used to ask where to pay?

Which phrase would you use if you think the bill has a wrong charge?

We're not ready to order yet — We need a few more minutes.

We're not ready to order yet — ___.

Before we leave, could you bring the bill? Could we get the bill, please?

Before we leave, could you bring the bill? ___.

I have a food allergy — Are there nuts in it?

I have a food allergy — ___.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ist da ___ dabei?

Does it come with ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Ist da ___ drin?

Is there ___ in this?

Say this phrase out loud:

Das war’s erstmal, danke.

That's all for now, thanks.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich glaube, auf der Rechnung ist ein Fehler.

I think there's a mistake on the bill.

Say this phrase out loud:

Wir brauchen noch ein paar Minuten.

We need a few more minutes.

Say this phrase out loud:

Könnten wir bitte die Rechnung bekommen?

Could we get the bill, please?

Say this phrase out loud:

Was ist in ___ drin?

What's in the ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Zum Hieressen oder zum Mitnehmen?

For here or to go?

Say this phrase out loud:

Wo bezahle ich?

Where do I pay?

Say this phrase out loud:

Können wir das mitnehmen?

Can we take this to go?