Eating Out in Russian
The café lesson got you coffee; this one gets you a full dinner — ordered the way Russians actually order, with a case ending hiding in every cup of tea.
The Scene
Счёт, пожалуйста!
The bill, please!
Note: Two words that end every meal in the Russian-speaking world.
Я буду…
The native way to order — literally "I will (have)":
Я буду суп и салат.
I'll have the soup and a salad.
Note: Softer than «дайте», smoother than pointing. This is how Russians order.
A Cup of What?
Measures take the genitive — of tea, of water, of juice:
The genitive you learned for absence does quantities too — English says of, Russian says an ending.
Table Blessings
Common Mistakes
- Bending меню. Borrowed words don't decline: в меню, из меню — always меню.
- «Дайте счёт». Fine, but Счёт, пожалуйста is smoother — the noun alone does the work.
- Чашка чай. The measure needs its genitive: чашка чая.
What You Can Do Now
You can order a starter, a main and a drink, compliment the kitchen, toast your company and get the bill — an entire restaurant evening in Russian.