I can take a free table at a Dutch café, order a drink and a dish, answer “coffee or tea?”, ask about a dish and praise it, ask for the check, and pay by card.
At a café: the table, the order, the check
The table, ordering, paying, and set phrases at the table
In a café, first ask whether a table is free: Is hier een tafel vrij? The menu is de kaart or het menu. Order with set phrases: Ik wil graag een koffie. · Voor mij de soep. To ask about a dish: Wat is de soep van de dag?
The waiter often offers a choice of two: Koffie of thee? Here of means “or”, never English “of”. The answer has no of — just name one: Thee, graag. Where to sit and which dish are asked the same way: see the table.
After the meal, praise it with a set phrase: Het was heel lekker. The check: De rekening, graag. The waiter asks a group: Betalen jullie samen? You can pay by card almost everywhere: Kan ik pinnen? A tip (de fooi) isn't required — people often just round up the amount.
Everyone at the table says Eet smakelijk to each other before eating, and the waiter says it when serving; you reply Dank u. Proost is for raising your glasses.
Common mistakes:
• ×Is deze tafel vrije? → Is deze tafel vrij? (after is, no -e)
• ×Mag ik de menu? → Mag ik het menu? (menu is a het-word)
• ×Betaalt jullie samen? → Betalen jullie samen? (jullie takes the plural form: betalen)
A choice of two: “… of …?”
The waiter names two options, and you answer with one — the word of isn't in the answer.
| Question | Answer | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Koffie of thee? | Thee, graag. | Coffee or tea? — Tea, please. |
| Hier of op het terras? | Op het terras, graag. | Here or on the terrace? — On the terrace, please. |
| Soep of salade? | Soep, graag. | Soup or salad? — Soup, please. |
Who says it to whom
Three set phrases at the table: each has its own speaker and moment.
| Set phrase | Who to whom | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Eet smakelijk | everyone at the table to each other before eating; the waiter, when serving a dish | enjoy your meal |
| Proost | everyone, when raising their glasses | cheers |
| Het was heel lekker | the guest to the waiter or the host after the meal | it was delicious |
Lesson notes
The table, ordering, paying, and set phrases at the table
In a café, first ask whether a table is free: Is hier een tafel vrij? The menu is de kaart or het menu. Order with set phrases: Ik wil graag een koffie. · Voor mij de soep. To ask about a dish: Wat is de soep van de dag?
The waiter often offers a choice of two: Koffie of thee? Here of means “or”, never English “of”. The answer has no of — just name one: Thee, graag. Where to sit and which dish are asked the same way: see the table.
After the meal, praise it with a set phrase: Het was heel lekker. The check: De rekening, graag. The waiter asks a group: Betalen jullie samen? You can pay by card almost everywhere: Kan ik pinnen? A tip (de fooi) isn't required — people often just round up the amount.
Everyone at the table says Eet smakelijk to each other before eating, and the waiter says it when serving; you reply Dank u. Proost is for raising your glasses.
Common mistakes:
• ×Is deze tafel vrije? → Is deze tafel vrij? (after is, no -e)
• ×Mag ik de menu? → Mag ik het menu? (menu is a het-word)
• ×Betaalt jullie samen? → Betalen jullie samen? (jullie takes the plural form: betalen)