Traditional Chinese - Ordering Food

Lesson 101 of 152

A friendly night-market food stall in Taiwan with a menu board in Traditional Chinese, showing a Taiwan Mandarin lesson about ordering food. A learner points at a dish while preparing to say a polite phrase.

Goal: Ready, not ready, extra sauce? You’ve got this.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Welcome back to the counter! Today you’ll practice the little phrases that make ordering food in Taiwan feel much smoother.

Level A1: this lesson helps you order simply and politely with phrases like 我想要___，謝謝 (Wǒ xiǎng yào ___, xièxie.) and 我可以點餐了 (Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.). You’ll also ask for recommendations, add toppings, request something on the side, and check if something is vegetarian. Tiny phrases, big snack power.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Use 我想要___，謝謝 (Wǒ xiǎng yào ___, xièxie.) to order food or drinks politely.
  • Say 我可以點餐了 (Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.) or 還沒好，謝謝 (Hái méi hǎo, xièxie.) to show whether you are ready.
  • Ask 有推薦的嗎？ (Yǒu tuījiàn de ma?) and 這個附什麼？ (Zhège fù shénme?) when choosing from a menu.
  • Make simple A1 food requests with 加___，謝謝 (Jiā ___, xièxie.) and 麻煩另外放，謝謝 (Máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.).
  • Ask 這是素的嗎？ (Zhè shì sù de ma?) to check if something is vegetarian in Taiwan.
A cozy Taipei café counter with drinks, sauces, and small dishes labeled in Traditional Chinese. The Taiwan Mandarin ordering food topic is shown through a customer deciding what to order.

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.

加___，謝謝。

Jiā ___, xièxie.

With ___, please.

Meaning: 加___，謝謝 (Jiā ___, xièxie.) means “With ___, please.”

When to use: Use it when adding a topping, sauce, ice, sugar, spice, or another extra to your order.

Tip: Put the add-on after 加 (jiā): 加辣 (jiā là), not 辣加 (là jiā).

加辣，謝謝

Jiā là, xièxie.

With spice, please.
加珍珠，謝謝

Jiā zhēnzhū, xièxie.

With boba, please.

麻煩另外放，謝謝。

Máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.

On the side, please.

Meaning: 麻煩另外放，謝謝 (Máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.) means “On the side, please.”

When to use: Use it when you want sauce or a side item packed or served separately.

Tip: 另外放 (lìngwài fàng) means “put separately.” It does not mean “add more.”

麻煩另外放，謝謝。

Máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.

On the side, please.
醬料麻煩另外放，謝謝。

Jiàngliào máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.

Please put the sauce on the side.

我想要___，謝謝。

Wǒ xiǎng yào ___, xièxie.

I'll have ___, please.

Meaning: 我想要___，謝謝 (Wǒ xiǎng yào ___, xièxie.) means “I’ll have ___, please.”

When to use: Use it to choose a food or drink item politely when ordering.

Tip: Don’t drop 要 (yào) here. 我想要 (wǒ xiǎng yào) sounds natural and complete for ordering.

我想要牛肉麵，謝謝。

Wǒ xiǎng yào niúròu miàn, xièxie.

I’ll have beef noodle soup, please.
我想要冰紅茶，謝謝。

Wǒ xiǎng yào bīng hóngchá, xièxie.

I’ll have iced black tea, please.

有推薦的嗎

Yǒu tuījiàn de ma?

What do you recommend?

Meaning: 有推薦的嗎？ (Yǒu tuījiàn de ma?) means “What do you recommend?”

When to use: Use it when you want the staff’s suggestion at a restaurant, café, drink shop, or stall.

有推薦的嗎

Yǒu tuījiàn de ma?

What do you recommend?
今天有推薦的嗎？

Jīntiān yǒu tuījiàn de ma?

Do you have any recommendations today?

我可以點餐了

Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.

I'm ready to order.

Meaning: 我可以點餐了 (Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.) means “I’m ready to order.”

When to use: Use it to let staff know you are ready to place your order.

我可以點餐了

Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.

I’m ready to order.
不好意思，我可以點餐了。

Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.

Excuse me, I’m ready to order.

還沒好，謝謝

Hái méi hǎo, xièxie.

Not yet, thanks.

Meaning: 還沒好，謝謝 (Hái méi hǎo, xièxie.) means “Not yet, thanks.”

When to use: Use it when staff asks if you are ready, but you need more time.

還沒好，謝謝

Hái méi hǎo, xièxie.

Not yet, thanks.
我還沒好，謝謝。

Wǒ hái méi hǎo, xièxie.

I’m not ready yet, thanks.

我也一樣，謝謝。

Wǒ yě yíyàng, xièxie.

The same, please.

Meaning: 我也一樣，謝謝 (Wǒ yě yíyàng, xièxie.) means “The same, please.”

When to use: Use it when you want to order the same thing as someone else.

我也一樣，謝謝。

Wǒ yě yíyàng, xièxie.

The same, please.
David 點牛肉麵。Anna 說：我也一樣，謝謝。

David diǎn niúròu miàn. Anna shuō: Wǒ yě yíyàng, xièxie.

David orders beef noodle soup. Anna says: The same, please.

這個附什麼

Zhège fù shénme?

What comes with it?

Meaning: 這個附什麼？ (Zhège fù shénme?) means “What comes with it?”

When to use: Use it to ask what sides, drinks, or extras are included with a dish or set meal.

這個附什麼

Zhège fù shénme?

What comes with it?
這個套餐附什麼？

Zhège tàocān fù shénme?

What comes with this set meal?

這是素的嗎

Zhè shì sù de ma?

Is this vegetarian?

Meaning: 這是素的嗎？ (Zhè shì sù de ma?) means “Is this vegetarian?”

When to use: Use it to ask whether a dish is vegetarian. In Taiwan, 素的 (sù de) is the common everyday phrase.

這是素的嗎

Zhè shì sù de ma?

Is this vegetarian?
這個便當是素的嗎？

Zhège biàndāng shì sù de ma?

Is this lunchbox vegetarian?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna is ordering at a small lunch shop in Taipei. David is helping at the counter.

Anna speaks with David at a casual Taiwan food counter, using Traditional Chinese phrases to ask for recommendations and order vegetarian food. The scene supports Taiwan Mandarin listening practice for ordering food.

Does Anna choose a meat dish or a vegetarian dish?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

您好，想點餐了嗎？

Nín hǎo, xiǎng diǎn cān le ma?

Hello, would you like to order?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

還沒好，謝謝。有推薦的嗎？

Hái méi hǎo, xièxie. Yǒu tuījiàn de ma?

Not yet, thanks. What do you recommend?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

素水餃很受歡迎，牛肉麵也不錯。

Sù shuǐjiǎo hěn shòu huānyíng, niúròu miàn yě búcuò.

The vegetarian dumplings are popular, and the beef noodle soup is good too.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

這是素的嗎

Zhè shì sù de ma?

Is this vegetarian?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

對，素水餃是素的，附湯。

Duì, sù shuǐjiǎo shì sù de, fù tāng.

Yes, the vegetarian dumplings are vegetarian, and they come with soup.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

這個附什麼

Zhège fù shénme?

What comes with it?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

附青菜和湯

Fù qīngcài hé tāng.

It comes with vegetables and soup.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我可以點餐了。我想要素水餃，加辣，謝謝。麻煩另外放，謝謝。

Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le. Wǒ xiǎng yào sù shuǐjiǎo, jiā là, xièxie. Máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.

I’m ready to order. I’ll have vegetarian dumplings with spice, please. On the side, please.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

You are ready to order. What should you say?

You want to ask the staff for a recommendation. Which phrase fits?

You want to ask if a dish is vegetarian. What do you say?

Your friend orders a drink, and you want the same thing. Which phrase should you use?

You still need time: Not yet, thanks.

店員：可以點餐了嗎？你：___

You want the staff to keep the sauce separate: On the side, please.

這份沙拉的醬不要淋上去，___

You want to ask what the set meal includes: What comes with it?

客人：我想點這個套餐，___

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:

加___，謝謝。

Jiā ___, xièxie.

With ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

麻煩另外放，謝謝。

Máfan lìngwài fàng, xièxie.

On the side, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

我想要___，謝謝。

Wǒ xiǎng yào ___, xièxie.

I'll have ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

有推薦的嗎

Yǒu tuījiàn de ma?

What do you recommend?

Say this phrase out loud:

我可以點餐了

Wǒ kěyǐ diǎn cān le.

I'm ready to order.

Say this phrase out loud:

還沒好，謝謝

Hái méi hǎo, xièxie.

Not yet, thanks.

Say this phrase out loud:

我也一樣，謝謝。

Wǒ yě yíyàng, xièxie.

The same, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

這個附什麼

Zhège fù shénme?

What comes with it?

Say this phrase out loud:

這是素的嗎

Zhè shì sù de ma?

Is this vegetarian?