Ordering at a Restaurant
14 words · ~15 min
Restaurant vocabulary for ordering food, expressing preferences, and paying
Arabic hospitality (diyafa) is legendary. Meals are social events. Arabic coffee (qahwa) is a symbol of hospitality - refusing it can be seen as impolite. Saying 'Bismillah' before eating and 'Al-hamdu lillah' after is customary.
Lesson overview
Ordering at a Restaurant is a level A1 lesson of 14 words: 14 phrases.
- Builds on: Essential Courtesies for Travel (A1)
- Previous lesson: Bargaining & Payment (A1)
- Next lesson: Emergencies & Getting Help (A1)
Word list
| Arabic | Meaning | Type | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
طَاوِلَةٌ لِشَخْصَيْنِ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ tāwila li-shakhṣayni min faḍlik | A table for two please | phrase | |
مَاذَا تَنْصَحُونَ؟ mādhā tanṣaḥūn? | What do you recommend? | phrase | |
الْحِسَابُ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ al-ḥisābu min faḍlik | The bill please | phrase | |
هَلْ هٰذَا حَلَالٌ؟ hal hādha halāl? | Is this halal? | phrase | |
عِنْدِي حَسَاسِيَّةٌ مِنْ... ʿindī ḥasāsiyyatun min... | I'm allergic to... | phrase | |
بِدُونِ تَوَابِلَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ bidūni tawābila min fadlik | Without spices please | phrase | |
هَلْ يُمْكِنُنِي رُؤْيَةُ الْقَائِمَةِ؟ hal yumkinunī ruʾyatu al-qāʾima? | Can I see the menu? | phrase | |
أُرِيدُ مَاءً مِنْ فَضْلِكَ urīdu māʾan min fadlik | I'd like water please | phrase | |
الطَّعَامُ كَانَ لَذِيذًا aṭ-ṭaʿāmu kāna ladhīdhan | The food was delicious | phrase | |
هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ طَعَامٌ نَبَاتِيٌّ؟ hal ʿindakum taʿāmun nabātiyy? | Do you have vegetarian food? | phrase | |
أُرِيدُ قَهْوَةً عَرَبِيَّةً urīdu qahwatan ʿarabiyya | I'd like Arabic coffee | phrase | |
هٰذَا لَيْسَ مَا طَلَبْتُهُ hādha laysa mā talabtuhu | This isn't what I ordered | phrase | |
هَلْ يُمْكِنُنِي الدَّفْعُ نَقْدًا؟ hal yumkinunī ad-dafʿu naqdan? | Can I pay in cash? | phrase | |
أُرِيدُ طَعَامًا لِلْأَخْذِ urīdu ṭaʿāman lil-akhdh | I'd like takeaway food | phrase |
Themes these words belong to: Travel Phrasebook (14), Restaurant Phrases (14)
Sample word cards
Exercises and spaced review for all 14 words
"Ordering at a Restaurant" is one of 144 vocabulary lessons in Fahm Premium, each with guided exercises and spaced-repetition review. The first 10 lessons are free to try.
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