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How to Say ‘The menu, please’ in French

La carte, s'il vous plaît

lah KART seel eel voo pleh

[lah KART seel eel voo pleh]

💬 Usage Tip: La carte is the full menu. Le menu "set menu" usually means a fixed-price set meal, so asking for le menu can get you something different.

Phrase Breakdown

La carte,

lah KART

The menu,

In a restaurant 'la carte' means the menu. Pronounce the final 't' slightly: 'la KART'.

Example

Vous avez la carte ?

Do you have the menu?

Words in this phrase

La

[lah]

the (feminine singular)

Definite article used before a feminine singular noun.

Example

La réservation est déjà confirmée pour samedi soir.

The reservation is already confirmed for Saturday evening.

carte

[KART]

menu

In a restaurant, 'la carte' is the menu; it can also mean card or map.

Example

Je regarde la carte du restaurant.

I'm looking at the restaurant's menu.

s'il vous plaît

seel eel voo pleh

please

The formal 'please'. The final 't' is silent: 'seel voo PLEH'.

Example

Un café, s'il vous plaît.

A coffee, please.

Words in this phrase

s'

[seel]

if

Part of the fixed polite expression s'il vous plaît, literally if it pleases you.

Example

S'il vous plaît, confirmez la réservation.

Please confirm the reservation.

il

[eel]

it

In il y a, il does not refer to a person; it is part of the expression meaning “there is/there are.”

Example

Est-ce qu'il y a un parking sur place ?

Is there parking on site?

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

plaît

[pleh]

pleases

From plaire, to please; part of the expression meaning please.

Example

S'il vous plaît, cela me plaît beaucoup.

Please, I like that very much.

Related guides

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.How to Learn to Speak French, Not Just Read ItWhy reading French doesn't make you speak it, and a practical way to learn to speak French: real conversations, speaking out loud from day one, and practice with people.

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