Ordering Coffee in Paris: Tips for Intermediate French Speakers

Expand your vocabulary and learn to confidently order coffee like a local, with tips from a native Parisian!
0:00 - Intro
0:36 - Lesson all in French
3:37 - Vocabulary
6:56 - Outro
💾 Read, save and/or print the full written lesson here (free): www.commeunefrancaise.com/blo...
🎓 Join my Everyday French crash course (free): www.commeunefrancaise.com/wel...
Coffee, much like food, is a sort of cultural ritual here in France. Enjoying a cup of coffee - whether it’s with a friend or by yourself - is a time to slow down and really savor the moment. But for tourists, the simple exchange of ordering a coffee can be a little bit intimidating, and I often hear them make some simple yet avoidable mistakes when ordering.
In today’s video, which is entirely in French, I’ll explain the most common mistakes that non-native French speakers make when ordering their coffee in France. I’ll also give you some key vocabulary and teach you how to confidently order your coffee like a local would.
Take care and stay safe.
😘 from Grenoble, France.
Géraldine

[@dinoapolito5354]

Here’s where to find good coffee in Paris. 1. Go to Gare de Lyon 2. Get on a train 3. Go to Italy

[@connie5768]

That's just rude.

[@bradleyjeansonne8768]

Honestly in Paris, if you pronounce every part and syllable of "Je vais vous prendre un cafe, si'l vous plait.." they'll think of it as being abnormally polite . You might get a smirk or two. In Paris, generally you'd hear something more like "J'prends un cafe, sivousplait." The Parisiens eat their words and compress everything that isn't necessary to express a thought. They're busy people. No one ever says "Je ne sais pas" for example. They say "Chais pas." Perhaps this is simply my experience living in the 19th arrondissement for 5 years.

[@texastea5686]

Maybe they'll see that we're not french and we're trying our best??

[@maxotat]

And this instructor explains that process in several of her other lessons. 🙂

[@connie5768]

She is obviously speaking so that students can understand her.

[@texastea5686]

Not sure what it's like now, but my husband and I went to Paris in 1999, it was my dream come true to finally visit my favorite city. I'd grown up hearing the stereotype that the French were very rude. On the contrary, they were very kind and helpful.... if I didn't know how to say a word, I'd try Spanish. I really tried my best to say hello, thank you, please and goodbye in french. They could tell we weren't french speakers, so everyone was very kind. Now that there's the internet with loads imof videos, I hope to be more communicative when I visit Paris again (hopefully this Oct 2023)

[@RHampton]

This is the most important instructional video I have seen. I don't think my wife and I can function without coffee, especially when traveling with our 10 year old. Merci.

[@matthewcrich5951]

I very much appreciate your slower enunciation. I’m slowly able to distinguish common words & phrases. Quick question though. How do I order a coffee refill? Un autre cafe?

[@ajs41]

I was in Paris a few weeks ago, and although most people were helpful and friendly I still encountered a few people who would deliberately speak very fast French to you even though they knew it would be very difficult for you to understand because you're not a French speaker.

[@Ang36914]

I wonder if this is a habit of French people, because they're used to speaking that way, or maybe it just sounds that way to us non-native speakers? I was surprised when the majority of French people responded back to my sister and me in French lol.

[@fumblerooskie]

I spent a few weeks in France last fall, and I found that people generally appreciated that I speak a little French (with a heavy English accent) and purposefully kept sentences short and understandable. I was corrected a few times, but people were actually very kind. I had no problems whatsoever, even visiting small towns where few speak English.

[@MaximilianOOO491]

Some people are just not very nice, unfortunately

[@marccano5061]

Bein oui, c'est normal

[@13hehe]

@@Ang36914 its not fast, it just sounds fast to foreigners but that is their normal speed...

[@hatsandboots]

Thank you, Géraldine, for this timely video. A pure delight!

[@tallrich4259]

I really like the way that you have structured this lesson. Super helpful, thanks!

[@maggiemac7678]

Love your lessons so much! Super helpful and your topic selection is fantastic!

[@mfung7757]

Merci Géraldine, t’es leçons sont toujours pratiques. Et merci pour expliquer la différence entre gourmand et gourmet. Ça m’aide beaucoup !

[@hollish196]

Love your videos! They are so practical!! I have shared with a friend who is just starting French. He's happy to find your videos also.

[@prenomnom8095]

Mon dieu...où est le plaisir du voyage si on a des tutos pour tout ?

[@michaelcrummy8397]

Merci Géraldine. J’irai à Paris en juillet en vacances. Cette leçon m’aidera sûrement. J’aime me détendre dans un café. Les cafés font partie de la vie et la culture en Europe plus qu’aux États-Unis, il me semble. À la prochaine vidéo.

[@sa21g22g23]

Merci beaucoup pour pouvoir enseigner cette splendide themè et leçon du debut de week end et très jolie samedi

[@niko73le]

Je ne savais pas que vous fasse les vidéos en français maintenant, c'est génial !

[@renferal5290]

I am going to Paris for the first time in July. This video is very helpful

[@davewright8206]

i like the way you have presented this

[@gladisglz8176]

Merci beaucoup!

[@catherineburton195]

I spotted one of my favourite cafés. No, not Les Deux Magots but L’Atlas on Rue de Buci. Wonderful simple french cuisine. Love their velouté des poissons and their onglet frites.

[@bytheway1031]

Thanks Géraldine👍

[@AntoineChan]

Merci!

[@cidasouza3689]

J'aime le café et j'adore la lecon de francais❤ avec Geraldine ❤ Comme une francaise 🥰

[@snabbisnabb595]

Merci beaucoup. I wish all the French speakers would be talking so clearly. I always have to say, lentement s'il vous plait. Je parle une petite francais!

[@annabeldefrance336]

Je te suis depuis le début avec mon compte perso et même en tant que française, je suis fascinée par tes vidéos ^^

[@srpskihayk]

Something I learned by living in Taiwan...I can learn all I want how to order something, even the correct way to do so. But, what happens when they ask questions back (hint: the ALWAYS do) so need to know some questions that may be asked. ME: One chicken steak, please. THEM: OK. Do you want that spicy? Do you want it cut up? Do you want it in a paper or plastic bag? Do you need chopsticks or napkins? Do you want to order anything else? And so on...

[@hollydavid69]

That all went over my head.

[@vandanakumar363]

J'ai imaginé que j'étais dans un café grâce à votre vidéo ❤

[@aa-t8969]

Très intéressant, en Allemagne, un café crème (également appelé café crema ou plus simplement Kaffee) est SANS lait ni crème ! En Allemagne, un café crème est comme un Espresso, mais avec plus d'eau.

[@TheRationalDutch]

Bonjour Géraldine, I have been learning French from different sources for about two years now but so far I had never come across the expression "je vais vous prendre" to mean "I will have". To me that reads something like "I will get you". What's that "vous" doing there? Perhaps you can clarify this for me. Merci beaucoup.

[@nazeehah]

hi Gereldine Bonjour excellent👌👌👌

[@mikioni]

I LOVE YOU 😀

[@SuperLittleTyke]

The problem is, after you've ordered a coffee in perfect French, that the waiter will then fire back at you a fast volley of French that you can't even begin to understand. When I moved to Germany in the 1970s, initially I could speak a little German, but understanding local people was difficult. I recall the time in about 1973 when I drove around Europe and stopped at a roadside cafe in France. All I could remember in French was: "Je voudrais manger", but it did the trick! In no time the girl brought me a fresh mini baguette, butter, ham and confiture. This was around 7:00 in the morning and I had just driven over the Pyrenees from Spain.

[@Snafuski]

Oh, and as a French-speaker since age 5: "Un café, siouplait." Or un ristrète... And in certain neighborhoods: Un caoua, siouplait... (I'm being facetious... but the caoua word I still use.

[@jeanjacques9980]

Are coffees charged at different rates depending where you have the coffee, at the counter, in the cafe or on the terrace?

[@kymlardnerofficial]

My sister just returned to Australia from Paris. It was her first visit. Before her departure I suggested she learn how to order a coffee otherwise they won't understand her to which she replied 'That's their problem"

[@maxotat]

I’m sorry to hear your sister acted like the Ugly American, only she was the Ugly Australian. Why someone would expect a person in another country to speak in our language instead of their own native language is beyond my ken. Some Americans expect non-Americans to speak English whether in their own country or in the US. It makes me ashamed of my fellow Americans.

[@lindaburnside3832]

Thanks for the lesson. How can i order a coffee with non dairy creamer? Do you have the sweet non dairy creamers that we have here in the United States in France?

[@chrishadley147]

....and don't forget if you order English, or similar, black tea in a café YOU WILL NOT GET MILK! The French don't not understand this practice even though black tea is offered everywhere. Ask for 'du lait aussi' to save you having to ask when your brew arrives. As usual Geraldine, some really useful tidbits for Anglophones.

[@enlilw-l2]

We don't tend to drink milk in France, it's for children 😅

[@chrishadley147]

@@enlilw-l2 but then again when Liptons is the only tea you can buy in the supermarket I understand why all my French friends have no interest in drinking tea. I've a maison secondarie so am a bit more clued up than the average visitor 😁

[@enlilw-l2]

@@chrishadley147 there are some tea " connaisseurs " in France ( like I do ! ) and they don't buy tea in supermarket. We have excellent tea in France like Mariage Frères or Dammann 😉 I see that you like Jim and his dog Wilson, aha I love this show it's so funny 😆

[@chrishadley147]

@@enlilw-l2 yes, Friday Night Dinner is excellent - i know the house in north west London. I'll keep an eye out for those marques when next in Intermarche or Carrefour.

[@enlilw-l2]

@@chrishadley147 Oh you know the house ?? I used to watch this show with my ex bf each week, we laughed so much 😄 You won't find these tea brands in supermarket, it's high end. Only sold in their proper shops or available in Galeries Lafayette.

[@victoriahiley8395]

What about soy? What about decaf? What about skim milk? Are the French behind the times?

[@maxotat]

Merci beaucoup pour cette leçon. Mais, j’ai une question. Des autres personnes qui apprennent français à moi ont dit que c’est impoli dire, “Je veux un café, s’il vous plaît,” parce qu’on doit dire, “Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît.” Pouvez-vous m’aider? Merci Beaucoup. (Excusez-moi pour comment, pour la chemin, j’écrit en français.)

[@fuzzylon]

Moi, j'aime les cafés allongés.

[@miamiracer]

What if your want an cafe gourmand but with a little cream like a noisette, can you say un cafe noisette gourmand?

[@enlilw-l2]

You just have to order your café gourmand by asking to add cream

[@jimwilson4032]

How do I order an american coffee ? I don't want an expresso ,just a regular cup of coffee.

[@leroux-ianni]

How to order a coffee in Paris? Ask the Italians, they are the masters 🇮🇹

[@rogertulk8607]

What do I ask for if I want to tea like I get in England. When I was on the roof top of les galeries in Paris I asked for "Un the anglais avec du lait, s'il vous plait." I don't know what he put in the cup but it was awful! 😝

[@Bgmutza]

Is there a difference between j’aimerais and je voudrais in situations where one is ordering?

[@enlilw-l2]

No not really. Voudrais has just a bit more directive sense but we use both

[@boink800]

Both sound nice -- but in Paris, you don't always have to be so nice. You can just say 'un café, svp'.

[@saumyakumarbhatnagar4184]

So, this is great if I'm ordering for myself; but when I go to France, I'll have to order for my daughter who does not speak French. Would I say something like, "Elle voudrait un cafe, s'il vous plait?" Or if I'm ordering for both of us would I say something like "On voudrait chocolat chaud avec chantilly, s'il vous plait?"

[@Commeunefrancaise]

Oui, you can say this and order, « Ma fille, elle va prendre un café.» I hope this helps. Fabien, Comme Une Française Team

[@luanvoable]

What is difference between " je vais prendre ..." and "je vais vous prendre ..." Merci

[@daanh8194]

comment s'appelle un cafe moins forte qu'un espresso...? Lungo? Americano?

[@findinghunna]

What about un café allongé?

[@aldocuneo1140]

Facile : un cafè si il vous plait . !!!!!!!

[@AntonHu]

Si un "cafe creme" est avec du lait, comment commander un cafe avec creme, c'est a dire, sans du lait? "Un cafe avec creme"?

[@zbigniewbrzezinski8869]

One can use Google translate to order coffee!

[@marccano5061]

Fais gaffe à Paris!

[@jakmere]

OMG, I had a hard time ordering coffee when I was in paris. OMG. I was one of those people who made mistakes ordering coffee

[@jakmere]

And OMG I was at that cafe, le cafe pierre

[@mirvids5036]

@@jakmere Mon Dieu !

[@debsmith5520]

Interesting- many years ago english speakers were taught to ask for a cup of .... tasse. I guess that's no longer a thing?

[@enlilw-l2]

Cup is tasse yes in French

[@MARTINA-gc3tq]

Double shot espresso?

[@boink800]

Un café serré.

[@leematthews6812]

I managed to mess up ordering a coffee in London today, walked into an Italian place and asked for a café au lait instead of a latte for some reason!🙄🙄🙄

[@JohnDoe-vx3z]

En Suisse, on prend un express' ..

[@vipassana72]

Is it possible to live a good life in Paris with no income or money?

[@boink800]

That is possible nowhere.

[@vipassana72]

@@boink800 yes but is it possible in Paris?

[@boink800]

@@vipassana72 No, it is possible nowhere. Unless you're some type of parasite.

[@vipassana72]

@@boink800 this is a better understanding. mostly all economy is built upon retarding and making less capable what is healthy. fear of independence worries present establishment. the non working classes fear quarterly payments diminishing. yes I managed two years living on the streets of Paris after the consulate and embassy wouldn’t help. It was a great parasitic learning curve for me.

[@rithikuja7299]

C’est simple, un thé SVP … LOL😂

[@sebastiangrumman8507]

I was wondering if there is difference in the way men speak French and the way women do? If you were picking up a lot of your French from your girlfriend, would people be able to tell that?

[@JustVisiting]

Is it pronounced covfefe?

[@Snafuski]

You don't want coffee in France... maybe in the big cities.... But as a one-time resident of Vienna and Munich and now Switzerland... I don't know what it is, but one out of two coffees is terrible.

[@user-my8kh6pc1b]

je patoiser

[@brunobandiera2062]

I think most North Americans would find un cafe allonge more to their taste.

[@JB-kk5vg]

Agreed, I found on holiday last year that a cafe allonge, or sometimes cafe long, was more like what would be called an Americano in Britain

[@lela8081]

Bonjour monsieur or madame!Un café sil'vous plaît..there😂😂😂always say bonjour and dont call the waiter "garçon"its rude.Greetings from Croatia❤

[@boink800]

"garçon' means boy.

[@lela8081]

@@boink800 i know.Its rude to call waiter "boy"

[@boink800]

@@lela8081 Then you should also know that line comes from 'Pulp Fiction.'

[@lela8081]

@@boink800 i dont like that movie so i dont

[@boink800]

@@lela8081 Most people do not live in a cave.

[@evelynsaungikar3553]

Great, now can someone explain how to order a coffee in Starbucks? An actual coffee, not a pumpkin caramel sundae?

[@almaximos1]

Un cappuccino por favor

[@boink800]

En français, svp ... "por favor" n'est pas le français.

[@HweolRidda]

​​​@@boink800I think the assumption was that the only way to get good coffee in France is to go to a Spanish (or Italian) place before ordering. Probably half true.

[@hadge209]

dead easy just say hey frog get a coffee over here rapid , works for me

[@HweolRidda]

Good way to get un café au pisse.

[@TheVinci19]

as Italian, the only way for ordering a coffee in France, is not doing it. It's incredible expensive and almost equally disgusting. Order anything else; or find a Portuguese or Italian barista

[@cdes68]

Café deux laits.

[@jameskirk2579]

And don't forget to watch out your belongings. Lot's of pick pockets in Paris !

[@jameskirk2579]

Bonjour, votre élocution est beaucoup trop "robotique " ! On ne parle pas comme SIRI en Fance ;-)

[@paulbata9649]

that's one of the foods the french are not good at!