Level 4
Food & Night Market
Order food, point at what you want, say how spicy you want it, and pay.
Phrases
Tap play to hear it, then say it out loud.
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我餓了
I am hungry
Say it like woh uh luh
餓 is 4th tone. 了 marks the new state.
-
我渴了
I am thirsty
Say it like woh kuh luh
渴 is 3rd tone and dips. Easy to confuse with 喝 "to drink" - listen for the tone.
-
好吃
delicious (food)
Say it like how-chir
Say it out loud at the table and people will be delighted.
-
好喝
delicious (drink)
Say it like how-huh
喝 is used for anything you drink. 好喝 for a drink, 好吃 for food.
-
我要
I want
Say it like woh yow
Add what you want after it: 我要這個 "I want this one".
-
這個
this one
Say it like juh-guh
The most useful two syllables in a shop. Point as you say it.
-
那個
that one
Say it like nah-guh
Point further away. 那 is 4th tone nà.
-
辣
spicy
Say it like lah
4th tone, short and falling. Use it to describe food or ask for it.
-
不辣
not spicy
Say it like boo lah
不 shifts to a 2nd tone before the 4th tone of 辣.
-
一點點辣
a little bit spicy
Say it like yee-dyehn-dyehn lah
The safe middle answer in Taiwan, where spice is usually optional.
-
會辣嗎
is it spicy?
Say it like hway lah ma
會 here asks whether something tends to have a quality. Very useful at night markets.
-
請不要辣
please make it not spicy
Say it like cheeng boo yow lah
不要 before a verb means "do not want it done". Clear and polite.
-
一碗
one bowl (of noodles or rice)
Say it like yee wahn
碗 is the measure word for bowl-shaped food. 碗 is 3rd tone.
-
一杯
one cup (of tea or coffee)
Say it like yee bay
杯 is the measure word for drinks. 1st tone and flat.
-
一份
one portion, one order
Say it like yee fun
份 is the general measure word for an order of food. 4th tone.
-
我吃素
I am vegetarian
Say it like woh chir soo
吃素 is the everyday way to say this in Taiwan, where Buddhist vegetarian food is common.
-
不要肉
no meat please
Say it like boo yow row
肉 is 4th tone. Point at the meat as you say it and you will be understood.
-
這是什麼
what is this?
Say it like jeh shir shun-muh
The pointing phrase. Works on any stall, any menu.
-
出名
famous (for food)
Say it like choo-meeng
這個很有名 is "this is very famous" and gets a big reaction.
-
夠了
that is enough
Say it like goh luh
Stop a vendor from piling on more. 夠 is 4th tone.
-
還要
still want, more please
Say it like hi yow
還 is 2nd tone. Add a number or a food after it.
-
買單
the bill please
Say it like mye-dahn
Literally "buy the slip". The standard way to ask to pay in Taiwan.
-
外帶
to take away, takeaway
Say it like why-dye
外帶 or 內用 is the first question at any counter.
-
內用
to eat here, dine in
Say it like nay-yong
The pair of 外帶. 內 is 4th tone.
-
水
water
Say it like shway
3rd tone. Ordering: 一杯水 "one glass of water".
-
茶
tea
Say it like chah
2nd tone. Taiwan is famous for it. Bubble tea is 珍珠奶茶.
-
飯
rice, a meal
Say it like fahn
4th tone. 吃飯 is both "eat rice" and "have a meal".
-
麵
noodles
Say it like myehn
4th tone. 一碗牛肉麵 is a bowl of beef noodle soup.
-
水餃
boiled dumplings
Say it like shway-jyow
餃 is 3rd tone. 蒸餃 are the steamed kind.
-
夜市
night market
Say it like yeh-shir
The heart of Taiwanese food. 市 is 4th tone. 士林夜市 is the most famous.
-
甜
sweet
Say it like tyehn
2nd tone and level. 不要太甜 is "not too sweet".
-
不要
no thanks, I do not want it
Say it like boo yow
The standard polite refusal to a vendor. 不 shifts to a 2nd tone before the 4th tone of 要.