Food & Drinks

1. Die Speisekarte, bitte

   The menu, please

   Usage

   Standard phrase to request the menu at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Speisekarte" is a compound of Speise (food) + Karte (card/menu). "Menü" is also used

2. Ich hätte gerne ein Bier

   I would like a beer

   Usage

   Polite way to order food or drinks at a restaurant or bar

   Grammar Note

   "Hätte gerne" is the subjunctive II of haben — polite phrasing for requests

3. Zahlen, bitte

   The bill, please

   Usage

   The go-to phrase to ask for the bill at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Zahlen" means to pay. "Die Rechnung bitte" (the receipt/bill please) is an alternative

4. Haben Sie vegetarische Gerichte?

   Do you have vegetarian dishes?

   Usage

   Ask about vegetarian options when you have dietary restrictions

   Grammar Note

   "Haben Sie" is the formal question form. "Vegetarisch" is an adjective that declines

5. Das schmeckt ausgezeichnet!

   That tastes excellent!

   Usage

   Compliment a dish's flavor. A great thing to say to a chef or host

   Grammar Note

   "Schmecken" means to taste. "Es schmeckt gut" (it tastes good) is another common phrase

6. Ich bin Vegetarier/Vegetarierin

   I am vegetarian

   Usage

   Communicate your dietary restriction to restaurants or hosts

   Grammar Note

   German nouns for people have gender: Vegetarier (male), Vegetarierin (female)

7. Ich bin allergisch gegen Nüsse

   I am allergic to nuts

   Usage

   Communicate a food allergy. Replace "Nüsse" with other allergens as needed

   Grammar Note

   "Allergisch gegen + accusative" means allergic to. "Gegen" governs the accusative case

8. Einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte

   A table for two people, please

   Usage

   Reserve or request a table for two at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Tisch" (table) is masculine; accusative case gives us "einen"

9. Was empfehlen Sie?

   What do you recommend?

   Usage

   Ask the waiter or staff for their recommendation

   Grammar Note

   "Empfehlen" means to recommend. "Sie" is the formal second-person subject

10. Getrennt oder zusammen bezahlen?

    Pay separately or together?

    Usage

    Confirm payment method with the waiter when dining in a group

    Grammar Note

    "Bezahlen" means to pay. In Germany, paying separately (jeder für sich) is common

11. der Reis

    Rice (cooked)

    Usage

    Point to this to order rice as a staple

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; German does not distinguish raw from cooked rice, and in an ordering context it means the cooked dish

12. das Brot

    Bread

    Usage

    Point to this to order bread; a bread roll is "das Brötchen"

13. die Nudeln

    Noodles

    Usage

    Point to this to order noodles or pasta

    Grammar Note

    Used in the plural; the singular "die Nudel" is rare

14. scharf

    Spicy (hot to the taste)

    Usage

    Point to this to ask about or order spiciness; "not spicy" is "nicht scharf"

    Grammar Note

    Multi-meaning: it also means "sharp" (a knife) and has a slang sense, so always point at the food or menu while showing it

15. süß

    Sweet (taste)

    Usage

    Point to this when talking about how sweet a food or drink is

    Grammar Note

    Multi-meaning: it also means "cute" (the adjectives category carries it in that sense), so only use it where food is clearly the topic

16. roh

    Raw (uncooked)

    Usage

    Point to this to check whether something is uncooked; ask for it well cooked with "gut durchgebraten"

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