Rpu b liq u e de Cte dI voir e

Union- Discipline-Travail

BILINGUAL
GLOSSARY

CONCISE HOSPITALITY
TERMS
-------
PRECIS DES TERMES HTELIERS ET
TOURISTIQUES

Prepared by:
Anderson N. Atcho
Bighypers - 2009

&
Aka H. Assoumou

- Page 1 of 26

 Au thors Note
This brief collection of commonest hospitality and tourism terms is intended to
Ivorian students onto the HND program. As learners of English as a second
language, it will certainly be a useful resource at their earlier stage of induction
into the fascinating realm of English for hospitality and tourism. It was compiled
from online resources
Furthermore, this concise and easy-to-access gathering of basic hospitality terms
may be an ideal companion for anyone professionals and students, e.g. - with an
interest in the field. It is available for free download. It is a modest contribution
of the authors, who desire most of all collaboration, cooperation, valued
comments and suggestions from anyone comfortable with the subject.
Please accept our sincere apologies for typing mistakes which may be seen hither
and thither; we shall be glad to be brought to notice and shall correct accordingly.
We look forwards to hearing back from you.
Shalom

Ballack-Hypers Holding, an Authoritative Community -Based Organization, is dedicated to serving

you through Capacity Building, E mpowerment and Communication for Sustainable Community
Development.
Meet us on: bhh.info@gmail.com BP 2664, Yamoussoukro, CIV
+225 07 928 317 / 05 791 960 / 66 496 183 - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhholding
- Page 2 of 26
 TABLE DES MATIERES
CONTENTS

PAGES

Authors Note.... 2

1. Common Hotel Vocabulary ... 4

2. Common Tour Guiding Vocabulary .. 8

2.1. Nouns ... 8

2.2. Verbs ...... 11
2.3. Adjectives ..... 12

3. Common Food & Drink Vocabulary . 14

4. Descriptive Words and Expressions on a Menu ... 24

always keep an
eye on the ball !...

- Page 3 of 26
1. COMMON HOTEL VOCABULARY

WORD MEANING ILLUSTRATION

part part speech f speech

adjoining rooms two hotel rooms with a door in the If you want, we can book your
noun centre [chambres voisines] parents in an adjoining room.
amenities local facilities such as stores and We are located downtown, so
noun restaurants [utilits publiques] we are close to all of the
amenities.
attractions things for tourists to see and do The zoo is our city's most
noun [attractions] popular attraction for kids.
baggage bags and suitcases packed with If you need help with your
noun personal belongings [valises] baggage we have a cart you
can use.
Bed and Breakfast a home that offers a place to stay I can book you into a beautiful
noun and a place to eat[chamber dhte] Bed and Breakfast on the lake.
bellboy/bellhop/ a staff member who helps guests The bellboy will take your bags
pageboy noun with their luggage[chasseur/groom] to your room for you.
book arrange to stay in a hotel [rserver] I can book your family in for the
verb weekend of the seventh.
booked full, no vacancies [complet] I'm afraid the hotel is booked
adj tonight.
brochures small booklets that provide Feel free to take some
noun information on the local sites and brochures to your room to look
attractions [brochure/dpliant] at.
check-in go to the front desk to receive keys You can check-in anytime
verb [arriver] after four o'clock.
check-out return the keys and pay for the bill Please return your parking pass
verb [rgler sa note] when you check-out.
complimentary free of charge [gratuit] All of our rooms have
(breakfast) complimentary soap,
noun shampoo, and coffee.
cot, rollaway bed a single bed on wheels that folds If you need an extra bed, we
noun up [lit pliant] have cots available.
damage charge money a guest owes for repairs to We will have to add a damage
noun hotel property (when caused by charge for the hole you put in
violent or careless acts) [frais dusure] the wall.
deposit amount paid ahead of time to You will not receive your
noun secure a reservation [caution] deposit back if you cancel.
double bed a bed large enough for two They are a family of four, so
noun people [lit double] give them a room with two
double beds.

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floor a level of the building [tage] The swimming pool is on the
noun main floor.
front desk, the place where guests go to Towels are available at the
reception check in and out and to get front desk.
noun information [reception]

guest a person that is staying at the hotel Our washrooms are for guests
noun [client(e)] only.
hostel a very inexpensive place for In the hostel you probably
noun travelers on a budget [auberge de won't get your own room.
jeunesse]

hotel manager person in charge at the hotel I'll let you make your complaint
noun [directeur dhtel] to the hotel manager.
housekeeping/ staff members that clean the Put a sign on the door if you
maid noun rooms and linen [personnel de chambre] want housekeeping to come in
and change the sheets on the
bed.
ice machine a machine that automatically There is an ice machine by the
noun makes ice that guests can use to elevator on all of the even
keep drinks cold [distributeur de glaons] numbered floors.
indoor pool place for guests to swim inside the The heated indoor pool is open
noun hotel [piscine de salle] until 10 pm.
inn A type of small hotel [auberge] There's an inn on the other side
noun of town that has a vacancy.
Jacuzzi, hot tub, a small hot pool for relaxation Our honeymoon room has a
whirl pool [jacuzzi] personal hot tub.
noun

king-size bed extra large bed [grand lit] A room with a king size bed
noun costs an extra ten dollars a
night.
kitchenette a small fridge and cooking area Your room has a kitchenette so
noun [kitchenette] you can prepare your own
breakfasts and lunches.
late charge a fee for staying past the check- You will be charged a ten
noun out time [frais de retard] dollar late charge for checking
out after 11 am.
linen sheets, blankets, pillow cases [linge] We will come in and change
noun the linens while you are out of
your room.
lobby large open area at the front of the You can stand in the lobby and
noun hotel [hall] wait for your bus.

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luggage cart a device on wheels that guests Please return the luggage cart
noun can push their luggage on [porte- to the lobby when you are
bagages] finished with it.

maximum the most amount of people The maximum capacity in the

capacity allowed [capacit maximale] hot tub is ten people.
noun

motels accommodations that are slightly Our motel is very clean and is
noun cheaper than hotels [motel] close to the beach.
noisy Loud [bruyant] The guests next to you have
adj complained that you are being
too noisy.
parking pass a piece of paper that guests Display this parking pass in your
noun display in the car window while in window to show that you are a
the hotel parking lot [ticket de parking] hotel guest.

pay-per-view extra charge for movies and If you order a pay-per-view

movie special television features [tl la movie, the charge will appear
noun carte] on your bill.
pillow case the covering that goes over a Room 201 doesn't need their
noun pillow [taie doreiller] sheets changed, but they
requested one new pillow
case.
queen size bed bed with plenty of space for two They have a queen size bed so
noun people (bigger than a double) the small child can easily fit in
[grand lit] the middle.
rate cost of renting a room for a certain Our rates change depending
noun time period [tarif] on the season.
reservation a request to save a specific room They say they made a
noun for a future date [rservation] reservation but it doesn't show
on the computer.
room service delivery of food or other services If you would like a bottle of
noun requested by guests [service] wine, just call room service.
sauna a hot room for relaxation, filled We don't recommend bringing
noun with steam [sauna] young children into the sauna.

single bed a bed for one person [lit dune The economy priced room
noun personne] includes one single bed.
sofa bed, pull-out a bed built into a sofa or couch The room contains a sofa bed
couch [canap-lit] so the room actually sleeps five.
noun

towels used to cover and dry the body You can get your swimming
noun after swimming or bathing [serviette] pool towels at the front desk.

vacancy noun available rooms [chambre disponible] We only have one vacancy
vacant adj left, and it is for a single room.

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valet staff that parks the guests' vehicles If you leave your car keys with
noun [service de garage des voitures] us, the valet will park your car
underground.
vending machine a machine that distributes snacks The vending machine on the
noun and beverages when you insert fifth floor has chocolate bars
coins [distributeur automatique] and chips.
view a window that offers a nice image The room is more expensive
noun for guests [vue, panorama] because it has a spectacular
view of the beach.
wake up call a morning phone call from the What time would you like your
noun front desk, acts as an alarm clock wake up call?
[rveil tlphonique, mmo appel]

weight room, a room that guests can use for Our weight room has a stair
workout room, exercise and fitness [salle de gym] climber and a stationary
gym bicycle.
noun

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2. COMMON TOUR GUIDING VOCABULARY

2.1. Nouns

WORD MEANING ILLUSTRATION

activities things to do [activits] There are lots of activities that

the whole family will enjoy.
architecture design of a building [architecture] The architecture of this
building is typical of the
Renaissance age.
art gallery place to look at professional We are going to visit the art
paintings and drawings [galerie dart] gallery where local painters
exhibit their art.
attractions places for tourists to see [attractions] The water park is our most
recent attraction.
bearings feeling for understanding one's If you're having trouble getting
location/surroundings in an your bearings just remember
unknown area [repres] that the mountains are west.
business district area in a city that has many Keep in mind that this is the
offices [quartier des affaires] business district so that
grocery store may be
expensive.
castle a building for royalty [chteau] No one has lived in this castle
since the last king died twenty
years ago.
church a place to worship God [glise] The church is the central
meeting place in this town.

conveniences things that make life easier There you will find all of your
[commodits] conveniences, from suntan
lotion to shampoo.

custom something people of a region do It's a custom to hang beads in

often [us et coutume] the windows at this time of
year.
en route on the way [en route/sur le chemin] While we are en route to the
hotel, I will point out the
beach and the golf course.
entertainment district a place where there are theatres If you want to catch a movie
and concert halls [quartier des while you're here, the
spectacles] entertainment district is off to
your left.

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exception something/someone that does With the exception of Johnson
not follow the usual rules or Street, it is safe to walk around
expectations [exception] here at night.
exhibition objects displayed for a short time It may be tough to find
for the public to view [exposition] parking with the car exhibition
on this week.
grocery place to buy food to take home Since you have a kitchenette
store/supermarket [picerie /supermarch] at your hotel you will need to
know where the grocery store
is.
highlight the best part [meilleur moment/point fort] People often say that the
highlight of their trip is the
botanical gardens.
legend a person or story known for a long According to an old legend, a
time [lgende] sea monster lives in this lake.
lobby front entrance [hall] We will meet in the lobby at 8
am sharp.
locals people who live in an area [les gens The locals are usually happy
du pays/coin] to show tourists around.
location place where something can be This location is the best
found [emplacement] because you don't need to
bother renting a car.
map shows roads and directions to I'll give you each a map so
places [carte (gographique)] you can follow along as we
walk.
market place to buy fresh food and Every Sunday there is a
homemade items [march] farmer's market on Wade
Street.
monument a statue/structure that honours an This monument honours the
event or person [monument] men and women who died
during the war.
museum a place where historical items are The museum charges a small
displayed [muse] fee for adults, but children are
free.
necessities things that people need for every We recommend that you only
day living [le ncessaire] carry necessities in your purse
and leave everything else at
the hotel.
original state the way something appeared Except for the roof, this home
from the beginning [tat originel] has been left in its original
state.
photograph/shot picture taken with a camera You may not take
[photo] photographs here, but you
can purchase a postcard.

- Page 9 of 26
postcard a card with a picture on one The gift shop has many great
side(usually an object or place that souvenirs, such as postcards of
tourists see) that can be mailed the beautiful waterfalls.
without an envelope [carte postale]

questions or concerns things that tourists may want to The plane almost missed the
say or ask [interrogations] runway because it was such a
bad storm.
request something that has been asked The driver has made a request
for politely [requte] that you throw all of your
garbage in the bin at the front
on your way out.
restaurant district part of a town/city with many You will see there are many
places to eat [centre de restauration] more eateries to choose from
when we head to the
restaurant district.
ritual tradition, custom, action (religious It is an old native ritual to
or cultural) that people do often dance during the sunrise.
[rituel]

scenery natural beauty to look at [paysage] It is impossible to capture the

beauty of this scenery in
pictures.
settlers people who first made a home in The original settlers relied on
an area [premiers habitants] oxen to carry their wares.
shopping district area of town where there are You may want to save some
many stores [centre commercial] spending money because
we'll be visiting the shopping
district this afternoon.
site place, location [site] This is the site of a very famous
battle.
stairway/stairwell steps going up or down [escalier] The stairwell is very steep, so
please watch your step.
street people people who live on the street, You may be surprised how
often begging for money [sans many street people ask you for
domicile (fixe)] money.
surroundings things that you see around you I hope you enjoy the castle
[environnement / alentours] and its surroundings, including
the secret garden.
voice the sound you make when I apologize for my voice today
speaking [voix] as I have a bit of a cold.
voucher a piece of paper that shows you Don't forget to bring your
have paid [reu / ticket] voucher for a free coffee in
the hotel lobby.

- Page 10 of 26
waterfront piece of land next to an ocean, There will be plenty of live
lake, or river [quais] entertainment down at the
waterfront.

window glass that you look out [vitre/fentre] We can peer in the window
but I think they are probably
closed for the day.

2.2. Verbs

WORD MEANING ILLUSTRATION

arrive reach a destination [arriver] I am glad to see you all arrived

safely.
close to finish [achever] We will close the tour with a
view of the city at sunset.
continue on keep going [continuer] If you're all finished looking here,
we will continue on with the
tour.
depart leave [partir] The last ferry departs at 4pm, so
make sure you don't miss it.

enjoy have a good experience [apprcier] I have enjoyed meeting all of

you today.
expect think that something will You probably weren't expecting
be/happen a certain way [sattendre to see snow.
]
permit allow [autoriser / permettre] You are permitted to have a
beverage on the bus, but
please do not eat any food.
proceed go forward [avancer/continuer (vers)] Please proceed all the way to
the back of the bus.

raise (a hand) lift [lever (la main)] If you have any questions during
the tour, please raise your hand.
recommend suggest [recommander] We recommend that you only
keep a small amount of cash in
your wallet.
refer suggest [suggrer] I will gladly refer you to my
favourite restaurants, if you are
interested.
relax sit back and enjoy time in peace Tomorrow you will have a day to
[se relaxer] just relax on the beach.

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show someone take people to see an area When we get to the museum
around [faire visiter] someone else will show us
around.
sit back relax in a seated position [se dtendre] Please sit back and enjoy the
bus tour.

speak up talk louder [parler plus fort] If you need me to speak up or

slow down, please let me know.

2.3. Adjectives

WORD MEANING ILLUSTRATION

part part speech f speech

ancient very old [ancien / antique] The ancient village has been
left untouched.

beautiful/gorgeous very nice looking You will find beautiful

[magnifique/splendide] homemade jewellery in that
shop.
breathtaking when a view is very impressive [ Under the starlight the
vous couper le souffle] waterfall is simply
breathtaking.
customary traditional [de coutume / habituel] It is customary to shake hands
and bow as you enter.
dangerous not safe [dangereux] It is dangerous to accept a
ride from a local.
devastating very sad, unfortunate The tsunami was devastating
[dvastateur (trice)] for local hotels.
elegant attractive, yet simple [lgant] There is an elegant dining
room for guests to eat in.
enormous very large [norme] This enormous sculpture stands
one-hundred feet high.
exciting makes one feel very It's so exciting to see new
happy/energetic [passionnant] places, isn't it?
extensive covers a lot [grand(e) / vaste] This house has an extensive
history, and you can read
more in the brochures.
fascinating very interesting to learn about/see It is fascinating to know how
[fascinant(e)] people lived back then.
haunted believed to have ghosts living The house is said to be
there [hant(e)] haunted and no one has lived
in it for fifty years or more.

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heritage of historical importance [patrimoine] The government named this
school as a heritage site last
year.
international around the world [international(e)] Every year it is an international
celebration, with people
coming from as far away as
Africa.
lovely very nice (appearance or This is a lovely place to sit and
personality) [beau/belle] watch the local birds.
magnificent amazing [magnifique/superbe] This part of town is known for its
magnificent wall murals.

popular liked by many [populaire] June is the most popular time

for tourists to come here.
prevalent very noticeable [courant(e)/rpandu(e)] Crime is prevalent in the old
parts of town.
reconstructed built again [reconstruit(e)] The village was reconstructed
after the major fire in 1910.

restored returned to its original state All of the antique furniture has
[restaur(e)/rnov(e)] been professionally restored.
safe not dangerous [sr/sure, sans risque] The water is safe to drink here.
scenic nice to look at (nature) [beau We will go up to the balcony
(panorama)] for a scenic view of the
grounds.
superb very good (i.e. service, food, The children put on a superb
entertainment) [superbe] concert at Christmas time.
thrilling exciting [palpitant(e)] Cliff jumping is a thrilling
experience for those of you
who aren't afraid of heights.
unbelievable too amazing/strange to seem true It is unbelievable what some of
[incroyable] these street entertainers can
do.
visible able to be seen [visible] The top of the tower may not
be visible because of the fog.

- Page 13 of 26
3. COMMON FOOD & DRINK VOCABULARY

WORD MEANING ILLUSTRATION

part part speech f speech

la carte without a side dish or not the complete Is it possible to get the steak
adjective meal on the menu [ la carte] la carte? I don't eat
potatoes.
la mode with ice cream [ la mode, la crme] Would you like your apple
adjective pie la mode ?
alcohol, liquor a distilled liquid such as rum or whiskey This beer has 5% alcohol.
noun [alcool, liqueur]

all you can eat customers pay one fee and can eat as These are all you can eat
adjective much as they wish [ consommer volont] fries, so let me know if you
want more.
appetizer small snack before a meal [amuse-gueule, Would you like some garlic
noun apritif (drink)] bread or another appetizer
to start?
appetizing looks pleasing to eat [apptissant] I'm afraid these pancakes
adjective don't look very appetizing.
apron a cloth covering worn over the clothes Remove your apron before
noun while cooking [tablier] you come out to the dining
room.
awful (taste) very bad taste [affreux (e)] The customer said that her
adjective pasta was awful.
bar place in an establishment where If you sit up at the bar you
noun people go to get a drink (especially don't have to order any
alcoholic drinks) [bar] food.
barbeque [BBQ] southern style of cooking over a grill The barbeque wings are our
noun/verb [barbecue] specialty.
bar stool tall seats that customers use at the bar The guest fell off his barstool
noun [tabouret de bar] before he even ordered a
drink.

bartender staff member that mixes, pours, and I do part-time work as a

noun serves alcoholic beverages [barman] bartender in a local pub.
beverage drink [boisson] Can I bring you some
noun beverages while you look at
the menus?
bill, cheque, the slip of paper that tells the customer Table 3 would like you to
check how much to pay [note, addition] bring them their cheque.
noun

- Page 14 of 26
black coffee coffee without any milk [caf noir] Should I bring some cream,
adjective + noun or do you take your coffee
black?
boil style of cooking that involves placing We usually boil the potatoes
verb food in a deep pot of extremely hot first so that they will cook
water [(faire) bouillir] faster.
book off mark a day that you cannot work [(se) I need to book off the first
verb prendre un cong] week of May.

booster seat a plastic unit that fits on top of a chair Will your child be needing a
noun to help small children reach the table booster seat today?
[sige rehausseur]

booth/bench type of seating in which people sit side We'd prefer a booth if you
noun by side on a cushioned area [banc] have one available.
booze alcohol [alcool] You've been into the booze
noun(idiom) already, haven't you?
bottle opener a device used for opening beer bottles All of the servers keep bottle
noun that don't twist off [dcapsuleur, ouvre- openers on their keychains.
bouteilles]
bread basket slices of bread and butter served I'll bring you a bread basket
noun before and with a meal [corbeille pain] to hold the kids down until
dinner.
breaded rolled and cooked in breadcrumbs The shrimp is breaded in our
adjective [pan(e)] homemade batter.
buffet self-serve tables of food that are set out The plates and everything
noun for the customer to pick and choose you need are up at the
from [buffet] buffet.
burnt overcooked to the point of turning The toast is burnt around the
adjective black [trop cuit(e), point] edges.
buspan rubber tub used for collecting dirty The buspan is stacked so
noun dishes [(ustensil)collecteur de vaisselle] high it's too heavy for me to
carry.
busboy, busser a person who helps out in a restaurant Ask the busboy to help you
noun (especially clearing and setting tables) bring out all of the food.
[aide-serveur]

cash paper money payment [comptant, cash] I don't have any cash. Do
noun you accept Visa?
cash out counting and submitting the payment Don't forget to include any
verb of all of the customers bills at the end of coupons from tonight when
one's shift [faire le point] you cash out later.
cashier staff member responsible for collecting We don't have a cashier; you
noun customer's money at the front of an have to pay your server.
establishment [caissier(re)]

- Page 15 of 26
charge to add a fee [faire payer, facturer] I will have to charge you an
verb extra dollar to add ice
cream.
check on make sure the guests are satisfied You should always check on
verb [vrifier] your guests about two
minutes after you serve the
meal.
chef staff member who is professionally Our head chef is one of the
noun trained to prepare food [chef] best cooks in town.
clear remove finished or unused items from a You need to clear this table
verb table [dbarasser] and set it for four.

cocktail an alcoholic drink with juice [cocktail] Would anyone care for a
noun cocktail on this warm sunny
day?

coffee maker machine that dispenses coffee into a You need to teach the new
noun glass container for pouring [machine caf] waitress how to operate the
coffee maker.
coffee round an offering of coffee and refills around Let's ask the busboy to do a
noun a section of a restaurant [tour de caf] coffee round while we take a
smoke break.

combo, mixture [mlange] The combo platter has

combination veggies, ribs, and chicken
noun fingers.

comment card a piece of paper that customers are When she asked for a
noun given to record their dining experience comment card I knew she
[carte davis] was going to complain
about the food.
complaint a problem with service or food [plainte] The guest brought his
noun complaint to the manager.
condiments types of sauces that are added for All of the condiments you
noun flavouring (i.e. mustard) [condiments] should need are on the
table.
cook prepare and heat food until it is ready The guest says that this
verb/noun to serve [(faire) cuire] chicken isn't cooked
enough.
corkscrew tool for removing the cork from the top You will need to learn how to
noun of a wine bottle [tire-bouchon] work a corkscrew before you
start bartending.
counter flat area often used for placing dishes I left one of the salads on the
noun on or preparing food [comptoir] kitchen counter by mistake.
coupon a slip of paper that offers the customers Your coupon is only valid for
noun a discounted rate [coupon] food, not for alcoholic drinks.

- Page 16 of 26
complimentary free of charge [gratuit(e)] The desserts are
adjective complimentary because the
dinner took so long.
creamer small plastic container of cream for Will you need more than two
noun coffee [pot crme] creamers for your coffee?

credit card a plastic card that allows people to You forgot to sign your credit
noun pay for something later [carte de credit] card slip.
customer, guest person who goes to an establishment It is our policy that the
noun to be served [client] customer is always right.
customer service treatment of guests [service client(le)] Our restaurant got the award
noun for having the best customer
service this year.
cutlery, tools for eating with (fork, knife, spoon) In a fine dining restaurant the
silverware, [couverts] staff has to polish the
utensils silverware.
noun

cut off stop serving a customer any more I cut off the man with the
verb alcohol [cesser de servir] beard because he'd had too
much to drink.
debit the use of bank card to pay directly Can we pay by debit here,
noun from bank account [dbit] or do you only take credit
cards?
deep fried cooked in a large pot of oil [frit(e)] Most of the appetizers on our
adjective menu are deep fried.
defrost, thaw remove frozen food from the freezer to Don't forget to defrost some
verb prepare [dcongeler] pies for tomorrow.
delicious very good taste [dlicieux] The cookies were so
adjective delicious they were gone in
half an hour.
delivery food brought to the home [livraison ( Do you have delivery or do
noun domicile)] we have to come in to eat?

designated driver person in a party who agrees not to Is there a designated driver
adjective + noun consume alcohol in order to drive in your party or are you
everyone home safely [conducteur dsign] taking a taxi?

dessert sweet treat after a meal [dessert] I think we're too full to have
noun dessert tonight.
dessert tray a plate of all of the desserts that I'll bring the dessert tray
noun customers can view and order from around and see if I can
[plateau de desserts] tempt any of you with a slice
of cake or pie.

dirty dishes plates that customers are finished with I'll just clear these dirty dishes
adjective + noun [assites sales] and make some room for you.

- Page 17 of 26
discount at a cheaper cost [rabais] We got a discount because
noun we are regular customers.

dishpit area in the restaurant where the dirty Jody is not going to want to
noun dishes are placed [bac vaiselle (sale)] go into the dishpit today.
dishwasher the staff member/machine that washes Can you bring the
noun the dirty dishes [lave-vaisselle] dishwasher these pans to
clean?
doggie/doggy unfinished food that is packed up for I can't finish my steak, but I'll
bag the customer to take home [sac en take a doggie bag.
noun plastique pour emporter les restes dun repas]

double two shots of alchohol in one drink [double] Make that a double in a tall
noun glass, please.
draft / draught beer from a keg that pours out of a tap We have a selection of local
(beer) [(bierre) la pression] beers on draft.
noun

dressing liquid topping for salads [assaisonnement] Would you like Italian or
noun French dressing?

dry no sauce [sec, sans sauce] I'll have dry toast with two
adjective eggs.
entre, fisrt the dish served before the main course As entres, we offer you fruit
course [entre] salad or curd
noun

fast-food an eatery (restaurant) that offers quick We don't provide table

noun inexpensive food [fast food] service. This is a fast-food
restaurant.
fine dining a very expensive eating establishment The waiters wear bowties
noun [restaurant de grand standing] because it's a fine dining
restaurant.

float small amount of cash used to make I need a roll of quarters for
noun change at the beginning of a server or my float.
bartender's shift [petite caisse]

free refills beverages that can be filled again Have all of the soda you
adjective + noun without any cost [tourne gratuite (boisson)] want; it's free refills here.
fry cook over an element in oil [frire] Don't fry the vegetables too
verb long or they will go soggy.
garnish food that is added to a plate for Don't forget to garnish all of
noun/verb appearance or colour(i.e. parsley or the entrees that go out.
fruit) [dcoration]

glassware group of drinking glasses [verrerie] Make sure the glassware

noun doesn't have any spots
before you put it away.

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gloves (plastic) covering for the hands to prevent the Whenever you are handling
noun spread of germs [gants] food make sure you are
wearing gloves.
gratuity/tip extra money given as a thank you for When we have a large party
noun service [pourboire, gratification] we're allowed to add a 15%
gratuity to the bill.
greet say hello and welcome customers to Your priority as a hostess is to
verb the establishment [saluer] greet the guests at the door
with a smile.
grill cooking over iron slats that allow for oil The healthiest way to
noun/verb and fat to drop down [grille/griller] prepare meat is on a grill.

hairnet a covering worn on the head while If you don't want to wear a
noun preparing food [filet cheuveux] hat, you can wear a hairnet.
happy hour short amount of time when alcoholic We're expecting a rush
noun drinks are on sale [heure du cocktail,heure de because it's almost happy
lapritif] hour.
highball alcohol served with soda [whisky leau Our highballs are on for half
noun avec de la glace] price today.
highchair a tall chair with a plastic tray designed The party is for ten plus a
noun for a baby [chaise haute (denfant)] highchair.

hold leave off/without [sans] I'll take a hamburger, hold

verb the bun.
homemade made from a recipe [fait(e) maison] We serve the best
adjective homemade soup in town.
host, hostess staff member in charge of greeting and Please wait and the hostess
noun seating customers in a restaurant [hte, will seat you.
htesse]
ingredients all of the different foods that are I'll check the ingredients to
noun combined in a recipe [ingredients] make sure there aren't any
nuts.

kettle pot for boiling water for tea [bouilloire] I'll put the kettle on and
noun make some fresh tea.
last call the last chance for a person to get an We'll have two more
noun alcoholic drink before the establishment screwdrivers for last call.
closes [derniers services (boisson)]

lemon, lime a small segment of lemon or lime put I'd like a lemon wedge for my
wedge on the rim of a glass [tranche de citron (avec ice water please.
noun la boisson)]

lineup a number of people waiting for Is this the lineup to pay or get
noun/verb something [rang, file dattente] seated?
liqueur alcohol that has a syrupy/sweet taste Can I offer you a coffee liqueur
noun [liqueur] to go with your dessert?

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main course the largest part of a meal (after The main courses are after
noun appetizer, before dessert) [plat principal] the lunch specials on page 6
of the menu.
make change give customers money back from a We can make change if all
verb + noun payment [faire la monnaie] you have is large notes.

manager person in charge of a section of a I'd like to speak to the floor

noun/adjective restaurant [directeur/responsable] manager about the service.
melt warm to soften (i.e. cheese/butter) First, melt two tablespoons of
verb [(faire) fondre] butter in the microwave.
menu a booklet of all of the food that can be Do you have a children's
noun ordered [menu] menu we could see?
microwave a small appliance that heats and cooks We can heat your dinner in
noun food quickly [micro-ondes] the microwave if you like.
mild not spicy [doux/douce, pas pic(e)] I'd like a half dozen mild
adjective chicken wings.
nightclub establishment where adults go to If you work at the nightclub
noun dance and drink alcoholic beverages you will have to stay until 2
[bote de nuit] AM.
non alcoholic a drink that resembles a certain drink Can I order a non alcoholic
beverage without the alchohol [boisson non-alcoolise] beer?
adjective + noun

notepad paper that a server uses to write down Just let me grab my notepad
noun orders [bloc-notes] and I'll take your order.
on the rocks on ice [avec des glaons, de la glace] I'll take a whiskey on the
preposition + noun rocks.
on the side request for a food item NOT to be put For the nachos, can we have
preposition + noun on top of another food item [ ct] the sour cream on the side?
order make a request to a server [(passer une) Is everyone ready to order
verb/noun commande] lunch now?

over charge give a customer a bill that is too high I think you over charged us
verb (by mistake) [faire payer plus cher] for our drinks; we only had
one each.

pack up put in a take-out container for the Would you like me to pack
verb customer to bring home [emballer (pour up the rest of that pizza?
emporter]

party group of people at or waiting for a A party of twelve just walked

noun table [groupe] in without a reservation.
patio outdoor seating [patio] We closed the patio
noun because it looks like it's going
to rain.
paycheque money given to the staff every week or You'll get a paycheque every
noun two [paie] other Monday.

- Page 20 of 26
pitcher, jug a container with a spout to pour water, We'll take a pitcher of beer
noun beer, or other beverages out of [cruche] with four glasses.

portion a separate amount of food [portion] The chicken fingers are

noun/verb already portioned in the
freezer.

pour dispense liquid from a container [servir Can I pour you folks another
verb (eau/boisson) ] glass of water?
prepare get food ready [prparer] The servers have to prepare
verb the salads themselves.
pub establishment that specializes in casual I can wear whatever I want
noun food and alcoholic beverages [pub] when I work at the pub.
punch clock and a machine that staff members place a I don't want staff members
punch card card into when they begin and finish a hanging around the punch
noun work shift [machine performer (qui pointe lheure clock.
darrive et de dpart]
punch in, out put a card in the punch clock to mark You can punch out as soon
verb the time you start and end a shift [pointer as you finish sweeping the
(larrive / le dpart)] floors.
punch something enter an order into a computer system I'm going to punch in a large
in [enregistrer une commande (dans lordinateur)] order now, so get ready.
verb

rare cooked meat that is pink inside This steak is too rare for me to
adjective [saignant(e) viande, eg.] eat.

recipe list of ingredients and instructions for Our chef is so talented that
noun preparing a certain type of food [recette] he almost never bothers with
a recipe.

regulars people who come into an You can give the regulars a
noun establishment often [clients fidles] complimentary drink from
time to time.
reservation a request to have a table saved for a We don't take any
noun certain amount of people [rservation] reservations; it's first come
first served here.

restrooms place for people to use a toilet and The restrooms are to your left
noun wash hands [toilettes] and down the stairs.
roll-up a set of cutlery wrapped in a napkin Before we punch out we
noun [rouleau (cuillre, fourchette, couteau, etc. enrouls dans have to prepare enough roll-
une serviette de table pour le service de couverts)] ups for the night shift.
rush a large amount of customers arriving at We always have a rush after
noun the same time [arrive massive de clients au church on Sundays.
mme moment]

rush prepare quickly for a certain reason Can you put a rush on this
noun/verb [service rapide] spaghetti; I forgot to punch it
in.

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sauce liquid flavouring added to food [sauce] What kind of sauce would
noun you like on your ice cream,
butterscotch or chocolate?
schedule a notice of the time and date each If you want to book off a
noun/verb staff member has to work in a certain day, let me know before I
period of time [programme] make the schedule.
seasoning dry flavouring added to food He wants the chicken plain
noun [assaisonnement] without any seasoning.

self-serve the customers bring their own food We have a buffet on, so it's
adjective items to the table and do not pay for self-serve for lunch.
service [libre-service]

senior's discount a reduced price for people over a We have a senior's discount
noun certain age (i.e. over 65) [rduction of 25% off on Mondays.
consentie aux clients du 3e ge]

separate a different bill for each member/group We asked for separate

cheques sitting at a table [additions/notes cheques but it all came on
adjective + noun/verb individualises] one bill.
+noun

serve look after a customer, bring items to a Is there someone in charge

verb customer [servir] of serving out on the patio?
set get a table ready with items such as I need you to clear and set
verb cutlery and glassware [faire (la table)] table five for a party of eight.
shade place outside that is not in the sun We'd like to sit on the patio if
noun [ombrage] there is any shade.
shot one ounce of alcohol served in a small Let's do a shot to get this
noun glass (shot glass) [tourne (dalcool)] party started.
shooter an ounce of alcohol and juice Is there a shooter that has
noun combined [tourne (alcool+jus de fruit)] orange juice in it?

side dish choice of food that goes with a main The two side dishes are
noun meal [accompagnement] mashed potatoes or french
fries.
sour acid or fermented taste [aigre, acide] I think the milk has gone sour
adjective from sitting out of the fridge
too long.

sous chef staff member who works under and Our sous chef is leaving to
noun assists the main chef [Chef assistant] become the head chef at
another restaurant.

specials items that were prepared particularly Would you like to hear the
noun for a certain day and are usually at a specials before you decide
reduced price [plats du jour] on lunch.

specialty food item that a restaurant is popular Homemade fish and chips is
noun for [spcialit] our specialty.

- Page 22 of 26
spicy hot flavour [pic(e)] Any item with three chilies
adjective beside it means that the dish
is very spicy.
stay to eat in the restaurant [consommer sur Are these coffees to go or to
verb place] stay.

stir, mix spin round and round with a spoon Stir the soup for a few
verb [remuer/tourner] minutes before you serve it.
straw long hollow plastic stick for drinking out Can I please get a straw for
noun of [paille] my ice tea?
straight up alcoholic drink without any mix or ice He always has a straight up
adjective [sec, sans eau/glaon (alcool)] glass of rum after his meal.

substitute replace one item for another [remplacer] Can I substitute the carrots
verb for corn?

supervisor staff member in charge of watching When I'm not here George
noun over things and dealing with problems will be your supervisor.
[surveillant]
sweet taste with a lot of sugar [sucr(e)] If you like sweet things, you'll
adjective love our chocolate
cheesecake.
takeout, food that is packed up and eaten at You can either eat in or order
takeaway home [plat emporter] food to takeout.
adjective/verb

two-minute a visit to a table approximately two Don't forget to do your two-

check minutes after the food has been served minute check to make sure
noun to check for satisfaction the steak is cooked properly.
[vrification (de la satisfaction du client deux minutes
aprs le service)]
terminal computer system for punching in food There's one terminal in the
noun orders [terminal (ordinateur)] kitchen and one on the bar.
till drawer of a cash register that money is You need a key to open the
noun kept in [tiroir-caisse] till and make change.
to go to take out of the restaurant [ emporter] We're just going to order a
verb pizza to go.
toppings food items that go on top of other food What type of toppings would
noun items to add flavour [garnitures] you like to have on your
pizza?
uniform clothing that staff members have to The uniform here is black
noun wear [uniforme] pants and a white shirt.

waiter, waitress staff member in charge of taking orders When I got promoted from a
noun and serving food and beverages hostess to a waitress I started
[serveur/serveuse] making tips.

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waiting list list of groups who want a table to eat We have a twenty minute
noun at [liste dattente] waiting list tonight.

warm up heat food to an enjoyable temperature Would you mind warming up

verb for eating [rechauffer] the baby's bottle for me?
well- done cooked for longer than average [cuire The meat was so well-done it
adjective point] had no flavour.
wine list a menu of all of the wine you can order You will notice that we have
noun from the glass, litre, or bottle [liste des vins] a lot of local wine on our
wine list.
winery a place where wine is made, tasted, There is another winery up
noun and sold [tablissement vinicole] the hill that you might enjoy
stopping at.
wine tasting sampling different types of wine If you are intersted in trying
adjective [dgustation de vins] some wines you should go on
a wine tasting tour.

4. DESCRIPTIVE WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS ON A MENU

DESCRIPTION MEANING ILLUSTRATION

available with Guests can have this food All burger selections are
served a different way [servi(e) available with whole wheat
avec] buns.

bottomless (free Guests can have more without Coffee and tea is bottomless.
refills) paying [tourne gratuite (boisson)]
chunky many large pieces of meat or A steaming bowl of chunky
vegetables [gros morceau, large feuille vegetable soup
de]

coated in, glazed covered in a sauce (often Breast of chicken coated in

before cooking) [enduit(e) de / teriyaki sauce
baign(e) dans]

crispy makes a crunchy sound when Caesar salad with fresh lettuce
you chew [croustillant(e)/croquant(e)] and crispy croutons
drizzled with a small amount of liquid poured Apple pie and vanilla ice cream
over top[aros(e) dun filet de] drizzled with butterscotch
finished with final step of the food A generous portion of spaghetti
preparation [avec en touch finale] and garlic tomato sauce,
finished with homemade
meatballs

- Page 24 of 26
fresh just off the farm/ out of the All omelettes are made with
garden [frais/fraiche] three fresh egg whites.

garnished with decorated with [en dcoration] Our dinners are garnished with
fresh parsley and seasonal fruit.
generous portion, a large amount of [avec une All sandwiches are served with a
heaping, loaded with bonne/gnreuse portion de] generous portion of fresh cut
fries.
home style, from a recipe (not a package) Try our chef's homemade chili
homemade, made [fait(e) maison] with fresh baked bread.
from scratch
juicy with liquid remaining for taste Garden salad with juicy
[juteux/juteuse] tomatoes, cucumbers, and
onions
lightly breaded, rolled in bread crumbs, eggs, or Our fish is lightly battered in beer.
battered other mixture and cooked
[pan(e)]
marinated in left in fridge to soak up Our steaks are marinated in a
sauce/juice/flavouring [marin(e) rich peppercorn sauce.
dans]

medley variety, mixture [pot-pourri] A vegetable medley tossed in

olive oil and served over rice
mouth watering appearance causes mouth to Finish your meal off with one of
salivate [qui vous met leau la bouche] our mouth watering desserts.

on a bed of on top of a layer of [sur un lit de A ginger chicken stir fry served
(riz/laitue, etc.)] on a bed of rice
seasonal produce varies at different times Ask your server about our
during the year [saisonnier(re)] seasonal fruit pies.
seasoned with herbs and spices added Roasted chicken seasoned with
[assaisonn(e) de] fresh basil and oregano

-------------------------------------------------------

SYMBOLS SYMBOLES

@ at eeeee . dot, period

\ backslash * asterisk

/ slash ~ tilde

- dash ellipsis

_ underscore # hash

: colon ; semicolon

, comma & ampersand

- Page 25 of 26
Bighypers 2009

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Teaching is a fact, teaching languages is an act, but teaching ESP is an art!