Vietnamese Grammar Bank
HOW TO ORDER IN VIETNAMESE
When dining in Vietnam, knowing how to order food and ask for the bill is essential for a smooth experience.
In this lesson, we’ll go over the most common phrases and structures used when ordering at a restaurant in Vietnam.
CHO TÔI… = GIVE ME…
To order something, we often start with “Cho tôi”, which means “Give me”. After that, you can mention the number, counter (like a unit for measuring items), and the name of the dish or drink.
PATTERN
Cho + 1st pronoun (tôi, em, con, anh, chị, etc) + counter + name of the dish or drink
NOTE || To master ordering food in Vietnamese, you should review the lessons of Numbers in Vietnamese & Counters in Vietnamese
Here is a list of 10 popular dishes/drinks in Vietnamese:
| Phở bò→ Cho tôi 1 tô phở bò | Beef noodle→ Give me 1 bowl of beef noodle |
| Bánh mì→ Cho em 2 ổ bánh mì | Banh mi (Vietnamese bread) → Give me 2 Vietnamese breads |
| Cà phê sữa→ Cho anh 1 ly cà phê sữa | Milk Coffee → Give me 1 glass of milk coffee |
| Nước mắm→ Cho tôi 1 chén nước mắm | Fish sauce → Give me 1 small plate of fish sauce |
| Trà đá→ Cho tôi 3 ly trà đá | Iced Tea → Give me 3 glasses of iced tea |
| Bánh cuốn→ Cho tôi 1 phần bánh cuốn | Banh cuon → GIve me 1 portion of banh cuon |
| Cơm gà→ Cho tôi 5 dĩa cơm gà | Chicken rice→ GIve me 5 plates of chicken rice |
| Nước→ Cho anh 3 chai nước | Water→ GIve me 3 bottles of water |
| Bia→ Cho anh 5 ly bia | Beer→ Give me 5 glasses of beer |
| Sinh tố→ Cho anh 4 ly sinh tố | Smoothie→ Give me 4 glasses of smoothie |
| Rượu→ Cho anh 5 chai rượu | Wine→ Give me 5 bottles of wine |
ASKING ABOUT PRICE OR PAYMENT
You might want to know how much your meal costs or ask for the bill. Here are some helpful phrases:
| Cái này bao nhiêu tiền? | How much is it? |
| Tính tiền! | Bill, please |
| Tôi trả bằng tiền mặt | I pay in cash |
| Tôi trả bằng chuyển khoản / thẻ | I pay by bank account / card |
ASKING ABOUT WAIT TIME
Sometimes, you might want to know how long it will take for your food to arrive or how long you have to wait for a table. These questions are quite common at restaurants.
| Phải đợi bao nhiêu phút? Phải đợi bao lâu? | How many minutes do I have to wait?How long do I have to wait? |
| Khi nào có món? | When will the dish be ready? |
| Có bàn không? | Is there an available table? |
DINING IN OR TAKE-AWAY
In Vietnamese restaurants, you’ll be asked whether you’re eating here or taking your food to go. Here are some common ways to express that:
| Ăn ở đây | Eat here |
| Mang về | Take-away |
EXAMPLES
View Dialogue 1
Customer: Chào anh! Cho tôi một bát phở bò và một ly cà phê sữa đá.
(Hello! Give me one bowl of beef pho and one iced coffee with condensed milk.)
Waiter: Dạ, anh muốn ăn ở đây hay mang về?
(Yes, would you like to eat here or take it to go?)
Customer: Ăn ở đây.
(I’ll eat here.)
Waiter: Vâng, anh phải đợi khoảng 10 phút.
(Okay, you’ll have to wait about 10 minutes.)
Customer: Cái này bao nhiêu tiền?
(How much is this?)
Waiter: Tổng cộng là 80.000 đồng.
(The total is 80,000 VND.)
Customer: Tính tiền cho tôi nhé.
(Bill, please.)
Waiter: Dạ, cảm ơn anh.
(Okay, thank you.)
View Dialogue 2
Customer: Chào cô! Cho tôi một suất cơm gà và một chai nước suối.
(Hello! Give me one serving of chicken rice and one bottle of mineral water.)
Vendor: Anh muốn ăn ở đây hay mang về?
(Do you want to eat here or take it to go?)
Customer: Mang về.
(Take it to go.)
Vendor: Cái này bao nhiêu tiền?
(How much is this?)
Customer: Tính tiền luôn nhé!
(Please give me the bill!)
Vendor: Dạ, anh phải đợi khoảng 5 phút nữa.
(Okay, you’ll have to wait about 5 more minutes.)
Customer: Phải đợi bao nhiêu phút?
(How many minutes do I have to wait?)
Vendor: Khoảng 5 phút nữa thôi.
(About 5 minutes more.)
Customer: Tôi sẽ đợi. Cảm ơn!
(I’ll wait. Thank you!)
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FAQs
What is the most polite way to order food in Vietnamese?
The most polite way is to use “Cho tôi…” (Give me…) or “Tôi muốn…” (I would like…).
You can also add “làm ơn” (please) to sound more courteous.
How do I ask for the menu in Vietnamese?
You can say: “Cho tôi xem thực đơn được không?” which means “May I see the menu?”
How do I ask for the bill at a restaurant?
To ask for the bill, simply say: “Tính tiền, nhé!” or more politely, “Làm ơn cho tôi xin hóa đơn.”
What’s the difference between “món này” and “cái này” when ordering?
“Món này” refers to this dish (used specifically for food), while “cái này” means this thing in general and is less specific when talking about food.
Is it okay to point at the menu when ordering?
Yes, it’s quite common and acceptable to politely point at the menu while saying the name of the dish or “Tôi muốn món này.”
Can I study in Vietnam with LTL?
Yes, you can!
You can study with us in Saigon or Hanoi, in both group or individual classes.
You’ll even have the opportunity to live with a Vietnamese family, thanks to our homestays.