Checking a restaurant order | Learn Danish in English

Danish lesson set in a contemporary Copenhagen everyday setting: At a restaurant, two adults check their order details before asking the server to confirm everything..

EN → DA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Checking a restaurant order to practice Danish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen, før maden kommer.

yai v'l GAIR-nuh CHEH-guh beh-STEL-ling-en, FUHR MAY-thn KOM-uh. I want to check the order before the food comes.
B

Det er nemmere at rette fejl, før de begynder at lave maden.

deh air NEH-muh uh REH-duh FILE, FUHR dee beh-KUHN-uh uh LAY-oo MAY-thn. It's easier to fix mistakes before they start cooking.
A

Jeg bad om suppe uden løg.

yai BAITH om SOO-buh OO-thn LUHW. I asked for soup without onions.
B

Og jeg bad om salat uden dressing.

oh yai BAITH om sah-LEHT OO-thn DREH-seng. And I asked for salad with no dressing.
A

Desserten skal komme efter måltidet.

deh-SAIR-dn skal KOM-uh EF-duh MUL-ti-th. The dessert should come after the meal.
B

Jeg vil bede tjeneren om at bekræfte det hele.

yai v'l BAY-thuh CHEH-nuh-n om uh beh-KREF-duh deh HAY-luh. I'll ask the server to confirm everything.

Word by Word

Jeg “Jeg” means “I” in this dialogue and is the speaker referring to themself. It appears at the beginning of “Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen” and “Jeg bad om suppe.” A new example is “Jeg kommer snart” for “I am coming soon.”
vil In “Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen,” “vil” expresses the speaker’s wish or intention to check the order. Together with “gerne,” it forms a polite way to say “would like to.” A new example is “Jeg vil gerne have vand” for “I would like water.”
gerne In “Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen,” “gerne” helps express a polite wish or willingness. The reusable pattern is “vil gerne” followed by an action, such as “vil gerne tjekke.” A new example is “Jeg vil gerne sidde her” for “I would like to sit here.”
tjekke “Tjekke” means “to check” in “Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen.” It follows “vil gerne” and names the action the speaker wants to do. A new example is “Jeg vil tjekke regningen” for “I want to check the bill.”
bestillingen “Bestillingen” means “the order” in “Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen.” The form refers to a specific order at the restaurant, and it follows the verb “tjekke.” A new example is “Jeg ændrer bestillingen” for “I am changing the order.”
før “Før” means “before” and introduces the time when the order should be checked: “før maden kommer.” It is reusable before a clause describing a later event. A new example is “før vi går” for “before we leave.”
maden “Maden” means “the food” in “før maden kommer.” It refers to the food expected at the restaurant and is the subject of “kommer.” A new example is “Maden er klar” for “The food is ready.”
kommer “Kommer” means “comes” in “før maden kommer,” referring to the food arriving at the table. It is used here after the subject “maden.” A new example is “Tjeneren kommer snart” for “The server is coming soon.”
Det In “Det er nemmere at rette fejl,” “Det” is the introductory “it” in the statement that fixing mistakes is easier. The reusable pattern is “Det er” followed by a description, such as “Det er godt.”
er “Er” means “is” in “Det er nemmere at rette fejl.” It links “Det” with the description “nemmere.” A new example is “Det er vigtigt” for “It is important.”
nemmere “Nemmere” means “easier” in “Det er nemmere at rette fejl.” It compares fixing mistakes before cooking with doing so later. A new example is “Det er nemmere sådan” for “It is easier this way.”
at In “at rette fejl,” “at” marks the action “rette” as an infinitive, meaning “to fix.” The reusable pattern is “at” followed by an action, as in “at komme.”
rette “Rette” means “fix” or “correct” in “at rette fejl.” It describes correcting the mistakes in the order before cooking begins. A new example is “Vi skal rette fejlen” for “We have to correct the mistake.”
fejl “Fejl” means “mistakes” in “at rette fejl.” It is the thing being corrected by “rette.” A new example is “Jeg ser nogle fejl” for “I see some mistakes.”
de “De” means “they” in “før de begynder at lave maden.” It refers to the people who will begin preparing the food. The reusable pattern is “de” followed by an action, such as “de kommer.”
begynder “Begynder” means “begin” or “start” in “de begynder at lave maden.” It introduces the activity that is starting. The common pattern is “begynder at” followed by an action, as in “begynder at komme.”
lave In “lave maden,” “lave” means “prepare” or “cook” the food. It follows “begynder at” and names the activity that the restaurant staff start. A new example is “Jeg kan lave suppe” for “I can make soup.”
bad “Bad” means “asked for” in “Jeg bad om suppe uden løg.” It describes the speaker’s request for a particular dish and follows the subject “Jeg.” The reusable pattern is “bad om” followed by the thing requested.
om In “bad om suppe” and “bad om salat,” “om” is part of the pattern for asking for something. In “bede tjeneren om at bekræfte,” it introduces the requested action after the person being asked. Keep the full pattern “bede nogen om at” when asking someone to do something.
suppe “Suppe” means “soup” in “suppe uden løg.” It is the dish the speaker requested. A new example is “Jeg vil gerne have suppe” for “I would like soup.”
uden “Uden” means “without” in “suppe uden løg” and “salat uden dressing.” It is placed before the ingredient or item that should not be included. A new example is “kaffe uden mælk” for “coffee without milk.”
løg “Løg” means “onions” in “suppe uden løg.” It names the ingredient excluded from the soup. A new example is “Jeg spiser ikke løg” for “I do not eat onions.”
Og “Og” means “and” and connects the second person’s request with the first request: “Og jeg bad om salat uden dressing.” It can join another statement or item. A new example is “suppe og salat” for “soup and salad.”
salat “Salat” means “salad” in “salat uden dressing.” It is the dish requested by the second speaker. A new example is “Jeg bestiller salat” for “I am ordering salad.”
dressing “Dressing” means “dressing” in “salat uden dressing.” It names the item that should not be included with the salad. A new example is “Salaten har dressing” for “The salad has dressing.”
Desserten “Desserten” means “the dessert” in “Desserten skal komme efter måltidet.” It refers to the specific dessert expected in this restaurant order. A new example is “Desserten er god” for “The dessert is good.”
skal In “Desserten skal komme efter måltidet,” “skal” says that the dessert is expected or is supposed to come after the meal. It is used before the action “komme.” A new example is “Maden skal komme først” for “The food is supposed to come first.”
efter “Efter” means “after” in “efter måltidet.” It places the dessert later than the meal in the order of events. A new example is “efter middagen” for “after dinner.”
måltidet “Måltidet” means “the meal” in “Desserten skal komme efter måltidet.” It refers to the specific meal that comes before the dessert. A new example is “Efter måltidet går vi” for “After the meal, we leave.”
bede “Bede” means “ask” in “Jeg vil bede tjeneren om at bekræfte det hele.” It follows “vil” and introduces the request the speaker plans to make. The reusable pattern is “bede nogen om at” followed by the requested action.
tjeneren “Tjeneren” means “the server” in “bede tjeneren om at bekræfte det hele.” It is the person whom the speaker plans to ask. A new example is “Jeg taler med tjeneren” for “I am speaking with the server.”
bekræfte “Bekræfte” means “confirm” in “om at bekræfte det hele.” It names the action the server is being asked to perform. The reusable pattern is “bede nogen om at bekræfte” something.
hele In “det hele,” “hele” contributes the meaning “whole” or “entire,” so the expression means “everything” or “the whole thing.” It is used after “det” in this expression. A new example is “Jeg forstår det hele” for “I understand everything.”

Grammar Points

gerne + infinitiv

gerne tjekke

GAIR-nuh CHEH-guh

would like to check

gerne står typisk før infinitiven og udtrykker et ønske eller en venlig hensigt.

uden + substantiv

uden løg

OO-thn LUHW

without onions

uden er en præposition, der står foran det, man vil undvære.

Danish Vocabulary

bede verb
BAY-thuh to ask; to request bad

Jeg bad om suppe.

begynde verb
beh-KUHN-uh to begin; to start begynder

de begynder at lave maden

bestilling noun
beh-STEL-ling order bestillingen
Gender
common

Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen.

fejl noun
FILE mistakes

at rette fejl

før conj
FUHR before

før maden kommer

gerne adv
GAIR-nuh gladly; would like to

Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen.

komme verb
KOM-uh to come kommer

maden kommer

lave verb
LAY-oo to make; to cook

at lave maden

mad noun
MAYTH food maden
Gender
common

før maden kommer

nemmere adj
NEH-muh easier

Det er nemmere at rette fejl.

rette verb
REH-duh to fix; to correct

at rette fejl

tjekke verb
CHEH-guh to check

Jeg vil gerne tjekke bestillingen.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I asked for soup without onions.

Show AnswerJeg bad om suppe uden løg.

The dessert should come after the meal.

Show AnswerDesserten skal komme efter måltidet.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

gladly; would like to

Show Answergerne

food

Show Answermaden

mistakes

Show Answerfejl

easier

Show Answernemmere