#9 Ordering at a Restaurant | Swedish Everyday Phrases

When you dine at a restaurant, you will need to engage in several basic interactions, such as checking the menu, placing your order, and expressing your preferences.

In Swedish dining situations, it is important to use expressions appropriately depending on the context—for example, making a polite request, asking about the characteristics of a dish, or expressing additional preferences or changes.

In this article, I introduce useful Swedish expressions for ordering food at a restaurant, confirming details about dishes, and communicating your requests.

Dialogue

A

Rätterna på menyn ser verkligen goda ut. Jag tror att jag börjar med dagens soppa.
（All the dishes on the menu look delicious. I think I will start with today’s soup.）

B

Vill du ha bröd till soppan?
（Would you like bread with your soup?）

A

Ja, gärna. Och sedan skulle jag vilja beställa laxen med citron.
（Yes, please. And I would also like to order the salmon with lemon.）

B

Självklart. Vill du lägga till en sallad eller något att dricka?
（Certainly. Would you like to add a salad or something to drink?）

A

Jag tar en liten sallad och ett glas mineralvatten.
（I’ll have a small salad and a glass of mineral water.）

B

Perfekt. Jag kommer med soppan strax.
（Perfect. I will bring your soup shortly.）

1. Ordering a Dish

Once you are seated at the restaurant, you can begin placing your order. In Swedish, you can use expressions such as:

The expression “tror att” means “I think that,” and allows you to express your choice gently without sounding too direct.

The phrase “börjar med” means “to start with,” which is particularly useful when ordering dishes in sequence.

Depending on the dining situation, you may choose among the following expressions:

2. Confirming Dishes or Making Additional Requests

During your order, the server may suggest sides or additions, or you may wish to request something extra.

Server’s question:

The preposition “till” means “with” or “served alongside,” and is commonly used when confirming meal combinations.

If you wish to request something additional, you can say:

The expression “Skulle jag kunna få … ?” is a polite way to ask for something, leaving room for the listener to decline if necessary.

3. Responding to the Server’s Suggestions

When the server proposes additional items, you can respond as follows:

“Jag tar …” is a simple and effective expression for placing or confirming an order.

Other useful responses include:

The word “gärna” adds a tone of willingness and politeness.

4. Completing the Order

Once your order is confirmed, the server may conclude with expressions such as:

Here, “strax” means “soon” or “shortly,” which is commonly used in restaurant service.

Other common service expressions include:

These expressions maintain a calm and polite tone, suitable for customer service.

Summary