HSK 1Lesson 11
You are ordering food in a small restaurant. The focus is choosing foods and drinks with short polite exchanges.
You will learn to order simple foods, say what you want or do not want, add another item, and link food choices.
Name foods and express wants, refusals, preferences, and linked choices.
Part 1 · 18 new words
Contains 4 words
noodles
bread
steamed bun
dumpling
Contains 4 words
egg
dish
Contains 5 words
to want; to think
to want; to need
Contains 5 words
also; too
all; both
Part 2 · 10 phrases
服务员，你好。
Hello, server.
你想吃什么？
What would you like to eat?
我想吃面条儿和包子。
I would like noodles and steamed buns.
还要一杯茶。
I also want a cup of tea.
你要面包吗？
Do you want bread?
不要，我想吃饺子。
No, I want to eat dumplings.
饺子和鸡蛋都要。
We want both dumplings and eggs.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
A customer orders food and a drink.
美美Meimei
服务员，你好。
Hello, server.
服务员Server
你好，你想吃什么？
Hello, what would you like to eat?
美美Meimei
我想吃面条儿和包子，还要一杯茶。
Part 4 · 3 points
Modal verbs
Use 想xiǎng + action for what you would like to do, 要yào for a direct selection, and 想要xiǎng yào + item for a less abrupt ‘would like’ item request.
Want to do an action
Says what action someone would like to do.
fruit
apple
do not want
server; attendant
cup; measure word for drinks
still; also; in addition
and
to like
Do you like Chinese food?
喜欢，我也要苹果。
Yes, I like it. I also want an apple.
你要水果吗？
Do you want fruit?
I would like to eat noodles and steamed buns, and I also want a cup of tea.
服务员Server
好，面条儿、包子和茶。
Okay: noodles, steamed buns, and tea.
Two classmates choose food together.
美美Meimei
你要面包吗？
Do you want bread?
方方Fangfang
不要，我想吃饺子。
No, I want to eat dumplings.
美美Meimei
还要鸡蛋吗？
Do you also want eggs?
方方Fangfang
要，饺子和鸡蛋都要。
Yes, we want both dumplings and eggs.
Two classmates choose Chinese food and match a fruit choice for the order.
美美Meimei
你喜欢中国菜吗？
Do you like Chinese food?
方方Fangfang
喜欢，我想吃中国菜。
Yes, I like it. I want to eat Chinese food.
美美Meimei
我还要苹果。你要水果吗？
I also want an apple. Do you want fruit?
方方Fangfang
要，我也要苹果。
Yes, I also want an apple.
A customer adds fruit and water to a simple food order, and the server confirms everything.
方方Fangfang
服务员，我想要面包和鸡蛋。
Server, I would like bread and eggs.
服务员Server
好，还要水果吗？
Okay, do you also want fruit?
方方Fangfang
要，我也要苹果和一杯水。
Yes, I also want an apple and a cup of water.
服务员Server
好，面包、鸡蛋、苹果和水都要。
Okay: bread, eggs, apple, and water all included.
In this lesson, use this frame to say what eating action you would like to do.
Want an item
Chooses an item directly.
Use this for a direct selection, such as choosing an apple.
Say which item you would like
Presents an item as what the speaker would like, less abruptly than a bare direct selection.
Compare the same item: 我要苹果wǒ yào píngguǒ is direct; 我想要苹果wǒ xiǎng yào píngguǒ is a less abrupt would-like choice.
In sentences
Want to eat
我想吃面条儿和包子。
I would like noodles and steamed buns.
Use 想xiǎng before the eating action.
Want an item
我要苹果。
I want an apple.
Use 要yào before the item you choose.
Would like the same item
我想要苹果。
I would like an apple.
The item stays the same as in 我要苹果wǒ yào píngguǒ; 想要xiǎng yào makes this a would-like choice rather than the lesson's most direct selection.
要，我也要苹果。
Yes, I also want an apple.
服务员，我想要面包和鸡蛋。
Server, I would like bread and eggs.
In this lesson, choose 想xiǎng before an action when you describe what you would like to do: 我想吃面条儿wǒ xiǎng chī miàntiáor, ‘I would like to eat noodles.’ Use 要yào to make a direct choice: 我要苹果wǒ yào píngguǒ, ‘I want an apple.’ Use 想要xiǎng yào before an item when you want to present that item as what you would like: 我想要苹果wǒ xiǎng yào píngguǒ, ‘I would like an apple.’
The item can stay the same while the tone changes. 我要苹果wǒ yào píngguǒ is the more direct selection; 我想要苹果wǒ xiǎng yào píngguǒ presents the same apple as something you would like. 想xiǎng is not universally limited to actions, and 要yào is not universally limited to things; these three frames are the practical ordering choices modeled in this Level 1 lesson. Use 不要bú yào to refuse an offered item.
Core adverbs
Use 也yě for "also," 都dōu for "both/all," and 还hái when adding one more item.
Also want the same item
Matches another person's choice.
Put 也yě before the want or action word.
Both linked items
Says the whole linked set is included.
Use 都dōu after the linked foods and before 要yào.
In sentences
Also want
我也要苹果。
I also want an apple.
Put 也yě before 要yào to match another person's choice.
Both wanted
饺子和鸡蛋都要。
We want both dumplings and eggs.
Use 都dōu after the linked foods to include both.
还要鸡蛋吗？
Do you also want eggs?
These words come before the want or action word in short Level 1 sentences. Use 也yě when your choice matches another choice, 都dōu when a linked set is included together, and 还hái when you add another food or drink to an order.
Connecting nouns with 和
Use 和hé between two nouns to mean "and."
Link two food nouns
Combines two food choices in one phrase.
Use 和hé between nouns, such as two foods in an order.
In sentences
Linked foods
面条儿和包子
noodles and steamed buns
和hé links the two food nouns.
Linked foods
饺子和鸡蛋
dumplings and eggs
Use the same pattern for another linked food pair.
In this lesson, 和hé links food words inside an order, such as 面条儿和包子miàntiáor hé bāozi or 饺子和鸡蛋jiǎozi hé jīdàn. It links nouns here, not whole actions.
要，饺子和鸡蛋都要。
Yes, we want both dumplings and eggs.
饺子和鸡蛋food set都both/all
Why it matters · 都dōu shows that both linked foods are included.
要，饺子和鸡蛋都要。
Yes, we want both dumplings and eggs.
饺子和鸡蛋linked foods
Why it matters · 和hé creates the linked food phrase before 都dōu.
