Café Basics - Ordering Your First Coffee
Start here, like my father taught me
My father told me: if you can order coffee, you can speak French. Forty years behind this bar, I've proven him right. These twelve drinks are all you need to know. Order them every morning, and by the end of the week, they'll feel like your mother tongue.
Essential Café Drinks (12)
Un café
An espresso
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Pronunciation: uhn kah-fay
Small, strong, black
Un café allongé
Long espresso
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Pronunciation: uhn kah-fay ah-lon-zhay
Long espresso; some cafés add hot water
Un café crème
Coffee with cream
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Pronunciation: uhn kah-fay krem
Also "un crème"; usually morning
Un café noisette
Espresso with dash of milk
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Pronunciation: uhn kah-fay nwah-zet
"Hazelnut" color
Un café serré
Ristretto (extra strong)
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Pronunciation: uhn kah-fay seh-ray
Very concentrated
Un double
Double espresso
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Pronunciation: uhn doob-luh
Twice the caffeine
Un déca
Decaf
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Pronunciation: uhn day-kah
Short for décaféiné
Un thé
A tea
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Pronunciation: uhn tay
Citron or nature
Un chocolat chaud
Hot chocolate
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Pronunciation: uhn sho-ko-lah sho
Thick and rich
Un jus d'orange
Orange juice
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Pronunciation: uhn zhoo doh-ronzh
Pressé (fresh) or non
Une carafe d'eau
Carafe of water
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Pronunciation: oon kah-raf doh
Free tap water
Un verre de vin
Glass of wine
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Pronunciation: uhn vehr duh van
Rouge, blanc, rosé
Pierre's Café Wisdom
Traditionally a breakfast drink; after lunch most locals take a plain espresso. You won't be wrong if you order milk later—it's just less typical. My grandfather preferred it this way, and most regulars at my bar follow the same pattern.
The Morning Ritual:
Walk in, say "Bonjour," then "Un café, s'il vous plaît." Stand at the bar, drink it in three sips, say "Merci, bonne journée," and leave. That's how Parisians do it. Five minutes, perfect French.
Food Ordering - What Goes with Your Coffee
Simple café food, properly ordered
A café isn't a restaurant, but we serve what keeps people coming back. Croissants in the morning, croque-monsieur at lunch, maybe a tartine if you're hungry. These twelve items cover everything you'll find at a real French café.
Essential Café Food (12)
Un croissant
A croissant
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Pronunciation: uhn krwah-son
Butter or plain
Un pain au chocolat
Chocolate pastry
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Pronunciation: uhn pan oh sho-ko-lah
Chocolatine in southwest
Une tartine
Toast with butter/jam
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Pronunciation: oon tar-teen
Open-faced toast
Un croque-monsieur
Ham & cheese toasted sandwich
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Pronunciation: uhn krok muh-syuh
Lunch classic
Un croque-madame
Croque with fried egg on top
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Pronunciation: uhn krok mah-dahm
Egg makes it madame
Une salade verte
Green salad
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Pronunciation: oon sah-lad vehrt
Simple vinaigrette
Une omelette
Omelet
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Pronunciation: oon om-let
Nature or jambon/fromage
Un sandwich jambon-beurre
Ham & butter baguette
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Pronunciation: uhn sand-weech zham-bon burr
French classic
Une quiche
Quiche
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Pronunciation: oon keesh
Lorraine is classic
Une soupe du jour
Soup of the day
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Pronunciation: oon soop doo zhoor
Always ask what it is
Des frites
French fries
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Pronunciation: day freet
Side dish
Une part de tarte
Slice of tart/pie
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Pronunciation: oon par duh tart
Pommes, citron, tatin
Pierre's Ordering Secret:
Say "Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez?" (What do you recommend?). We love when people ask. It shows trust, and you'll get the freshest item we have that day.
Numbers & Money - Paying at the Café
French prices and how to pay
Our prices are simple—espresso, pastry, a few lunch items. Master the amounts and you can pay anywhere in France. These are the phrases you'll use every single day at cafés, boulangeries, and markets across the country.
Essential Money Phrases (10)
C'est combien?
How much is it?
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Pronunciation: seh kom-bee-an
Universal question
Ça fait combien?
What does that come to?
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Pronunciation: sah feh kom-bee-an
At payment time
Deux euros
Two euros
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Pronunciation: duh-zuh-roh
Price of espresso
Deux euros cinquante
Two fifty
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Pronunciation: duh-zuh-roh sank-ont
€2.50
Je peux payer par carte?
Can I pay by card?
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Pronunciation: zhuh puh pay-yay par kart
Usually yes
En espèces
In cash
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Pronunciation: on ess-pess
Cash payment
Gardez la monnaie
Keep the change
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Pronunciation: gar-day lah moh-neh
Small tip
L'addition, s'il vous plaît
The check, please
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Pronunciation: lah-dee-see-on seel voo pleh
Asking for bill
C'est combien le café?
How much is the coffee?
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Pronunciation: seh kom-bee-an luh kah-fay
Asking specific prices
Sans contact
Contactless
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Pronunciation: son kon-takt
Tap to pay
Tipping in France
Service is included in the price. No need to leave 20% like in America. But if service was good? Leave the coins from your change. Two euros becomes two-fifty? Leave the fifty cents. That's respect, not obligation.
Polite Ordering - How to Ask Properly
The French way of requesting
My father taught me that politeness opens doors. In France, HOW you ask matters as much as WHAT you ask for. These phrases show respect. Use them and you'll get better service everywhere you go. I promise you this.
Essential Polite Phrases (10)
Je voudrais...
I would like...
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Pronunciation: zhuh voo-dreh
Most polite request
Pour moi
For me
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Pronunciation: poor mwah
Indicating your order
La même chose
The same thing
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Pronunciation: lah mem showz
Copying someone's order
Et avec ça?
And with that?
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Pronunciation: ay ah-vek sah
Server asks this
C'est tout
That's all
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Pronunciation: seh too
Done ordering
Merci beaucoup
Thank you very much
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Pronunciation: mehr-see boh-koo
Extra gratitude
Avec plaisir
With pleasure
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Pronunciation: ah-vek play-zeer
Server response
Excusez-moi
Excuse me
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Pronunciation: ex-kew-zay mwah
Getting attention
Tout de suite
Right away
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Pronunciation: too duh sweet
Server promise
Bon appétit
Enjoy your meal
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Pronunciation: bon ah-pay-tee
Before eating
Café Small Talk - Making Conversation
Weather, greetings, and daily pleasantries
At my bar, regulars don't just order coffee. They talk. About the weather, about their day, about nothing and everything. This is how you become French - not through grammar books, but through these small moments of human connection over an espresso.
Everyday Café Phrases (12)
Il fait beau
It's nice weather
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Pronunciation: eel feh boh
Sunny day talk
Il pleut
It's raining
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Pronunciation: eel pluh
Rainy weather
Il fait froid
It's cold
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Pronunciation: eel feh frwah
Winter talk
Il fait chaud
It's hot
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Pronunciation: eel feh show
Summer talk
Comment ça va?
How's it going?
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Pronunciation: koh-mon sah vah
Casual greeting
Ça va bien
It's going well
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Pronunciation: sah vah bee-an
Standard response
Pas mal
Not bad
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Pronunciation: pah mahl
Typical French answer
Comme ci, comme ça
So-so
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Pronunciation: kom see, kom sah
Meh feeling
Et vous?
And you?
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Pronunciation: ay voo
Returning question
Bonne journée
Have a good day
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Pronunciation: bun zhoor-nay
Leaving greeting
À bientôt
See you soon
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Pronunciation: ah bee-an-toh
Regular customer
À demain
See you tomorrow
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Pronunciation: ah duh-man
Daily regular
Pierre's Conversation Secret:
French people don't want long answers to "Comment ça va?" Just say "Ça va" or "Pas mal" and ask "Et vous?" back. Keep it light. Save deep conversation for friends, not the café bar.
Ready to Order at Pierre's Café?
"Bien. You've learned what forty years at this bar has taught me - that French is simple when you live it. Come practice with me. Order your coffee, talk about the weather, pay your bill. That's how my grandfather learned, that's how I learned, and that's how you'll learn. À bientôt." - Pierre