Ordering coffee at a café
Order a drink, choose a size and milk, and pay politely at a busy café.
The scene
You stop at a busy café on your way to work. The barista greets you at the counter and asks what you would like.
- Speaker A
- Barista
- Speaker B
- You (customer)
Your goals
- Order politely with 'Could I have…, please?'
- Answer questions about size, milk and 'for here or to go'
- Pay and finish the conversation with thanks
Key vocabulary
Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.
to go
to take your drink with you, not drink it in the café
A small cappuccino to go, please.
for here
to drink inside the café
I'll have it for here, thanks.
regular / medium
the middle size of drink
Could I get a regular latte?
oat milk
a milk made from oats, often used instead of cow's milk
Do you have oat milk?
decaf
coffee with the caffeine removed
A decaf coffee, please. It's late for me.
receipt
the paper or email that shows what you paid
Do you need a receipt?
tap your card
pay by holding your card or phone near the reader
You can tap your card right here.
Useful phrases
Could I have a …, please?
The most common polite way to order
What sizes do you have?
Asking about the options before you choose
Can I pay by card?
Checking how you can pay
That's all, thanks.
Telling the server your order is finished
Keep the change.
Leaving the extra money as a tip when paying cash
Practice studio: speak the dialogue
Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.
Barista
Good morning! What can I get for you?
You (customer)
Good morning. Could I have a latte, please?
Barista
Sure. What size would you like: small, medium or large?
You (customer)
A medium, please. Do you have oat milk?
Barista
We do. Is that for here or to go?
You (customer)
To go, please. I'm on my way to work.
Barista
No problem. Anything else for you today?
You (customer)
That's all, thanks. How much is it?
Barista
That's four fifty. You can tap your card on the reader.
You (customer)
Great, thank you. Have a nice day!
You speak 5 lines as You (customer); Barista is read aloud for you.
Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.
Your turn: speak freely
Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.
1. Order your favorite drink and ask what sizes the café has.
2. Tell the barista you want it to go and ask if you can pay by card.
3. Describe your usual coffee or tea order in two or three sentences.
Quick quiz
Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.
0 of 4 answered
Common mistakes
Avoid:
I want a coffee.Say: Could I have a coffee, please?
'I want' can sound abrupt when you order; a question with 'please' sounds friendlier.
Avoid:
One coffee for take away to go.Say: One coffee to go, please.
'To go' already means take away, so you only need one of them.
Avoid:
How much it costs?Say: How much is it?
Questions need the verb before the subject: 'How much is it?' or 'How much does it cost?'
Tips
- Decide your order while you wait in line so you can say it in one smooth sentence.
- If you don't hear the price, just say 'Sorry, how much was that?'
- Listen for the question 'For here or to go?' because almost every café asks it.
Questions about this lesson
Is 'Can I get a coffee?' correct English?
Yes. 'Can I get…?' is very common in American English and is fine in any café. 'Could I have…?' is a little more formal and works everywhere.
How do you say 'take away' in American English?
Americans usually say 'to go', as in 'A latte to go, please.' 'Takeaway' is more common in British English.
How do you ask for less sugar in English?
Say 'Could I have it with less sugar, please?' or 'No sugar, please' if you want none at all.
Finish the lesson
Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.
Next lesson: Introducing yourself to a new neighbor