What to say when someone asks you in Chinese what you recommend at a small restaurant
At a small restaurant's counter, a traveler suddenly speaks to you in Chinese. They seem unable to read the menu. What will you do?
The labels "Natural", "Gets across" and "Off track" and the one-line reasons are also written by AI as a rough guide. They are not guaranteed to be correct.
The people, their names and personalities, the scenes, directions, shop layouts and dishes are made up for practice. They are not real people, and they do not match real places.
Exchange 1 of 4
They
不好意思，我看不懂菜单。你有什么推荐的吗？
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ kàn bu dǒng càidān. Nǐ yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?
Excuse me, I can't read the menu. Do you have any recommendations?
The first line changes a little with each person
- 小丽 嗨，这个菜单我看不懂。有什么好吃的，给我推荐一个呗？
Hāi, zhège càidān wǒ kàn bu dǒng. Yǒu shénme hǎochī de, gěi wǒ tuījiàn yí ge bei?
Hi, I can't read this menu. Could you recommend something good? - 小静 不好意思，打扰您了。菜单我看不懂，您有什么推荐的吗？
Bù hǎoyìsi, dǎrǎo nín le. Càidān wǒ kàn bu dǒng, nín yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?
Excuse me, sorry to bother you. I can't read the menu. Do you have any recommendations? - 小乐 你好！哈哈，菜单上的字我一个也看不懂！你有什么推荐的吗？
Nǐ hǎo! Hāhā, càidān shang de zì wǒ yí ge yě kàn bu dǒng! Nǐ yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?
Hello! Haha, I can't read a single word on the menu! Do you have any recommendations? - 小梅 你好！我想自己点菜，可是看不懂菜单。你有什么推荐的吗？
Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ xiǎng zìjǐ diǎn cài, kěshì kàn bu dǒng càidān. Nǐ yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?
Hello! I want to order by myself, but I can't read the menu. Do you have any recommendations?
Example replies and how they sound
这个。
Zhège.
This one.
Gets across This works if you point. Adding the name of the dish makes it easier for them to order.
我推荐烤鱼套餐。
Wǒ tuījiàn kǎoyú tàocān.
I recommend the grilled fish set.
Natural This sounds natural. "我推荐…" is the basic way to recommend something.
对，我看得懂。
Duì, wǒ kàn de dǒng.
Yes, I can read it.
Off track This does not answer the question. They asked what you recommend.
Exchange 2 of 4
They
听起来不错。套餐里有什么？
Tīng qǐlai búcuò. Tàocān li yǒu shénme?
That sounds good. What is in the set?
Example replies and how they sound
有米饭、味噌汤和咸菜。
Yǒu mǐfàn, wèicēngtāng hé xiáncài.
There is rice, miso soup, and pickles.
Natural This sounds natural. "有 A、B 和 C" lets you list what comes with it.
我每个星期都来这儿。
Wǒ měi ge xīngqī dōu lái zhèr.
I come here every week.
Off track This does not answer the question. They asked what is in the set.
米饭和汤。
Mǐfàn hé tāng.
Rice and soup.
Gets across This works. It is short. Put "有" in front to make it a sentence.
Exchange 3 of 4
They
挺好的。里面有肉吗？我不吃肉。
Tǐng hǎo de. Lǐmiàn yǒu ròu ma? Wǒ bù chī ròu.
Nice. Is there any meat in it? I don't eat meat.
Example replies and how they sound
对，我很喜欢吃肉。
Duì, wǒ hěn xǐhuan chī ròu.
Yes, I love meat.
Off track This does not answer the question. They asked whether there is meat in this set.
应该没有，不过保险起见，我们问一下店员吧。
Yīnggāi méiyǒu, búguò bǎoxiǎn qǐjiàn, wǒmen wèn yíxià diànyuán ba.
I don't think so, but let's ask the staff to be sure.
Natural This sounds natural. When it is about food someone cannot eat, it is kind to check instead of guessing.
没有肉，大概。
Méiyǒu ròu, dàgài.
No meat, maybe.
Gets across This works, but it is vague. When it is about food someone cannot eat, it is safer to suggest asking the staff.
Exchange 4 of 4
They
谢谢，你真热心。怎么点菜呢？
Xièxie, nǐ zhēn rèxīn. Zěnme diǎn cài ne?
Thank you, that's very kind. How do I order?
Example replies and how they sound
对，很好吃。
Duì, hěn hǎochī.
Yes, it's delicious.
Off track This does not answer the question. They asked how to order.
叫店员。
Jiào diànyuán.
Call the staff.
Gets across This works, but it is a command and sounds a little strong. Saying how to do it is kinder.
举手叫一下店员就行了。
Jǔ shǒu jiào yíxià diànyuán jiù xíng le.
Just raise your hand and call the staff.
Natural This sounds natural. "…就行了" means "just ... and that's fine", which sounds easygoing.
The closing line
They
太好了。真的谢谢你！
Tài hǎo le. Zhēn de xièxie nǐ!
Great. Thank you so much!
Useful phrases for this scene
- 我推荐烤鱼套餐。
Wǒ tuījiàn kǎoyú tàocān.
I recommend the grilled fish set. - 有米饭、味噌汤和咸菜。
Yǒu mǐfàn, wèicēngtāng hé xiáncài.
There is rice, miso soup, and pickles. - 保险起见，我们问一下店员吧。
Bǎoxiǎn qǐjiàn, wǒmen wèn yíxià diànyuán ba.
Let's ask the staff to be sure. - 不好意思，我没听清楚。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ méi tīng qīngchu.
Sorry, I didn't catch that.
The lines, the pinyin, the notes and the English translations were written by AI. They have not been checked by a native Chinese speaker. The notes and the explanations of the names were compared with a dictionary by AI, but they have not been checked by a native Chinese speaker or a specialist.
The people, their names and personalities, the scenes, directions, shop layouts and dishes are made up for practice. They are not real people, and they do not match real places.
The pinyin has tone marks. "一" and "不" are written with the tones they take in speech (after tone change). Neutral-tone syllables have no mark. No person has checked that the pinyin matches the audio.
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