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French phrases for ordering drinks and small plates in France

At a French bar the waiter asks “Qu'est-ce que je vous sers ?”. Order the drinks, for example “Un demi et deux verres de rouge, s'il vous plaît”, then add something to share: “Une planche de fromage et de charcuterie”. The bill only comes when you ask: “L'addition, s'il vous plaît”.

Try it · about two minutes

After work you meet friends at a busy bar and order a round of drinks and something to share.

Sound on: the waiter speaks French. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Waiter

    Qu'est-ce que je vous sers ?

    What can I get you?

    You

    Un demi et deux verres de rouge, s'il vous plaît.

    One small beer and two glasses of red wine, please.

  2. Waiter

    Et avec ça ?

    Anything else with that?

    You

    Qu'est-ce que vous conseillez ?

    What do you recommend?

  3. Waiter

    Tout se passe bien ?

    Is everything all right?

    You

    Merci, c'est très bon.

    Thanks, it’s very good.

  4. Waiter

    Je vous apporte autre chose ?

    Can I bring you anything else?

    You

    On reprendra la même chose, s'il vous plaît.

    We’ll have the same again, please.

  5. It’s getting late and your group is ready to go. You catch the waiter’s eye.

    You

    L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

    The bill, please.

  6. Waiter

    Vous payez par carte ou en espèces ?

    Will you pay by card or cash?

    You

    Par carte, s'il vous plaît.

    By card, please.

Which French phrases do you need?

  • Qu'est-ce que je vous sers ?

    What can I get you?

  • Et avec ça ?

    Anything else with that?

  • Je peux voir la carte, s'il vous plaît ?

    Could I see the menu, please?

  • Qu'est-ce que vous conseillez ?

    What do you recommend?

  • Je peux aussi avoir une carafe d'eau ?

    Could I also have a jug of water?

  • Je vous apporte autre chose ?

    Can I bring you anything else?

  • C'est tout, merci.

    That’s all, thanks.

  • L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

    The bill, please.

  • Vous pouvez faire des additions séparées, s'il vous plaît ?

    Can you do separate bills, please?

  • Vous payez par carte ou en espèces ?

    Will you pay by card or cash?

What is worth knowing in France?

L'apéro

L’apéro is a drink with friends before dinner, often with something to nibble. A planche of cheese or cold meats is a classic thing to share.

Qu'est-ce que vous conseillez ?

What do you recommend?

How it goes at a bar

  1. 1

    Sit at a table or stand at the counter, le comptoir, and catch the waiter’s eye.

  2. 2

    Order the drinks and something to share. The waiter usually brings them to your table.

    Anything else with that?
  3. 3

    Ask for the bill when you’re ready: it doesn’t come on its own.

    The bill, please.

Tap water

A carafe d’eau is a jug of tap water, usually free with a meal. Asking for one is normal in a restaurant, and often fine in a bar too.

Je peux aussi avoir une carafe d'eau ?

Could I also have a jug of water?

Questions about this situation

Which French phrases matter most here?
“Qu'est-ce que je vous sers ?” (What can I get you); “Et avec ça ?” (Anything else with that); “Je peux voir la carte, s'il vous plaît ?” (Could I see the menu, please). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in France. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

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Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.