Food & Drinks

1. 搿個是啥物事？

   geq8 geq8 zy6 sa5 meq8 zy6

   What is this dish?

   Usage

   Asks what a dish on the menu or on the table is

   Grammar Note

   Composed from common words with regular grammar. 啥物事 is "what thing"; 物事 (meq8 zy6) is the Shanghainese word for "thing", like Mandarin 東西.

2. 一籠小籠饅頭

   iq7 lon6 shiau5 lon6 moe6 deu6

   One basket of xiaolongbao

   Usage

   Orders xiaolongbao by the steamer basket

   Grammar Note

   In Shanghai xiaolongbao are called 小籠饅頭 (shiau5 lon6 moe6 deu6); 饅頭 here covers filled buns, unlike Mandarin. 籠 (lon6) is the basket classifier.

3. 我勿吃辣

   ngu6 veq8 chiq7 laq8

   I can't eat spicy food

   Usage

   Tells the restaurant you avoid spicy food

   Grammar Note

   吃 (chiq7) is "eat" and the negator is 勿; 辣 reads laq8.

4. 結帳

   ciq7 tsan5

   The check, please

   Usage

   Asks the staff for the bill at the end of a meal

   Grammar Note

   結帳 (ciq7 tsan5) means to settle the bill. To call the staff, use 服務員 (voq8 wu6 yoe6).

5. 有素菜伐？

   yeu6 su5 tshe5 va6

   Do you have vegetarian dishes?

   Usage

   Asks whether vegetarian dishes are available

   Grammar Note

   「有……伐？」 is the frame for "do you have ...?". 素菜 (su5 tshe5) is a vegetarian dish.

6. 我吃素

   ngu6 chiq7 su5

   I'm a vegetarian

   Usage

   Tells people you do not eat meat or fish

   Grammar Note

   吃素 is "eat vegetarian".

7. 老好吃！

   lau6 hau5 chiq7

   Delicious!

   Usage

   A short compliment on the food

   Grammar Note

   好吃 is "tasty"; 老 intensifies it ("very").

8. 麻煩儂撥我一杯冷水

   mo6 ve6 non6 peq7 ngu6 iq7 pe1 lan6 sy5

   Please give me a glass of cold water

   Usage

   Asks the staff for cold water

   Grammar Note

   Composed from common words with regular grammar. 撥 (peq7) is "give"; 冷水 (lan6 sy5) means cold or unboiled water.

9. 我要一個套餐

   ngu6 iau5 iq7 geq8 thau5 tshoe1

   I'd like a set meal

   Usage

   Orders a set menu

   Grammar Note

   套餐 is a set meal. 我要…… is the usual "I'd like ..." frame.

10. 有服務費伐？

    yeu6 voq8 wu6 fi5 va6

    Is there a service charge?

    Usage

    Checks for an extra charge before paying

    Grammar Note

    Composed from common words with regular grammar. 服務費 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

11. 我對花生過敏

    ngu6 te5 ho1 sen1 ku5 min5

    I'm allergic to peanuts

    Usage

    Tells the staff about a peanut allergy

    Grammar Note

    Composed from common words with regular grammar. 對……過敏 is "allergic to ...". 花生 (ho1 sen1) is peanut; 過敏 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese readings.

12. 白飯

    baq8 ve6

    Plain cooked rice

    Usage

    Plain rice ordered with other dishes

    Grammar Note

    白飯 (baq8 ve6) is plain cooked rice; 飯 reads ve6.

13. 麵包

    mi6 pau1

    Bread

    Usage

    Word for ordering or buying bread

    Grammar Note

    麵包 (mi6 pau1) is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

14. 麵

    mi6

    Noodles

    Usage

    Word for noodles when ordering

    Grammar Note

    麵 reads mi6, quite unlike Mandarin mian.

15. 辣

    laq8

    Spicy

    Usage

    Describes spicy food or asks for it

    Grammar Note

    辣 reads laq8.

16. 甜

    di6

    Sweet

    Usage

    Describes a sweet taste

    Grammar Note

    甜 reads di6, unlike Mandarin tian.

17. 搿個還勿熟

    geq8 geq8 we6 veq8 zoq8

    This is not cooked through

    Usage

    Points out that a dish is undercooked

    Grammar Note

    Composed from common words with regular grammar. 熟 (zoq8) is "cooked/ripe"; 還勿熟 is "not cooked yet".

18. 麻煩儂撥我看看菜單

    mo6 ve6 non6 peq7 ngu6 khoe5 khoe5 tshe5 te1

    Could I see the menu, please?

    Usage

    Asks for the menu after sitting down

    Grammar Note

    菜單 (tshe5 te1) is the menu.

19. 我吃好勒

    ngu6 chiq7 hau5 leq8

    I'm finished

    Usage

    Says you have finished eating

    Grammar Note

    吃好勒 is "finished eating"; 好 is a completion complement.

20. 麻煩儂燒清淡點

    mo6 ve6 non6 sau1 chin1 de6 ti5

    Please make it light

    Usage

    Asks for a lighter-seasoned dish

    Grammar Note

    燒 (sau1) is "to cook". 清淡 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese readings.

21. 有招牌菜伐？

    yeu6 tsau1 ba6 tshe5 va6

    Do you have a house specialty?

    Usage

    Asks for the restaurant's signature dish

    Grammar Note

    招牌菜 (tsau1 ba6 tshe5) is the signature dish.

22. 麻煩儂撥我筷子

    mo6 ve6 non6 peq7 ngu6 khue1 tsy5

    Chopsticks, please

    Usage

    Asks for chopsticks or a replacement pair

    Grammar Note

    Composed from common words with regular grammar. 筷子 is chopsticks, read khue1 tsy5.

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