Pratica di Shadowing: Learn How to Order Food in English — Real Restaurant Conversation! - Impara a parlare inglese con i video

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This is Max and Mia Podcast.
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Hey everyone, welcome back to Max and Mia Podcast.
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Hi there, we're so glad you're here with us today.
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If you're enjoying our episodes, don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe.
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It really helps us out.
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Absolutely.
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And today we've got something really practical for you.
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Picture this.
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You're sitting in a cozy restaurant, the menu is in front of you, and the waiter approaches your table.
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Your stomach is rumbling, you know exactly what you want to eat.
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But do you know how to actually order it?
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That's what we're diving into today.
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We'll walk you through everything, from getting the waiter's attention to handling those tricky special requests.
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So grab a snack, get comfortable, and let's get started.
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All right, Mia, so let's set the scene.
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You walk into a restaurant, you're seated at your table, and then what happens?
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Well, usually the first thing is that the waiter comes over very quickly.
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They might say something like, Good evening, welcome to our restaurant.
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Or just a simple, Hi, how are you folks doing tonight?
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Right.
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Right.
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And that's when you can just respond with a friendly, good thanks, or great thank you.
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Nothing too complicated there.
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But here's the thing.
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Sometimes they ask if it's your first time at the restaurant.
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Oh, yeah.
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They'll say, have you dined with us before?
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Or, is this your first visit?
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And honestly, it doesn't really matter what you answer.
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But it's good to recognize the question.
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You can just say, yes, it's our first time, or, actually, we've been here before.
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Exactly.
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Now, after that initial greeting, the waiter will usually offer you something to drink.
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They might say, can I get you started with something to drink?
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Or, would you like anything to drink while you look at the menu?
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And this is important because in many English-speaking countries,
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especially in the U.S., they bring your drinks first while you're deciding on your food.
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So you might order water, a soda, or maybe a glass of wine.
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Good point.
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You could say, I'll have a glass of water, please, or could I get a Coke?
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Notice That's how we use I'll have or could I get rather than just saying I want.
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It sounds more polite.
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Definitely more natural, too.
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And if you need more time to decide, you can say, could we have a few more minutes?
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Or we're still looking at the menu, but I'll take some water for now.
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Perfect.
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So you've got your drinks, you've looked at the menu, and now the waiter comes back.
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What do they usually say?
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They'll probably ask, are you ready to order?
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Or sometimes, what can I get for you today?
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That's your cue to tell them what you want.
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And here's where it gets interesting because there's a bit of a pattern to how you order.
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You typically start with, I'll have, or can I get, followed by the dish.
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For example, I'll have the grilled salmon, or can I get the cheeseburger?
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Right.
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And then the waiter might ask you some follow-up questions depending on what you ordered.
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Like, if you order a burger, they'll ask, how would you like that cooked?
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Meaning, rare, medium, or well done.
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Or if you order a salad, they might ask, what dressing would you like?
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And then list the options.
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Ranch, Italian, vinaigrette, things like that.
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Exactly.
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And for sides.
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This is super common in American restaurants especially.
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They'll say, that comes with two sides.
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What would you like?
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Or would you prefer fries or a salad with that?
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Oh, and here's something that catches people off guard.
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When you order a steak or something similar, they might ask, Would you like anything else with that?
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They're basically checking if you want to add extra items.
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True.
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You can say, No, that's all for me, thanks.
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Or if you want something extra, you could say, Yes, could I also get a side of mashed potatoes?
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Now, let's talk about the phrases waiters use throughout the meal, because there are some really common ones.
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They might say, I'll put that in for you, which means they're going to submit your order to the kitchen.
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Or, your food will be right out.
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That means it's coming soon.
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And when they bring your food, they'll often say, be careful, the plate is hot, or here you go, enjoy your meal.
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And of course, the classic check-in, How is everything?
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Or How's your meal?
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You can simply respond with Everything's great, thanks.
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Or delicious, thank you.
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What I love about this whole process is that once you know these phrases, it becomes so much easier.
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You're not trying to translate in your head.
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You just know what's coming next.
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Absolutely.
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It's like a script that repeats itself every time you go out to eat.
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And the more you practice it, the more confident you'll feel.
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Now, before we listen to a real conversation example, let's go over some key vocabulary you'll definitely hear when ordering food.
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We'll also show you some images so you can really visualize these words.
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Great idea!
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Let's start with the first one, appetizer.
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This is a small dish you eat before the main meal.
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Think of it as a starter to wake up your appetite.
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For example, you might hear the waiter say, Would you like to order an appetizer?
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Or you could say, We'll share the nachos as an appetizer.
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Perfect.
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Next up, eat-in or take-out.
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This is a question you'll hear, especially at casual restaurants or fast food places.
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They're asking if you want to eat your food there at the restaurant, or if you want to take it with you to go.
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So you might answer, we'll eat in please if you're staying, or take out please if you're leaving.
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Some places also say for here or to go, which means the same thing.
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All right, third word, napkin.
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This is the paper or cloth you use to clean your hands or mouth while eating.
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Pretty straightforward, right?
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Yep.
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You might need to ask, could I get some extra napkins?
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Or the waiter might say, let me grab you some napkins.
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And finally, straw.
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This is the thin tube you use to drink beverages, especially cold drinks like soda or iced tea.
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You could ask, can I have a straw, please?
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Or sometimes the waiter will just bring one with your drink automatically.
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Awesome.
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So, now that we've covered those key terms, let's listen to how all of this sounds in a real conversation.
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Good evening.
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Welcome to Giuseppe's.
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How are you doing tonight?
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Hi, I'm doing well, thanks.
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How about you?
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I'm great, thank you for asking.
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Is this your first time dining with us?
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Actually, yes, it is.
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I've heard really good things about this place.
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Oh, wonderful.
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We're happy to have you here.
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So, can I get you started with something to drink while you look over the menu?
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Sure.
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I'll have a glass of water, please.
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And could I also get an iced tea? Of course.
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Would you like lemon with that iced tea?
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Yes, please.
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That would be great.
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Perfect.
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I'll be right back with those drinks, and I'll give you a few minutes to decide on your meal.
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Thank you.
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Here you go.
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One water and one iced tea with lemon.
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Do you need a straw for your tea?
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Oh, yes.
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That would be helpful.
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Thanks.
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No problem.
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So, have you had a chance to look at the menu?
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Are you ready to order, or would you like a few more minutes?
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I think I'm ready.
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But first, could you tell me what the soup of the day is?
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Absolutely.
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Today we have a homemade tomato basil soup.
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It's really popular and comes with fresh bread on the side.
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That sounds delicious.
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I'll have that as an appetizer.
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Excellent choice.
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And for your main course?
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I'm thinking about the grilled chicken pasta.
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What comes with that?
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Good question.
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The grilled chicken pasta comes with your choice of a side salad or garlic bread.
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The pasta itself has a creamy Alfredo sauce, grilled chicken, and mixed vegetables.
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Oh, that sounds perfect.
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I'll take the side salad with that.
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Great.
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And what dressing would you like on your salad?
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We have ranch, Italian, balsamic vinaigrette, or Caesar.
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I'll go with the balsamic vinaigrette, please.
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You got it.
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Now, just to confirm, you want the tomato basil soup as an appetizer,
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followed by the grilled chicken pasta with a side salad and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
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Is that correct?
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Yes, that's perfect.
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Wonderful.
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I'll put that in for you right away.
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Your soup should be out in just a few minutes.
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Is there anything else I can get you right now?
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Actually, yes.
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Could I get some extra napkins?
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I tend to make a bit of a mess when I eat pasta. Of course.
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I'll bring those right out with your soup.
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No problem at all.
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Thank you so much.
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Alright, here's your tomato basil soup with fresh bread.
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And here are those extra napkins you asked for.
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Be careful, the bowl is quite hot.
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Perfect.
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Thank you.
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This smells amazing.
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I'm glad you think so.
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Your pasta will be ready in about 10 minutes.
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Enjoy your soup and let me know if you need anything. Will do.
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Thanks.
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How was the soup?
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It was fantastic.
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Really flavorful.
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I'm so pleased to hear that.
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And here's your grilled chicken pasta with the side salad.
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Can I get you anything else?
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Maybe some fresh pepper or Parmesan cheese for your pasta?
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Oh, yes.
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Some Parmesan would be great.
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Thank you.
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Coming right up.
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Here's your Parmesan cheese.
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How is everything tasting so far?
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Everything is delicious.
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The pasta is cooked perfectly.
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That's wonderful to hear.
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I'll check back with you in a bit.
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Enjoy your meal. So, how was everything?
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Did you enjoy your dinner?
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It was all excellent.
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I'm completely satisfied.
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I'm thrilled to hear that.
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Can I interest you in any dessert tonight?
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We have tiramisu, chocolate lava cake, and cheesecake.
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Oh, that sounds tempting, but I'm pretty full.
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I think I'll just take the check, please.
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Absolutely.
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I'll bring that right out for you.
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And just so you know, would this be eat-in or take-out?
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I'm asking because we have a small slice of complimentary cake we'd like to offer you, since it's your first visit.
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You could eat it here or take it home with you.
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Oh, wow.
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That's so nice.
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I'll take it to go, please.
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I'm too full right now, but I'd love to have it later.
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Perfect.
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I'll box that up for you along with your check.
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I'll be right back.
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Thank you so much.
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The service has been great.
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It's been my pleasure.
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Here's your check and your complimentary dessert to take home.
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There's no rush whenever you're ready.
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And thank you so much for dining with us tonight.
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Thank you.
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I'll definitely be coming back.
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We'd love to see you again.
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Have a wonderful evening.
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You too.
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Okay, so that was a pretty typical restaurant experience.
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Did you notice how natural the flow was?
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Absolutely.
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And I love how it covered so many different situations.
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Let's break down some key moments.
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First, the waiter started with that friendly greeting.
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How are you doing tonight?
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It's such a common way to begin the interaction.
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Right.
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And the customer responded politely and even asked back, how about you?
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That small detail makes a big difference.
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It shows you're engaged in the conversation, not just ordering food like a robot.
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Exactly.
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Then we heard the waiter ask, Is this your first time dining with us?
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Remember we talked about that earlier?
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It's a standard question and the customer handled it perfectly with a simple, friendly answer.
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What I really want to highlight is how the customer asked questions.
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Notice how they said, could you tell me what the soup of the day is?
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And what comes with that?
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These are super useful phrases because menus don't always have all the details.
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Great point.
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And when the waiter explained the dish, they were very specific.
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They mentioned the Alfredo sauce, the grilled chicken, the vegetables.
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That's typical.
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Waiters often describe dishes in detail especially if you ask.
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And then came the choices.
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The salad dressing options, remember?
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The customer had to pick from ranch, Italian, balsamic vinaigrette, and Caesar.
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This happens all the time, so it's good to be prepared for these quick decisions.
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Yeah, and did you catch how the waiter confirmed the order at the end?
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Just to confirm, you want the tomato basil soup as an appetizer, followed by the grilled chicken pasta.
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This is really common in restaurants, because they want to make sure they got everything right.
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I also loved that the customer wasn't shy about asking for what they needed.
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They asked for extra napkins.
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They asked for Parmesan cheese later.
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Don't be afraid to make these requests.
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Waiters expect it.
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Absolutely.
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And notice the timing of when the waiter checked in.
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How is everything?
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How is the soup?
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These check-ins happen throughout the meal.
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You don't need to give a long answer, just a quick, everything's great, or it was delicious, works perfectly.
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Oh, and at the end, that eat-in or take-out question came up when they offered the complimentary dessert.
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The customer was full, so they chose to take it home.
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That's a really practical use of that phrase.
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And finally, notice how polite everyone was throughout.
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Lots of please and thank you.
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It's not just about being polite.
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It's also part of the natural rhythm of these conversations in English.
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Exactly.
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The whole interaction felt smooth, because both people knew the pattern.
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Once you practice this a few times, you'll feel that same confidence.
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Now before we wrap up, there are a couple of important things we should mention about the end of the meal.
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Specifically, paying the bill and tipping.
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Oh yes, great idea!
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So let's talk about paying furs.
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When you're ready to leave, you can simply say, can I get the check, please?
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Or in British English, they say, can I get the bill, please?
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Both mean the same thing.
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Right.
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And here's something that comes up a lot when you're dining with friends, splitting the bill.
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If everyone wants to pay for their own meal, you can ask the waiter, can we split the bill,
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or can we get separate checks?
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Exactly.
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Or if you're all paying together, you might say, we'll pay together, or we'll just do one check.
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The waiter will usually ask you this anyway if they see you're in a group.
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And don't forget to check what payment methods they accept.
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You can ask, do you take cards?
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Or, do you accept credit cards?
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Some smaller places might be cash only, so it's good to know beforehand.
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Is it cash only?
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Is another way to ask that.
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Super useful phrase.
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Now, let's talk about tipping culture because this is really important, especially if you're traveling to English-speaking countries.
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Yes.
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In many places, particularly in the United States and Canada, it's customary to leave a tip,
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usually around 15 to 20 percent of the total bill before tax.
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And the reason for this is that in those countries,
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servers often earn a lower base wage because tips are expected to make up a significant part of their income.
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So tipping isn't just nice, it's actually part of how they earn their living.
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Right.
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If the service was really excellent, you might leave 20% or even a bit more.
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If it was just okay, 15% is standard.
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But basically, you always leave something unless the service was truly terrible.
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You might see the word gratuity on your bill sometimes.
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That's just another word for tip.
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And some restaurants automatically add a service charge for larger groups, so check your bill to see if that's already included.
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Good catch.
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If you see service charge included or gratuity included, then you don't need to add another tip on top of that.
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But you can always ask, is the tip included, if you're not sure.
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And when you leave a tip, you can either leave cash on the table or add it when you pay with a card.
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If you're paying by card, there's usually a line on the receipt where you can write in the tip amount.
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Exactly.
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So the phrases you need are leave a tip, service charge, and gratuity.
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Those will help you navigate this whole process.
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One more thing.
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In some countries like the UK or Australia, tipping culture is different.
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It's appreciated but not always expected.
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So it really depends on where you are.
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That's true.
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But knowing these phrases and understanding the culture will definitely help you feel more comfortable wherever you go.
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All right, so we've covered ordering drinks, asking about the menu, making special requests, dealing with the check, splitting the bill, and tipping.
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That's pretty much everything you need.
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And remember, the more you practice these phrases, the more natural they'll become.
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Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
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That's how you learn.
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Absolutely.
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So next time you're at a restaurant, try using some of these expressions.
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You'll be surprised at how much more confident you feel.
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Well, that's all for today's episode.
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We hope this helps you the next time you're ordering food in English.
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If you found this useful, don't forget to like and subscribe for more practical English lessons.
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We release new episodes every week.
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And if you have any topics you'd like us to cover, leave a comment and let us know.
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We love hearing from you.
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Thanks so much for listening, everyone.
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Until next time, keep practicing and stay curious.
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See you in the next episode.
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Bye!
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Bye, everyone!

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Tutto ciò che serve per parlare fluentemente

Pronuncia con IAVoto per ogni frase
Pratica IPAPadroneggia ogni suono
VocabolarioCostruisci il tuo lessico
Gioco di vocabolarioImpara giocando

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Video consigliato

Vocabolario e note di pronuncia per questa lezione

Questa lezione di conversazione di livello B1 si basa sul video “Learn How to Order Food in English — Real Restaurant Conversation!”. Questo video contiene 359 frasi e 2999 parole da ripetere con lo shadowing. Il parlato dura 21:22. Chi parla mantiene un ritmo costante di circa 140 parole al minuto, comodo per lo shadowing. Il 86% delle parole rientra nelle 3.000 più comuni dell’inglese; conviene studiare le altre prima di iniziare. 66 delle sue 359 frasi sono domande: un buon esercizio per l’intonazione interrogativa e le risposte brevi.

Vocaboli chiave di questo video

Le 15 parole più avanzate del video, con pronuncia e significato:

ParolaPronunciaSignificato
waiter sostantivo/ˈweɪ̯təː/cameriere, cameriera
soup sostantivo/sup/minestra, brodo
pasta sostantivo/ˈpɑ.stə/pasta, impasto
grill sostantivo/ɡɹɪl/griglia
salad sostantivo/ˈsæl.əd/insalata
menu sostantivo/ˈmɛn.juː/carta
phrase sostantivo/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/espressione, polirematica
appetizer sostantivo/ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə/aperitivo, stuzzichino
napkin sostantivo/ˈnæpˌkɪn/tovagliolo, salvietta
dine verbo/daɪn/cenare
basil sostantivo/ˈbæz.əl/basilico
tomato sostantivo/təˈmeɪ.toʊ/pomodoro, pomidoro
dish sostantivo/dɪʃ/piatto, scodella
gratuity sostantivo/ɡɹəˈtuːətɪ/mancia
dessert sostantivo/dɪˈzɝt/dolce, dessert

I phrasal verb che sentirai

ParolaPronunciaSignificato
take out verbocavare, cacciare
come back verbotornare
come up verbovenire fuori, emergere
look over verboesaminare
make up verbo/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/comporsi
wake up verbo/ˌweɪk ˈʌp/svegliarsi
wrap up verboimballare, impacchettare

Frasi da ripetere

Frasi brevi e complete del video che puoi riutilizzare nella conversazione di tutti i giorni:

  • They'll say, have you dined with us before?
  • They'll probably ask, are you ready to order?
  • You could ask, can I have a straw, please?
  • How are you doing tonight?
  • Is this your first time dining with us?

La grammatica di questo video

Le strutture che chi parla usa di più, con le parole esatte del video:

StrutturaNel video
Frasi condizionali if + frase, will/would + verbo — una condizione e il suo risultatoif you order a burger, they'll ask · if you have any topics you'd like
Present perfect have/has + participio passato — un’azione passata che conta ancora adessowe've been · you've looked · we've covered
Forma passiva be + participio passato — conta ciò che accade, non chi lo fais cooked · are expected
Possibilità con “might / may” might/may + verbo — qualcosa di possibile ma non certomight say · might order · might ask

Pronuncia a cui fare attenzione

Chi parla usa 97 contrazioni e forme ridotte, come I'll, you're, I'm. Pronunciale nella forma breve, così come le senti.

  • I suoni “th”: thrill /θɹɪl/, cloth /klɒθ/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/
  • I suoni “sh” e “zh”: dish /dɪʃ/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, visualize /ˈvɪʒuəˌlaɪz/, mash /mæʃ/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/
  • Parole lunghe — attenzione all’accento: appetizer /ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə/, complimentary /ˌkɑmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/, gratuity /ɡɹəˈtuːətɪ/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, tiramisu /ˌtɪɹəˈmisu/

I suoni difficili per chi parla italiano:

  • /h/ — va soffiata, non è muta: beforehand /bɪˈfɔɹhænd/, highlight /ˈhaɪˌlaɪt/, wherever /(h)wɛɹˈɛvɚ/
  • Consonante finale — senza aggiungere una vocale dopo: soup /sup/, salad /ˈsæl.əd/, phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/, vinaigrette /vɪnəˈɡɹɛt/, balsamic /ˌbɔːlˈsæmɪk/
  • /æ/ — più aperta della “e”: salad /ˈsæl.əd/, appetizer /ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə/, napkin /ˈnæpˌkɪn/, balsamic /ˌbɔːlˈsæmɪk/, basil /ˈbæz.əl/

Come esercitarsi con questo video

  1. Ascolta tutto il video una volta senza parlare e annota le parole che non conosci.
  2. Fai shadowing frase per frase a velocità normale, ripetendo ognuna finché il tuo ritmo coincide con quello di chi parla.
  3. Registrati e confronta con l’originale, facendo attenzione a parole come waiter, soup, pasta.

Cos'è la tecnica dello Shadowing?

Shadowing è una tecnica di apprendimento delle lingue supportata da studi scientifici, originariamente sviluppata per la formazione dei traduttori professionisti e resa popolare dal poliglotta Dr. Alexander Arguelles. Il metodo è semplice ma potente: ascolti un audio in inglese di madrelingua e lo ripeti immediatamente ad alta voce — come un'ombra che segue il parlante con un ritardo di solo 1–2 secondi. A differenza dell'ascolto passivo o degli esercizi di grammatica, lo shadowing costringe il tuo cervello e i muscoli della bocca a elaborare e riprodurre simultaneamente i modelli di discorso reale. La ricerca dimostra che migliora significativamente la precisione della pronuncia, l'intonazione, il ritmo, il discorso connesso, la comprensione dell'ascolto e la fluidità del parlato — rendendolo uno dei metodi più efficaci per la preparazione alla prova di speaking dell'IELTS e per la comunicazione reale in inglese.

Tecnica dello shadowing: leggi la guida completa passo dopo passo →