4.10 Settling the bill 

Having had their main course, the waiter comes round to see if everything is in order. Anna decides that they don't want a dessert, but would like the bill instead. Click on the sound graphic at the top of this paragraph or here to listen to their conversation to the waiter (der Kellner).

Conversation 5: Settling the bill Kellner So, hat es Ihnen geschmeckt? Margarete Schäfer Ausgezeichnet! Anna Müller Sehr gut! Kellner Möchten Sie noch etwas bestellen? Darf ich Ihnen einen Nachtisch bringen? Wir haben heute Erdbeeren mit Vanilleeis und Sahne. Anna Müller Für mich nicht. Margarete Schäfer Nein, danke, die Rechnung, bitte. Kellner Ja, zusammen oder getrennt? Anna Müller Zusammen, bitte. Kellner Ja, kleinen Moment bitte. Das macht siebenundzwanzig Euro sechzig, bitte. Anna Müller Dreißig. Stimmt so. Kellner Ja, danke schön.

Inside the Café Lit

Glossary so  This approximates to "well then". It never means the English "so" as in "a logical conclusion".  Hat es Ihnen geschmeckt?  "Did you enjoy your meal?". The literal meaning is: "Did it taste to you?" ausgezeichnet  "Excellent!" But then Margarete has had two beers by now...  sehr gut  very good noch etwas  "Something else". This always has the sense of an additional something rather than "something different". der Nachtisch  "dessert". It literally means "after-table". darf ich...? "may I...?" Just like "Ich möchte...", it is always followed by the infinitive of the verb which it governs. darf ich Ihnen einen Nachtisch bringen?  "May I bring you a dessert?". And it is "einen Nachtisch", because the masculine noun "der Nachtisch" is the object of the sentence. heute  today  die Erdbeere  "strawberry". As we have seen, many feminine nouns end in "-e", and form a plural in "-en". das Vanilleeis  "vanilla ice-cream". This is another German compound noun, coming from "die Vanille" (= "vanilla") and "das Eis" (= "ice cream"). As "das Eis" is the final element of the compound noun, it determines the gender. die Sahne  cream für mich nicht  "Not for me". Note that the German word for "not" - "nicht" - follows the noun to which it refers. die Rechnung, bitte (Could we have) the bill, please? zusammen...  together...  ...oder getrennt?  "...or separately?" The waiter is thus asking them whether they wish to pay together or separately.  kleinen Moment, bitte  "One moment, please". Literally: "A little moment please". das macht... "It comes to....". Literally: "This makes...". siebenundzwanzig Euro sechzig  Twenty-seven euros sixty dreißig  Thirty

 Chapter 4.11: Vocabulary - Food and drink

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