How to Order Coffee in French: Un café, s'il vous plaît

Order coffee in a French café with Bonjour, un café and je voudrais, know what un café crème or un allongé gets you, and answer sur place ou à emporter.

Start with Bonjour, then the drink

In France, the order begins before the coffee: say Bonjour to the person behind the counter first. Skipping it can make even a polite request sound abrupt.

Then name the drink and add s'il vous plaît: Un café, s'il vous plaît. — “A coffee, please.” For a slightly fuller request, use Je voudrais un thé, s'il vous plaît. — “I'd like a tea, please.” Je voudrais is the safe, polite frame for almost any order.

Know what the names mean

In a traditional French café, un café is a small espresso, not a large mug of filtered coffee. A few other common names:

• un café crème (or simply un crème): espresso with hot, frothy milk
• un café allongé (un allongé): an espresso lengthened with hot water
• un déca: a decaf
• un café glacé: an iced coffee, which many traditional cafés do not serve

Menus vary, especially in chain coffee shops, so reading the name from the board is often the clearest choice.

A short order at the counter

A: Bonjour, qu'est-ce que je vous sers ?
“Hello, what can I get you?”

B: Bonjour ! Un café crème, s'il vous plaît.
“Hello! A café crème, please.”

A: Sur place ou à emporter ?
“For here or to go?”

B: Sur place, merci.
“For here, thank you.”

A: Très bien, installez-vous, je vous l'apporte.
“Fine, have a seat, I'll bring it to you.”

Pronunciation tips

In s'il vous plaît, the final t is silent: roughly “seel voo PLEH.” Je voudrais ends in a vowel sound, “voo-DREH,” with no s. Un is a nasal vowel: let air pass through your nose and do not close it with an English n. For crème, keep the French r soft and at the back of the throat.

Tu, vous and politeness at the counter

Use vous with staff, even when the barista is young and friendly. Tu is for friends, family, and people your age in casual settings once the tone is clearly informal. Staff will also say vous to you. Ending with merci after you receive the drink keeps the exchange warm.

Common mistakes

Expecting a big filter coffee. Asking for un café usually gets you an espresso. Ask for un allongé if you want something longer.

Saying Je veux. Je veux un café means “I want a coffee” and can sound demanding. Je voudrais or simply un café, s'il vous plaît is better.

Fixing a wrong order bluntly. If you get the wrong drink, start with Excusez-moi and then j'avais commandé un café glacé — “I had ordered an iced coffee.”

Speaking practice

Say the full order out loud three times: Bonjour, the drink, s'il vous plaît. Change the drink each time: un café, un crème, un déca. Then have someone ask sur place ou à emporter ? and answer without restarting your sentence.

Getting a croissant with it? Practice ordering at a French bakery, and review how to say thank you in French.

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