Checking a restaurant order | Learn German in English

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

EN → DE / Level: A2

About This Lesson

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

Dialogue

A

Ich möchte die Bestellung prüfen, bevor das Essen kommt.

ikh MURKH-tuh dee beh-SHTELL-loong PRYOO-fen, beh-FOHR dahs ESS-en komt. I want to check the order before the food comes.
B

Es ist einfacher, Fehler zu korrigieren, bevor sie anfangen zu kochen.

ess ist EYN-fakh-er, FAY-ler tsoo kor-ree-GEER-en, beh-FOHR zee AHN-fang-en tsoo KOKH-en. It's easier to fix mistakes before they start cooking.
A

Ich habe Suppe ohne Zwiebeln bestellt.

ikh HAH-buh ZOOP-uh OH-nuh TSVEE-bln beh-SHTELLT. I asked for soup without onions.
B

Und ich habe Salat ohne Dressing bestellt.

oont ikh HAH-buh zah-LAHT OH-nuh DRESS-ing beh-SHTELLT. And I asked for salad with no dressing.
A

Das Dessert sollte nach dem Essen kommen.

dahs deh-SAIR ZOLL-tuh nahkh dahm ESS-en KOM-en. The dessert should come after the meal.
B

Ich werde die Bedienung bitten, alles zu bestätigen.

ikh VAIR-duh dee beh-DEE-noong BIT-en, AH-les tsoo beh-SHTEH-tee-gen. I'll ask the server to confirm everything.

Word by Word

Ich “Ich” means “I” and is the speaker who wants to check the order or will ask the server. It is used as the subject before forms such as “Ich möchte” and “Ich habe”. A reusable pattern is “Ich möchte …” when stating a wish.
möchte “möchte” expresses a polite wish or intention in “Ich möchte die Bestellung prüfen”. It is followed by an infinitive, here “prüfen”. A reusable pattern is “Ich möchte + infinitive” when politely saying what you want to do.
die In “die Bestellung”, “die” means “the” and identifies the specific order being checked. It appears directly before the noun. A reusable pattern is “die + noun” for a specific thing.
Bestellung “Bestellung” means “order” here, specifically the restaurant order that is being checked. It combines naturally with “prüfen” in “die Bestellung prüfen”. This word is useful when discussing an order with restaurant staff.
prüfen “prüfen” means “to check” in “die Bestellung prüfen”. It is the infinitive after “möchte”. A reusable pattern is “etwas prüfen” when checking information, an order, or another item.
bevor “bevor” means “before” and introduces the time condition “bevor das Essen kommt”. It connects the checking action with the later arrival of the food. A reusable pattern is “bevor + clause” for saying that one action happens earlier than another.
das In “das Essen”, “das” means “the” and identifies the food that is expected to arrive. The same article appears capitalized as “Das” at the beginning of “Das Dessert”. A reusable pattern is “das + noun” for a specific item.
Essen “Essen” means “food” or “meal” in “das Essen kommt”. Here it refers to the restaurant food that has not arrived yet. A reusable expression is “das Essen” when talking about a meal or the food served at a restaurant.
kommt “kommt” means “comes” or “arrives” in “das Essen kommt”. It describes the food arriving and appears at the end of the clause introduced by “bevor”. A reusable pattern is “[subject] kommt” when saying that a person or thing arrives.
Es “Es” fills the subject position in “Es ist einfacher” and refers to the situation as a whole, not to a particular object. It is used with “ist” and the adjective “einfacher”. A reusable pattern is “Es ist + adjective” for describing a situation.
ist “ist” means “is” and links “Es” with the description “einfacher” in “Es ist einfacher”. Together, they evaluate the situation of correcting mistakes before cooking starts. A reusable pattern is “Es ist …” when describing how something is.
einfacher “einfacher” means “easier” and says that correcting mistakes early requires less difficulty. It follows “Es ist” in “Es ist einfacher, Fehler zu korrigieren”. A reusable pattern is “Es ist einfacher, … zu + infinitive” when comparing the ease of an action.
Fehler “Fehler” means “mistakes” in “Fehler zu korrigieren”. It refers to errors in the order that can still be fixed. A reusable pattern is “Fehler korrigieren” when correcting errors in information or arrangements.
zu In “zu korrigieren”, “zu” marks the infinitive in the construction describing what is easier. It belongs with “korrigieren”, rather than meaning a destination here. A reusable pattern is “zu + infinitive” after expressions such as “Es ist einfacher”.
korrigieren “korrigieren” means “to correct” or “to fix” in “Fehler zu korrigieren”. It describes repairing mistakes in the order before cooking begins. A reusable pattern is “Fehler korrigieren” when fixing errors.
sie “sie” means “they” in “bevor sie anfangen zu kochen”. It refers to the people who will start cooking. A reusable pattern is “sie + verb” when describing what a group does.
anfangen “anfangen” means “to start” in “sie anfangen zu kochen”. It introduces the cooking action that has not begun yet. A reusable pattern is “anfangen zu + infinitive” when saying that someone starts an activity.
kochen “kochen” means “to cook” in “anfangen zu kochen”. It names the activity the restaurant staff will start. A reusable pattern is “zu kochen” after “anfangen” when describing the activity that begins.
habe “habe” means “have” and works as the auxiliary in “Ich habe Suppe ohne Zwiebeln bestellt”. With “bestellt”, it describes the completed act of ordering. A reusable pattern is “Ich habe … bestellt” when reporting what you ordered.
Suppe “Suppe” means “soup” in “Suppe ohne Zwiebeln”. It is the dish that was ordered with an ingredient left out. This word is useful when specifying a soup order at a restaurant.
ohne “ohne” means “without” and excludes an ingredient in “ohne Zwiebeln” and “ohne Dressing”. It is placed directly before the thing that should not be included. A reusable pattern is “etwas ohne + ingredient” when requesting food without a particular ingredient.
Zwiebeln “Zwiebeln” means “onions” in “Suppe ohne Zwiebeln”. The phrase specifies that onions should not be included in the soup. This word is used after “ohne” when naming onions as an excluded ingredient.
bestellt “bestellt” means “ordered” in “Ich habe Suppe ohne Zwiebeln bestellt”. It is used with “habe” to report a completed restaurant order. A reusable pattern is “Ich habe … bestellt” when saying what food you ordered.
Und “Und” means “and” and connects the second speaker’s order detail to the first speaker’s detail. It begins “Und ich habe Salat ohne Dressing bestellt”. A reusable pattern is “Und ich habe …” when adding another related fact.
Salat “Salat” means “salad” in “Salat ohne Dressing”. It is the dish the speaker ordered without dressing. This word is useful when specifying a salad order at a restaurant.
Dressing “Dressing” means “dressing” in “ohne Dressing”. It names the salad topping that should not be included. A reusable pattern is “Salat ohne Dressing” when requesting a salad without dressing.
Dessert “Dessert” means “dessert” in “Das Dessert sollte nach dem Essen kommen”. It refers to the sweet course expected after the meal. This word is useful when discussing the order and timing of courses in a restaurant.
sollte “sollte” expresses an expectation or intended order in “Das Dessert sollte nach dem Essen kommen”. Here it says that dessert is expected to arrive after the meal. A reusable pattern is “etwas sollte … kommen” when stating when something is expected to arrive.
nach “nach” means “after” in “nach dem Essen”. It places the dessert later in the meal sequence. A reusable pattern is “nach + time or event” when saying that something happens afterward.
dem In “nach dem Essen”, “dem” is the form of “the” used with “Essen” after “nach”. It is part of the time expression meaning “after the meal”. A reusable pattern is “nach dem + noun” for referring to an event or activity that has finished.
kommen “kommen” means “to come” or “to arrive” in “sollte nach dem Essen kommen”. It is the infinitive used after “sollte”. A reusable pattern is “etwas sollte kommen” when saying that something is expected to arrive.
werde “werde” expresses future intention in “Ich werde die Bedienung bitten”. It is followed by the infinitive “bitten”. A reusable pattern is “Ich werde + infinitive” when stating what you intend to do.
Bedienung “Bedienung” means “server” or the restaurant staff member serving the guests in “die Bedienung”. The speaker plans to ask this person to confirm the order. A reusable pattern is “die Bedienung bitten” when making a request to restaurant staff.
bitten “bitten” means “to ask” or “to request” in “die Bedienung bitten, alles zu bestätigen”. It introduces a request directed to the server and followed by the requested action. A reusable pattern is “jemanden bitten, etwas zu tun” when asking a person to do something.
alles “alles” means “everything” in “alles zu bestätigen”. It refers to all the order details that need confirmation. A reusable pattern is “alles bestätigen” when asking someone to confirm all relevant details.
bestätigen “bestätigen” means “to confirm” in “alles zu bestätigen”. It describes checking that all the order details are correct. A reusable pattern is “etwas bestätigen” when confirming information, an order, or an arrangement.

Grammar Points

möchte + Infinitiv

Ich möchte das Essen bestellen.

ikh MURKH-tuh dahs ESS-en beh-SHTELL-en.

I would like to order the food.

möchte expresses a polite wish. The second verb stays in the infinitive at the end.

bevor + Nebensatz

Bevor ich anfange, prüfe ich die Bestellung.

beh-FOHR ikh AHN-fang-uh, PRYOO-fuh ikh dee beh-SHTELL-loong.

Before I start, I check the order.

After bevor, the conjugated verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause.

German Vocabulary

anfangen verb
AHN-fang-en to start; to begin
Bestellung noun
beh-SHTELL-loong order die Bestellung
bevor conj
beh-FOHR before
einfach adj
EYN-fakh easy einfacher
Essen noun
ESS-en food; meal das Essen
Fehler noun
FAY-ler mistakes
kochen verb
KOKH-en to cook
korrigieren verb
kor-ree-GEER-en to correct; to fix
mögen verb
MUR-gen to want möchte
ohne prep
OH-nuh without
prüfen verb
PRYOO-fen to check
Suppe noun
ZOOP-uh soup

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I asked for soup without onions.

Show AnswerIch habe Suppe ohne Zwiebeln bestellt.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to want

Show Answermöchte

mistakes

Show AnswerFehler

to correct; to fix

Show Answerkorrigieren

easy

Show Answereinfacher